The Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) is pleased to present this workshop series on generative AI, LLMs, and computational social science methods. This series will begin with the basics of computing in R and how to use generative AI/LLMs in social science research workflows. Each session will be focused on getting faculty and students comfortable with deploying AI and LLM models in their research, but with a deeper understanding of the ethical, equity, and environmental consequences of these models. This series is being supported through the Elkins Professorship, will feature several speakers, and will continue into the spring semester.
October 3 | 12-1:30pm | PUP 451
Introduction to R, R Projects, R Markdown and the Basics of LLMs
Led by: Dr. Eric Stokan
November 5 | 12 - 1:30pm | Commons 329
Inductive Analysis of Texts with Embeddings
Led by: Dr. Dustin Stoltz, Lehigh University
November 7 | 12-1:30pm | PUP 451
Dealing with unstructured data (text, images), APIs, and API calls to LLMs
Led by: Dr. Eric Stokan
December 12 | 12-1:30pm | PUP 451
Prompt-engineering and Fine-tuning in R
Led by: Dr. Eric Stokan
SAPH’s John Schumacher was recently featured in the Baltimore Business Journal in a story on artificial intelligence in the classroom. Along with fellow UMBC faculty, he shared perspectives on how higher education is adapting to the rise of AI and preparing students for a rapidly changing future.
We’re excited to see UMBC voices helping to lead the dialogue on AI and higher education!
Click here to read the full story.
]]>The Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) at UMBC is seeking a Graduate Research Assistant to support the development of training modules that integrate Large Language Models (LLMs) into R-based workflows. This position will directly contribute to a set of upcoming faculty and nonprofit trainings at UMBC.
Position Details:
Pay Rate: $25/hour
Hours: Up to 80 hours for the academic year (flexible scheduling)
Start Date: Immediate / Fall 2025
Application Date: For best consideration, apply by September 15, 2025
Responsibilities:
Assist in the design and preparation of interactive training modules showcasing applications of LLMs in R.
Support the integration of R, Quarto, and Ellmer-based workflows for reproducible research and training materials.
Document and streamline workflows for both academic and applied audiences.
Collaborate with the CS3 Team to ensure modules align with training goals.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with R programming and package development/workflows.
Familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs) and their application to data science, research, or training.
Experience with Quarto for reproducible research and teaching.
Knowledge of Ellmer or related tooling for LLM integration.
Strong communication and documentation skills
This position is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience at the intersection of computational social science, reproducible research, and LLM applications while contributing to faculty and nonprofit training capacity at UMBC.
To Apply: Please send a brief statement of interest, resume/CV, the names and contact information for at least one reference (faculty or professional only), and (if available) examples of relevant projects or code to socialscience@umbc.edu. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
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The Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) is proud to share that Dr. Eric Stokan, Director of CS3 and Associate Professor of Political Science, has been awarded the prestigious Elkins Professorship.
This honor recognizes Dr. Stokan’s innovative work at the intersection of public administration, computational methods, and applied social science. Support from the Elkins Professorship will advance the development of an open-source forthcoming book that aims to bridge cutting-edge computational tools with core questions in public management, public policy, and local governance.
Furthermore, the award will enable the creation of new training modules in computational social science and Large Language Models (LLMs), to be offered through CS3 to the UMBC community and beyond. These modules will expand opportunities for faculty, students, and community partners to gain hands-on experience with methods that are rapidly transforming research, teaching, and practice in the social sciences. Look for forthcoming details about these sessions at socialscience.umbc.edu.
We look forward to supporting this important work and to sharing these resources with the broader UMBC community and beyond. Congratulations to Dr. Stokan on this achievement!
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