WREN Spring Workshop Program Evaluation Methodologies, Policies, and Management of R&D Organizations: Where are We Now and Where do We Want to be? June 6, 2008 The George Washington University Marvin Center Washington, DC

Thank You, Sponsors GWU Center for International Science and Technology Policy (and student volunteers) Office of Research and Development, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs

Thank You, Partners and Planners American Evaluation Association (AEA) AEA Research, Technology, and Development Evaluation Topical Interest Group (AEA RTD TIG) Washington Evaluators (Local AEA Affiliate) Federal Evaluators GSA, Susan Turnbill - Wiki production WREN meeting planning team: Nicholas Vonortas, Connie Chang, and Cheryl Oros

Agenda Session 1: AEA Evaluation Policy Task Force dialogue with Bill Trochim, AEA President, plus AEA breakout session Session 2: R&D Plenary Session 3: Prospective Evaluation – Help for Policymakers Session 4: Lunch Networking (complimentary buffet here) Session 5: Prospective Evaluation Approaches Session 6: Monitoring Program Performance Last Opportunity to Network & Adjourn

Meeting Format Interactive Workshop Open to dialogue of questions/ answers and sharing of ideas and experiences Creation of networking relationships to advance R&D evaluation Use of Wiki to post presentations

AEA Evaluation Policy Task Force 8:45 am – 9:45 am Session 1: AEA Evaluation Policy Task Force dialogue Bill Trochim, AEA President and Professor, Cornell University and Director of Evaluation, Weill Cornell CTSC 9:45 am – 11:00 am AEA EPTF breakout session available to continue dialogue

AEA Evaluation Policy Task Force What message should AEA convey to federal policy makers re: Evaluation of programs and Evaluation’s usefulness, Appropriate evaluation approaches, Funding needed for performing evaluation and Funding for developing evaluation tools?

WREN Plenary Session 9:45 am – 10:30 am Program Evaluation Methodologies, Policies, and Management of R&D Organizations: Where are We Now and Where do We Want to be? Cheryl Oros Gretchen Jordan Stephanie Shipman 10:30 am – 10:45 am Break

Forum for Federal R&D evaluators Part of international network of government evaluation practitioners and associates Goal is the application and exploration of improved approaches to the evaluation of federal RTD programs WREN Purpose

How to be Involved in WREN Network! Create collaborations. Sponsor development. Try new approaches. Attend WREN meeting in December 2008 Volunteers needed for: –Next WREN meeting Sponsors Logistics –WREN Steering Committee

International Partners in WREN Partners involved from Europe and Asia –Here with us today (updating us at lunch): Costas Paleologos, Evaluation Office of DG Information Society and Media, European Commission Neville Reeve, Evaluation Office of DG Research, European Commission Yongsuk Yang, Science and technology Policy Institute (STEPI), South Korea Plattform Collaboration –Klaus Zinoecker

Wiki for this WREN meeting: ( bin/wiki.pl?WashingtonResearchEvaluationNetwork) WREN web site: ( Federal Evaluators web site: ( AEA web site: ( AEA RTD TIG –Chair: Gretchen Jordan Information Sources

WREN Plenary Marburger Science of Science Policy (SoSP) initiative has greatly accelerated U.S. efforts to develop a coherent strategy that would result in SoSP community of practice. SoSP Task Group is in final stages of developing a Roadmap which will be presented at December WREN meeting.

WREN Plenary Questions What progress have we made in RTD evaluation? Where we are headed and what efforts are currently underway in prospective (ex ante) evaluation? What are the top RTD evaluation concerns and topics of interest?

WREN Plenary Questions How has PART changed the evaluation of Federal R&D programs? GPRA? What may happen next in federal RTD performance measurement?

WREN Plenary Questions What training in R&D evaluation would federal evaluators find helpful? What training in evaluation should be provided for OMB examiners, Congressional committee staff, and Senior Executive Service policy and decision makers?

WREN Plenary Questions What are the upcoming evaluation events and key opportunities of which federal evaluators should be made aware?

VA Research Improving Veterans’ Lives Thank You