Olayinka Shiyanbola, assistant professor, Social and Administrative Sciences Division, has been accepted to the first cohort of NIH Scholars of the Mixed Methods Research Training Program for the Health Sciences.

The goal of the program is to provide a state-of-the-art methodology training program to enhance the mixed methods skills of investigators. Mixed methods research is defined as the collection, analysis, and integration of both quantitative (e.g., RCT outcome) data and qualitative (e.g., observations, interviews) data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a research problem than might be obtained alone. Public health researchers are increasingly using mixed methods approaches without substantive training in the latest scientific techniques. No other national program in mixed methods education and mentorship exists for the health sciences.

Shiyanbola was among 14 individuals selected from more than 100 applicants for the initial cohort. The training will be comprised of a match with a mixed methods expert, participation in webinars on the topic, and a variety of resources on the subject. Scholars will attend a retreat in June in Baltimore at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where they will present and discuss their research project.