Research Leadership & REF
Research leadership, REF strategy, impact development, and practice-led research consultancy by Simon McKeown — artist, researcher, and Professor of Art specialising in disability arts, digital culture, exhibitions, archives, public engagement, and interdisciplinary research.
Simon McKeown is an artist, researcher, and Professor of Art whose work spans fine art, digital arts, diability arts, digital culture, heritage and archives, material culture, public engagement, and interdisciplinary humanities research. Alongside his internationally recognised artistic and research practice, he has extensive experience in research leadership, REF strategy, impact development, and practice-led research mentoring within UK higher education. He was an advisor to UKRI on their External Advisory Group on EDI.
His work combines practice-based research, exhibitions, public engagement, disability studies, archives, heritage, and emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on developing research cultures that connect academic research with wider social and cultural impact.
McKeown has led and advised on REF strategy, outputs, impact, and research development in relation to practice-led and interdisciplinary research, particularly within Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory (UOA 32).
REF Leadership and Research Strategy: Teesside University
Lead for UOA 32 (Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory) for REF 2021
Currently leading on outputs and impact development for REF 2029
Strategic leadership in practice-led, interdisciplinary, and disability-focused research
Development of exhibition-led impact case studies and public engagement frameworks
Mentoring and support for early and mid-career researchers
Research leadership across art, disability studies, digital culture, and public engagement
McKeown’s REF-related research on disability, visual culture, and art practice was recognised in REF 2014 panel feedback as among the strongest work submitted from the university in this area.
McKeown is also a critical friend to other Universities acting as an advisor on research strategy and REF development for UOA 32, mentoring and strategic support for practice-led research and impact offering guidance on interdisciplinary research development and support for the development of distinctive research cultures, AHRC and similar bids and heritage-oriented funding development.
His consultancy work focuses on helping institutions, researchers, and cultural organisations develop distinctive and publicly engaged research cultures that connect exhibitions, archives, collections, public history, and wider cultural impact.
Current and recent work includes leadership and advisory roles connected to disability history, visual culture, archives, exhibitions, public engagement, and interdisciplinary research initiatives in collaboration with universities, museums, archives, and cultural organisations.
Current areas of activity include: REF 2029 outputs and impact developmentPractice-led disability arts research, exhibition-led research and curatorial development, public engagement and heritage projects, disability history and material culture, archives and collections research, AI, digital culture, and creative technologies, research mentoring and doctoral supervision
For consultancy, research, exhibition, or advisory enquiries please email info(A)simon-mckeown.com