The phrase 'served a role' is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when talking about a particular job or duty someone or something performs in a specific situation. For example, "John served a role as the mediator for the negotiations between the two parties."
Strainmeters, gravimeters, and broadband seismometers served a role in observing the free oscillation signals.
Now saying that they have served a role in deterrence doesn't mean that there's to be acceptance, because all that came at a high potential price".
Professor Cho said the chaebols served a role in the early development of the nation by allowing a few individuals to obtain a critical mass of scarce capital.
He is a faculty member of the Harvard curriculum committee for the Biomedical Informatics Masters and Bioinformatics PhD programs- where he and his upcoming book (under contract by MIT Press) have served a role in shaping the programs.
According to Sega of America research and development head Joe Miller, the 32X served a role in assisting development teams to familiarize themselves with the dual SH-2 architecture also used in the Saturn.
He served a role not unlike what Don Pardo provided not long afterward for "Saturday Night Live," juxtaposing a smooth, schooled professionalism with the show's we're-all-mad-here marriage of late-Beat hipsterism and flower-powered grooviness.
But his election serves a role in bringing a lifeless party back to life.
Now, he hopes to salvage something from this season and serve a role on a contending Mets team next season.
Eck said that Magenta could serve a role analogous to that of Les Paul, who helped develop the modern electric guitar.
But does it serve a role in breathing?
"NPs serve a role as seeing the minor walking wounded but they can't assess the patients that junior staff and interns are capable of seeing.
