EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

DATE: 3 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21, 2011.

EVENT: Robert Groves, director of the U.S. Census Bureau, will discuss why it’s important for scientists to talk to the news media and relate his experiences with media interviews and public communication. His informal remarks will be followed by time for Q&A.

President Barack Obama nominated Groves to his current position on April 2, 2009, and the Senate confirmed him on July 13, 2009. He began his tenure as director on July 15, 2009.

At the time of his nomination, Groves was a professor at the University of Michigan and director of the Survey Research Center at the U-M Institute for Social Research, as well as research professor at the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland.

He was the Census Bureau’s associate director for Statistical Design, Methodology and Standards from 1990 to 1992, on loan from U-M.

Groves has authored or co-authored seven books and scores of scientific articles. His 1989 book, “Survey Errors and Survey Costs,” was named one of the 50 most influential books in survey research by the American Association of Public Opinion Research. His book, “Nonresponse in Household Interview Surveys,” written with Mick Couper when Groves was at the Census Bureau, received the 2008 AAPOR Book Award. Another book, “Survey Nonresponse,” edited with Don Dillman, John Eltinge and Rod Little, won the 2011 AAPOR Book Award.

PLACE: Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union, 530 S. State St., Ann Arbor, http://uuis.umich.edu/cic/buildingproject/index.cfm?BuildingID=191