Research

New post for Professor Phil Ashworth

Published 25 November 2009

Phil Ashworth, professor of physical geography at the University of Brighton, has been appointed one of the first members of the Pool of College Chairs with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

NERC is one of the six UK Research Councils whose mission is to increase the knowledge and understanding of the natural world. It tackles the 21st century’s major environmental issue including climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards.

NERC is replacing all chairs of research grant, knowledge exchange and fellowship panels with a small group of panel chairs who will rotate around the panels. These panels are responsible for the annual award of up to £60m in responsive mode grants and fellowships. The new chair posts are in response to one of the key recommendations of the recent evaluation of the peer review college, aimed at optimising the effectiveness of moderating panel meetings.

Professor Ashworth, who is head of research in the university’s School of Environment and Technology, is one of only two pool members to be appointed so far from the country’s ‘new’ universities.

He said: “I am delighted to have been chosen as a Chair. It is an honour not just for me but the entire university.”

For NERC appointment details go to http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/assessment/peerreview/chairs.asp