The Research, Technology and Development (RTD) Evaluation Topical Interest Group within the American Evaluation Association has as its mission to advance the field of performance measurement and in-depth assessment of these programs, particularly publicly funded RTD programs.

We provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, good practice, and emerging tools by

• organizing the RTD portion of the AEA conference each year
• disseminating, through e-mail and a website, information related to good practice, as well as events of interest, and gray literature.

To join us, email one of the RTD TIG Officers, and/or join AEA and designate the TIG as one of your interest areas.

The scope of RTD includes both Science and Technology (S&T) and Research and Development (R&D). It also includes the diffusion of RTD into knowledge communities, the economy and society. RTD may be used to inform policy or to build human capital and knowledge communities. RTD is the basis for innovation whether that is new administrative processes, new knowledge or knowledge tools, new products or processes, or the infrastructure needed to speed adoption of a new idea or technology.  The possible impacts are similarly wide ranging, from improved health, to better water quality standards, to economic competitiveness, and national security.

Since its founding in 1995, the RTD TIG has grown over the years until we consistently have 18 or more sessions each year at the AEA annual conference – that is about 50 individual presentations – with professionals from around the world:  USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and various countries in Europe and South America. The RTD Group is an informal arm of the Washington and World Research Evaluation Networks (WREN).