Bio

Emily F. Gates, Ph.D., is an evaluation scholar, practitioner, and associate professor at Boston College. Her scholarship explores how evaluation can help people understand the complexity of problems and influence systemic change, focusing on systems thinking, values, and equity. In recognition of her contributions to the evaluation field, Gates received an early career award in 2023, naming her a promising new evaluator from the American Evaluation Association.

She has co-written two books, Evaluative Inquiry for Systemic Change and Evaluating and Valuing in Social Research, and co-edited a special issue, Systems- and Complexity-informed Evaluation: Insights from Practice. Committed to bridging practice and theory, Gates has authored 25+ peer-reviewed journal articles, many in collaboration with practitioners and students. She teaches graduate courses on evaluation and mixed methods, and regularly gives talks and workshops on systems approaches to evaluation nationally and internationally.

Gates calls Boston home, where she lives with her partner, son, dog, and seasonal garden.