Vince Welch

Vince Welch, MA, is the associate director of the Center on Equity Research in NORC’s Academic Research Centers and a principal research methodologist. Welch has over two decades of experience in the design, conduct, and management of quantitative and qualitative social science research. Welch has spent the bulk of his career designing and testing self-administered surveys, including web and PAPI survey instruments. Welch has designed surveys for both household and establishment surveys for a wide variety of respondent populations ranging from the general public to highly specialized, rare, and historically marginalized populations. In addition, Welch has extensive experience in the design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of qualitative data including focus groups, in-depth interviews, and cognitive interviews. Welch serves on a number of NORC’s corporate committees to address diversity equity and inclusion, including the Diversity, Racial Equity, and Inclusion (DREI) Steering Committee, DREI scholars program, corporate DREI needs assessment, and DREI strategy group.

As the associate director in the Center on Equity Research Welch brings his methodological expertise to bear on the critical task of coordinating, teaching others and conducting inclusive and equitable research methods. His responsibilities include educating and supporting social and behavioral scientists conduct of inclusive and equitable research methods to improve study design rigor and data quality. Welch’s specializes in supporting engagement of historically marginalized and minoritized groups authentic representation and voice in NORC’s research. In addition, Welch leads primary research on issues of disparities between minoritized populations and those that are in the power majority as well as strengths-based research that explores where members of minoritized populations succeed or thrive.

Welch has experience as both a subject matter expert and a manager for both Federal and non-federal projects. Welch serves as lead methodologist on web, mail, telephone, and multi-mode survey projects of all sizes ranging from neighborhoods to one of the largest CATI data collection efforts in the country. In addition his equity focused research, Welch has worked on both quantitative and qualitive studies of mental and physical health, health insurance, veterans issues, incarcerated persons, the highly educated, municipalities, and non-profit agencies.

Welch is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research (MAPOR). He has served on numerous committees for these organizations. Welch’s research interests include questionnaire design, improving online and in-person qualitative research methodology, and the measurement of race and ethnicity. He has presented at numerous academic conferences, served on Federal grant review committees for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Science Foundation (NSF) and has many publications in peer-reviewed journals.