# Columbia Population Research Center - Computing and Methods Core

> **NIH NIH P2C** · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · 2020 · $78,855

## Abstract

Abstract – Computing and Methods Core
The computing and methods core (CMC) achieves CPRC aims by providing a variety of computing and methods
services that are designed to increase the productivity, efficiency, and quality of CPRC scholarship. These
services, which have transformed the computing and methods infrastructure at Columbia, include:
1) Cross-Institutional Collaboration. The CMC plays a key role in building collaborations with other campus
units that have resulted in major improvements in the university's IT infrastructure in high performance
computing (HPC), facilities for the analysis of sensitive and restricted data, wrap-around desktop support
services, and a shared research data storage initiative.
2) High Performance Computing (HPC). The CMC's initiation of a HPC cluster greatly advanced the state of
HPC to meet the needs of population research at Columbia. Currently 23 CPRC affiliates have accounts on the
HPC system.
3) Secure Computing Environment. The CMC established a Secure Data Enclave (SDE) service for CPRC and
its partners in fall 2012. The SDE is a virtual computing environment that provides secure remote access to
restricted data and statistical applications. The CMC co-chairs have worked with the Columbia University
Informational Technology (CUIT) office to scale up the SDE, increasing its storage capacity and computational
power.
4) Desktop Support. The CMC continues to provide wrap-around desktop support for its members.
5) GIS Services. The GIS consulting service includes support for study design and grant application
preparation, advice on the analysis of spatial and neighborhood data, and the development of maps and
visualizations for scientific manuscripts, seminars, and websites.
6) Support for Innovative Methodologies. A priority of the CMC moving forward is to promote the adoption of
data science innovations among its faculty, through conferences demonstrating the value of new data collection
and analysis tools, training workshops, and facilitating collaborations with data science scholars.
Collaborations with Columbia's Data Science Institute are already very active.
7) Survey Lab. The Robin Hood Foundation funds the New York City Longitudinal Survey of Wellbeing
(NYCLSW, aka “Poverty Tracker”), an ongoing panel study of New Yorkers, interviewed every 3 months. To
accommodate the growing need for space for survey staff to conduct interviews, CPRC partnered with the
School of Social Work to open the CPRC survey lab in 2017. The survey lab staff and management can be
deployed by CPRC faculty to field surveys or for survey research consultations. The NYCLSW is also available
to field test questions and collect experimental data on a probability sample of New Yorkers at very low costs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9985989
- **Project number:** 5P2CHD058486-12
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** Julien O Teitler
- **Activity code:** P2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $78,855
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9985989

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9985989, Columbia Population Research Center - Computing and Methods Core (5P2CHD058486-12). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9985989. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*