What is the RMRDC?

The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center (RMRDC) is a secure research environment where qualified researchers are allowed access to restricted data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and other federal statistical agencies such as the National Center for Health Statistics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The RMRDC is located in the Institute of Behavioral Science on the University of Colorado Boulder campus. It is set up according to the strictest federal guidelines for ensuring the data are used only for statistical purposes that advance research questions, while protecting against disclosure of individual or business identities.

It is part of a national network of federal statistical research data centers, and it serves the Rocky Mountain region (see map). It is financially supported by a consortium of research institutions which includes the host institution, University of Colorado Boulder, along with 8 member institutions: University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado State University Ft. Collins Colorado State University Pueblo, University of Wyoming, Colorado School of Mines, University of Denver, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety, and University of Texas El Paso.

Who Will Use It?

Researchers (faculty, staff, and graduate students) at all the consortium member institutions have free access to RMRDC services and the physical laboratory. They are encouraged to generate collaborative and innovative restricted data projects in economics, demography, and in the spatial, environmental, and health sciences.

How to Get Started?

Now is a good time to get started developing a proposal. The first step is to contact the RMRDC director or administrator. See contact information in the footer of this page. It will take a number of months to complete this process. After proposals are approved by the appropriate federal agency, researchers must complete the Department of Commerce background investigation. For information on proposal guidelines, visit Proposals.