NSF ERC: CELL-MET

CELL-MET Overview

CELL-MET is an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center led by Boston University and their partner institutions.

CELL-MET’s goals are to:

1. Create engineered heart tissue that is used to save lives and improve human health, and
2. Create a skilled workforce ready to tackle next-generation challenges in synthetic tissues.

CELL-MET Evaluation Overview

The overall CELL-MET evaluation goals are to:

1. Provide improvement-oriented evaluation feedback,
2. Help ensure program accountability, and
3. Document ERC best practices and Center impact.

Such an evaluation strategy is particularly critical when one is managing a complex, multi-institutional, multidisciplinary, and cross-sector collaborative Center with long-term, transformational goals and objectives, as is the case with CELL-MET.

The evaluation team, led by Dr. Lindsey McGowen, North Carolina State University, has worked with the CELL-MET leadership team to develop a comprehensive logic model-based evaluation strategy around the Center’s four integrated objectives. The evaluation strategic plan is guided by the following evaluation goals:

build

Evaluate CELL-METs convergent team science, progress toward engineering heart tissues relative to their technical milestones, and impact on the Eng-Bio convergence field

prepare

Evaluate the effectiveness of CELL-MET career preparation activities, the impact of CELL-MET participation on trainee scientific, technical, communication, and professional skills, and alumni career outcomes within the Eng-Bio Convergence field.

expand

Evaluate the effectiveness of CELL-MET outreach programs, the extent to which they reach a broad range of young learners, and lead them to pursue engineering and STEM higher education.

Impact

Evaluate CELL-METs engagement with members and partners within its innovation ecosystem, and the impact of that engagement on technology translation and commercialization of CELL-MET technologies for R&D and clinical applications.

learn

In addition to these center-wide objective-specific goals, the evaluation team seeks to provide real-time data-based formative evaluation feedback to inform center management and decision making to support program improvement and strategy.