
Who am I? (in 2 minutes or less),
I’m Dr. Azdren Coma — a quantitative social scientist and survey methodologist. But what does that all mean? It means that I am trained to look at and understand social issues. The tool that I have the most training with involves figuring out how to ask the right questions to find those answers.
I earned my PhD at Washington State University, a top 50 graduate program in the world, specializing in environmental sociology (something that was founded as a graduate field of research at WSU). I learned about survey methodology from some of the brightest talents in the industry -- including Don Dillman, who was a part of my dissertation committee. Don, for those who are not familiar, among many other things, he literally re-did the U.S. Census survey that has been used in the last few decades.
I care about doing research that’s both thoughtful and useful, whether that means designing better surveys, making sense of messy data, or helping people turn good ideas into solid evidence. These ideals can be seen in the papers I have published or that are currently in the works, and in the reviews from students in classes that I have taught.
I’ve worked with universities, research centers, and nonprofits to solve real problems and communicate findings clearly. My findings have been shared with university administrators, legislators, and have been read by many more.
My goal is to bring a mix of creativity, structure, and big-picture thinking to every project I join, reinforcing the goals of the institutions that I am a part of while still being practical and pragmatic in my approach to problem-solving. If you would like to learn more about my professional accomplishments, check out my CV page.