New Center to Provide Researchers with Special Access to Federal Data

The University of Texas at Dallas and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas are leading a consortium of institutions working to establish a Dallas-Fort Worth Federal Statistical Research Data Center.

The center, which will be one of several throughout the United States, is expected to open next year at the Dallas Fed.

Federal Statistical Research Data Centers are partnerships between federal statistical agencies and research institutions that provide access to restricted economic, demographic, employment, health and other data for statistical purposes only.

Dr. Kurt Beron, professor of economics in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, said the data center will allow scholars to access micro-level statistical data not publicly available. While researchers may have access to summary data covering broad areas, the center may provide information about smaller geographical areas, for example. Researchers will have to submit proposals and undergo security background checks to access the data.

“This is a very positive demonstration of how the major universities and institutions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, along with West Texas, can work together to both increase quality research as well as strengthen the ties between consortium members,” said Beron, principal investigator for the project who will help coordinate the consortium.

The University received a three-year, $300,000 National Science Foundation grant to help create the center. All consortium members will also contribute annually for the operation of the center.

In addition to UT Dallas and the Dallas Fed, consortium members include The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Southern Methodist University, Texas Tech University, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, the University of North Texas, Texas Christian University and the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation.

“The University of Texas at Dallas is pleased to partner with the Dallas Fed to establish and oversee this new federal statistical research data center, which will provide the faculty and students of UT Dallas and all consortium members with an unparalleled opportunity to access unique data essential for cutting-edge research,” said Dr. Inga Musselman, interim provost. “We are truly thankful to the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Census Bureau for their support in establishing this center.”

Wenhua Di, senior research economist at the Dallas Fed, will serve as the center’s executive director.

“There is significant demand in the region for this center,” Di said. “Since researchers need to be physically present to access the data, housing the center at the Dallas Fed will provide excellent security, easy accessibility and collaboration opportunities to a large research community.”

The center will provide data from agencies including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Census Bureau, National Center for Health Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics.