Briefs

Survey offers research opportunity: Cornell's Computer-Assisted Survey Team (CAST) in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations has been selected to assist the University of California at Berkeley this fall in conducting a nationwide telephone survey of Americans on their views of government goals and objectives. In return for CAST's assistance, Berkeley will give Cornell researchers privileged access to the data for one year, beginning Jan. 1, 1997. Also Berkeley is giving Cornell scholars an opportunity to provide input on the instrument.

"The information gathered by this survey might be useful for public policy experts and others who are studying government operations," said Yasamin DiCiccio, director for CAST.

Any Cornell researcher interested in the survey and access to the data should contact DiCiccio at 255-0148 or yd17@cornell.edu by Friday, Sept. 20.

The ILR survey facility will be one of 40 organizations across the country participating in this project. Each facility will conduct pre-Presidential election interviews and a short post-election re-interview with approximately 30 households in their area of the country. All facilities will use an Internet connection to a common computer-based questionnaire. CAST uses state-of-the-art surveying software that is developed by UC-Berkeley (and was commissioned by the U.S. Census Bureau). This is the same software used by CBS News and RAND to conduct their surveys. The system ensures high quality of data by reducing the possibility for human error, reduces time and cost of data collection and allows for greater complexity and flexibility in the survey design. The ILR survey facility is located in 253 Ives Hall.

Join Project PigeonWatch: Team up with the Sciencenter and Cornell and participate in a nationwide study as you learn about pigeon biology, through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project PigeonWatch.

The Sciencenter, Ithaca's hands-on science museum, is taking part in the project, which is a study of the habits and physiology of pigeons conducted by Cornell scientists.

Geared mainly towards fifth-, sixth- and seventh-graders, participation is free and open to all interested children and adults. Participants will begin collecting data on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. at the Sciencenter, 601 First St.

For more information, call Dan Cullen at 256-2231 or Kathleen Hunt at 272-0600.