“Student Driven, Faculty Led”

The Mixed-Methods Evaluation, Training and Analysis (META) Lab is a unique interdisciplinary initiative, which seeks to leverage the Middlebury Institute’s research and evaluation expertise to build individual and organizational capacity in evidence-based policy evaluation, both within the Institute and with partners in the local and international community. Through a combination of consultancy, technical training, and evaluation support services, the META Lab offers students and faculty opportunities for professional development while fulfilling the Institute’s commitment to innovation, service, and collaborative leadership with its local community.

Formed in 2013 as a result of a student-led data project, the META Lab was established in response to the rising demand for better use of evidence in policy and decision-making processes. By promoting data literacy and fostering advanced learning in data management and analysis the META Lab provides the specialized skills required to meet the analytic needs of the greater MIIS community. The META Lab contributes to the Middlebury Institute’s learning environment by providing a repository for expertise to support academic courses  and through its strategic partnerships with other on-campus organizations such as the Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the Digital Learning Commons.

Under the direction of Professor Philip Murphy, the META Lab endeavors to position the Middlebury Institute as a center of excellence in academic and professional practice of policy analysis and evaluation.