The Evaluation Center is conducting a comprehensive formative, process, and summative evaluation of the CCTSI.  The summative evaluation examines the effectiveness of the CCTSI in promoting innovation and accelerating translation of research into clinical and community-based practice to impact the nation’s health. The Evaluation Center, in the School of Education and Human Development, University of Colorado Denver, Downtown Denver Campus, conducts the external evaluation of the CCTSI in collaboration with internal governance committees and core function representatives.

In providing the CCTSI with effective and practical evaluation information, Evaluation Center staff is guided by the following principles:

1. External evaluators conduct objective, credible, rigorous data collection and analysis. 
2. Evaluation encompasses both short-term and long-term indicators.   
3. Evaluation methods are authentic and non-intrusive. 
4. Evaluation methods include both quantitative and qualitative measures. 
5. External evaluation is a collaborative process with internal stakeholders. 
6. Evaluation is both iterative and responsive.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Evaluation is the systematic collection of information about the activities, characteristics, and outcomes of programs … to improve program effectiveness and/or inform decisions about future program development.”  Evaluation is neither surveillance nor monitoring.  Instead, evaluation is intended to promote reflection and rigor.

For more information about evaluation:

• American Evaluation Association
• CDC Evaluation Working Group
• National CTSA Evaluation Committee

AIM 1: Provide formative and process evaluation for the CCTSI
AIM 2: Provide summative evaluation for the CCTSI
AIM 3: Support the evaluative efforts of specific CCTSI core functions to enhance the rigor and meaningfulness of these efforts
AIM 4: Participate on and contribute to the national evaluation consortium

See details of the CCTSI’s evaluation framework (key evaluation questions and evaluation indicators) here.

For questions or additional information, please contact the Evaluation Center.

Bonnie Walters 
Director, The Evaluation Center, UC Denver Downtown Denver Campus

Marc Brodersen, PhD 
Senior Evaluator

Tamara Hoxworth, PhD 
Senior Evaluator 

Kathryn Nearing, PhD 
Senior Evaluator

The staff has extensive experience in conducting large-scale evaluations, including projects funded by the US Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the Danforth Foundation, the National Education Association, and the University of Colorado Center for International Business, among others.