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NORC at the University Chicago

Brian M. Wells

Pronouns: He/Him

Senior Research Methodologist
Methodology & Quantitative Social Sciences
Brian studies mixed-mode survey design and nonresponse error focusing on health and social surveys.

Brian is a senior research methodologist in the Methodology & Quantitative Social Sciences department at NORC at the University of Chicago. He is involved in a variety of mixed-mode survey projects using his background and expertise in survey methodology and statistics to evaluate nonresponse and data collection methods. Brian has over 15 years of experience in the field of survey research focusing on implementing and evaluating mixed-mode methodologies and survey redesigns in both health and social surveys.

Brian is currently the methodological lead for the General Social Survey (GSS) guiding the 2024 design along with evaluating recent mode changes and other questionnaire experiments. He also coordinates the GSS sensitive data application process. Brian also supports a variety of state-based health surveys including the Mountain State Assessment of Trends in Community Health Survey, the Healthy Illinois Survey, and the Latino Health and Rural County Policy Contexts Survey, providing guidance on sampling, data collection, and methodological experiments related to mixed-mode designs. 

Prior to joining NORC, Brian was the lead methodologist of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. He spearheaded the CHIS redesign from a random-digit dial telephone survey to an address-based sample, mixed-mode survey. He also oversaw the development of multiple oversamples and follow-on surveys targeting hard-to-survey populations and co-chaired the CHIS sexual orientation and gender identity working group. Brian has also worked on improving designs for the Health and Retirement Study, Nielsen TV and Audio Panels, and the Nebraska Behavioral Health Consumer Survey.

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Expertise

Education

PhD

University of Michigan

MS

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

BS

Brigham Young University

Honors & Awards

Employee Recognition Award | 2022

NORC at the University of Chicago

Student Poster Award | 2018

American Association for Public Opinion Research

Student Paper Award in Survey Research Methodology | 2011

Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research

Project Contributions

The General Social Survey

The most rigorous, widely used data on the attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of the American public

Client:

The National Science Foundation

Publications

More Publications