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News and relevant research findings from NORC at the University of Chicago. Posts and reposts do not indicate endorsement.
Ready to level up your survey research skills? NORC experts lead two new, self-paced online courses on mixed-mode survey design and applied generative AI. Explore the courses: go.norc.org/4x8yu6h
NORC is at The Quirk's Event in New York, July 29-30. Catch Alex Chew's presentation on AI-enabled research and sample quality or visit booth #803 to connect with our AmeriSpeak team on strengthening data quality and reaching representative audiences. #QuirksEvent Find out more: go.norc.org/4wtmj44
Program evaluations are often treated like a final score at the end of a program to determine if funding continues. NORC senior fellow Matthew Stagner makes the case for continuous learning: testing, adapting, and improving programs in real time. Explore the full brief: go.norc.org/44zP5nu
NORC’s Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis marks 30 years of partnering with rural communities and federal, Tribal, state, and local leaders to strengthen health care systems, workforce development, and public health. Explore three decades of impact: go.norc.org/4wjrMdG
New NORC ChicagoSpeaks data find Chicagoans grappling with two concerns: perceived safety and affordability. Forty-four percent of Chicagoans believe violent crime has risen city-wide and 67% call their area unaffordable, well above the national rate. Explore the full findings: go.norc.org/4fNIvjr
Today, NORC convened civic, nonprofit, philanthropic, and public safety leaders for a ChicagoSpeaks roundtable on perceptions of safety in Chicago, reflecting the initiative's mission to elevate resident perspectives in data-informed conversations about Chicago communities.
Men now make up less than a quarter of the K-12 teaching workforce, down from 30% in the 1980s. What draws the ones who do enter? New NORC survey data, mainly from Wisconsin, show 78% cited a desire to help kids and 86% were encouraged by their own teacher. View the blog post: go.norc.org/4gPMAF0
Survey costs are rising and response rates are declining. So, what actually gets people to participate? A new NORC innovation brief tests six incentive strategies and shares what works, what doesn't, and what it means for survey design. View the findings: go.norc.org/4yLg4ue
Eight in 10 custodial parents in Colorado experienced a sudden drop in child support payments. New NORC research with the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab explores how this instability affects child welfare system contact. Explore the study: go.norc.org/4w3NzWP
As America turns 250, a recent WSJ-NORC poll finds just 48% think capitalism is working well, down from 60% a decade ago, and only 12% say the same about democracy. Read the full WSJ article: go.norc.org/4vDp2H0
New NORC research finds 6% of U.S. adults trust health information from AI more than their own health care provider. Another 15% trust it just as much. NORC’s Amelia Burke-Garcia on who fills the gap when trust erodes, at Aspen Ideas: Health. Watch her insights from the panel.
NORC has named Prashila Dullabh and John Roman distinguished senior fellows, our highest distinction. The honor recognizes their enduring contributions to NORC's mission, growth, and thought leadership. Explore the announcement: go.norc.org/4vDdKmk
Public health communicators face a challenge: nearly 40% of U.S. adults don't know that alcohol increases their cancer risk. New NORC research shows what works to raise awareness and motivate people to drink less: warning labels and simple guidance. View the findings: go.norc.org/4bB3Ji1
AI chatbots can sound right even when they're not. NORC principal data scientist Mehmet Celepkolu explains how building in source transparency and human oversight from the start is what makes conversational AI trustworthy. Find out more: go.norc.org/4f9weVe
How are Americans using federal data? A new NORC study finds nearly 1 in 10 U.S. adults are regular users, from tracking neighborhood crime rates, to monitoring inflation to fact-checking arguments. Find out more: go.norc.org/44aU8KW
NORC is hiring part-time call center supervisors in Chicago, Albuquerque, and Wichita. Coach a dedicated team and grow your career in research. Apply here: go.norc.org/4goJPKA
NORC's Center on Indo-Pacific Social & Economic Research now has offices in Koror, Palau, and Barrigada, Guam. Located within local education agencies, the new offices help deepen collaboration to improve outcomes for students and communities across the region. Find out more: go.norc.org/4b4cwsB
Last week in Bilbao, René Bautista accepted the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Social Sciences on behalf of NORC, recognizing 85 years of objective public opinion research. View the highlights from the ceremony below. Video © BBVA Foundation
Today in Bilbao, René Bautista accepted the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Social Sciences on behalf of NORC and the General Social Survey (GSS) team. The recognition celebrates 85 years of objective public opinion research. More on the award: go.norc.org/4eF9egG
AI is easy to use but hard to trust. Our new Center on AI & Data Quality (AIDQ) brings together experts from across NORC to help determine when that trust is earned. Find out more: go.norc.org/4vi6fBC
NORC has launched the Partner & Community Engagement (PACE) Research Center, an interdisciplinary hub that co-designs research with the communities at the center of the work, sharing decision-making power with partners and elevating community voice. Find out more: go.norc.org/3S9rJCc
NORC researchers shared our latest insights in digital health at AcademyHealth 2026 Annual Research Meeting (#ARM26) in Seattle, with featured presentations on clinical decision support, AI in care, and patient engagement.
Drowning is preventable, yet an average of 11 people in the United States die from it every day. After decades of decline, the death rate is rising again. NORC’s Naomi Greene on why reducing drowning risk means studying whether water safety programs work, but also how and why: go.norc.org/4vF7vP2
A new AmeriSpeak® Omnibus survey puts No Kings rally turnout near 3% of U.S. adults, about 8 million people. But that figure shifts with question order and how people define participation. Explore the analysis: go.norc.org/4aocN9l
This week, NORC's Center for Panel Survey Sciences is convening national and international experts to set clearer transparency standards for probability-based survey panels. The two-day workshop is supported by the National Science Foundation. Find out more: go.norc.org/49EtOty
NORC is a sponsor and exhibitor at the 15th Annual Conference of the American Society of Health Economists (ASHEcon) in Minneapolis! Our team will share insights across health economics research, survey methods, and data analytics. #ASHEcon2026 Visit us at booth 8: go.norc.org/4oaONMA
Most Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) adults have heard of AANHPI Heritage Month, but far fewer feel a strong connection to it. New Amplify AAPI Omnibus surveys explore the gap between awareness and engagement. View the findings: amplifyaapi.norc.org
NORC's Michael Davern presented the Gail Wilensky Award for Impact in Health Policy to UCLA's Ninez A. Ponce at AcademyHealth's 2026 Annual Research Meeting. The NORC-sponsored award honors the late health economist and former NORC trustee. #ARM26 Find out more: go.norc.org/4vmaMTk
NORC is at the AcademyHealth 2026 Annual Research Meeting in Seattle! Our team will share innovations and insights across health services research, health communication, program evaluation, and data collection. #ARM26 Visit us at booth 400 and learn more at: go.norc.org/4dTcapk
Only 7% of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) adults are uncomfortable using financial apps due to security concerns, about half the rate of U.S. adults overall. New NORC data reveal distinct AANHPI consumer patterns. View the Spotlight: go.norc.org/4dAyHsj