The Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) is a joint unit at the University of Waterloo comprised of the former Statistical Consulting and Collaborative Research Unit and the Survey Research Centre. The SCSRU offers the same services as its predecessors and is a cornerstone to excellence in survey research and statistical analysis at the University of Waterloo.
The SCSRU provides statistical advice to those working on research problems, in addition to offering a full suite of survey research services that include survey methodology and sampling frame consultation, questionnaire design, programming, data collection (telephone, web, mail, face-to-face, and mixed mode surveys), sample weights, and data analysis. SCSRU services support clients to get accurate, meaningful results.
Our mission is to provide high-quality statistical advice and survey research services to the University of Waterloo Community and external institutions and organizations through our two service streams: Statistical Consulting and Survey Research.
Events
R for Beginners: Your Data Adventure Begins
Join us for an introductory workshop to R, where you’ll learn the fundamentals of this powerful open-source language.
Registration is free and open to all University of Waterloo faculty, staff, and students (both graduate and undergraduate). No prior programming experience is required.
Group Comparisons Explained
Learn how to effectively compare group means and interpret your data using R. This one-hour, in-person workshop walks through standard group-comparison techniques, combining core statistical concepts with interactive coding exercises.
Lunch & Learn - Making Numbers Talk
Data is only as powerful as your ability to communicate it. While we often invest heavily in complex statistical analyses, presenting those findings clearly to our stakeholders presents a distinct challenge.
In this informal Lunch & Learn session, we will explore practical strategies for transforming dense quantitative outputs into clear, compelling narratives.
News
New Pre-Submission Grant Review Service
Are you preparing a research grant application with quantitative data or survey components? The Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) has launched a Pre-Submission Grant Review Service to support University of Waterloo researchers ahead of upcoming funding deadlines.
SCSRU Associate Director Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme on Religious Diversity in Waterloo Region and in Canada
SCSRU Associate Director Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme on the religious landscape in the Waterloo Region of Ontario, as a reflection of religious diversity in the whole of Canada. Presented for The Institute for Religion, Culture and Societal Futures (IRCSF).
Smokers still largely unaware of heart disease risks
An international study has found that despite two decades of global tobacco control efforts, the message still is not getting through to enough smokers that smoking and second-hand smoke cause heart attack and stroke.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo and the Global Tobacco Control Program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the study, which is the largest of its kind.
Blog
SCSRU Newsletter Vol. 23, Issue #1 – Fall 2026
AAPOR Poster | Staff Conference Presentation | UWCom Survey | Featured Projects: Multiple Sclerosis; Health Researchers; CHARMH | Workshops
SCSRU Newsletter Vol. 22, Issue #2 – Fall 2025
We've moved | AAPOR 80th Annual Conference Highlights | Academic Program Reviews: Current Student Survey | Featured Projects: Canadian Study of Violence Against Paramedics; Firefighters Survey; Data Science Admissions Survey; Travel to Treatment
SCSRU Newsletter Vol. 22, Issue #1 – Winter 2025
SCSRU Newsletter Vol. 22, Issue #1 – Winter 2025
Bot Roundtable Discussion | UWaterloo Community Survey | Waterloo Region Matters Survey | Featured Projects: Understanding Grief and Bereavement Support in Canada; 2025 ISSP; Exploring Clinician Perceptions of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation | Upcoming Events
