This class is on research design and research methods related to confidential information. In this class we’ll discuss how to recognize sensitive information; prepare for IRB review; reduce risks in data collection; evaluate information threats and vulnerabilities; organize and store sensitive data;  understand data use agreements; and create data management plans.  If you’re a researcher, whether a late career grad student, faculty, or professional research staff, this class is for you.

The course will be presented in a half-day format. Individual consultations may be scheduled with Dr. Altman by contacting Kelly Hopkins at khopkins@mit.edu.

Discussant Bio: Dr. Micah Altman is Director of Research and Head/Scientist, Program on Information Science for the MIT Libraries, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Dr. Altman is also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution. Prior to arriving at MIT, Dr. Altman served at Harvard University for fifteen years as the Associate Director of the Harvard-MIT Data Center, Archival Director of the Henry A. Murray Archive, and Senior Research Scientist in the Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences.

Dr. Altman conducts work primarily in the fields of social science, information privacy, information science and research methods, and statistical computation—focusing on the intersections of information, technology, privacy, and politics; and on the dissemination, preservation, reliability and governance of scientific knowledge.