Billy Bryan

Billy Bryan
Evaluation and Research Lead
Cambridge Office

Education

Ph.D. in medical education, University of Sheffield; P.G.Cert. in learning and teaching, University of Sheffield; B.Sc. in sports and exercise science, Sheffield Hallam University

Overview

Billy Bryan (he/him) is an evaluation and research leader at RAND Europe. He has five years of experience in monitoring and evaluation with specific focuses on science, technology, and innovation policy, green innovation, research and innovation (R&I) and business support for COVID-19 and international development.

Prior to joining RAND, he was a senior consultant at Technopolis Group and led monitoring and evaluation training for BEIS analysts on theory-based evaluation approaches. He managed an impact evaluation of BEIS demand-side response programme as part of its Smart Systems portfolio using contribution analysis and process tracing. He recently completed a market study for the Royal Academy of Engineering's Policy Fellowships. He was deputy project manager on the impact evaluation of UKRI's R&I response to COVID-19, and worked with Ipsos on the framework for BEIS' response to COVID-19. He managed a complex theory-based (contribution analysis and process tracing), multi-stage impact evaluation of Innovate UK’s Newton Fund programme. He has also contributed to studies on consumer rights in the EU and to several business support evaluations (e.g. for BeTheBusiness, SIAs).

Bryan has particular expertise in applying theory-based evaluation in complex multi-phase evaluations. He completed his Ph.D. in medical education at Sheffield Medical School. He is a Trustee at Sussex Students’ Union and an advisory board member of the Cardiovascular Research Trust.

Selected Publications

Billy Bryan and Kay Guccione, "Was it worth it? A qualitative exploration into graduate perceptions of doctoral value," Higher Education Research & Development, 37(6), 2018

Anete Vingre, Peter Kolarz and Billy Bryan, "On your marks, get set, fund! Rapid responses to the COVID-19 pandemic," fteval Journal for Research and Technology Policy Evaluation, 53, 2022

Peter Kolarz, Erik Arnold, Billy Bryan, Julie D’hont, Andrej Horvath, Paul Simmonds, Peter Varnai, Anete Vingre, Process review of UKRI's research and innovation response to COVID-19 Final report Process review of UKRI's research and innovation response to COVID-19 Final report, UKRI, 2021

Julian Barr, Billy Bryan, Peter Kolarz, Xavier Potau, Mel Punton,Paul Simmonds, and Isabel Vogel, GCRF Evaluation Foundation Stage Final Report, BEIS, 2018