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NORC at the University Chicago

Y. Michael Yang

Pronouns: He/Him

Principal Statistician
Statistics & Data Science
Michael has 27 years of experience in study design, survey sampling, post-survey data adjustments, variance estimation, survey data analysis, and technical reporting. 

Michael principal statistician at NORC at the University of Chicago. He is generally responsible for developing methods for sample frame construction, sample design and selection, data editing and cleaning, nonresponse analysis and weighting, missing data imputation, variance estimation, and complex survey data analysis for government and public interest projects. Michael has 27 years of statistical consulting experience.

Michael has led or participated in designing many complex survey samples including the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR), Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM), Entrepreneurship in the Population Survey (EPOP), and the AmeriSpeak Panel. Michael has also served as project director for some NORC studies, including Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP), Development of Improved QCEW Confidentiality Processing Methodologies, and National Compensation Survey Variance Estimation. Michael is currently the Statistics Lead for NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel, leading a team of statisticians and methodologists to support panel sample design, panel recruitments, panel maintenance, panel weighting and imputation, statistical research, and client surveys based on AmeriSpeak Panel samples.

Prior to joining NORC, Michael was Senior Statistician and Methodologist at the Gallup Organization where he led sampling, weighting, and variance estimation for many projects. From 2007 to 2010, Michael served as Chief Statistician at the Survey Research Center at ICF International where he led the development of sample design, weighting and imputation procedures, variance estimation methods, and technical reporting for many surveys of the military and veteran populations.

Michael serves on the Advisory Board of the Statistical Journal of the International Association for Official Statistics (SJIOAS). He is a member of the Committee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights of the American Statistical Association. He is also a past Program Chair of the Government Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association.

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Expertise

Education

PhD

University of Massachusetts

MS

Chinese Academy of Sciences

BS

Beijing University

Appointments & Affiliations

Emphasis Editor and Advisory Board Member

Statistical Journal of the International Association for Official Statistics (SJIAOS)

Member

Committee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights, American Statistical Association

Program Chair

Government Statistics Section, American Statistical Association

Project Contributions

Entrepreneurship in the Population (EPOP)

Tracking the U.S. population’s experiences with and interest in entrepreneurship and self-employment

Client:

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

National Education & Attainment Survey

Understanding the education and training experiences of adults

Client:

Lumina Foundation

A National Survey of Police Officer-Involved Firearm Shootings

A nationally representative survey of law enforcement on use of force and officer-involved shootings

Funder:

The National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research

Entrepreneurship in the Population: Indiana (EPOP-IN)

Understanding views and experiences with business ownership and self-employment in Indiana

Client:

Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP)

High School and Beyond Sixth Follow-Up Survey

Ongoing study of 1980 sophomores/seniors tracks influence of education and labor on health and aging

Client:

University of Minnesota

Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Price Surveys

Weekly data collection of the nation’s regular gasoline and on-highway diesel fuel prices

Client:

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Publications

Research Library & Findings