Alexandru Cernat joined Social Statistics in July 2016. Prior to this he was a Research Associate at the National Centre for Research Methods.

Reseach interests

An important part of his research is centred around modelling measurement error in the framework of generalized latent variables (i.e., Structural Equation Modelling, Latent Class and Item Response Theory) with a particular interest in applying these to longitudinal data.

These statistical models are often used in the context of survey methodology to investigate topics such as: measurement error, non-response, mixed mode designs, longitudinal surveys, paradata, interviewer effects, surveying sensitive topics, etc.

Another research area of interest is missing data and ways to correct for this. This work focuses especially on missing biomarkers in surveys and is part of the National Centre for Research Methods grant: Acounting for informative item nonresponse in biomarkers collected in longitudinal surveys (WP3).

Reseach team

We have a thriving group working on survey research and data quality. Current members of the team include:

• Fiona Pashazadeh: Addressing non-response in biological data collection using nurse effects and survey paradata.
• Hafsteinn Birgir Einarsson: Improving response rates and data quality through optimised survey invitation letters.
• Sofia Eleftheriadou: Collaboration problem solving and science teaching and learning.
• Zeming Chen: Using proactive approaches in preventing web survey break-offs.
• Victoria Barvinko: Understanding comparisons between surveys and social media data.

• PhD in Survey Methodology (University of Essex)
• MSc in Social Policy Analysis (KU Leuven)
• BA in Sociology (University of Bucharest)

I teach a variety of courses including term courses for the University of Manchester but also short courses and summer schools for a number of organizations such as: European Survey Research Association, African Institute of Mathematical Sciences, International Program in Survey and Data Science, Social Research Association, National Centre for Research Methods, GESIS Summer School, Methods@Manchester. My teaching is usually around: survey methodology, introduction to statistics, programming with R, longitudinal data analysis, multilevel modeling, latent variable modeling, etc.

For some of my teaching I also use Datacamp to help students build up their knowledge of programming.