2026-11-25 –, Sutherland Room
THE CHALLENGE: FROM RESEARCH QUESTION TO FEASIBLE STUDY DESIGN
Longitudinal cohort studies are among the most valuable resources available to social scientists, enabling researchers to investigate life course processes, developmental trajectories, social inequalities, and the complex relationships between individual, family and societal influences over time. Yet identifying suitable datasets, understanding what information has been collected, and determining whether available data can adequately address a research question remain significant challenges.
As researchers increasingly also recognise the value of drawing cohorts together for analysis (cross-cohort designs), the demand for connected, discoverable cohort data becomes even greater. Efficient mechanisms for discovering and comparing longitudinal data resources are critical to translating research questions into data requirements, designing feasible analyses, and identifying opportunities for collaboration. This workshop addresses these challenges by introducing practical approaches to cohort discovery and longitudinal cross-cohort analytic designs.
WHAT IS THE LIFECOURSE COHORT EXPLORER?
LifeCourse Cohort Explorer is a catalogue of Australia’s high reuse cohort studies. Building on MCRI's established and trusted foundation, LifeCourse Cohort Explorer is scaling an already proven platform into a nationally significant asset aligned with Australia’s research data infrastructure priorities. LifeCourse Cohort Explorer makes Australian cohorts easier to find, explore, and understand. It allows researchers to unlock the full value of decades of Australian research investment, by making valuable data more visible and accessible.
The Explorer platform focuses on cohort discovery and connection rather than hosting data, helping researchers identify relevant longitudinal studies, understand available data and measures, and connect with custodians as a pathway to further research opportunities. Cohort custodians retain control of their data and access arrangements while benefiting from greater opportunities for collaboration and research impact.
LifeCourse Cohort Explorer is a co-investment partnership between the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) through the People Research Data Commons. The ARDC is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
HOW CAN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCHERS BENEFIT?
By bringing together information that has traditionally been distributed across many studies and institutions, LifeCourse Cohort Explorer supports cross-cohort discovery and provides a broader view of health and wellbeing across populations, life stages and regions.
This workshop will explore how longitudinal and multi-cohort data can be used to address important social science questions related to the role of timing, accumulation, transitions, and context across the life course. Participants will examine methodological opportunities created through secondary data analysis, including cross-cohort designs.
Discussion will include how combining evidence across cohorts can improve replication, increase precision, and enhance understanding of population heterogeneity. Participants will also consider practical challenges associated with cohort identification, measurement comparability, and other aspects of research design.
WHAT WILL PARTICIPANTS GAIN FROM THIS SESSION?
The workshop includes a facilitated hands-on session using the LifeCourse Cohort Explorer. Participants will learn how to:
• Translate substantive research questions into data requirements.
• Identify cohorts with requisite data to address specific research questions.
• Compare measures, populations and timepoints across studies.
• Assess study feasibility using existing longitudinal data resources.
• Identify opportunities for cross-cohort and collaborative research.
By the end of the session, participants will have developed practical skills in cohort discovery and longitudinal research design, gained a stronger understanding of Australia's longitudinal data landscape, and identified new opportunities to strengthen their own research through the use of existing cohort resources.
A/Prof Meredith O'Connor is a Principal Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Director of the LifeCourse Cohort Explorer, working to advance longitudinal cohort science across Australia. Her work focuses on early‑life prevention and mental health, with the aim of improving child and population health across the life course. She specialises in building scientifically grounded data platforms that enable the discovery, access, and reuse of cohort data to generate new knowledge and real‑world impact. Through national collaborations with researchers, government, and data infrastructure partners, she contributes to strengthening Australia’s longitudinal capability.