2025 ICPSR Biennial Meeting - Program & Workshops
The theme for the 2025 Biennial Meeting is "Camp ICPSR"! The program is still in development and updates will be made as they become available—stay tuned! We can’t wait to share more with you soon!
2025 Schedule
This year, we are taking an orientation and training approach. Wi-Fi will be available in the meeting rooms and we encourage you to bring your devices for a hands-on experience. Some workshops have limited seating and attendees registered for these workshops will be seated first.
Titles and descriptions of the workshops, sessions, and presenters are still being developed and changes may occur. Visit the ICPSR Training and Events calendar to save the events to your calendar.
Jump to a specific day: Wednesday, June 18 • Thursday, June 19 • Friday, June 20
Wednesday, June 18
All Wednesday activities are at the Michigan League, 911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, unless otherwise indicated. *Note: Wednesday workshops are limited to the first 65 registrations. Additional registrants will be placed on a waitlist and notified if space becomes available.
Camp ICPSR: Exploring the Data Wilderness with Tools, Tips, and Member Benefits
Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am ET
Location: Michigan League - Koessler Room (3rd floor)
Join us to become a confident data camper and guide others on their ICPSR journey!
- Pitch Your Data Tent: Learn how to "set up camp" by sharing your research data with ICPSR and its sponsored projects. Understand the process and benefits of contributing data to build a strong foundation for the research community.
- Map the Data Trail: Navigate ICPSR’s data forest, using search tips, understanding methods metadata, and accessing restricted datasets.
- Explore the Campfire Toolbox: Gather around to explore old and new tools that enhance research and publication. This includes the bibliography of data-related literature, training opportunities, and other resources to help you make the most of the data you and your fellow campers discover.
- Reap Member Benefits in the Data Campsite: Leverage your member benefits to support data and teaching initiatives and demonstrate your institution’s and researchers’ research impact.
Presenter(s): Lynette Hoelter; Anna Shelton; Linda Detterman, ICPSR
Lunch on Your Own (Explore Ann Arbor)
Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm ET
Connect with friends old and new as you explore Ann Arbor's delightful culinary options, including these great suggestions from the ICPSR staff: Restaurants in Ann Arbor.
The AI and (Structured) Data Expedition - What ICPSR has Learned
Time: 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm ET
Location: Michigan League - Koessler Room (3rd floor)
It seems that new uses for AI, including in social research, are popping up every time we turn around. But what does it all mean? How and where does AI fit into the research process, and what are the implications for secondary analysis? Maybe you have similar questions but haven’t had time to explore things further. We’ve taken the journey and have some thoughts and suggestions of things to think about when working with students or faculty bitten by the AI bug. This session is not about concrete answers, but about getting boots dirty hiking the AI trail and learning from each other.
Presenter: Lynette Hoelter
Out & About: A Quick Field Trip & Camp Activity Break
Time: 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm ET
Lace up your shoes and get ready to explore the sights and sounds around the historic Michigan League! If you'd rather stay indoors, we'll have some camp activities ready too—like crafts, camp games, and creative fun to keep the adventure going inside!
Official and Designated Representative (OR and DR) Bootcamp! Fundamentals and the Evolution of the OR/DR Role
Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm ET
Location: Michigan League - Koessler Room (3rd floor)
Intended for new (and not so new) OR/DRs, this workshop will cover details on ICPSR’s organization and governance, OR roles and responsibilities, where to go for help, how to use the ICPSR website, tips and tools for helping your users, and ways to promote ICPSR on your campus. The workshop features hands-on exercises, networking with fellow ORs, an overview of new ICPSR research projects, and introductions to exceptional ORs. Highly recommended for anyone new to ICPSR and those seeking to stay updated as the consortium adapts to evolving data curation and sharing needs. Learn what makes this organization and the data it distributes so great!
OR Presenter(s): Stephanie Labou, University of California, San Diego; Barbara Esty, Yale University; Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie University
ICPSR Council Welcome Reception
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET
Location: ICPSR Headquarters - Perry Building Atrium at 330 Packard Street
Wander to the ICPSR Headquarters and help us launch the 2025 Biennial Meeting with the ICPSR Council, ICPSR staff, and fellow attendees at the Welcome Reception! Hors d’oeuvres and beverages provided.
Thursday, June 19
All Thursday activities will be at the Michigan Union at 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
Working Breakfast / Poster Display
Time: 8:30 am - 9:00 am ET (breakfast available starting at 8:00 am)
Location: Michigan Union - Anderson Room (1st floor)
A continental breakfast will be served, followed by opening remarks at 8:45 am. Attendees are invited to hike through the ICPSR Poster Display, available for viewing throughout the event.
Teaching Data: Strategies for Success with or without Data
Time: 9:00 am - 10:20 am ET
Location: Michigan Union - Anderson Room (1st floor)
"I should use data with my students, but...it's a lot of work, I'm not an expert, there's too much else to talk about, data are boring..." I'm sure you've heard some version of this statement from faculty on your campus. This session will give you ideas for introducing students to data, sometimes without actually even using data! ICPSR's search tools and the volume of data in our collection make it easy to match course concepts with real-world examples. Come and get some ideas, stump the presenter, and share your own experiences!
Presenter: Lynette Hoelter
Building the Largest and Longest Longitudinal Population Database in the United States
Time: 10:30 am - 11:50 am ET
Location: Michigan Union - Anderson Room (1st floor)
Infrastructure builders across the country have been working for years to digitize and link individuals and families across every U.S. Census from 1850 through 2020. Much of this data is already available, and the entire infrastructure will be complete in 2026. Researchers are already using these data to study long-term changes in peoples' lives and even across generations. We'll discuss what's available, what's coming soon, and how to get it. We'll also talk about the cutting-edge methods that researchers at ICPSR and the Census Bureau are using to digitize and link the final piece of this massive new data resource.
Presenter(s): J. Trent Alexander, ICPSR
Luncheon & State of the Consortium
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET
Location: Michigan Union - Rogel Ballroom (2nd floor)
Join fellow ORs, Council, ICPSR Staff, and guests at the Canteen for a State of the Consortium report and insights into the future of ICPSR. Bring your appetites and your questions. The report presentation will begin at approximately 12:15 pm.
Presenter(s): Maggie Levenstein, ICPSR Director
Your Guide to the 2025 ICPSR Summer Program: Unlocking the World of Data Science and Quantitative Methods
Time: 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm ET
Location: Michigan Union - Anderson Room (1st floor)
In this presentation, ICPSR Summer Program staff will talk about the general structure of the 2025 program, including details about scholarships, TA positions/opportunities, changes to the curriculum, and more! Then, we will hear about the new workshop, Providing Data Services and Support: From Surviving to Succeeding, developed especially for library personnel who manage or support data services at their institution.
Presenter(s): ICPSR Summer Program staff
The Power of a Dataset: Exploring the Reach and Impact of ICPSR Archives
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:20 pm ET
Location: Michigan Union - Anderson Room (1st floor)
ICPSR's thematic collections contain data commonly used in guiding policies and evaluating practices. This session will highlight noteworthy studies within these topical collections, demonstrating the impact the data have had in research and policy. Think of it as a chance to eavesdrop on a cabin of soon-to-be friends as they swap stories long into the night! You'll come away feeling like you, too, are a part of their stories!
Presenter(s): ICPSR staff
Data in Action: Solutions for Recovery and Resilience
Time: 4:30 pm - 6:15 pm ET
Location: Michigan Union - Anderson Room (1st floor)
Learn about the efforts by ICPSR researchers and the broader data community to protect at-risk federal surveys and datasets. ICPSR researchers will describe their work, both now and in past years, and train attendees in ways to rescue and retain data. Attendees will then have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on data rescue session.
Presenter(s): ICPSR staff
ICPSR Awards Dinner
Time: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm ET
Location: Michigan Union - Rogel Ballroom (2nd floor)
Join meeting attendees for dinner, conversation, and the presentation of the Warren E. Miller Award for Meritorious Service to the Social Sciences, the William H. Flanigan Award for Distinguished Services as an ICPSR Official Representative, and the Piper Simmons Data Contributor of the Year Award. Dress is business casual.
Friday, June 20
All Friday activities are at the Michigan Union at 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. (Luggage storage is available in 2210A)
Working Breakfast / Emerging Technologies at ICPSR
Time: 8:30 am - 9:00 am ET (breakfast available starting at 8:00 am)
Location: Michigan Union - Pendleton Room (2nd floor)
A continental breakfast will be served on the last day of the ICPSR 2025 Biennial Meeting!
AI and Data Privacy at ICPSR
Time: 9:00 am - 9:50 am ET
Location: Michigan Union - Pendleton Room (2nd floor)
The abundance of AI tools and uses has not gone unnoticed in the world of research data. You might have heard a student or colleague wonder aloud, “Can I just have ChatGPT do a quick analysis of these data?.” (We know you weren’t asking the question, because you are as much of a data geek as we are!) If so, this session is for you! We will cover some of the basics about AI and why issues about its use with research data are timely, introduce ICPSR and other archives’ current thinking and policies, and provide some concrete examples as guidance.
Presenter(s): Lynette Hoelter, Archivist; Joe Saul, ICPSR Privacy and Security Officer; David Arnold, Legal Research Area Specialist
Data Discovery Campfire: Unveiling New & Noteworthy ICPSR Member Data
Time: 10:00 am - 10:50 am ET
Location: Michigan Union - Pendleton Room (2nd floor)
Gather around the campfire to explore the latest and most exciting data collections available exclusively to ICPSR members. Presenters will guide you through these new data releases, sharing the treasure trove of research opportunities they offer for both researchers and students. Don’t miss out on this adventure to uncover new frontiers in data!
Unlocking the Future of Data: A Sneak Peek into ICPSR’s Modernized Software Platform!
Time: 11:00 am - 11:30 am ET
Location: Michigan Union - Pendleton Room (2nd floor)
Join us for an exciting session where you'll learn how ICPSR is upgrading its software platform with the help of the largest award ever given to the social sciences by the National Science Foundation. This new and improved platform is designed to make it easier to find, access, and share data. It’s also built to handle different types of data, like videos and geospatial data, enabling a wide range of social science research.
We'll share how these updates will help researchers like you by providing better tools for every step of the research process. You'll see how the new platform will make it easier to deposit data, find the information you need, and share your findings with others. Get ready to explore the future of data with ICPSR's cutting-edge technology!
Presenter(s): Jeannette Jackson, Managing Director, Research Data Ecosystem; Aalap Doshi, Director, IT
Box Lunch Pick-Up
Time: 11:30 am - Noon
Location: Box lunches will be available in the Pendleton Room.
North of 49: Continuing the Data Journey (with box lunch)
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:20 pm ET
Location: Michigan Union - Pendleton Room (2nd floor)
Continuing our journey started with the ICPSR Data Fair presentation “North of 49: An Introduction to Canadian Data,” we will take a bit of a deeper dive into Canadian data resources and tools, providing a hands-on component for attendees to become more familiar with Canadian data resources. (View the Data Fair webinar at https://youtu.be/8q2IVcDP72E)
Presenter(s): Alexandra Cooper, Queens University; Agnes Zientarska-Kayko, University of Waterloo; Kevin Manuel, Toronto Metropolitan University; Michael Steeleworthy, Wilfrid Laurier University
Bus Departs for Detroit Metro Airport
Time: 1:30 pm-1:45 pm
Location: ICPSR staff will guide you to the bus, which departs promptly at 1:45 behind the Michigan Union on the corner of Thompson Street and Richard L. Kennedy Drive (across from the parking structure).
Catch a friendly ride to the airport for an approximate 2:45 pm arrival at DTW. (Luggage storage is available in 2210A)