Loughborough appoints new Director of Research and Innovation

Loughborough University is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Johnson as Director of Research and Innovation.

Jennifer, who is currently Director of Research and Innovation at Northumbria University, has worked in higher education for over two decades. 
 
She is Chair of the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA UK), and prior to her role at Northumbria she held a number of positions at the University of Leeds, including Head of Performance, Governance and Operations and Head of Research Operations and Reporting. 
 
Speaking about her appointment, Jennifer said: “I am very much looking forward to joining Loughborough, meeting new professional and academic colleagues, and working together to deliver the new strategy. The level of ambition for research, and for the Research and Innovation Office are what first caught my attention about this role. Now that I've started to get to know the University a littleI'm really excited about the opportunities to grow research and innovation activities and the impact they will have on the wider world.” 
 
Professor Dan Parsons, Loughborough’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, added: “We are delighted Jennifer will be joining us. Research and innovation are at the heart of the University’s new strategy and there are a host of exciting opportunities ahead to grow and develop our activities – from blue skies research to leading edge innovation that positively impact communities around the world. This is alongside investing in our research and innovation office team who are central to help us deliver this vision. Jennifer will play a key role in guiding us to even greater success and I am very much looking forward to working with her.” 

Jennifer is due to take up her new role at Loughborough in September. 

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: PR 23/100

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2023 QS World University Rankings – the seventh year running – and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2023, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2023 and 11th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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