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I was pleased to see that some environmental science departments are considering a judicial review ("Scientists go to law over RAE scores", THES, May 10) over the results of the research assessment exercise.

The unexpected results were statistically significantly different from those of other assessment panels. The report from the panel for environmental sciences is at best patronising and at worst an insult to researchers. It shows a lack of understanding of the subject's interdisciplinary nature. It also raises the question of how many of the panel's institutions submitted under this unit of assessment and therefore whether the assessment was truly peer reviewed.

Les Allen-Williams

Environmental sciences

University of Hertfordshire