An unequal opportunity? Female academics’ experiences of research evaluation in the UK: Dr Emily Yarrow, University of Edinburgh Business School

Event Date: 30 October 2018

Speaker: Dr Emily Yarrow, University of Edinburgh Business School

Time: 4.00-5.30pm

Location: CW507b, Strathclyde Business School – Cathedral Wing,199 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0QU

This research investigated gender equality issues surrounding the Research Excellence Framework 2014 (REF2014), and how these may manifest themselves in the career development and career trajectories of female academics in the UK. The potentially harmful effects of research evaluation on academic careers, the way in which research evaluation and its outcomes are managed and experienced, and the extent to which this may intensify academic work were all considered as well as being integral aspects of the interview guides. However, this research also explored, through some of the emergent themes from the interviews, how research evaluation and its outcomes are used as a vehicle for success by some academics. Through exploring new managerialism, gendered academic career trajectories and research evaluation, this research compared and contrasted different Schools in Humanities and Social Sciences in an anonymous UK university, in order to provide contemporary insight into the lived experiences of female academics in the context of REF2014, yet many of the issues are still ongoing and relevant to the upcoming REF in 2021.

Biography

Dr Emily Yarrow is a Teaching Fellow and Researcher at the University of Edinburgh Business School. Her research interests include human resource management with a focus on equality and diversity, organisational theory, inequality regimes, and cross-cultural management issues. To date her research has focused on the impact of research evaluation on female academic careers, women’s lived experiences in organisations, pensions, and the experiences of older workers. Emily’s research aims to be at the forefront of research into the Research Excellence Framework (REF), contributing empirical findings to the discourse in an original and innovative way. Emily's research adopts a case study approach, employing semi-structured interviews to provide rich insight into the lived experiences of female academics in the context of research evaluation. Emily has also been integral in recent projects for the Scottish Government and corporate consultancy at The University of Edinburgh Business School. Prior to returning to academia, Emily worked in the Banking and Finance sector with Scottish Widows, and later for Proctor and Gamble as a buyer. She tweets @Emilyyarrow1. Personal website: https://emilyyarrow.co.uk/about/

Dr Yarrow’s research has also received national press coverage, such as in the Times Higher.

Published: 9 October 2018