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Dr. Mark St. John, founder and president of Inverness Research Associates, has a broad background in evaluation, policy analysis, and science and mathematics education at all levels. Trained in aeronautical engineering, a high school teacher and graduate student in physics, and then later, a faculty member in an interdisciplinary math and science education program, Dr. St. John has hybrid expertise that combines a knowledge of science; deep experience in the teaching and learning of the disciplines; and a broader understanding of the educational system and how it functions. For over 15 years, he has been involved in the evaluation and study of public and private initiatives aimed at improving science and mathematics education.
Dr. St. John and his colleagues at Inverness Research Associates have been involved in many evaluations of reform initiatives in education -- from large scale national initiatives undertaken by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education, to the study of the impact of National Standards, to the evaluation of individual science museum exhibits. They have been involved in studying professional development efforts, curriculum design projects, state systemic reform efforts, and informal science education efforts. Most recently, Dr. St. John and his group have assisted foundations and state agencies in planning and refining the design of their reform initiatives, as well as helping them to think about the overall evaluation designs most appropriate to their goals and needs.
Under the leadership of Dr. St. John, Inverness Research brings a multi-faceted approach to evaluation. The work of Inverness Research will, according to the need: 1) document the nature and the extent of the activities of the reform initiative under study; 2) compare initiative design to field realities and provide critical feedback to initiative leaders; 3) facilitate reflection and help to shape overall initiative design and activities; and 4) conduct research that can help to disseminate the broader and more general lessons learned from the particular project being evaluated.
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