Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a UK government body that carries out civil research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy (both ground-based and space-based). It was formed in 2007 from the merger of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) with the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC). The present Chief Executive of STFC is Keith Mason.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is one of Europe's largest multidisciplinary research organisations supporting scientists and engineers world-wide. It operates world-class, large scale research facilities (such as materials research, laser and space science and alternative energy exploration) and provides strategic advice to the UK government on their development. It also manages international research projects in support of a broad cross-section of the UK research community and directs, coordinates and funds research, education and training.

Aims

The activities of the council aim to enable scientists to answer what it believes are the 'big' questions such as: [STFC Delivery plan 2008/9-2011/12, http://www.scitech.ac.uk/resources/pdf/delplan_07.pdf]
* Why is there a Universe?
* How did galaxies form?
* Was there ever life on Mars?
* How do planetary systems evolve?
* How are the chemical elements created?
* How does our climate work?
* How can we create new materials to store energy?
* How can we meet mankind’s need for abundant clean energy?
* How can we design smart materials?
* How do cells work?
* How do degenerative diseases develop?
* How can we design better treatments for cancer?

Funding crisis

In late 2007, it was revealed that there was a massive hole in the STFC budget [STFC funding crisis, 2008-01-11, http://pacrowther.staff.shef.ac.uk/stfc.html] . It is expected that there are likely to be ~25% funding cuts in astronomy grants. In addition STFC is undertaking other cost saving measures by cutting down on various facilities, for instance Gemini south. The effect of cuts on STFC-funded research fellowships is yet to be decided.

The UK astronomy, particle-physics and nuclear-physics communities are extremely concerned about the funding cuts. Professor Roger Davis said "I don't think the PPARC Council would have gone along with the merger if it had realised this would be the outcome". [Times Higher Ed, 2008-1-10, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=400091&c=1] There is a campaign called Save Astronomy, [http://www.saveastronomy.org.uk/] , and an online petition to the UK Prime Minister with over 17,000 signatures [ [http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Physics-Funding/ Petition to: reverse the decision to cut vital UK contributions to Particle Physics and Astronomy ] ] . In addition the Royal Astronomical Society is very concerned [ [http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1376&Itemid=1 Royal Astronomical Society ] ] . Some of the details behind the funding crisis can be gleaned from documents obtained under the freedom of information act by Professor Ken Peach. [http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/users/peachk/STFoIC/response-1.htm]

Facilities

It helps operate / provide access for UK and international scientists to the following large-scale facilities:
* Central Laser Facility (CLF) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory;
* CERN;
* European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF);
* Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL);
* Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (ING), La Palma;
* ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory;
* Joint Astronomy Centre (JAC), Hawaii;
* Diamond Light Source, being commissioned on the Rutherford Appleton site. Partly funded by the Wellcome Trust;
* UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Edinburgh;
* Microelectronics Support Centre (MSC) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory;
* Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire which has a number of research facilities.

Locations

It employs staff at many locations including:

* Its Head Office is at Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire;
*Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, near Didcot in Oxfordshire, incorporating the ISIS neutron source;
*Daresbury Laboratory at Daresbury in Cheshire;
*Chilbolton Observatory, near Stockbridge in Hampshire;
* The UK Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh;
* The Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, La Palma;
*Joint Astronomy Centre, Hawaii.

Knowledge exchange obligations

STFC is active in its responsibility for knowledge exchange from government funded civil science into UKPLC. As such, many technologies are licensed to UK companies and spin-out companies created including:

* L3 Technology (L3T);
* Microvisk;
* [http://www.orbitaloptics.com/ Orbital Optics Ltd] ;
* [http://www.oxsensis.com/ Oxsensis] ;
* [http://www.petrra.com/ PETRRA] ;
* [http://www.quantumdetectors.com/ Quantum Detectors] ;
* [http://www.thruvision.com/ ThruVision] .

However knowledge exchange activities are not purely limited to commercialization of technologies, but also cover a wider range of activities which aim to transfer expertise into the wider economy.

See also

* Cosener's House, a conference centre owned by STFC in Abingdon

References

External links

* [http://www.scitech.ac.uk/Home.aspx The Science and Technology Facilities Council]
* [http://www.stfc.ac.uk/About/Find/Swindon/PolarisHse.aspx The Science and Technology Facilities Council Head Office at Polaris House]
* [http://www.isis.rl.ac.uk/ ISIS]
* [http://www.clf.rl.ac.uk/ The Central Laser Facility]
* [http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/ Research Councils UK]
* [http://www.diamond.ac.uk Diamond]
* [http://www.roe.ac.uk/ukatc/ United Kingdom Astronomy Technology Centre ]
* [http://www.ing.iac.es/ Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes]
* [http://www.msc.rl.ac.uk/ Microelectronics Support Centre]
* [http://www.msc.rl.ac.uk/europractice/ EUROPRACTICE Software Service]
* [http://www.pparc.ac.uk/ PPARC]
* [http://www.cclrc.ac.uk CCLRC]
* [http://stfc.vega.org.uk/ Video Portal for Videos in STFC areas] Provided by the Vega Science Trust.
* [http://http://www.scitech.ac.uk/About/Struc/Locs/DL/facs.aspx Daresbury Laboratory]