Spotlight on Gina Anghelescu

Gina Anghelescu joined SCADR in March 2022, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate for our 'Work, welfare and housing' research programme examining the interactions between health, social security and employment, as well as poverty and fair work. She is based at the Urban Big Data Centre within the University of Glasgow.

We asked Gina some questions to get an insight into her career and her SCADR role.

Why did you decide on a career in data?

I have used quantitative as well as qualitative data since the beginning of my career. The last few years have been more focused on using quantitative data only, for my PhD and later postdoctoral research.

I would like to add that working with administrative data requires a lot of prior preparation and patience. For our current project on labour market transitions for disadvantaged populations, the success of getting access to the data came after a long wait, that included obtaining institutional accreditation for accessing that type of data.

What does your job entail?

At SCADR, I am involved in all aspects related to doing research regarding labour market transitions for disadvantaged populations.

Our current project refers to the situation in England and Wales over the years 2011-2016. We use 2011 Census data linked to 'Benefits and Income' and aim to understand whether and how people who are in at least one disadvantaged situation (such as being a carer or having health issues or being a migrant or belonging to a minority ethnic group) progress in the labour market. We take into account not only the transition from non-employment to job, but also the possibility of progressing from a job to another.

What challenges have you had to overcome with the latest project?

It could be a challenge when the dataset we have been waiting for so long does not include all the information needed to finalise the project objectives. It requires much patience and creativity to find the best solution for obtaining the research results we were aiming for.

What do you like most about your job?

After being involved in primary large-scale cross-country research, the experience of working with administrative data is unparalleled in terms of data coverage, the uniqueness of data, and the new methodologies that have been advanced in the field of data linkage. I have been fascinated by such opportunity. I am also delighted to discover how institutional partnerships are developed around the objective of making administrative data available for research. It challenges us, in a positive way, to reconsider how we design and do social research for the public good.