Perspective from STFC as a Funding Agency

Charlotte Jamieson Head of Enabling Themes

STFC science and technology delivers real

benefits to peoples’ lives, and contributes to

the prosperity and security of the UK

World Class Research, Innovation and Skills• Broad range of physical, life and computational sciences

• Around 1,700 scientists in particle and nuclear physics, and astronomy

• Access for 7,500 scientists to world-leading, large-scale facilities

• Science and Innovation Campuses at Daresbury and Harwell

• Globally-recognised capabilities and expertise in technology R&D

• Inspiring young people to undertake STEM

What we do

£530m from government in 2015-16*• International Subscriptions (CERN, ESO, ILL, ESRF, FAIR) 155m• Domestic Facilities (ISIS, Diamond, CLF) 156m• Core (academic grants, lab operations, support services) 218m• Supplemented by project-based external revenue around

£60m p.a.

What we spend

InternationalFacilitiesCoreRevenue

…and internationally

What we areUK Astronomy Technology CentreEdinburgh, Scotland

Polaris HouseSwindon, Wiltshire

Chilbolton ObservatoryStockbridge, Hampshire

Daresbury LaboratorySci-Tech Daresbury Warrington, Cheshire

Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryHarwell Didcot, Oxfordshire

Boulby UndergroundLaboratoryNorth Yorkshire

Our international profile

• European Commission, G8, SIN/UKTI etc

• CERN, Fermilab, KEK etc

• ESO, SKA, NSF, NWO etc

• European Space Agency, NASA, JAXA etc

• European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

• European Spallation Source, Institut Laue-Langevin

• FAIR, GSi etc

• X-FEL

We work with international partners:

We work with universities

• Around 1,700 researchers in these disciplines based in UK universities and our labs

• Provide universities with the opportunity to apply for contracts with major international science facilities

• Our university partnerships and laboratories deliver our science programme

STFC funds university research projects and postgraduate training awards in astronomy, particle physics, space science and nuclear physics

University of Liverpool particle physicsclean room

STFC Light Touch ReviewFollowing consultation last year, Executive Board (EB) agreed to set up a new central strategy and planning function in a renamed Strategy, Planning and Communication Directorate (SPC)• SPC would foster a strong connection with Finance Directorate

• Purpose to consolidate and strengthen delivery of the following

• Develop a new integrated framework for STFC’s science and financial planning

• Support and manage the Council’s advisory boards – Science Board, Innovations Advisory Board , Skills and Engagement Advisory Board

• Refresh the interface to the RCUK Large Facilities Steering Group• Preparations for the upcoming Spending Review

• With the ambition of promoting a “one STFC” culture

STFC Light Touch Review• Strategy, Planning and Communications took up its new responsibilities on 1 June

• People and resources now in place - Janet Seed has transferred into SPC along with four Programmes colleagues to lead the team responsible for coordination and development of cross-cutting strategy and planning and for the operation of the Council Advisory Boards

• Some responsibilities transferred to Programmes Directorate

• Some new posts created including Head of Enabling Themes and Accelerator and eScience Programme Manager

StrategyNurse Review – how it is panning out

• Sir Paul met Minister, Secretary of State and then the Chancellor in a series of meetings over last couple of weeks

• Research Councils - some CEOs met Sir Paul’s panel to discuss ‘emerging findings’

• May recommend a new board to address science priority-setting

• Latest intelligence suggests report will come out in November

• Spending Review began on 21 July• Plans to implement £17 billion cuts to

public spending to reduce UK’s deficit • Asked for 25% and 40% savings to deliver

£20 billion more cuts• Government will announce funding for

each Government Department for 2016-2020 on 25 November

• The process to determine the funding for individual Research Councils will start after the announcement on 25 November

• It is likely that Research Council allocations will be made around February 2016

Spending Review timetable

Spending Review work to date• BIS requested that we submit a series of

scenarios• Continued to use Drayson partitions• Scenarios were tapered over four

years with a flat-cash rollover year for 2020/21

• Plus supplementary information on how we work with other Government Departments, Overseas Development and secure external income

• In parallel, the Large Facilities Advisory Board has asked for additional scenarios for the large facilities

Chief Data Scientist

Professor Tony Hey

Author: The Fourth Paradigm: Data-Intensive Scientific Discovery

Chairman: e-Infrastructure Leadership Council

Former VP, Microsoft Research

Joining STFC in November

STFC Computing Strategic Review• Aims to identify the current and future e-infrastructure requirements

of STFC’s scientific and industrial user communities and recommend how STFC can best support those needs

• To be used to inform STFC decision-making, as a resource for spending reviews etc. and to inform stakeholders of STFC’s priorities for e-infrastructure

• Developed with input from STFC staff and external stakeholders

• Now working to develop an implementation plan