REF is a process of expert review, with institutions invited to make submissions under subject areas known as units of assessment. The submissions are assessed by an expert sub-panel for each unit of assessment, working under the guidance of four main panels: Medicine, Health and Life Sciences; Physical Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics; Social Sciences; and Arts and Humanities.
Each sub-panel is supported by advisory panels who will provide expert guidance in their respective areas.
Loughborough staff have been appointed as follows:
Sub-panel deputy chairs
Professor Paul Conway (Engineering)
Professor John Downey (Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management)
Professor Rosemary Hunter (Law)
Professor Craig Richardson (Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory)
Sub-panel members
Professor Siân Adiseshiah (English Language and Literature)
Professor Richard Buswell (Engineering)
Professor Crispin Coombs (Business and Management Studies)
Professor Richard Giulianotti (Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism)
Professor Christopher Gorse (Architecture, Built Environment and Planning)
Professor Matthew Inglis (Education)
Professor Mark King (Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism)
Dr Craig Morton (Architecture, Built Environment and Planning)
Professor Paul Wood (Geography and Environmental Studies)
The outcomes of REF are used to:
- Inform the allocation of grant research funding to higher education institutions based on research quality
- Provide accountability for public investment in research and produce evidence of the benefits of this investment
- Provide insights into the health of research in universities in the UK
Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor Dan Parsons said: “It is fantastic to see so many of our colleagues appointed to REF panels. These appointments are a clear recognition of their leadership, expertise, and the positive impact of their work. They also highlight the outstanding research culture we continue to nurture at Loughborough: one that values excellence, collaboration, and the real-world difference our research makes.
"I am immensely proud of these achievements, and I know that our colleagues’ contributions will not only strengthen the REF process but also further enhance the reputation of Loughborough’s research on the national and indeed international stage.”