Impact Workshop (16): REF2014 and REF2021, thoughts from the past and thinking to the future

Abstract:

As the UCL Department of Anthropology's Impact co-ordinator for REF2014, Dr Schacter prepared, organised and oversaw all four of the submitted Impact Case Studies. Discussing both the specific difficulties and successes that emerged out of the process, the impact workshop will also explore the procedures that have now emerged post submission as the department begins, in earnest, to set the wheels in motion for REF2021.

About the Speaker:

Dr Rafael Schacter is an anthropologist and curator from London, presently British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow in the Anthropology Department at University College London. During the UK REF 2014, he assisted the UCL Anthropology in developing and preparing the Impact Case Studies.

Rafael is currently exploring contemporary art practices in Manila, the Philippines. He has recently undertaken seven months of fieldwork in the region and is working on numerous written outputs as well as an exhibition scheduled for 2019 in London. Rafael has also been undertaking research on graffiti and street-art for over ten years. He has worked on numerous exhibitions including co-curating Street Art at the Tate Modern in 2008 as well as curating Venturing Beyond at Somerset House in London and Crossing Borders / Crossing Boundaries at the Street Art Museum St Petersburg, both in 2016.

Rafael has authored numerous articles as well as two books, The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti (2013) published with Yale University Press, and Ornament and Order: Graffiti, Street Art and the Parergon (2014) published with Ashgate. He is currently completing a manuscript for Lund Humphries entitled Street to Studio, slated for Summer 2018.

Background on the Workshops:

Impact is a key element of the University's knowledge exchange (KE) strategy. It is also important to note that in the Panel-Specific Assessment Criteria for the UGC RAE 2014, all the Panels included under the "Esteem" measure some elements relating to KE/technology transfer. This suggests that the next Hong Kong RAE will likely require evidence of impact and the UK experience indicates that now is the time to start collecting evidence of such impacts.

The Knowledge Exchange Office is organizing workshops to be conducted by researchers who have hands-on experience in preparing impact statements and impact case studies the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 or research councils overseas. The workshops will be of interest not only to colleagues who want to maximize the impact of their research, but also to those who coordinate research developments and research assessment in Faculties.