Samuel B. Robison, PhD
Professor of Research
Contact
srobis2@lsu.edu
225-578-6293
Curriculum Vitae
Education
Bachelor's Degree: Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, 2002
Master's Degree: Political Science, LSU, 2005
PhD: Political Science, LSU, 2010
Samuel Robison, PhD, is Associate Director of the Social Research & Evaluation Center, and Professor of Research at the Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education at LSU. Trained as a political scientist, he has been a program evaluator, researcher, and manager of data collection and reporting efforts for projects funded by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the state of Louisiana. He has strong research and evaluation skills that were developed and honed through work on efforts addressing youth dropout prevention, workforce development, behavioral health and substance abuse prevention and treatment, improvements to the extended foster care system, and university-based training and capacity building programs.
Process and Outcome Evaluation Methodology
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Design
Regression Discontinuity Design
Quantitative Data Organization/Database Development
Statistical Analysis
Multilevel/Hierarchical Linear Modeling
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Evaluation of the Gulf Offshore Research Institute. SREC Principal Investigator, 2026-2028, $198,889. Dr. Robison leads the developmental evaluation of GORI, a project that aims to transform offshore oil platforms into sustainable hubs for energy, food, and ocean monitoring.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Evaluation of Safer Offshore Energy Systems. SREC co-Principal Investigator, 2026-2028, $198,361. Dr. Robison supports a portfolio evaluation of SOES, which works to reduce and manage risks associated with offshore energy production and transportation.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Louisiana's State Opioid Response 4.0. SREC Principal Investigator, 2024-2027, $18,001,460. Dr. Robison oversees the evaluation, data collection, and reporting activities for LaSOR 4.0. LaSOR 4.0 fosters cross-system collaboration and provides prevention and treatment funding to improve responses and outcomes for individuals with opioid use disorder, mental illness, and co-occurring disorders.
Robison, S., Sinclair, H.C., Burns, A.R., Tevuyibor, J.T., Thakkar, S., and Little, K. 2026. "Stories of Resilience and Vulnerability: A Qualitative Study of the Challenges and Successes of Community Coalitions Addressing Underage Drinking in Louisiana During the COVID-19 Pandemic." The Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Use, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/29973368.2026.2718717
Salgato, A.L., Kelly, M.W., Brown, J.M., Mason, N.A., Wilson-Kennedy, Z.S., Little, K., Robison, S., Blackmon, B., Burns, A.R., and Lagomarsino, L. 2026. "Strengthening the STEM Workforce: Outcomes from Louisiana's Post-Baccalaureate Program in Applied Evolution." Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists (BSSB), 5(1). https://doi.org/10.18061/bssb.6737
Piscitello, J., Kim, Y.K., Orooji, M., and Robison, S. 2022. "Exploring High School Dropout in Rural and Non-Rural Locales: The Mediating Impact of Sociodemographic Risk and School Engagement." Children and Youth Services Review, 133: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106347
Robison, S. (presenter and moderator), Bohach, C., Lessard, L., Jessica Faupel-Badger, J., & Curtis, R. 2026. "Sharing Your Story: Data Use Considerations to Improve Your Program and Demonstrate Success." Panel presentation at the annual meeting of the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence, Rockville, MD (June).
Robison, S., Mason, S., & Blackmon, B. 2025. "Implementing and Adapting Evaluations In Complex, Shifting Environments." Presented at the annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, Kansas City, MO (October).
Robison, S. 2024. "Survey Considerations in Evaluation and Research Efforts." Presented at the annual meeting of the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence, Washington, DC (June).