Population Studies Center (PSC) in conjunction with Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) provides computing resources to PSC Research Associates. Computing resources include hardware, software, desktop computers, desktop computing help, data analysis support and access to data. These resources create a computing environment that serves as a platform to conduct and develop funded research. Social Sciences Computing (SSC), a division of SAS Computing, manages computing resources for PSC. SSC provides desktop support, administers PSC servers, and together with PSC and PARC staff present workshops on computing and computer programming to PSC researcher and students.
Desktop Support
The School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) allocates new PCs to eligible Research Associates every 3-4 years. Microsoft Office, SAS, Stata, SPSS and ArcGIS are available through the Penn’s Office of Software Licensing. SSC provides dedicated desktop support and nightly back-up of PCs of Research Associates located on the Penn campus. Through our Local Area Network (LAN) PCs connect to file servers and to Linux and Citrix servers for running statistical software. The LAN offers access to shared printers including a high volume laser and color laser printers. For assistance contact: sschelp@ssc.upenn.edu.
File and Application Servers
PSC uses file servers on the Local Area Network (LAN) to facilitate the sharing of documents, programs, and data among project teams. Jim Kane, of SAS Computing (jim.kane@sas.upenn.edu) can provide further information how to access the servers.
Data Storage and Security
PSC and PARC researchers use both publicly available data and data sets with restricted user access and security protocols. The Population Studies Center (PSC) and the Population Aging Research Center (PARC) provide several options for affiliated researchers to store data files that can be accessed by individuals and/or research groups.