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Developing STFC’s Science and Technology strategy: 

Developing STFC’s Science and Technology strategy John Womersley Director, Science and Technology Strategy August 2007

Who are we?: 

Who are we? The Council was created on April 1, 2007 It is responsible for fundamental research in particle physics, nuclear physics, astronomy, space major UK facilities for the physical and life sciences synchrotrons, light sources, lasers, neutrons national laboratories at RAL, Daresbury, UKATC international science projects CERN, ESO, ESA, ILL, ESRF… Over 2000 staff and an annual budget of over £700M

The Science we Address: 

The Science we Address Some examples Why is there a universe? What is the origin of mass? Was there ever life on Mars? How are the chemical elements created? How can we design better treatments for cancer? How do cells work? How can we create new materials to store energy?

World Class Science: 

World Class Science Fund the best research, working for the UK as a whole Adventurous not “solid” Doing new things not doing the same thing with smaller errors Influencing a project not tagging along Focused on excellence not make sure we are doing a bit of everything

Science strategy: 

Science strategy Over the next year or so, we will Identify and prioritise the scientific opportunities likely to arise within the next fifteen years or so, understanding the scientific potential, the competitive context, the technologies required for their success and an estimate of the cost Prioritise short to medium-term investment projects in the context of funds available Carry out a programmatic review of current projects and programmes

Slide6: 

The strategy must then inform a detailed STFC scientific investment plan against the budget set by Council It must Connect with the research communities and the other research councils Be clearly communicated and explained to staff and stakeholders

The strategy must also …: 

The strategy must also … Be an international strategy Aim to influence the strategy of the international organisations that we belong to with partners on ESFRI projects, with the US, India, China… Be a people strategy Our science capabilities depend on our skills base Movement of skilled people = economic impact

Slide8: 

Be a science and technology strategy Can’t meaningfully separate the two STFC’s science programmes drive technology STFC’s facilities enable technology development Must be coordinated with our plans for KE Be coordinated with plans for the Harwell and Daresbury campuses Campuses must bring science and technology together Must be anchored by facilities

Strategy development: 

Strategy development Science Committees Peer Review Science Strategy Team Facilities In-house expertise

Committees and peer review: 

Committees and peer review PPAN PALS AGP PPRP PPGP NPGP ASTAB Accelerator Science and Technology Advisory Board Grants Panels Projects Peer Review Panel Science Board

STFC Science Board: 

STFC Science Board Professor Sir Peter Knight, Imperial College (chair) Professor Jenny Thomas, UCL (deputy chair) Professor Gabriel Aeppli, London Centre for Nanotechnology Professor John Ellis, CERN Professor Monica Grady, Open University Professor Matt Grifffin, University of Cardiff Professor Douglas Kell, University of Manchester Professor Tony Ryan, University of Sheffield Meeting schedule and work plan in place 

PPAN and PALS science committees: 

PPAN and PALS science committees Prof. Walter Gear, Cardiff (chair) Prof. Jordan Nash, IC/CERN (deputy chair) Dr. David Barnes, Aberystwyth Dr. Iain Bertram, Lancaster Prof. Michael Bode, LJMU Prof. Jonathan Butterworth, UCL Prof. Yvonne Elsworth, Birmingham Prof. Brian Fulton, York Prof. Ruth Gregory, Durham Prof. Sheila Rowan, Glasgow Prof. Tim Wess, Cardiff (chair) Prof. Chick Wilson, Glasgow (deputy Chair) Dr. Katherine Brown, Imperial College Prof. Carole Goble, Manchester Prof. Michael Gunn, Birmingham Prof. Ken McKendrick, Herriott-Watt Prof. Steven Rose, IC Prof. Phil Withers, Manchester Prof. Paul Attfield, Edinburgh

Links to communities: 

Links to communities An essential component in developing and communicating our plans Role was played in the past by PPARC’s advisory panels, with varying degree of success PPAN and PALS committees have been charged to come up with proposed mechanisms In the meantime, please feel you can talk to us or to the committee members

Science strategy team: 

Science strategy team Variable geometry as appropriate: JW + other STFC senior directors + STFC scientists + advisory committee chairs + … Still working on the best way to organise this: stay tuned Meanwhile, my door (and e-mail inbox) are open

Slide15: 

Also recruiting a small number of people part time from universities to bring new and different viewpoints Professor Louise Harra (UCL) Professor John Zarnecki (Open University) Horizon scanning for opportunities, new ideas, brainstorming examples: Energy Cross council programmes on stem cells and security

Saying no: 

Saying no Resources are limited We will need to say “no” to good science This is a real shame but we can’t borrow (or print) money And if we’re going to say “no” Best to say “no” sooner Best to say “no” to whole projects

Proteins or protons?: 

Proteins or protons? How to compare projects in very different areas? Diagram invented by Viki Weisskopf [Physics Today May 1967 p 23] Good proposals lie at (or beyond) the boundary Goal is to push the boundary upwards and to the right 1 4 2 3 Intrinsic interest or Science Impact Longer term payoff External impact Short term payoff

Slide18: 

Letter to The Times, August 27, 2007 Sir, Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, says “the best science more and more depends on international collaborations. No single nation can stand alone successfully in its science policy.” (letters, August 23). I couldn’t agree more. What I would disagree with is his assertion that UK policymakers are being driven by “short-term political concerns”. The Government fully recognises the importance of international collaboration on scientific research. In fact, recent figures show that nearly 40 per cent of UK scientific output over the past five years involved international collaboration – a 50 per cent increase compared with the previous five years. Britain has a proud tradition of excellence in science and we must ensure that continues. We need to be world class at both basic research and translating the outcomes of that research. However, there should be no suggestion that basic research will suffer as a result of the drive to achieve the more effective use of research for Britain. That the Government has doubled science spending in real terms in the last decade serves as testament to our commitment to scientific research. JOHN DENHAM Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills

STFC criteria: 

STFC criteria Scientific impact and timeliness Does it offer the potential for breakthroughs in its area? Economic impact Societal impact Education, outreach, training/skills, public policy priorities Level of UK leadership or UK impact Breadth of community served Risk Match with the views of other research councils and communities Coherence and synergy across programme does it enhance and/or exploit existing facilities or subscriptions does it exploit our unique capabilities and/or skills base match to DSIC/HSIC campus developments The European context, ESFRI… The global context, US, India/China…

Large Facilities Roadmap: 

Large Facilities Roadmap Update on 2005 roadmap To include any projects that we may wish to fund through the Large Facilities Capital Fund (as before) But also to include major projects funded through the Council’s base level of support, subscriptions etc.  A broad view of research infrastructures

LF Roadmap timetable : 

LF Roadmap timetable July - input from Councils August - draft Roadmap circulated to RCUK for comments Mid-Sept to end Oct - consultation on LFR Early November - discuss consultation and respond Late November - produce ‘glossy’ LFR December - publish LFR and response to consultation (?)

STFC Projects: 

STFC Projects ESA centre ISIS TS2 phase 3 Diamond phase 3 Sapphire Materials Innovation Institute

STFC Projects: 

STFC Projects ESRF upgrade 4GLS Hartree Centre Computational Science

STFC Projects: 

STFC Projects HIPER Future neutron sources: ESS/MW neutron source ILL 20/20 upgrade ELI DIPOLE laser

STFC Projects: 

STFC Projects European ELT SKA Next generation Gravitational wave observatory FAIR

STFC Projects: 

STFC Projects Neutrino factory International Linear Collider LHC upgrades Underground science Neutrinos, dark matter

Summary list of STFC projects: 

Summary list of STFC projects HiPER Extreme Light Infrastructure DIPOLE laser Future Neutron Sources ESS/MW neutron source ILL 20/20 upgrade ESRF upgrade European ELT SKA ESA centre at Harwell FAIR (nuclear physics) ISIS Target Station 2 phase III Diamond beamlines phase III Diamond “Sapphire” upgrades Materials Innovation Institute Computational science centre 4GLS light source LHC upgrade International linear collider Neutrino factory Underground Science Neutrinos, dark matter Gravitational Wave observatory STFC has 21 projects of 75 total in draft LFR

How did we get this list?: 

How did we get this list? Drawn from ESFRI roadmap Roadmaps of the European particle physics, astronomy and particle astrophysics communities PPARC and CCLRC roadmaps Facility user communities, UK nuclear physics community

Guiding principles: 

Guiding principles Facilities should match our core businesses and benefit from our technology or skills base Should be “large” i.e. capital contribution of order £25M or more Should have significant UK community interest

Community input: 

Community input Roadmap consultation period starting in September Comments will be solicited both on the projects in the draft roadmap and those that the community might wish to see added

Large Facilities Capital Fund: 

Large Facilities Capital Fund UK government funding mechanism for large capital-intensive facilities £100M/year Research councils are to agree their priorities and present them to government by end of year Financial flexibility is limited until ~ 2010

XFEL: 

XFEL Project “launched” on 5th June This means DESY is now authorised to spend XFEL GmbH to be set up by end of year Our goal is to maximise our in-kind contributions within the £30M already allocated in LFCF Pixel detector, streak camera…

Accelerators: 

Accelerators Accelerator technology is a key enabler across a large fraction of our research Particle and nuclear physics Synchrotrons and free electron light sources Neutron sources Accelerator Science and Technology Advisory Board set up by CCLRC, will continue to advise STFC International membership, chair Steve Myers (CERN) Gives advice on strategic direction Will next meet in October 2007 Cockcroft and John Adams Institutes

UK Light Source Review: 

UK Light Source Review International review committee to give strategic advice on future provision of light sources and high power lasers Murray Gibson (ANL, Chair), Jerry Hastings (SLAC), Yves Petroff, Wolfgang Sandner (Max Born Inst.) Met in London July 17-18 Presentations from broad spectrum of the user community and from project proponents Diamond and Sapphire CLF and upgrade plans XFEL and FLASH ESRF and upgrade plans 4GLS, ERLP and SRS Thoughtful committee, very useful discussions Report expected in (early) September

Programmatic Review: 

Programmatic Review Scope Running experiments and projects, and ongoing R&D projects (CALICE, LCFI) In-build experiments also considered in “top down” phase Accelerator projects to be considered by ASTAB Bottom-up phase Assess the likely future scientific performance and strategic importance of the various programme elements. Questionnaires sent to PI’s and programme managers Top-down phase Compare projects with each other PPAN and PALS (November 2007) Science Board (January 2008)

STFC and Technology: 

STFC and Technology STFC’s facilities and science programmes drive the development of cutting edge technologies Sensors and instrumentation Advanced materials Computing Engineering and space technology STFC’s capabilities enable technology development by industry and HEI researchers Imaging Simulation and modelling Access to facilities Campuses as focal points for collaboration with industry and HEI’s

Slide37: 

STFC spends > £20M per year on technology development Generates > £100M per year in industrial technology spending We plan to work with the Technology Strategy Board to strengthen ties to industry to apply our technology base to major challenges

Applications of STFC’s capabilities: 

Applications of STFC’s capabilities

Applications of STFC’s capabilities: 

Applications of STFC’s capabilities Work with TSB - e.g. Innovation Platforms programme Expand technology partnerships programme Space technology programme

Final thoughts: 

Final thoughts Our long-term ability to generate more support depends on more than just good science. We must also show that we can plan we can prioritise we can deliver we can stop things (even when they are good) we can be imaginative we can “do more” we are relevant (economic impact, society, education…) This is what the Science and Technology Strategy will aim to do

The future: 

The future The future is not short of challenges If they are to be addressed, we will need to harness science technology innovation and the enthusiasm and dedication of people like you More ambition, more excellence Let’s see just how good we can be

Slide42: 

Questions, comments? Your input is welcome: john.womersley@stfc.ac.uk 01793 442622