Keele experts have been announced as new assessment panel members in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. 

Dr Deirdre McKay and Professor Krysia Dziedzic have both been named as Outputs Assessors for the 2021 REF, joining the assessment panels alongside Professor David Amigoni, Professor Julius Sim, and Victoria Macfarlane, Deputy Director of RIE and Head of Research Strategy Delivery who is a senior member of the vital REF Panel Secretariat. 

Dr McKay joins the REF sub panel for Area Studies, while Professor Dziedzic has been appointed to the sub panel for Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care. 

Keele's Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Ormerod, has also been appointed as a member of the Institutional Environment Pilot Panel, which is a new approach driven by the REF 2021 to assess academic research environments at institution-level and which sits across all the Units of Assessment.

These appointments recognise Keele’s standing in the UK research community and our national reputation for research excellence. 

Dr McKay said: “Joining the REF is an opportunity to see the assessment process in action. While we get to learn about the fascinating work our colleagues are undertaking across the UK, our assessments provide accountability for ongoing public investment in research across the HE sector.” 

Professor Dziedzic said: "As Director of the Impact Accelerator Unit I have worked closely with and been inspired by our Impact Case Study authors in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.  I am therefore delighted to have been accepted as an Impact Case Study Assessor for the Research Excellence Framework.” 

Professor Amigoni added: “I am delighted; the latest round of panel appointments is further recognition of the depth of expertise and excellence that we have in research and impact acceleration at Keele.” 

You can find more information about REF panel and sub-panel memberships on the REF website.