Samuel Workman, Ph.D.
Sam Workman is a professor of political science and Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs in the John D. "Jay" Rockefeller School of Policy and Politics at West Virginia University. As a political scientist and statistician by training, his previous work has addressed public policy, regulation, and how governments use information. Workman's area of expertise is constructing large data infrastructures to answer fundamental questions about public policy across time and space. He is a member of the West Virginia Economic Development Council and the Consortium for University Public Service Organizations.
In the past, Workman provided statistical consulting in the private sector. His work focuses on data-driven decision-making and management, custom reporting, and data-informed programming. He is a contributor at Towards Data Science , writing on practical applications of data science and statistics. He is also one of the founding Editors of 3Streams .
In addition to editorial duty, Workman writes on rural politics and policy, including public policy in Appalachia. His bylines include West Virginia politics at The Charleston Gazette, The Intercept, and The Conversation. Workman is originally from Fayette County, West Virginia - the land between New River Gorge National Park and the Gauley River National Recreation Area - and is proud to come home and serve the state and its communities.