St John’s academics join panels guiding £2 billion research funding

From left: Professor Serena Best, Professor Sarah Hall and Professor Nathan MacDonald

Three St John’s Fellows have been appointed to the 2029 Research Excellence Framework (REF) panels – a national assessment of research in UK higher education.

Owned by the UK’s four higher education funding bodies, the REF informs the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public money for universities’ research and last took place in 2021.

Professor Serena Best, Professor Sarah Hall and Professor Nathan MacDonald have all been selected as expert advisers. Panellists play a key role in shaping the REF to support research through a process of expert review. REF 2029 comprises 34 sub-panels of specialists under the guidance of main and advisory panels.

Professor Best, Professor of Materials Science, and College Lecturer and Director of Studies for Materials Science, is on a sub-panel assessing engineering research.

It will be her third time as a REF panellist, she said: “The REF process is a substantial and important undertaking that will ensure that high research quality continues to be maintained in the UK and that the impact of this work is highlighted both nationally and internationally.”

Professor Hall, University 1931 Professor of Geography and St John’s Director of Studies in Geography, said: “I’m excited to advocate for the importance of geographical research at a time of such profound change which has geography at its heart – from climate change to geopolitics and our changing global economy.”

Professor MacDonald, University Professor of the Interpretation of the Old Testament, College Lecturer in Theology, and Director of Studies in Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion, joins an arts and humanities sub-panel.

He said: “The REF is one of the most important means for identifying excellent research wherever it occurs in UK universities. I am very pleased to be joining the sub-panel that will be assessing the research in theology and religion and I am looking forward to working with colleagues across what is an incredibly diverse and dynamic field.”

The REF is owned by Research England, Scottish Funding Council, Medr, Wales’ Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland.

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5/9/2025

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