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Staff and Locations

Westat’s staff of more than 2,000 are located at our headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Additional staff are located at Westat’s data collection survey processing facilities, at our Telephone Research Center facilities, and throughout our nationwide field operations. Westat also maintains research offices near our clients in Atlanta, Georgia; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Houston, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas. We have international offices in Beijing, China; Liberia, Costa Rica; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Bangkok, Thailand. Westat is committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request. Comment Standards

We welcome and look forward to your thoughts and comments! Westat is committed to maintaining an open and honest dialogue with you and will take comments and feedback into consideration. By using or accessing the Westat page on a social media site, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the site. We request that you only post comments and/or content that is relevant to the topic being discussed and refrain from advertising or promoting goods or services. Treat others respectfully and adhere to all federal, state, and local laws. Violations of these standards may result in being blocked or having the comment/content removed. We retain the discretion to determine which comments to respond to and which comments violate our comment standards. We also reserve the right to remove and/or not allow comments to be posted. Westat will not edit comments to remove objectionable content. The views expressed within posted comments do not necessarily reflect those of Westat. If a comment or post concerns you, please message Westat social media directly at [email protected].

09/13/2024

The 32nd Annual Morris Hansen Lecture, co-sponsored by Westat, will be held Sept 26, 2024, in Washington, DC. Theme: "Challenges in Measuring Income and Poverty: Why Is It So Hard? Why Is It So Important?" Hear Dr. Constance F. Citro (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine), followed by a discussion with Dr. Marina Gindelsky (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis) and Dr. Jonathan L. Rothbaum (U.S. Census Bureau). Register here:

The 32nd Annual Morris Hansen Lecture will take place on Thursday, September 26, 2024, from 3:30-5:30 pm (ET).

09/12/2024

September's National Preparedness Month, sponsored by FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency reminds us that readiness is key. Disasters don't wait – do you have a plan? Get ready with National Safety Council's tips for earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and other emergencies. https://ow.ly/h87e50TaOLx

09/09/2024

September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Month. See how Westat partnered with FASD United and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - ACOG to combat the stigma surrounding FASD and enhance prevention efforts. Read more on the approach to blend medical expertise with lived experiences to educate clinicians and transform preventive care:

Alcohol screening and brief intervention during pregnancy by health care providers is effective at reducing excessive alcohol use.

09/02/2024

Celebrate Labor Day exploring diverse careers across the U.S. with the U.S. Census Bureau's Kahoot game! From veterinarians to software developers, discover fascinating stats about various professions using . https://ow.ly/pFml50Tb0YO

08/31/2024

This International Overdose Awareness Day, we embrace the theme: "Together We Can"— a call to action to end the devastation caused by overdose. At Westat, our Behavioral Health and Health Policy experts are passionate about providing quality data to address this public health crisis. Discover how we're contributing to solutions: https://ow.ly/N9U550T5k8A

Overdose continues to impact the lives of so many around the world. Westat staff reflect on lives lost and the work ahead.

08/27/2024

Could increased funding for scholarships and loan repayments solve the nursing shortage? A recent study co-authored by Westat experts evaluated the effectiveness of these programs in addressing labor shortages in underserved areas.

Westat experts co-author study on how increased funding for Nurse Corps programs addresses nursing shortages in underserved areas.

08/26/2024

Thank you to our 2024 Summer Intern cohort, who've recently completed their eleven-week journey with us! These bright minds contributed to projects from improving student outcomes to public health evaluations. Discover their inspiring experiences and how past interns have grown into valued Westat employees.

11 students reflect on Westat's 2024 Summer Intern program, sharing projects, learnings, and favorite experiences from their 11-week journey.

08/23/2024

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month! To celebrate, learn about U.S. Department of Agriculture's FNS WIC Breastfeeding Support campaign. This initiative empowers moms with resources to meet their breastfeeding goals. Watch this video to see how WIC assists and supports breastfeeding mothers throughout their journey:

What is WIC Breastfeeding Support WIC breastfeeding moms and WIC staff discuss how the WIC Breastfeeding Support campaign serves to assist and support breast...

08/22/2024

How effective are diaper distribution programs at supporting families with lower incomes? Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation - OPRE's new evaluation design report describes our approach to evaluating the first federal Diaper Distribution Pilot. Learn how Westat and our partners are assessing the program to improve family support and address crucial needs.

The Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot Implementation Evaluation Design Report describes the design of each study component, including the research questions, data sources, data collection procedures, measures, and analysis plans.

08/21/2024

Wrapping up our National Intern Spotlight series, today we’re introducing Ethan Moran. Ethan from our Clinical Research team says, “I really enjoyed working on the VISION NLP Study, RBC-IMPACT, and LM-GWAS studies. I’m incredibly grateful for the team members I worked with throughout my internship.” Interested in interning with us? Keep an eye on our careers page this fall/winter for openings!

08/20/2024

Can machine learning automate the creation of data catalogs? Westat experts, collaborating with American Institutes for Research (AIR) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, explored this potential to support studies of employment and training outcomes. Explore our findings:

Many research and evaluation questions can be answered using extant data from surveys, program evaluations, and administrative data. Data catalogs help

08/19/2024

Highlighting another talented intern from our summer program, meet Lindsey Sparrock. Lindsey has been working with our Behavioral Health team and says her favorite experience has been “Collaborating with a team of research analysts to develop to***co and health equity research presentations.”

08/16/2024

Our National Intern Day celebration rolls on! Today we're featuring Ben Milhaupt, who has been working with our Education Studies team. Ben shares, “Since joining the Region #14 team, I have been animated by the opportunity to develop new documentation systems for enterprise technology projects.

08/15/2024

Join Westat at APHSA's 2024 Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference in Portland, OR, Aug 25-28. We're presenting on SNAP Robotic Process Automation and improving service delivery for Spanish speakers. As proud sponsors, we're excited to collaborate with human services leaders to shape the field's future. Visit our booth to connect!

Westat experts will be on-site at the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)’s Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference.

08/14/2024

Our National Intern Day series continues to shine a light on our amazing summer interns! Today, we're introducing Adam Johnston from our Education Studies team. Adam shares, "I'm enjoying writing a report on Strategic Teacher Pay for the Texas Education Agency (TEA)!"

08/14/2024

How does Westat design and build interactive data visualizations? Karmen Perry, a Westat Research Analyst, shares insights on creating accessible, inclusive dashboards that simplify complex data for a variety of audiences. Learn how we're making information understandable and usable for both clients and communities.

Karmen Perry discusses how Westat's strong, experienced team of data visualization specialists and dashboard developers work closely with clients to build user-friendly and useful dashboards.

08/13/2024

In case you missed it, Westat conducted the first external evaluation of Washington State’s Passport to Careers program that has supported over 3,000 former foster and homeless youth in higher education to date. Researchers Lori Nathanson, PhD, and Nina Page share insights on their equity-focused approach, challenges, and key findings. Read the full interview:

Westat staff discuss their evaluation of the Passport to Careers program that supports former foster youth and homeless youth unaccompanied by a parent or guardian in achieving their college and career goals.

08/12/2024

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. The CDC encourages everyone to stay up to date on recommended vaccines. Immunizations protect not just individuals, but entire communities.

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) provides an opportunity to highlight the value of immunization across the lifespan.

08/09/2024

National Health Center Week honors Community Health Centers' dedication to providing quality, comprehensive healthcare. Learn more:

August 4-10, 2024

08/09/2024

Meet Sanaa Walker, another stellar from our Public Health team! Sanaa shares, “Analyzing data from various surveys and sitting in on internal and external meetings has offered me great insight on the thought process of evaluating public health programming.”

08/08/2024

Continuing our intern spotlight from our National Intern Day series, meet Jazmin Hernandez. Jazmin, who’s working with our Public Health teams, says, her favorite experience was “Working with ACE-CH and learning about interventions/strategies that communities can adopt to lessen the burden of climate change by providing sustainable solutions.”

08/08/2024

Westat conducted the first external evaluation of Washington State’s Passport to Careers program that has supported over 3,000 former foster and homeless youth in higher education to date. Researchers Lori Nathanson, PhD, and Nina Page share insights on their equity-focused approach, challenges, and key findings. Read the full interview:

08/07/2024

Congratulations to Westat’s To***co Regulatory Science Coordinating Center (CASEL), whose recently published paper, co-authored by Andrea Stroup, PhD, has been selected as an Editor’s Choice article in “Nicotine & To***co Research.” Read the full article here:

The rise in prevalence of e-cigarette use and emerging evidence of adverse effects, particularly on lung health, warrant assessing all aspects of e-cigarette toxicity. One development is manufacturers' stated or implied claims of the safety of using e-cigarette products containing ingredients determ...

08/06/2024

Next up in our summer intern showcase is Avalon Aragon from our Public Health team. Avalon shares, “My favorite project has been working on the NHLBI's The Heart Truth Campaign. More specifically, working on the Yes, YOU initiative which encourages younger women to take action to protect their hearts and reduce their risk for heart disease”

08/06/2024

Could teacher apprentices be an answer to addressing teacher shortages? As the lead organization for the U.S. Department of Education's National Comprehensive Center, the Region 5 Comprehensive Center, and the Region 14 Comprehensive Center, Westat is creating resources to support teachers. See how we're contributing to strengthening the educator workforce:

Many state education agencies (SEAs) are addressing teacher shortages by creating and expanding alternative paths to the teaching profession. One

08/05/2024

Attending JSM 2024? Join Jeri Metzger Mulrow Westat’s Vice President and Sector Lead for Data Solutions and upcoming 2026 President of the American Statistical Association, for coffee and breakfast on Aug 6, 7-8am PDT at Hyatt Regency Ballroom C. Connect with our team, share ideas, and explore potential collaborations! More info:

Westat statisticians and data scientists will be participating at the 2024 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), in Portland, Oregon.

08/02/2024

Today we're spotlighting another talented intern from our Public Health team, Cathrina Aris. Cathrina shares, “My favorite work experience at Westat has been contributing to the IMPROVE-CIP and MH-CIP projects and being part of a wonderful, collaborative team.”

07/31/2024

Continuing our celebration of National Intern Day, next up is Prajakta Ingle, who is currently working with our Information Technology team. Prajakta says “My most cherished work experience was the opportunity to engage with diverse sector leads and leaders arranged by my supervisor.”

07/31/2024

Congratulations to Chantil Thomas, MA, Westat lead research associate in Public Health, on her nomination to the White House Rising Leaders Summit: Shaping the Future of HIV Today for her work to end the HIV epidemic. Her contributions to HIV prevention, care, and treatment will help shape crucial discussions at the summit.

Chantil Thomas, MA, a Westat lead research associate, has been nominated to attend the White House Rising Leaders Summit: Shaping the Future of HIV Today.

07/30/2024

Westat experts will present at the 2024 Joint Statistical Meetings in Portland, Oregon. Join our leading statisticians and data scientists in discussing statistical applications, methodology, analytics, and data science. Don’t miss out on the latest insights:

Westat statisticians and data scientists will be participating at the 2024 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), in Portland, Oregon.

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Videos

Katie Gasque on Westat's Career Opportunities

Looking for a career somewhere you can learn and thrive? Westat Senior Study Director Katie Gasque offers insight on why Westat is that place. Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the audio described version at: https://bcove.video/3bukudg

Momentos Works

Videos for Momentos, Westat’s design thinking project focusing on pregnancy prevention, took home silver in the Communicator Awards! For more on Momentos and to see the full winning videos, check out: www.westat.com/momentos Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the audio described version at: https://players.brightcove.net/pages/v1/index.html?accountId=1232842447001&playerId=BkS1OPjQ&videoId=6063095461001

Winter Driving Essentials

Winter weather can make driving more challenging. Check out these tips to help you stay prepared and drive safe!

Act Against AIDS - Sandra's Segment

You know that a healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise and making healthy food choices, but did you know it also includes #HIV testing? Sandra explains why #DoingIt – getting tested – is part of her health routine. Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the audio described version at: https://bcove.video/2Bl55em

Act Against AIDS: Andy's Segment

Testing is the only way to be sure of your #HIV status, and provides important health information, which is why Act Against AIDS recommends it as part of regular health care. This World AIDS Day, learn more about testing and why our employees are #DoingIt – getting tested – starting with this video from Andy! Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the audio described version at: https://bcove.video/2BjYz7t

Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day! Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the audio described version at: https://bcove.video/2hZSvc3

Dirty Data

By making small changes to data we can maintain confidentiality without sacrificing what can be learned. Check out our video, “Dirty Data,” to learn how. Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the accessible version at: https://bcove.video/2vgYn8c

Apples and Oranges

Yesterday was World Population Day! Did you know we can study large populations from a smaller sample? Staff members Roger Tourangeau and Mike Brick explain how! Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the accessible version at: https://bcove.video/2sNmhnW

"And how are the children?"

The traditional greeting of the Maasai people in Africa is “And how are the children?” The meaning behind the response, “All the children are well,” highlights the importance of efforts that improve children’s well-being. Our education staff developed a video based on this custom to set the context for educator equity and quality meetings, forums, conferences, and sessions. Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the accessible version at: https://bcove.video/2qKBlBn

A Short History of the U.S. Flag

It’s Flag Day! Learn about the design of the U.S. flag from George Washington. Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the accessible version at: https://bcove.video/2smu1Af

Bean Counter Day

Sunday is Bean Counter Day! Make sure to “give your accountant a hug” and thank them for all their help this tax season! Having trouble viewing our video on Facebook? You can find the accessible version at: http://bcove.video/2puBvMv

Dirty Data

Today is Data Privacy Day! If you missed it, now is a great time to watch our new video on dirty data, which explains how and why we may make small changes to data in order to maintain confidentiality without disrupting findings. We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

Enough is Enough

Most people who are infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV) have no symptoms, but women who are infected during pregnancy can pass the virus to their babies, which can lead to a variety of birth defects. This National Birth Defects Prevention Month, learn tips for avoiding CMV and protecting your baby. Our partner, the National CMV Foundation, offers tips on their website. https://www.nationalcmv.org/cmv-prevention/tips.aspx #CMVEndsWithMe We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

Dirty Data

What is dirty data and does it help protect individual privacy? We take a creative approach to answer this question in our newest featured video. https://www.westat.com/our-work/featured-stories/dirty-data We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

LIVE: Health Equity Roundtable

We’re LIVE with Westat’s second Health Equity Roundtable! Starting at 1 p.m. EST, you can watch the live stream video here on Facebook or visit our website. https://www.westat.com/about-us/presentations/webinar/cross-sector-innovations-achieve-health-equity-session-2 We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

The Eyes Speak

Did you know? Our eyes naturally go to certain places when we are presented with web pages, survey questionnaires, and other stimuli. We use eye tracking in our research to find out where the eyes go in these and other situations. https://www.westat.com/our-work/featured-stories/eyes-speak We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

Do we have a misunderstanding?

Getting good survey results depends on respondents understanding the questions. Our video, “Do we have a misunderstanding,” shows how we use cognitive interviewing to assure good data! We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

Apples and Oranges

Today is World Population Day. With more than 7 billion people in the world, how do our surveys find a representative sample of any subsection? Check out our video, “Apples and Oranges,” to find out! We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

And how are the children?

The traditional greeting of the mighty Masai warriors is “Kassaerian Ingera.” Our education work asks the same question: “And How Are the Children?” Check out our new video, which sets the context for our educator quality work, and plan to visit us later this week at NASDTEC. We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

Do we have a misunderstanding?

Sometimes questions we think are clear, aren’t. Find out how we use cognitive interviewing to clear up misunderstandings and get good survey results in our new feature story, “Do we have a misunderstanding?” https://www.westat.com/our-work/featured-stories/do-we-have-misunderstanding We are committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request.

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Our Story

Westat, demonstrating technical and managerial excellence since 1963, is recognized as one of the foremost research, statistical survey, and communications organizations in the United States. We provide services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments. Expertise • Data Collection & Management • Clinical Trials • Statistical Research & Survey Methods • Evaluation • Communications & Social Marketing Staff and Locations Westat’s staff of more than 2,000 are located at our headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Additional staff are located at Westat’s data collection survey processing facilities, at our Telephone Research Center facilities, and throughout our nationwide field operations. Westat also maintains research offices near our clients in Atlanta, Georgia; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Houston, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas. We have international offices in Liberia, Costa Rica; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Bangkok, Thailand. Westat is committed to providing accessible media on Facebook. Should you experience difficulties with any posted media, please send us a message. An alternative format will be provided upon request. Comment Standards We welcome and look forward to your thoughts and comments! Westat is committed to maintaining an open and honest dialogue with you and will take comments and feedback into consideration. By using or accessing the Westat page on a social media site, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the site. We request that you only post comments and/or content that is relevant to the topic being discussed and refrain from advertising or promoting goods or services. Treat others respectfully and adhere to all federal, state, and local laws. Violations of these standards may result in being blocked or having the comment/content removed. We retain the discretion to determine which comments to respond to and which comments violate our comment standards. We also reserve the right to remove and/or not allow comments to be posted. Westat will not edit comments to remove objectionable content. The views expressed within posted comments do not necessarily reflect those of Westat. If a comment or post concerns you, please message Westat social media directly at [email protected].