BUA Institution

HU Berlin

Description of Research

I am a practicing research manager working at the intersection of scholarly communication, research assessment, and research culture. I develop and advocate for responsible and practicable solutions that incentivise and enable scholars and scientists to deliver and communicate their research in sustainable and healthy ways. To deliver on these ambitions I chair the INORMS Research Evaluation Group and am one of the Vice-Chairs of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment.

Where in the world has your career been largely based until now?

Loughborough University, UK.

Why Berlin?

So many reasons! Firstly, the Berlin University Alliance are eager to explore the relationship between research 'excellence' and culture which aligns with so much of my work. Specifically, the Robert Merton Center for Science Studies at Humboldt University is home to many scholars with whom I'm hoping to learn and share, not least one of my heroes, Dr Jelena Brankovic, whose critical investigations of global university rankings has very much resonated with, and informed, my own investigations and advocacy in this space.

How will your research change the world?

As a human race, we are fools if we do not incentivise and enable all our brightest researchers to do their best work to address our significant global challenges. Unfortunately, our research cultures are often precarious, toxic, and reward a narrow range of contributions. By reforming the ways we conceptualise and reward research quality in value-led ways, I believe we can create more positive and inclusive research environments that allow our research communities to thrive.

If you could have a radical career change for a week, what would it be?

If I could have a radical career change for a week, I'd be a jazz singer, performing old jazz classics with the greats - perhaps in the clubs of Berlin!

What is something surprising that people might not know about you?

I got my PhD at 47! So I think I'm technically an early career researcher...

What would be the greatest professional achievement you could ever aspire to?

If my work eventually led to a complete reconceptualisation of global university-level assessment that rendered the university rankings an amusing curiosity on the back pages of the research press, then I will retire happy.