Professor Jane Millar announced as Social Sciences REF Chair

Professor of Social Policy within the University of Bath's [Department of Social & Policy Sciences]9http://www.bath.ac.uk/sps/), and in the Institute for Policy Research, Professor Millar was Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University from 2008 – 2015 and also Associate Dean of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences from 2003 – 2005.

As REF Chair for Social Sciences she will head up Panel C, providing leadership and guidance to the various sub-panels that undertake the REF assessment and advising funding bodies on decisions around the framework.

She will take up her role later in the year, once the outcomes of the ‘Consultation on the second Research Excellence Framework’ (HEFCE 2016/36) are announced and further appointments to the REF panels have been made.

Commenting on the appointment, she said: "The Research Excellence Framework is an important and substantial undertaking. I very much look forward to working with social scientists of all disciplines and across the country."

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Jonathan Knight added: “The University community is delighted that Professor Millar will take up this important role as Chair of the REF Social Sciences Panel for the next Research Excellence Framework assessment. The REF is of huge importance for the future of higher education in the UK, and with her wealth of experience in research, dissemination and leadership, she is ideally placed to take on this responsibility.”

Professor Millar’s own research interests are in social security, family policy, lone parents, employment and poverty. In 2001 she was awarded an OBE for ‘services to social policy research and teaching’. She is a Fellow of the British Academy and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She was a member of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008 and REF 2014 sub panel on social work and social policy.

She has been a Special Adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee for Work and Pensions, to the Department for Work and Pensions, and was the UK Representative on the EU Observatory on National Family Policies.

Dr Kim Hackett, REF manager at HEFCE, said: “I am delighted to welcome the REF Main Panel Chairs to the exercise. These four individuals bring significant research expertise and experience of research assessment to these roles, and will provide strong leadership and guidance in all aspects of the REF. I look forward to working with them to ensure we deliver a successful and robust REF2021.”

You can find out more about the other REF appointments here. Alternatively, for media enquiries, please contact Andy Dunne in the University Press Office (tel. 01225 386 883)