Dr Julie Harris appointed to the UK Government Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel

Director of Research

Our very own Director of Research, Dr Julie Harris, has been appointed to the UK Government Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel (ETAP) bringing together top evaluation and experimentation experts from across government and academia. Julie will support the design and delivery of robust, high-quality evaluations across the government and have an impact on a range of policy.

Managed by the Evaluation Task Force, the Panel provides free advice to government departments and What Works Centres when designing evaluations. Since its launch in 2015, the Panel has advised on more than 160 programmes and policies, spanning a range of policy areas including crime, education and employment.

Dr Julie Harris joins the Panel as part of a new cohort. The appointment is for two years, commencing 1st March 2023, with the opportunity to extend for an additional year. Julie will bring to the panel her expertise in realist and theory-driven evaluation, being involved in scrutinising proposals and supporting evaluation design and ethics.

Julie said: “All of our work at Dartington is aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people and joining the panel provides an important opportunity to impact policy making across government in key areas that impact their lives.

“I am passionate about the use of high-quality evaluation research and robust evidence to inform sound decision-making about policy, spend and services. I’m greatly looking forward to contributing to this exciting cross-government programme and collaborating with colleagues in the field in this endeavour.”

The role aims to have a direct impact on services and to create more robust, rigorous, actionable evidence at government level. A launch event will take place on 6th March 2023, where ETAP appointments will be officially announced.

For more information and examples of ETAP's work, see here.

If you would like to get in touch with Julie about her role on the Panel, please email julie.harris@dartington.org.uk