There are several ways to contact us. You can contact the SSRL General Office, reach out to an SSRL staff member directly, or complete an SSRL Service Request Form.

General Operations and Administration

Jason Disano

Director
(306) 966-7546
 jason.disano@usask.ca

Jason joined the SSRL in 2011 with over 10 years of progressive research management and leadership experience. Initially hired to manage the Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory (SGAL), Jason was promoted to the position of SSRL operational Director after leading the successful development and launch of the SGAL. In his current position, Jason provides leadership, technical expertise, direction and functional support to the SSRL to ensure the smooth and efficient operations of the facilities. Seeking out and leveraging internal and external research support and opportunities, Jason helps to ensure the optimal utilization of the SSRL through effective communications and promotional strategies, the development and implementation of operating policies and procedures, and ongoing impact assessment analysis and reporting. Jason also provides methodological support and guidance to faculty, staff and students seeking to utilize the facilities and supervises SSRL operational staff. Prior to joining the SSRL, Jason held a number of positions in the public- and private-sectors, most recently as a program evaluation and impact assessment consultant. He has also held positions with national and provincial NGOs, including the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. Jason presently holds an MA and a BSc.

Gloria Silbernagel

Finance and Administrative Assistant
(306) 966-8409
 gloria.silbernagel@usask.ca

Bringing over 15 years of experience, Gloria joined the SSRL in 2012 as a Finance and Administrative Assistant. In her present role, Gloria handles all aspects of financial and administrative support to the SSRL, including maintaining office policies and procedures, scheduling lab usage, preparing financial reports, providing support to various committees and members of the SSRL team, and providing frontline customer service to faculty, staff, students and the general public. Gloria previously worked in the Controller’s Office at the University of Saskatchewan and the Department of Pathology and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Royal University Hospital. She presently holds an Executive Administrative Assistant diploma from the Saskatoon Business College as well as a Business Administration Certificate from the University of Saskatchewan. Gloria has recently become an Adobe In-Design Layout Designer after completing classes at the university.

Community-Based Observation Laboratory & Video Therapy Analysis Laboratory

Marla Rogers

Mixed Methods Research Manager and Specialist
(306) 966-1250
 marla.rogers@usask.ca

Marla is new to the SSRL, having joined the unit in 2016 as Assistant Research Manager. In that position, she provided assistance and support to the QRL and the SGAL. Now, she manages the day-to-day operations of the Video Therapy Analysis Laboratory (ViTAL) and the newly-announced Community-Based Observation Laboratory (COL). She brings seven years of research experience, including research design; qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis; participant recruitment and coordination; project management; and report writing for community-based organizations and several University of Saskatchewan departments. Marla works to be a resource for projects involving mixed-methodologies. These support services include, but are not limited to, survey design and development, focus group moderation, quantitative and qualitative data analysis and interpretation, and interview services. Marla graduated from the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy with a Master's in Public Administration, and completed an Honors BA in Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan. She previously worked as a Research Study Coordinator at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (College of Medicine) and as a Research Assistant at the School of Public Health, and the Saskatoon Tribal Council.

Experimental Decision Laboratory & EEG Hyperscanning Laboratory

Brianna Groot

Experimental Research Manager and Specialist
(306) 966-6996
 brianna.groot@usask.ca

Brianna joined the SSRL in 2015 with six years of progressive research and management experience in the social sciences. In her current role, Brianna oversees the day-to-day operations of the Experimental Decision Laboratory (EDL) and the EEG Hyperscanning Laboratory (EHL). She has established and maintained the SSRL Research Participant Group to facilitate in-lab data collection, while engaging students in research opportunities. Leveraging her background in psychology, Brianna supports the development and execution of experimental tasks and helps researchers ensure that best-practice research strategies are followed. She additionally provides a breadth of support, including administrative and project management support, programming support, and technical support to ensure the successful execution of experimental projects in the EDL and the EHL. Prior to joining the SSRL, Brianna gained experience in the public and private sectors, and has worked most prominently as a laboratory manager in cognitive psychology. Brianna currently holds a BA (Hon) in Psychology from the University of Waterloo.

Qualitative Research Laboratory

Rachel Tang

Qualitative Research Manager and Specialist
(306) 966-6319
 rachel.tang@usask.ca

Rachel joined the SSRL in 2012 as a Student Research Interviewer in the Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory (SGAL) while completing her undergraduate degree. She excelled as an interviewer and was promoted to Assistant Survey Research Manager in 2013 and handled such tasks as recruitment, training, and supervision of Student Research Interviewers, as well as survey instrument testing and employee scheduling. Beyond her duties in the SGAL, Rachel also worked as a transcriptionist for the Qualitative Research Laboratory (QRL) beginning in 2012. Working to support both labs earned her the additional role of Qualitative Research Coordinator for the QRL in 2014 where she managed QRL projects while assisting in the SGAL as necessary. After six months, Rachel was promoted to Qualitative Research Manager and Specialist, a position she currently holds where her focus is on providing services such as transcription, interview and focus group administration, analysis and report writing, and software training to researchers on- and off-campus. The aspect of helping researchers in any way possible is her primary source of motivation, as she believes in the importance of every research project she encounters. She currently holds a BA (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan.

Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory

Jessica McCutcheon

Survey Research Manager and Specialist
(306) 966-6525
 jessica.mccutcheon@usask.ca

Jessica has worked intermittently with the SSRL since 2012. Initially she worked with the SSRL Director to develop the SSRL’s Evaluation and Impact Assessment Framework. Since then she has worked in both the Social Network Laboratory (SNL) and the Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory (SGAL). In her current position, she provides support for the SGAL activities, which include telephone, web, and multi-mode surveys. Jessica completed a BSc at the University of New Brunswick and her MA at the University of Saskatchewan. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology within the Applied Social stream. Her own research focuses on stereotypes and discrimination, with a particular focus on gender roles, mothering, and attitudes toward sexual minorities. She is knowledgeable about both qualitative and quantitative methodologies and analysis techniques; and has extensive experience with basic research and applied evaluation work.

Social Network Laboratory

Ana-Maria Bogdan

Quantitative Research Manager and Specialist
(306) 966-2965
 ana.bogdan@usask.ca

Ana-Maria joined the SSRL in 2016 as a Quantitative Research Manager and Specialist. In her current position, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Social Network Laboratory (SNL). Ana-Maria provides research support, technical expertise and advice in the development and design of quantitative research, especially where related to social network analysis. Ana-Maria completed a MSc. in Environmental Resource Management at Vrije University in the Netherlands. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research focuses on improved natural resource management, with a focus on agricultural producers’ decision-making and evaluation of agricultural projects.

The Spatial Laboratory

Weiping (Winston) Zeng

GIS Research Manager and Specialist
(306) 966-5133
 winston.zeng@usask.ca

Winston joined The Spatial Initiative (as Associate Director) and The Spatial Laboratory (TSL) in 2010, bringing over 10 years of research and management experience in geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis. In his present role, Winston supports the coordination of, and consultation on research involving spatial analysis, geographic data, and related programs and projects. As a resource in the development of GIS courses and technical training, Winston facilitates bringing GIS research into academic course work and facilitates meaningful work experience for graduate students in related fields. As project lead, Winston previously contributed to a number of GIS projects, delivering high quality service to clients such as Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, the City of Calgary, the City of Toronto, the City of Coquitlam, the City of San Jose, and Los Angeles County. Winston received a Ph.D. in Spatial Analysis and GIS. His studies in spatial analysis and GIS have been published in his book GIS Based Facility Location Planning and in several journals including Geographical Analysis and Networks and Spatial Economics.