Ewch i’r prif gynnwys
Luke Sloan

Yr Athro Luke Sloan

Lecturer in Quantitative Methods

Ysgol y Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol

Comment
Sylwebydd y cyfryngau
Users
Ar gael fel goruchwyliwr ôl-raddedig

Trosolwyg

I am Deputy Director of the Social Data Science Lab (http://socialdatalab.net/) and my work on understanding who uses Twitter through the development of demographic proxies and data linkage is internationally recognised. My background is in Political Science but my interests are primarily methodological and span the Social Sciences, hence my focus on representation, geography, quantitative analysis and modelling, exploring data linkage and social surveys. I work closely with external agencies and government as an expert member of the Social Media Analytics Review and Information Group (SMARIG) and my work has been used in GSR guidance on how Twitter data can be used to augment social research.

I believe in research-informed teaching, so through my role as Co-Director of the Cardiff Q-Step Centre of Excellence in Quantitative Methods Teaching (www.cardiff.ac.uk/qstep) I am leading the development of a new degree programme (BSc Social Analytics - UCAS code J3G5) in collaboration with external agencies such as the Office for National Statistics to give graduates the skills they need to thrive in a data-centric world.

Cyhoeddiad

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

Adrannau llyfrau

Cynadleddau

Erthyglau

Llyfrau

Monograffau

Ymchwil

Summary

I am Deputy Director of the Social Data Science Lab (www.http://socialdatalab.net/). My principle research interests are understanding representation on Twitter and augmenting social media data through data linkage. I have worked on a range of projects investigating the use of Twitter data for understanding social phenomena covering topics such as election prediction, tracking (mis)information propagation during food scares and ‘crime-sensing’. My published work focuses on the development of demographic proxies for Twitter data to further understand who uses the platform and increase the utility of such data for the social sciences. I sit as an expert member on the Social Media Analytics Review and Information Group (SMARIG) which brings together academics and government agencies and work closely with the Office for National Statistics and Food Standards Agency. I am currently involved in three large UK-based social survey studies that are exploring potential linkage between Twitter and survey data – British Social Attitudes 2015, the Welsh Election Study 2016 and the Understanding Society Innovation Panel 2017.

Research Grants (awarded)

  • Welsh Election Study 2016, ESRC (Co-Investigator, £226k) ES/M011127/1
  • Public perceptions of the UK food system: public understanding and engagement, and the impact of crises and scares 2014, ESRC/FSA (Co-Investigator, £291,200), ES/M003329/1
  • NCRM Methodological Innovation Project 2013 (Co-Investigator, approx. £180k): COSMOS 2.0 Social Media Data Mashing, Tension Analysis and Predictive Analytics
  • Nuffield Children, Young People and Families using Social Work Service in Four UK Cohort Studies 2013(Co-Investigator, approx. £150k): a project investigating social worker contact with respondent the Millennium Cohort Study, ALPAC, BHPS and LSYPE
  • European Social Fund (ESF) Women Adding Value to the Economy 2012 – WAVE (Co-Investigator, approx. £1m): A project investigating the gender pay gap in Wales, particular responsibility for quantitative strand involving supervision of a research associate

PhD Supervisions

  • Simon Read (completed): The Cultural Representation of Older People: Ageism and the National Health Service
  • Rhiannon Yapp (in progress): Peer Mediating and Moderating Effects on Parent-Child Relationships, School Connectedness and Adolescent Substance Use
  • Nell Warner (in progress): The Impact of Adversity on Improvements in Parental Feelings of Competence among Home-Start Parents
  • Jen Hampton (in progress): The Nature of Quantitative Methods and Analysis in A-Level Social Sciences

Addysgu

Summary

I have three key roles in the University that are directly related to teaching.

As Co-Director of the Cardiff Q-Step Centre of Excellence in Quantitative Methods Teaching (and Teaching Group Coordinator) I am responsible for overseeing the successful implementation and quality control of all our new programme content on BSc Social Analytics. The Q-Step Centre award was given after an international peer-review process and we are 3 years (halfway) into the project.

As a Co-Director for Teaching and Learning I oversee all admissions, recruitment and marketing activities in the School.

I also coordinate the annual State of the Campus Project – a week long experiential learning event that all our 300+ returning year two students partake in during the first week of teaching. During this week our students conduct a research project of interest to the University community involving the collection, analysis and presentation of qualitative and quantitative data. In 2015 we focused on student accommodation and this in turn informed the student housing charter with over 1,000 surveys conducted, 200 images captured and 200 interviews transcribed. For 2016 students will be focusing on the issue of race in the University with their findings and analysis potentislly feeding in to the University’s application for the Race Equality Charter Mark.

Teaching/Scholarship Grants (awarded)

  • Q-STEP Centre for Excellence in Quantitative Methods Teaching, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, HEFCE and ESRC (Co-Director, approx. £1.3m)
  • Changing the Learning Landscape, A national Student-Led Survey: creating a cross-institutional survey project through student collected data for better quantitative methods teaching 2013, HEA (Principle Investigator, £750)
  • Innovation in the Assessment of Social Science Research Methods in UK HEIs 2013, HEA (Principle Investigator, £7,900).
  • ESRC Research Development Initiative 2011 (Co-Investigator, approx £90K): a project to develop an international pedagogic network in which good practice can be shared in teaching quantitative methods (QM), ES/J011851/1
  • ESRC Curriculum Innovation 2011 (Co-Investigator, approx £90k): a project to develop new modules in the social science curriculum in which quantitative methods are embedded, ES/J011843/1

Bywgraffiad

Education & Qualifications

  • 2007-2010: PhD (Political Science) University of Plymouth, UK*
  • 2006-2007: MSc (Social Research) University of Plymouth, UK*
  • 2003-2006: BSc Hons (Politics) University of Plymouth, UK

* awarded a 1+3 ESRC Studentship with the Elections Centre, University of Plymouth

Career Overview

  • April 2014 - present: Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, UK
  • Jan 2011 - March 2014: Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, UK
  • Oct 2010 - Dec 2010: Research Fellow in Leadership & Governance, Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, UK

Anrhydeddau a dyfarniadau

  • Winner of the "Most Effective Teacher Award" at the Cardiff University Enriching Student Life Awards for innovation in research methods teaching in 2013
  • "Knowing the Tweeters" shortlisted for Sociological Research Online Best Paper Award in 2013

Aelodaethau proffesiynol

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Member of the Political Studies Association

Pwyllgorau ac adolygu

Internal Committees/Groups

  • Chair of School of Social Sciences Admissions and Recruitment Committee
  • Member of School of Social Sciences Teaching and Learning Committee
  • Member of AHSS College Admissions and Recruitment Group
  • Member of University Student Survey Review T&F Group
  • Member of the steering group for a medium/large project funded under the Cardiff University Education Innovation Fund (“Grand Challenges through Project Based Learning”)

External Committees/Groups

  • Expert member of the Social Media Analytics Review and Innovation Group (SMARIG), set up to provide strategic guidance to government departments and agencies on how social media data can be used for social research