Retired Data Sharing for Demographic Research (DSDR) Director John E. Marcotte Honored with Emeritus Title; J. Trent Alexander Appointed as New Director

ANN ARBOR–After over 15 years at ICPSR at the University of Michigan — with more than 10 years guiding the Data Sharing for Demographic Research (DSDR) program — Dr. John E. Marcotte has retired, concluding a distinguished career spanning more than three decades in demography, population health, biostatistics, and data science.

Dr. Marcotte’s impact at U-M and beyond is far-reaching. In roles ranging from quantitative researcher to data security officer and computing director, he contributed expertise in advanced sampling methods, regression analysis, survival analysis, and secure and high-performance computing systems. Throughout his career, Dr. Marcotte collaborated with a range of professionals—including social and natural scientists, nurses, and physicians—building bridges across disciplines and advancing innovative solutions in population health research. He spent his first four years at ICPSR as director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA).

His commitment to data integrity and interdisciplinary research was further reflected in academic appointments at the U-M School of Nursing, the Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS), and the Health Analytics Collaboratory (HAC). Dr. Marcotte frequently shared his knowledge at professional conferences and on panels addressing data security and disclosure.

In recognition of his many contributions, the Regents of the University of Michigan have honored Dr. Marcotte with the title of Archivist Emeritus at the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR).

As the DSDR community bids farewell to Dr. Marcotte’s leadership, the program welcomes J. Trent Alexander as its new director. Alexander, a historical demographer and Associate Director of ICPSR, brings extensive experience as principal investigator on the Decennial Census Digitization and Linkage Project. His appointment marks a new chapter for DSDR, supporting continued innovation and excellence in demographic research.

Pictured: The DSDR team on Aug. 5, 2025: Kelly Ogden-Schuette, John E. Marcotte, and Sarah Rush, at the retirement celebration at ICPSR. (Photo by Victoria Johnson)