Practice — 03
Research consulting
Methodological and analytic support to investigators, from proposal through publication, on grant-funded and commercially sponsored studies.
Dr. Atherley works with research teams as a co-investigator or as a consulting subject matter expert, and supports commercially sponsored studies in a methodological and compliance capacity. His own published work spans randomized field experimentation, quasi-experimental evaluation, qualitative inquiry, and applied machine learning, conducted inside an operating agency rather than at a distance from one.
Engagements are priced by client type. Academic institutions, government sponsors, and non-profits are billed at the public tier; commercially sponsored research is billed at the corporate tier. See the schedule of rates.
Where the work fits
Partnership and proposals
- Co-investigatorNamed participation on grant applications and awards, including responsibility for design, implementation, or analysis.
- Consulting subject matter expertNamed methodological or domain expertise on a proposal, without operational responsibility for the study.
- Proposal developmentDesign and methods sections, analytic plans, power and sampling justification, letters of support, and realistic implementation plans for agency settings.
- Practitioner site accessStructuring research-practice partnerships, negotiating data sharing agreements, and setting expectations that an operating agency can actually meet.
Design and methods
- Randomized field experimentationRandomization procedures, treatment fidelity, and the practical failure modes of running a trial inside a working organization.
- Quasi-experimental evaluationComparison group construction, interrupted time series, and difference-in-differences where randomization is unavailable.
- Qualitative inquiryInterview and focus group design, coding frameworks, and analysis of practitioner accounts.
- Mixed methodsIntegration of qualitative and quantitative strands, and the design decisions that determine whether integration is meaningful or decorative.
- Measurement and instrumentsConstruct definition, instrument design, and assessment of reliability and validity.
Analysis
- Statistical analysisModeling, inference, and honest characterization of what a given design can and cannot support.
- Administrative and operational dataExtraction, cleaning, and interpretation of records generated by working agencies, including their known defects.
- Machine learning and language processingApplied natural language processing and classification on operational text, with attention to validation and error characteristics.
- Spatial and temporal analysisGeographic and time-series analysis of activity, demand, and intervention effects.
Compliance and governance
- Human subjects reviewPreparation and navigation of IRB submissions, protocol amendments, and continuing review.
- Sponsored research boardsWorking within institutional sponsored research and research governance processes.
- Data sharing and data use agreementsDrafting and negotiating terms between agencies, institutions, and sponsors.
- Data governanceRetention, access, de-identification, and stewardship of sensitive administrative data.
Commercially sponsored research
- Methodological supportDesign, analysis, and reporting support to sponsors running trials of devices, pharmaceuticals, and other interventions.
- Compliance supportHuman subjects protections, protocol governance, and documentation practice.
- Independent reviewAssessment of whether a study's design supports the claims made from it.
Support to commercially sponsored clinical research is offered in a methodological and compliance capacity. It is not therapeutic area expertise, and it does not extend to clinical or medical judgment.
Beginning an engagement
For proposals with a submission deadline, contact early. Named participation and letters of support require lead time, and so does any data sharing agreement.