Dr. Gemma Derrick

Gemma’s research interests involve methods of research evaluation including academic notions of scientific and societal excellence in research and how these are measured.

More specifically, she is interested in research evaluation processes, frameworks and policy which includes expertise in national research audit exercises, such as the UK Research Excellence Frameworks; university rankings; wider returns from research; societal impact; bibliometrics; peer review; and the translation of research knowledge into evidence informed policymaking. She has a particular expertise in the health and medical research fields.

She employs a mixed-methods approach to her research which includes the combination of interviews, observation studies, bibliometrics, econometrics and/or social network analysis. She has an ongoing commitment and interest in translating her knowledge of these issues to other scientific disciplines and the development of relevant innovation policies.

Currently, Gemma is an ESRC Future Research Leader Fellow and is working on a project focusing on the evaluation processes surrounding the peer review of the “societal impact” of health and medical research. Her primary research focus is modelled on the UK REF2014 impact evaluation process. As the first evaluation framework to include a formal (20%) criterion for the evaluation of the societal “impact” of research, this represents the first empirical investigation of the evaluation of societal impact as a notion of research excellence. The large scale, mixed methods investigation employs a series of in depth, semi structured interviews with the REF2014 evaluators, bibliometric and network analysis and text analysis of EU and UK research policies via VOSviewer.

Research Grants

Derrick GE. 2015-2016. “Establishing an international network of researchers for qualitative and mixed methodological approaches in research policy and evaluation” British Academic Rising Star Engagement Award (BARSEA). £14,630

Derrick GE. 2013-2016. “Understanding the “impact” of health and medical research: Insights from the REF2014. UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Future Research Leaders Grant. £240,003

PhD Supervision Interests

I am interested in receiving proposals in areas that relate to evaluation of research or higher education systems. I am particularly interested in projects that involve bibliometrics, scientometrics, politics of bibliometrics and research evaluation, unconscious bias in evacuation systems, national research performance audit systems, altmetrics, dynamics of research, research innovation and evaluation policies, peer review, societal impact (impact) and its assessment, as well as evidence informed policymaking for health and research policy. I am interested in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, especially those that combine insights from both. In addition, I am interested in new methodological approaches that combine text, citation, co-citation, social media and collaboration visualisations, with sophisticated qualitative approaches.

Centre for Higher Education Research and Evaluation
Lancaster University

g.derrick@lancaster.ac.uk