Prof Ruth Farwell BSc PhD is currently Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at Buckinghamshire New University.

Farwell held a research fellowship in theoretical physics at Imperial College, London, in the early eighties. Her research is at the boundary between applied mathematics and theoretical physics. Her use of Clifford algebra

Clifford algebra

In mathematics, Clifford algebras are a type of associative algebra. As K-algebras, they generalize the real numbers, complex numbers, quaternions and several other hypercomplex number systems. The theory of Clifford algebras is intimately connected with the theory of quadratic forms and orthogonal...

s in her mathematics generated her interest in the Victorian mathematician William Kingdon Clifford

William Kingdon Clifford

William Kingdon Clifford FRS was an English mathematician and philosopher. Building on the work of Hermann Grassmann, he introduced what is now termed geometric algebra, a special case of the Clifford algebra named in his honour, with interesting applications in contemporary mathematical physics...

. She continues to research the mathematical contribution of Clifford, and mathematical model

Mathematical model

A mathematical model is a description of a system using mathematical concepts and language. The process of developing a mathematical model is termed mathematical modeling. Mathematical models are used not only in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines A mathematical model is a...

s of particle physics

Particle physics

Particle physics is a branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation. In current understanding, particles are excitations of quantum fields and interact following their dynamics...

, as well as undertaking research on higher education policy

Education policy

Education policy refers to the collection of laws and rules that govern the operation of education systems.Education occurs in many forms for many purposes through many institutions. Examples include early childhood education, kindergarten through to 12th grade, two and four year colleges or...

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Publications

NEEFDED
Farwell has published extensively.

The University of Kent

University of Kent

The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...

, from which she received a master's degree

Master's degree

A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

, awarded her an honorary degree in 2010.

Farwell is currently the chair of higher education representative body GuildHE

GuildHE

GuildHE, formerly the Standing Conference of Principals , is a British membership organisation representing the heads of higher education institutions - from some of the most recently designated universities and university colleges, specialist colleges and other bodies providing higher education...

, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Open College Network

Open college network

The Open College Network is the commonly used term to describe one or more of the 11 regional bodies that together comprise the . NOCN is one of the United Kingdom Awarding Bodies that include Edexcel and City and Guilds....

, South East Region, and a board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England

Higher Education Funding Council for England

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the United Kingdom, which has been responsible for the distribution of funding to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education in England since...

 (HEFCE), and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association

Universities and Colleges Employers Association

The Universities and Colleges Employers' Association is the employers' association for universities and colleges of higher education in the United Kingdom...

. She serves on a number of committees including HEFCE’s Teaching, Quality and the Student Experience Committee, the Quality in Higher Education Group, and Universities UK

Universities UK

Universities UK began life as the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom in the nineteenth century when there were informal meetings involving Vice-Chancellors of a number of universities and Principals of university colleges...

’s Student Experience Policy Committee and Health and Social Care Policy Committee. She is a member of the London Mathematical Society

London Mathematical Society

-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...

 and the Higher Education Academy

Higher Education Academy

The Higher Education Academy is an independent organisation in the United Kingdom that supports higher education institutions with strategies for the development of research and evaluation to improve the learning experience for students.-History:...

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