About the Evaluator
Jeff Sun has 30 years of experience in mixed-methods, educational program evaluation. Taking a very practical and functional approach to program evaluation, his work focuses on working collaboratively with communities of stakeholders to develop compelling, data-based, stories of how educational systems and innovations can work to improve student outcomes.
Jeff works exclusively with clients in formal and informal STEM learning environments that serve students from pre-K through post-secondary in schools, school districts, colleges, educational non-profits, as well as museums and libraries.
A key feature of Jeff’s work is extensive and in-depth in-person engagement with project participants via focus groups, interviews, teaching observations, and even routine project staff meetings. His evaluation work centers the use of data to tell actual stories and to help projects discover the full range of benefits that their initiatives are delivering to participants and communities.
Evaluation Background
I specialize in...
- Qualitative methods
- Mixed methods
- Culturally responsive evaluation
- Developmental evaluation
- Participatory evaluation approaches
- Utilization-focused evaluation
I have worked with projects in the areas of:
- ATE Centers
- NSF projects other than ATE (e.g., IUSE, S-STEM, AISL, HSI, ADVANCE)
- Projects at two-year colleges
- STEM education projects supported by funder other than NSF
Training and Certifications
Professional development workshops, webinars, or online courses on evaluation
Outside of Work, I enjoy...
… writing and photography, dogs, and fixing/maintaining/repairing all manner of mechanical devices. Oh, and cooking too.
A Successful Evaluation...
… constantly works to help a project or initiative maintain a critical eye on the value its work has – and will have – on participant outcomes.
My Working Style...
… is one where I personally engage with and get to know my clients and their communities.
EvaluATE is supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 2332143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.