Research Associates

Project Coordinator | Nell Valentine, MS

E-mail: Nell Valentine

Mrs. Valentine is a graduate of Mississippi State University and holds a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology. Since 2002, she has coordinated the Mississippi Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS). This survey provides states with the data needed to design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive tobacco control programs. Currently, Mrs. Valentine is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to administer and analyze the results from a split sample of the 2008 YTS. She is also part of the work group providing surveillance services for the statewide tobacco prevention program. Through the Mississippi Health Policy Research Center, Mrs. Valentine has published numerous fact sheets and policy papers that have informed decisions about health risk behaviors, chronic disease, and increased cigarette tax proposals in Mississippi. Her research has been also been published in the Journal of the Mississippi Medical Association.

Lauren Colvin

Research Associate I | Lauren Colvin, MS

E-mail: Lauren Colvin

Ms. Lauren Colvin joined the Social Science Research Center (SSRC) in July of 2009 as a Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Robert McMillen with MS Tobacco Data. Lauren Colvin received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mississippi State in May of 2009. Ms. Colvin will have a Master’s of Science in Experimental Social Psychology in July 2011 and received a promotion to a Research Associate position. She serves as the Lead Data Analyst, and supervises undergraduate research assistants.  Recent projects include analyzing data from the 2010 Youth Tobacco Survey, analyzing data for the April 2010 MS Tobacco Quarterly Report, as well as weighting data and preparing the analysis for any reports. Ms. Colvin is currently taking the lead on the address based frame of the Social Climate Survey of Tobacco Control.  Outside of the MS tobacco laboratory, Ms. Colvin collaborates with Dr. Sinclair, who is a relationship researcher, where she is the project coordinator of her social networks laboratory.

Miranda Means

Head Graphic Designer | Miranda Means, BFA

E-mail: Miranda Means

Ms. Means earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, with an emphasis in Graphic Design, and was promoted to Research Associate at the Social Science Research Center (SSRC). She joined Dr. Robert McMillen’s Mississippi Tobacco Data staff in August 2009 as a part-time Undergraduate Graphic Designer. She now serves as Head Graphic Designer for Dr. McMillen in the Tobacco Control Unit. Ms. Means’s recent projects include the design of publications such as the 2009 Youth Tobacco Survey booklet and the April 2010 Mississippi Tobacco Data Quarterly Report, as well as many charts, posters and other publications for Dr. McMillen’s research. She also updates mstobaccodata.org to feature new publications. Currently, Ms. Means is designing a series of Youth Tobacco Survey posters to be distributed to participating schools and a logo for the Tobacco Control Unit. She is involved with the Starkville Area Arts Council and the American Institute of Graphic Artists. She has recently earned an Outstanding Achievement award from HOW Magazine for her Handmade Self-Promotional Book and will be featured in the September 2011 Edition. In the past, Ms. Means has achieved state and regional level awards for her design work.

View Miranda’s design website here.