Michael D. Broda, PhD — Statistical Consultant

Rigorous Statistics.
Clear Answers.
Real Results.

Expert statistical consulting from a published researcher and Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University — specializing in multilevel modeling, SEM, social network analysis, machine learning, and reproducible R & Python workflows.

71+
Peer-Reviewed Publications
$10M+
In Funded Research
10+
Years of Experience
What I Do

Consulting Services

Whether you need help designing a study, running complex analyses, or building a clean data pipeline, I bring the statistical rigor your project deserves.

📐

Study Design & Power Analysis

Get your research started on solid ground. I help you design studies that will yield valid, meaningful results — and calculate the sample sizes to back them up.

  • Experimental & quasi-experimental design
  • Sample size & power calculations
  • Survey & measurement design
  • Pre-registration support
📊

Multilevel Modeling & SEM

Advanced modeling for complex, nested, or longitudinal data structures — with clear interpretation and publication-ready write-ups grounded in published research.

  • Multilevel / mixed-effects models (MLM/HLM)
  • Growth curve & longitudinal modeling
  • Structural equation modeling (SEM, CFA, EFA)
  • Mediation, moderation & path analysis
💻

R & Python Programming

Clean, well-documented statistical code you can actually understand and reuse. I write scripts, pipelines, and analyses in R and Python.

  • Data cleaning & wrangling
  • Custom functions & packages
  • RMarkdown / Quarto reports
  • Jupyter notebooks & dashboards
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Dissertation & Thesis Support

Navigating the quantitative methods chapter doesn't have to be painful. I guide graduate students through every statistical hurdle, from proposals to final defense.

  • Methods chapter writing & review
  • Results interpretation & write-up
  • Committee presentation prep
  • Revision & resubmission support
🕸️

Social Network Analysis

A rare consulting specialty — rigorous social network analysis grounded in peer-reviewed tutorial work published in Psychological Methods.

  • Network structure & centrality metrics
  • Community detection algorithms
  • Ego network & whole network designs
  • Visualization with igraph, ggraph & NetworkX
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Psychometrics & Scale Development

Measure what you intend to measure. I bring deep expertise in scale development, validation, and psychometric evaluation for research and applied settings.

  • Exploratory & confirmatory factor analysis
  • Item response theory (IRT)
  • Measurement invariance testing
  • Scale reliability & validity analysis

"My goal is to make rigorous statistics genuinely useful — whether you're defending your dissertation, preparing a manuscript for peer review, or trying to understand what your data are actually telling you."

Michael D. Broda, PhD
Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
🎓 PhD, Michigan State University (2015)
🏛️ Associate Professor, VCU School of Education
📄 71+ peer-reviewed publications
💰 $10M+ in externally funded research
🏆 VCU Distinguished Scholarship Award, 2025
About

A Researcher Who Consults — Not Just a Consultant

I'm Michael D. Broda, PhD — an Associate Professor of Research, Assessment, and Evaluation at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Education, and the founder of RQuant Consulting.

With a doctorate from Michigan State University and over a decade of active research, I bring the perspective of a working scientist to every consulting engagement. I don't just run analyses — I understand the pressures of peer review, grant applications, IRB submissions, and dissertation committees.

My research spans multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, social network analysis, machine learning, and psychometrics. I've published 71+ peer-reviewed articles and served as a methodologist and statistician on more than $10 million in externally funded projects from the NIH, U.S. Department of Education, and DHHS.

When you work with RQuant, you get analysis you can defend — because it's built by someone who publishes it.

Work With Me
How It Works

From First Email to Final Results

A straightforward, collaborative process designed to keep you in the loop at every step.

1

Free Consultation

We talk through your project, your goals, and your timeline. No commitment required.

2

Proposal & Scope

You receive a clear proposal outlining deliverables, timeline, and transparent pricing.

3

Analysis & Review

I conduct the work and share interim updates. You review and provide feedback.

4

Delivery

You receive fully documented results, code, and write-up — ready to use immediately.

Expertise

Methods & Areas of Specialization

Deep experience across a wide range of statistical methods and research domains.

Multilevel Modeling (MLM/HLM)

Nested data, cross-classified designs, growth curve models, repeated measures

Structural Equation Modeling

CFA, EFA, latent variable models, mediation, moderation, path analysis

Social Network Analysis

Centrality, community detection, ego & whole network methods, visualization

Machine Learning

Supervised & unsupervised methods, model selection, cross-validation, interpretability

Longitudinal Data Analysis

Growth curves, change modeling, experience sampling (ESM/EMA), panel data

Psychometrics & IRT

Scale development & validation, item response theory, measurement invariance

Missing Data Methods

Multiple imputation, FIML, MCAR/MAR/MNAR testing, sensitivity analyses

Quantitative Study Design

Experimental & quasi-experimental design, power analysis, pre-registration

Research Record

Selected Publications

A sample of recent peer-reviewed work spanning multilevel modeling, social network analysis, machine learning, and psychometrics.

Psychological Methods
Using Social Network Analysis in Applied Psychological Research: A Tutorial
Broda, M. D., et al.
2023
PLOS Mental Health
Social Networks, Social Support, and Mental Health During COVID-19
Broda, M. D., et al.
In Press
Social Work in Mental Health
Machine Learning Approaches to Pharmacotherapy and Mental Health Support
Bogenschutz, M., Broda, M. D., et al.
In Press
Psychological Reports
DASS-21 Dimensionality Across Race, Ethnicity, and Caretaking Status
Broda, M. D., et al.
2024
Teacher Education & Special Education
Profiles of Practice Delivery and Challenging Behavior for Students with EBD
Broda, M. D., et al.
In Press
Social Science Computer Review
Using Multilevel Models to Explore Predictors of Nonresponse in ESM Studies
Broda, M. D.
2017
71+
Peer-Reviewed Articles
3
Book Chapters
$10M+
Externally Funded Projects
5+
Federal Agencies Funded
Client Feedback

What Clients Say

Researchers and students who've worked with RQuant Consulting.

★★★★★

"I was completely lost in my dissertation's methods chapter. RQuant walked me through the entire mixed-effects model setup, explained every decision, and delivered clean R code I could actually use. I passed my defense with flying colors."

PhD Candidate, Education
Midwestern Research University
★★★★★

"We needed power analyses and a study design that would hold up to peer review. The turnaround was fast, the work was thorough, and the write-up was clear enough to drop straight into our IRB application."

Assistant Professor, Psychology
Liberal Arts College
★★★★★

"The Python dashboard RQuant built for our lab's survey data completely changed how we present findings to stakeholders. Professional, reproducible, and exactly what we asked for."

Lab Manager, Public Health Research
School of Public Health
Let's Talk

Start Your Project

Fill out the form below and I'll get back to you within one business day to discuss your needs.

Ready to work together?

Whether you have a well-defined project or just an early-stage question, I'm happy to talk it through. The initial consultation is always free.

🌐
⏱️
Response Time
Within 1 business day
🗺️
Location
Remote — serving clients worldwide

Your information is kept confidential and never shared.

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