August 6 - 7, 2025 | Minneapolis, MN & Online
The IPUMS Big Microdata Network and the Network for Data-Intensive Research on Aging (NDIRA), a collaboration between IPUMS and the University of Minnesota Life Course Center, are proud to sponsor the 2025 Data-Intensive Research Conference.
2025 conference theme: Understanding Health and Population Dynamics through Big Microdata
There has been an explosive growth in the quantity of census microdata available for social science and health research. Researchers now have access to full-count individual-level microdata from the U.S. Census spanning 1850 to the present when combining IPUMS full count data with resources available through the Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC). Similar resources exist in other countries with full count census data and population registers. Full count microdata are a powerful resource for operationalizing historical and present-day contexts; linking persons, families, or communities to examine trajectories; and elucidating experiences of small demographic groups that often cannot be studied with the available sample in other data sources. We look forward to a conference that features multi- and interdisciplinary research and demonstrates the flexibility and power of big microdata for understanding the demographic and health landscape. See the call for proposals.
Possible Research Topics
We welcome submissions that apply any big microdata sources to examinations of health and population dynamics. We are actively seeking submissions that use full count census data from IPUMS or big microdata from a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC). We are particularly interested in projects that link persons, families, or communities across censuses or link full count data to other sources, including the creation of place-based measures or person-level linkages to external data. Potential topics include health, community, and population outcomes situated in historical, life course, or intergenerational contexts, such as:
- Early life conditions and later life outcomes
- Structural disparities in health and healthcare services
- Individuals at the nexus of work, family and community participation
- Life-course population trends
- Place-based conditions and policy impacts
Pre-Conference Workshop
A two-day, intensive workshop intended for researchers interested in learning more about full count census data from IPUMS will be held immediately before the conference (August 4-5). The workshop will provide a general overview of available full count data, describe our linked census data infrastructure, highlight resources for and applications of linked data, and provide hands-on opportunities for accessing and working with the data.
Workshop participants are expected to also attend the research sessions on August 6-7.
Key Dates
- October 31, 2024: Abstract submissions open
- January 15, 2025: Workshop application opens
- January 31, 2025: Abstracts due
- March 4, 2025: Notification about selection for research sessions (including travel support to attend)
- March 18, 2025: Program published, registration opens
- April 15, 2025: Pre-conference workshop applications due
- May 15, 2025: Notification about selection for pre-conference workshop (including travel support to attend)
- July 18, 2025: Registration closes
- August 4-5, 2025: Pre-conference workshop
- August 6-7, 2025: Data-Intensive Research Conference research presentations
Travel Information
Travel Support
We have funds to offer travel support for some conference presenters and some researchers selected to attend the workshop*. Recipients of travel support will receive reimbursement for some or all of the following expenses: domestic airfare, ground travel, lodging, and meals. You may indicate your interest in receiving travel support as part of the abstract submission or workshop application forms.
NDIRA and the IPUMS Big Microdata Network seek to build and support interdisciplinary and diverse communities of scientists leveraging powerful data resources in innovative ways. Our goals are to build community, lower barriers to using complex data, and engage new users to increase diversity. To this end, funding will be awarded with consideration for increasing diversity with specific attention to supporting early career scholars, scholars from systemically excluded groups, and researchers outside of R1 institutions.
Hotels
- The Courtyard Marriott Downtown Minneapolis is the closest hotel. You can reserve a room at a discounted rate by requesting the University of Minnesota rate ($149/night plus taxes and fees) when booking.
- Aloft Minneapolis is also nearby (about 1 mile).
Transportation
Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport (MSP) is the nearest airport and has convenient ground transportation options: light rail (~50 minutes) or ride share/taxi service (~20 minutes) to the Courtyard Marriott Downtown Minneapolis.