Enhancing Research Support through Collaboration: The Impact of the Statistical Support Specialist at TMU

The Geospatial, Map, and Data Centre (GMDC) at Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries offers essential support to researchers by providing access to geospatial and numeric data resources. The GMDC team includes a GIS and Map Librarian, GIS Specialist, Data Librarian, and a recently added Statistical Support Specialist. This session will explore the development of the Statistical Support Specialist role and its impact on expanding the GMDC's services, especially in connecting with a wide range of quantitative researchers across campus. Additionally, the specialist’s GIS expertise has enhanced collaboration within the team to offer support in spatial statistics. Their experiences of providing in-class and virtual instruction, along with targeted outreach to graduate students and faculty interested in applying geospatial and statistical analysis in their research will be highlighted in this presentation. Their collaboration is also helping to bridge the gap between curriculum-based learning and the development of individual research skills by fostering communication and knowledge mobilization about quantitative thinking by researchers overall.