Leading Stirling academic joins UK research panel

A leading University of Stirling academic has been announced as a member of a UK-wide research panel.

Professor Judith Phillips, Deputy Principal (Research) at Stirling, has been appointed as a member of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) Interdisciplinary Research Advisory Panel (IDAP).

The four UK funding bodies – Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland (DfE) – established the panel as part of the preparations for the next REF.

Professor Phillips, one of the UK’s leading gerontology experts, said: “I am delighted to be appointed to this important role. Stirling is a research-intensive university and interdisciplinary in its approach. I look forward to working alongside IDAP colleagues to help positively shape the UK’s REF preparations.”

The IDAP has been set up to advise the REF team, panel chairs and UK funding bodies on the approach to support the submission and assessment of interdisciplinary research in the REF.

Dr Kim Hackett, REF manager, said: “We look forward to working with the group to support the submission and ensure fair and equitable assessment of interdisciplinary research during the next REF.”