Associate Professor Gemma Derrick
Associate Professor (Research Policy and Culture) at the University of Bristol
Motivating, measuring, and monitoring the impact that research has on society is a growing concern for policymakers as well as active researchers. Whereas there is wide public support for greater accountability of research investment, these changes in criterion of research value result in cultural consequences for research.
This talk will explore emerging issues in impact evaluation from the perspectives of peer review panels, early career researchers, and funding agencies, as well as in the conceptualisation of research culture and its relationship with society ("grimpact").
The talk will also reflect on the lessons of two Research Excellence Framework exercises in the UK and how they have influenced conceptualisation of impact criteria in other countries.
Gemma is an Associate Professor (Research Policy and Culture) at the Centre for Higher Education Transformations (CHET) at the University of Bristol. Her work surrounds the cultural dynamics of research, including the influence of research governance systems and changing criteria (including impact) on research practice and knowledge production.
Her work on impact concentrates on how evaluation panels navigate ex-post and ex-ante impact, as well as on the theory of unintended impact, otherwise known as grimpact.
She has published in many high-ranking journals and her book, The Evaluators’ Eye, was published in 2018. Her current work includes collaborating with funding agencies – such as The Wellcome Trust, The Research Council of Norway, and the Australian Research Council – on how to make their peer review processes kinder, and more supportive of wider research culture.
