People usually start searching for the age of CHRR because they’ve stumbled across a dataset or a specific research paper and realized this "brand" seems to be everywhere in the academic world. Or, maybe you're like most and just saw the acronym on a government site and wondered how long they've been pulling the strings on national data.
So, how old is CHRR? CHRR is 61 years old.
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It was founded in 1965 at The Ohio State University. Back then, it wasn't just a catchy four-letter name; it stood for the Center for Human Resource Research. While the world has changed—and the term "human resources" means something totally different now than it did in the mid-sixties—the institution has actually managed to stay relevant. That's a rare feat for any organization, let alone one born in the era of mainframe computers and punch cards.
The 1965 Origins: Why CHRR Even Exists
Honestly, the birth of CHRR was kind of a "dream project" scenario. Two economics professors at Ohio State, Herbert Parnes and Samuel Clifton “Clif” Kelley, were handed a massive contract by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The goal? To track the lives of American workers over decades.
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This became the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS). If you've ever read a news story about how "the average American changes jobs every X years" or "the wage gap for women born in the 50s vs the 70s," there is a very high chance that data came directly from the work CHRR started in 1965.
- 1965: The doors opened at Hagerty Hall.
- 1966: They actually started interviewing people.
- 1979: They launched the NLSY79, which followed over 12,000 young people.
It’s weird to think about, but they are still tracking some of those same people today. That’s 60+ years of following the same human beings through marriages, career changes, and retirement.
It’s Not Just a Name Change
In recent years, you might have noticed they stopped using the full "Center for Human Resource Research" title and just went with CHRR at The Ohio State University.
Why? Because "Human Resources" in 1965 meant "the study of people as a resource for the economy." Today, everyone hears HR and thinks about the office where you go to complain about a broken coffee machine or sign your tax forms. CHRR wanted to distance themselves from that corporate vibe. They aren't an HR department; they are a data powerhouse.
They’ve moved offices a lot over these six decades. From the Oval on campus to Worthington, and eventually to their current spot on Ackerman Road. They even pioneered using CD-ROMs for data in the late 80s, which was high-tech back when everyone else was still using floppy disks.
The Evolution of Their "Age" and Tech
If you look at how old CHRR is from a technology perspective, they’ve lived through about four different "lives."
- The Paper Era (1965-1980s): Everything was hand-written, mailed, or done via massive physical folders.
- The Portable Era (Late 80s-90s): They were some of the first researchers to use "portable computers" in the field. Think giant luggable bricks.
- The Virtual Era (2000s): They built virtual call centers and started using VoIP (internet calling) way before Zoom was a thing.
- The Big Data Era (Now): Today, they handle the Ohio Longitudinal Data Archive (OLDA) and secure cloud-based data enclaves.
Why 61 Years Matters for Your Data
There is a level of "institutional memory" at CHRR that you just don't get with newer data startups. When an organization is 61 years old, they’ve seen every economic recession, the shift from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, and the rise of the internet—all through the lens of hard numbers.
Dr. Stephen M. Gavazzi is the current director (taking over officially in 2022 after an interim stint), and he's been pushing the center to be more than just a "data vault." They are now heavily involved in "CHRR at 60" initiatives, which include new internships and practicums for students. Basically, they are trying to make sure the next generation of data scientists knows how to handle the massive pile of info they've collected since the LBJ administration.
Common Misconceptions About the Name
People often confuse CHRR with:
- Corporate HR Departments: As mentioned, they have nothing to do with hiring or firing.
- Cher (the singer): Believe it or not, because the acronym is "CHRR," search engines sometimes get confused with the "Goddess of Pop." For the record, Cher is 79 years old (born May 20, 1946). CHRR the research center is younger than Cher the person by about 19 years.
- Newer Tech Startups: Because their website is slick and they use advanced AI for data scrubbing, people assume they are a 10-year-old company. Nope. They are older than most of the people working there.
Actionable Insights for Researchers and Students
If you are looking into CHRR because you need data or you're a student at OSU, here is how you actually use their 61 years of expertise:
- Check the NLS Investigator: This is their primary tool. You can download decades of public data for free. If you're doing a thesis on labor economics, this is your gold mine.
- The Data Enclave: If you’re a professional researcher dealing with "sensitive" data (stuff that could identify people), they have a secure system to let you work on it without breaking privacy laws.
- Apply for the Practicum: If you're a student, don't just cite them. They have a new internship program specifically designed to celebrate their 60th anniversary. It's hands-on experience in survey methodology.
- Reference the Timeline: When citing them, it's worth noting the specific survey "cohort" you're using. Using data from the 1966 "Mature Women" cohort is a very different vibe than the 1997 "Youth" cohort.
The center has managed to survive by being flexible. They started by asking questions about 1960s factory workers and are now asking questions about remote work and the gig economy in 2026. That longevity is exactly why the data is so valuable. It’s not a snapshot; it’s a 61-year-long movie of the American workforce.
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To get started with their datasets, head over to the CHRR official site and look for the "Data Services" tab. It's usually the best place to find the actual NLSY links without getting lost in the university's academic weeds.