REF¹ is conducted on behalf of the four UK higher education funding bodies² and is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

Professor Lappin-Scott currently leads on Research and Innovation and Strategic Development for Swansea University and is a Professor of Microbial Ecology. The appointment is for the current REF process which concludes in 2021 and her key role will be to lead the sub-panel and assist the main panel to develop and consistently apply assessment criteria for REF submissions and also engage with the UK higher education sector on REF.

Professor Lappin-Scott is also a member of the REF’s Research Interdisciplinary Research Advisory Panel (IDAP) which advises the REF team, REF panel chairs and the UK funding bodies on the approach to support the submission and assessment of interdisciplinary research in the REF process.

Professor Lappin-Scott said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Chair and I look forward to working with colleagues on the panel from across the UK over the next three years, developing and applying the assessment criteria to the submissions in the Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences research category”.

Dr Kim Hackett, REF Manager, said: ‘We have had an excellent response to our call for applications to the role of sub-panel chair, which has enabled the funding bodies to appoint an exceptional set of individuals to these key positions. We are also delighted to have achieved a good balance across types of institution and geographical regions with these appointments. The sub-panel chairs now have a key task ahead in recommending panel members, and I look forward to working with them on this task.’