Expert panels

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) will be a process of expert review. Institutions will be invited to make submission to 36 units of assessments (UOAs). The submissions will be assessed by an expert sub-panel to be established for each UOA, working under the leadership and guidance of four main panels to ensure common procedures and consistent application of the overall assessment standards.

The panels will carry out two phases of work:

during 2011: within the generic assessment framework, to define in detail those aspects of the criteria and working methods that are specific to the panels
from late 2013 to late 2014: to assess submissions and deliver the assessment outcomes.

Recruitment of expert panels

The funding bodies have published details about the REF UOAs and recruitment of expert panels. This publication sets out the funding bodies' decisions in relation to the following aspects of the 2014 REF:

the configuration of UOAs and grouping of sub-panels under main panels
the roles and responsibilities of main panels, sub-panels and their members in the assessment
the criteria and process for recruiting panel chairs and members.

The publication also:

invites individuals to apply to become sub-panel chairs (deadline for applications is 17 September 2010)
invites organisations and associations with an interest in research to nominate candidates to become panel members (deadline for nominations is 8 October 2010).

The membership of panels will be announced by the end of December 2010.

Nominating bodies

Below is a list of the nominating bodies, identified by the funding bodies, that we have invited to nominate candidates to be panel members. Any other association or organisation with a clear interest in the conduct, quality, funding or wider benefits of publicly funded research - except for mission groups, individual UK HEIs and groups within or subsidiaries of individual UK HEIs - may also make nominations.

Nominating bodies

[ Download Nominating bodies as Adobe PDF 513K | Download Nominating bodies as MS Word 1.7MB ]

Main Panel Chairs Designate

Following an open recruitment process we have appointed chairs designate for the four main panels. Initially they will advise the REF team on the further planning and development of the REF before taking up their roles as chairs once the panels are in place. The chairs designate are:

Main Panel A: Professor Stephen Townley Holgate

Professor Holgate is an MRC Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton and an Honorary Consultant Physician at Southampton University Hospitals Trust. He specialises in the mechanisms and treatment of lung diseases. Professor Holgate is an honorary member of the Association of Physicians of UK and Ireland and an Overseas Fellow of the American Association of Physicians. He is currently chair of the Medical Research Council Population and Systems Medicine Board.

Main Panel B: Professor Dame Ann Dowling

Professor Dowling is the Head of the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. She specialises in the fields of combustion, acoustics and vibration, in particular low-emission combustion and quiet vehicles. Professor Dowling is a fellow and council member of the Royal Society, a fellow and former Vice-President (1999-2002) of the Royal Academy of Engineering. She has been a Council member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and chaired its Technical Opportunities Panel. She received a CBE for services to Mechanical Engineering and a DBE for services to science. Professor Dowling was chair of Main Panel G (Engineering) in the 2008 RAE.

Main Panel C: Professor Dame Janet Finch

Professor Finch is Professor of Sociology, University of Manchester. She specialises in the sociology of family relationships. Professor Finch received a CBE for services to Social Science and a DBE for services to Social Science and Higher Education. She was formally Vice-Chancellor at Keele University, has been a Council member of the Economic and Social Research Council and Chair of its Research Grants Board, and is co-chair of the Council for Science and Technology.

Main Panel D: Professor Bruce Brown

Professor Brown is Professor of Design and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research, Economic and Social Engagement) at the University of Brighton. He specialises in the area of visual memory within Art and Design. Professor Brown is a member of the Advisory Board of the Arts and Humanities Research Council and an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Art. He currently chairs the Arts research grants panel for the Portuguese Government's Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and was chair of Main Panel O (Arts) in the 2008 RAE.

Last updated 23 August 2010