Government Accountability Office Briefing Series

One of the ways PAA works to educate policymakers and analysts in Washington, DC about the value of population research is through briefings and seminars. In addition to a series of briefings held periodically on Capitol Hill for congressional staff, PAA organizes occasional briefings for staff at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO is an independent, nonpartisan, investigative agency that works for Congress.

Government Accountability Office

Since 2011, PAA has supported an average of two annual briefings at GAO headquarters in Washington, DC. PAA facilitates these seminars to share subject area and technical expertise of PAA members with GAO professionals, including statisticians, data analysts, economists, and demographers. The Applied Research Methods/Center for Designs, Methods and Analysis (ARM/CDMA) Division, which provides technical support for GAO experts and teams, hosts the PAA briefing series. Over the years, the briefings have focused on a wide range of topics, such as population forecasting, biomarkers and social surveys, immigration, U.S. adult mortality, and the American Community Survey.

These briefings are highly valued by GAO staff. As one senior manager put it, “…it is particularly helpful when we can attract speakers from a highly relevant professional source … in both methods and subject matters.  We have very much appreciated … the support of the Population Association of America to [engage] speakers whose topics have been highly relevant to our work … and present innovative methodologies.”

For more information about the GAO briefing series, please contact Mary Jo Hoeksema, Director, PAA Government and Public Affairs.