10/2/01

Contacts:
Robert Schafer, Sociology, (515) 294-8312
Susan Thompson, Communications Service, (515) 294-0705

IOWA STATE SOCIOLOGY ALUM TO BE HONORED, PRESENT SEMINAR

AMES, Iowa -- An Iowa State University graduate who is a pioneer in the development of modern survey methods will return to Ames Oct. 19 to receive an award and present a seminar.

Don Dillman, a distinguished professor of rural sociology at Washington State University, will receive the Distinguished Achievement Citation from the ISU Alumni Association during an evening ceremony Oct. 19. The award recognizes Iowa State alumni who are nationally or internationally recognized for contributions to their fields. It is the highest alumni award given by Iowa State.

Earlier that day, Dillman will present a seminar at 3:30 p.m. in the Sun Room at the Memorial Union. A reception and refreshments will follow. The seminar, which is open to the public, is sponsored by the ISU College of Agriculture and the Department of Sociology. 

Dillman's talk is titled "Cars, Stamps, Telephone Dials, and Hotlinks: Some Thoughts about 37 Years of Conducting Sample Surveys."

Dillman participated in the development and popularization of modern mail and telephone survey methods, and surveying via the Internet. His talk will cover changes in how and why sample surveys are done, plus the future for survey work.

In 1964, Dillman was a graduate student in the ISU sociology department. "I was assigned a state car, a box of questionnaires, and an Iowa State statistical laboratory map of rural residences in Madison County, and told to interview farmers. Little did I realize that 37 years later I would still be doing surveys," he says.

Dillman received a bachelor's degree in agronomy and master's and doctorate degrees in sociology, all from Iowa State University. Robert Schafer, sociology department chair, says, "Dillman's work has defined the way social scientists conduct survey research. I can think of few scholars who have had that level of impact on the methodology of their discipline. It is not a reach to state that the way of gathering data has been 'Dillmanized'."

News Releases Agriculture in Action Ag Online Communications Skills Home