About the Humanities, Arts and Sciences Research Ethics Committee

Find out more about UCL's Humanities, Arts and Sciences Research Ethics Committee

What does the Humanities, Arts and Sciences Research Ethics Committee do?

To support our work to reform research ethics at UCL, the Research Innovation and Global Engagement Committee (RIGEC) has approved a new governance structure.

Further information about the new structure can be found on our About the UCL Research Ethics Committee page. Under this governance structure, the Humanities, Arts and Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HAS REC) has been established.

From spring 2024, the HAS REC will review high and low-risk ethics applications from 7 faculties:

• Arts and Humanities
• Bartlett
• Institute of Education
• Laws
• Social and Historical Sciences
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Engineering

How do I submit an application for review by the HAS REC?

Visit our Apply to the UCL Research Ethics Committee page for details on how to submit an ethics application and links to the ethics database.

2023/24 and 2024/25 UCL LMS and HAS REC application deadlines and meeting dates

Terms of reference

1. To receive, review and provide an ethics opinion on research by staff or students both low-risk and high-risk from Arts and Humanities, Bartlett, Institute of Education, Laws, Social and Historical Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Engineering. 
2. To determine whether the opinion is a) favourable as proposed, b) conditionally favourable, under certain defined conditions or specific requirements or c) unfavourable. 
3. To review and provide an ethical opinion (as outlined above) on amendments to previously approved protocols.  
4. To review appeals, complaints and adverse events or incidents reported regarding ethically approved research and report them to the UCL Research Ethics Committee (UCL REC).  
5. To exercise powers to require the halting of research if substantive ethical problems are identified as the project progresses until any such concerns have been remedied to the satisfaction of the REC. 
6. To exercise powers to withdraw a favourable opinion when concerns such as those identified above are not remedied to the satisfaction of the REC. 
7. To ensure that appropriate advice is available for staff, supervisors and students on good practice in relation to the ethics of their research.  
8. To report on an annual basis to UCL REC to include a summary of all reviewed projects and a report on the effectiveness of current practice and procedures.  

Membership

This committee is formed of representatives from the 7 faculties that form this committee (Arts and Humanities, Bartlett, Institute of Education, Laws, Social and Historical Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Engineering).

The committee also includes lay members who bring a wide range of skills and experience to ensure that the participant’s perspective in any project is considered in detail.

• Chair: Professor George Letsas
• Deputy Chairs: Dr Marie-Annick Moreau and Professor Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh

Faculty of Arts and Humanities 

• Dr Karen Stepanyan, Department of Information Studies
• Dr Louise Baxter, Arts and Sciences
• Dr Simona Aimar, Department of Philosophy
• Dr Photini Vrikki, Department of Information Studies

Faculty of Built Environment 

• Dr Francesco Aletta, Bartlett School Env, Energy & Resources
• Dr Evelyn Callahan, Sustainable Construction
• Minnie Ashdown, Bartlett School Env, Energy & Resources

Insitute of Education 

• Dr Jennie Golding, Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
• Dr Leda Kamenopoulou, Psychology and Human Development

Faculty of Laws 

• Professor George Letsas

Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences 

• Dr Marie-Annick Moreau, Department of Anthropology
• Dr Rod Abouharb, Department of Political Science 
• Dr Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, Institute of Archaeology
• Professor Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Department of Geography

Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences 

• Dr Sam Cassidy, Department of Chemistry
• Dr Melanie Smallman, Department of Science and Technology Studies

Faculty of Engineering Sciences 

• Dr Kartikeya Tripathi, Department of Security and Crime Science 
• Dr Filipe Marques Ferreira, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
• Dr Dai Jiang, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

VPESE 

• Helen Knowler

Lay Members

• Adrian Roberts-Walsh