Statistical Support at Children's
Introduction
The Biostatistics Consulting Center (BCC) offers comprehensive statistical consultation and computational services to faculty, staff, and students in the Rollins School of Public Health, other divisions of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, and throughout the University community. BCC personnel are available for discussion at all stages of research, including preparation of grants and contracts, assistance in analyzing and presenting research data, and statistical review of manuscripts in the publication process.
The BCC has access to a broad range of computer hardware and software and personnel with expertise in using major statistical, graphics, and data management packages. While their primary interest is in assuring appropriate use of statistical methodology in research, the BCC offers a complete range of services from database development, implementation, and maintenance, to production of publication-quality graphic and tabular material. Obtaining biostatistical advice early on in a project can often improve the chances of the study meeting its objectives.
Personnel
The BCC is directed by Michael H. Kutner, PhD, who is Chair of the Department of Biostatistics, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Kirk Easley, MS, serves as the Associate Director. Consulting is primarily done by departmental faculty. Faculty members providing this service cover a wide range of interests and statistical expertise and have consulting experience in a variety of subject matter areas. Departmental staff members and graduate students contribute substantially to this activity by providing direct statistical and computational assistance. Other personnel in the BCC include data entry technicians, data managers, and statistical programmer/analysts in the Department of Biostatistics.
Project Initiation
Children's investigators must e-mail their request for assistance to Director of Clinical Research, Kristine Rogers(kristine.rogers@choa.org). The e-mail should include a brief summary of the request, including study objectives and research design. Once the request is reviewed and approved, it will be forwarded to the consulting center. Investigators will be notified when their request has been approved and sent forward. At that point, investigators may contact the Associate Director of the BIOS Consulting Center, Kirk Easley, to set up an appointment to meet (see contact information below).
Grant Proposals
For grant proposals the BCC will assist in study design and proposal writing when BCC faculty are identified as co-investigators and/or appropriate funding for BCC faculty is included in the budget.
Authorship Policy
Co-authorship on scientific journal articles is generally expected on studies where substantive input on design and/or analysis is provided. It is BCC policy not to forgo funding in return for co-authorship. An individual statistician may, at his/her discretion, donate time to co-author an unfunded manuscript if it does not interfere with other funded projects.
Contact the BCC
You may contact the BCC at:
Kirk Easley, MS, Associate Director
Email: keasle2@sph.emory.edu
Telephone: 404-712-9642