Originally Published 26 July 2004

Professor Peter Elias of the Institute for Employment Research has been appointed to the post of Strategic Advisor (Data Resources) for the ESRC Strategic Resources Board. The appointment, which begins in October 2005, will be for three years.

Through its support for the creation and maintenance of a wide range of data resources, the ESRC Strategic Resources Board helps provide the social science research community with the data required for empirical research across a wide range of disciplines. Other bodies, such as the Office for National Statistics, many government departments and agencies and the research foundations also contribute significantly to the development of such resources and share these with the academic community. Thus, there is considerable scope to collaborate with these bodies and to co-ordinate the development of new and valuable research resources for the social scientific research.

Professor Elias will initially be engaged in a round of consultations with those who have a key interest in the development of a National Data Strategy. He will chair the National Longitudinal Strategy Committee and will be a member of the Advisory Board of the Economic and Social data Service. During the first two years of his appointment he will devote approximately 50% of his time to his strategic advisory role.