PRB

PRB and Sabre Systems Form a New ACS Data Users Group

(February 2013) In partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) and Sabre Systems are forming a new American Community Survey (ACS) Data Users Group. The purpose of the ACS Data Users Group is to improve understanding of the value and utility of ACS data and to promote information sharing among data users about key ACS data issues and applications. Membership in the group is free and open to all interested ACS data users. The group is led by a Steering Committee comprised of selected external stakeholders representing a broad spectrum of data users with different interests.

To facilitate communication among ACS data users, PRB and Sabre Systems will create and maintain an online community forum, organize webinars and special sessions at professional meetings, and hold an annual ACS Data Users Conference. The online community is the centerpiece of this project and will provide a discussion site where people can share messages, materials, and announcements related to ACS data and methods. Specific activities and topics will be determined based on input from ACS Data Users Group members, Steering Committee members, and Census Bureau staff.

To collect information about activities and topics of interest to ACS data users, and to start assembling a preliminary list of ACS Data Users Group members, the Steering Committee has created a brief survey. The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. Individual responses will be kept confidential; only the aggregate data will be reported.

Members of the Steering Committee are:

• Warren A. Brown, Senior Research Associate, CISER, Cornell University
• Qian Cai, Director, Demographics and Workforce Group, University of Virginia
• Ed Christopher, Community Planner, Federal Highway Administration
• Gary Chappell, Acting Chief, Data Analysis and User Education Branch, U.S. Census Bureau
• Rosalind Gold, Senior Director of Policy, Research and Advocacy, NALEO Educational Fund
• Garrett Harper, Vice President of Research and Information, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Linda A. Jacobsen, Vice President of Domestic Programs, Population Reference Bureau
• Jeff Matson, Community GIS Program Director, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota
• Joy E. Phillips, Associate Director of the State Data Center, Washington, D.C. Office of Planning
• Howard Shih, Census Programs Director, Asian American Federation
• Richelle Winkler, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Demography, Michigan Technological University
• Mark Mather, Associate Vice President of Domestic Programs, Population Reference Bureau
• Edward Spar, Principal Researcher, Sabre Systems, Inc.

For more information about the American Community Survey, visit the Census Bureau’s website.

For more information about the ACS Data Users Group, please contact:
Linda Jacobsen, Vice President of Domestic Programs, Population Reference Bureau
ljacobsen@prb.org, or 202-939-5414.