Our previous winners
The Hidden REF Competition celebrates all research outputs and everyone involved in their creation. The competition recognises a range of outputs that are not traditionally submitted to the REF and also people who work in a range of roles that are vital to research but overlooked by traditional research organisations.
“The Hidden REF nomination has most definitely been a career highlight… I hope this award encourages other hospitals and institutions to put in place similar support systems, helping researchers navigate the complexities of grant funding and allowing them to focus on what they do best – improving the lives of their patients. ”
Laura Henderson, Research Development Manager, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, 2024 Hidden Role winner
“Recognition by Hidden REF challenged me to step up as a role model and advocate for hidden roles in research, further fostering a culture of collaboration and respect to empower others.”
Leila Whitworth, University of Oxford, 2021 highly commended
“Being highly commended in the Hidden REF competition was a significant recognition to the ARCHER2 training team efforts. It boosted our morale and motivated us to keep pushing the boundaries of excellence.”
Dr Juan Rodriguez Herrera, EPCC, University of Edinburgh, 2021 highly commended
“Winning the Hidden REF brought my work to the attention of people at my university and I believe it helped my work being selected for a REF impact case study.”
Professor Fiona Macpherson, University of Glasgow, 2021 winner
“The Hidden REF provided me and the Parables of Care team with motivation and the reassurance that so-called ‘alternative’ or ‘non-traditional’ academic research outputs are valuable and appreciated by scholarly and public communities.”
Dr Ernesto Priego, City, University of London, 2021 highly commended
“Winning the Hidden REF gave me valuable evidence for the impact of my work. It’s a win in a national competition which I’ve since used to support funding applications and even a promotion.”
Professor Emily Sena, University of Edinburgh, 2021 winner
“I was nominated for the Hidden REF’s ‘Hidden Role’ category in my previous role as an open research manager. Winning an award was a lovely surprise, and a way to highlight the value of advocacy, training, communication and dedicated projects in supporting researchers to make their work more open. The Hidden REF is a fantastic initiative that not only invites more recognition of diverse output types in research but also shows that research culture depends on diverse ecosystems of support and collaboration between researchers and professionals.”
Jenni Adams, University of Sheffield, 2024 winner
“Being recognised by Hidden REF was a real endorsement that the work our wider team does to connect research with teachers and young people truly matters. It gave visibility to contributions that aren’t always recognised through traditional research metrics, and it’s been wonderful to see that work continue to grow – our Great Science Share for Schools campaign has now reached more than one million pupils across 58 countries. I’d encourage anyone thinking of entering to go for it!”
Lynne Bianchi, SEERIH, University of Manchester, 2024 highly commended
“It is truly an honour to receive the hidden REF award. This achievement is the result of the hard work, dedication and creativity of an amazing team – every person involved in myHealthE brought their unique expertise and passion and we’re proud of what we have accomplished together. This award is a celebration of our collective effort.”
Sarjhana Brindha, CAMHS Digital Lab, King’s College London, 2024 winner
“I entered the Hidden REF to recognise the real‑world impact of a digital output – an aspect of applied research that often goes unseen in traditional metrics. Receiving the award was a powerful endorsement of our work on a digital wellbeing package for healthcare workers, which reached over 82,000 users, highlighting its meaningful impact during and beyond the COVID‑19 pandemic. This award helped amplify the reach of the work, supporting further research, collaborations and a growing evidence base, including our recent 5‑year follow‑up study. My advice to future entrants is to clearly articulate impact, especially where research has made a practical difference to people, systems or policy.”
Holly Blake, University of Nottingham, 2024 winner
“Hidden REF brought our work to the attention of the wider academic community and recognised the invaluable contributions of everyone involved. It was especially meaningful because creative outputs like our comic are sometimes dismissed as ‘not proper research’, despite the powerful conversations they spark. Hidden REF showed me how academia should be: open, curious, and supportive. My advice? Go for it – celebrate your team and the amazing work you do.”
Hannah Baumeister, Liverpool John Moores University, 2024 Highly commended