Steve Grice serves as the Executive Director and a Research Professor at the National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research Center (NSPARC) at Mississippi State University. With a PhD in Sociology from Mississippi State University, Steve has over two decades of experience leveraging data-driven solutions to address workforce, economic, and community development challenges.

As a seasoned leader, Steve has secured over $135 million in sponsored research funding, fostering collaborations that blend data modeling, analytics, and strategic decision-making to drive social and economic impact. His expertise spans a wide range of critical issues, including workforce development, longitudinal data systems, and economic policy analysis. His work has been published in journals such as Rural Sociology, Demography, Social Science Quarterly, and Social Science Research.

Steve is also the director of Mississippi’s State Data Clearinghouse. Under his leadership, the clearinghouse provides the academic and technical expertise needed to maintain Mississippi’s Statewide Longitudinal Data System. His work, marked by interdisciplinary collaborations and impactful research, has been recognized with multiple accolades, including the Alabama-Mississippi Sociological Association Distinguished Service Award.