This rightly points out that unfunded research can result in strong impact case studies - I've got 4 star case studies out of unfunded research. The hard part is finding out the research is happening in the first place. How should we track unfunded research?

This "Hidden REF" is an interesting idea. It seems to me it's effectively highlighting information that the REF would ideally seek to capture in the Environment section. Not sure they'll get many submissions, though, given how people grumble about the burden of the actual REF.

Well this is depressingly short-sighted.

I remember this well, it was a remarkable sight. What sticks in my mind most, though, is the line of black impact sites across the surface of Jupiter, from where the separate chunks of the comet had struck in turn.

This is a great article about doing scientific development at speed and at scale. Gilbert and her team have achieved remarkable results so far. I worry, though, that Boris Johnson is betting the farm on this being an unqualified success by autumn. bloomberg.com/news/features/…

I've long thought that randomising funding decisions (for proposals above some reasonable quality bar) would be a good idea: glad to see randomisation having positive effects at Nesta.

Well this looks like an entirely pointless disaster in the making. Let's hope good sense prevails. (I know, I know...)

Sophie Duncan and Paul Manners with a lively discussion of evidence and evaluation in public engagement #Engage2019

Sarah McLusky challenging whether public engagement can ever provide evidence of impact on the public - but might be able to demonstrate impact on the volunteers delivering the events. #Engage2019

Fascinating graph on university applications, fees and student number controls from Mark Corver #Wonkfest

Mary Stuart: We need to stop thinking in transactional terms about engagement, get back to the idea of an academic community that creates social value #Wonkfest

Zena Creed (former SpAd to Nick Clegg): HE lacks political friends. Need to talk more about their values, not just their value. Making same mistakes Lib Dems made in coalition #Wonkfest

The #Wonkfest manifesto for the General Election

Very interesting account from Vivienne Stern and Aaron Porter on using data analysis to change government policy on post-study work visas: disproving government assertions, using international comparisons to show how the government was leaving money on the table. #Wonkfest

Kehinde Andrews making strong points about how whiteness is baked in to the metrics that feed into university league tables #Wonkfest

Opening session of #Wonkfest - a very Brexit-dominated discussion.