Great to see the SITC is still in business.
Tara Shears@tarashears.bsky.social · yesterdayWhat are the UK government's plans for science, innovation and tech policy? @chionwurah.bsky.social's select committee seeks explanation - Jodrell Bank closure is just one example "of where accountability is needed". LHCb Upgrade and the other cuts too! committees.parliament.uk/committee/13...
Excellent letters in the @theguardian.com calling out the cuts to research in STFC. Shout out to Paula Collins of @lhcb.bsky.social! www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Science funding cuts will harm Britain’s global standing | Letters
Letters: Readers respond to an editorial about the threat to research funding, including plans to close the Jodrell Bank Observatory
theguardian.com
Thanks for recognising this. It's appreciated. I'd appreciate it more if you could work with the other RCs, STFC included, and the UKRI executive to seek a better settlement from DBIST and treasury for all of the research the UK does so well. It's a huge soft power and public opinion win!
Is that the AHRC exec suggesting those other noisy crabs should get back in the bucket? Perhaps he could think about what working to a bigger settlement for all might look like. There's some history repeating and AHRC was part of it last time round too. publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/...
publications.parliament.uk
My 'not funding e-merlin' t shirt has a lot of people asking questions already answered by my t shirt.
UK Research and Innovation@ukri.org · 5d agoAs discussions continue on STFC prioritisation decisions, we've put together an overview of its ongoing investment in discovery & curiosity-driven research in PPAN: www.ukri.org/publications... We've also set out facts on its funding relating to e-MERLIN & Jodrell Bank: www.ukri.org/publications...
The new UkGov "may be more willing to hold UKRI to account for its specific prioritisation decisions based on the reality that they are political choices with political consequences". 🤞 #SaveUKAstronomy #SaveJodrellBank
Research Professional News@resprofnews.bsky.social · 6d agoJodrell Bank cuts first test to Burnham’s regional ambitions. Key sector figures hope there could be ways to restore funding for ‘iconic’ observatory as Greater Manchester MP says decision undermines PM's devolution message. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
On the other site @ukri.org is getting bodied. The comms teams have my sympathy. Your boss has really dropped you in it.
A coalition of scientists and scientific community leaders including Prof Brian Cox and IOP President Prof Paul Howarth has voiced serious concern about the impact the latest funding cuts will have on UK science in this Research Professional article: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Jodrell Bank funding cut does ‘real damage’ to UK science - Research Professional News
Experts alarmed as science secretary says UK must invest in “next generation of scientific facilities”
researchprofessionalnews.com
These are some of the capabilities the UK risks losing with LHCb Upgrade II: • radiation-hard silicon • photon detectors • fast-timing sensors • electronics and computing • precision engineering Built over decades. Hard to replace once lost.
📢UKRI’s decision not to fund LHCb Upgrade II is not just a project cut. It puts UK leadership, access to the future LHCb dataset and opportunities for hundreds of scientists, engineers, technicians and students at risk. 🧪 ↩️This decision should be reversed. #UKRI #STFC @andyburnham.bsky.social
"the best scientists will go wherever the best science can be done. And on this the signs are ominous. A recent survey found that nearly 80% of early-career physicists were considering leaving the UK after the funding crisis." @iansample.bsky.social for the Guardian:
World-class Jodrell Bank is under threat and UK risks a physics brain drain
Funding crisis could lead to an exodus that would be a blow for British science and national growth
theguardian.com
DBIST Sec to @pallabg.bsky.social "I am committed to working with UKRI to ensure the UK remains able not only to sustain its world-leading research capabilities, but also to invest in the next generation of scientific facilities and infrastructure" @lhcb.bsky.social upgrade is next generation!
Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands
Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.
bbc.com
It's both endearing and heartbreaking that people in the replies are asking if public donations to support science can be made. That's what taxes that fund @ukri.org are. A bigger budget would fix this and the public seem to support it!
Jodrell Bank@jodrellbank.bsky.social · last wk.
Even at a base level, turning our publicly funded research into off-the-shelf data centers as opposed to unique, one of a kind infrastructure like lovell does very little for industry in the UK. We will be paying american server vendors to pay taiwanese chip fabs to pay dutch lithography engineers.
Kirsty Grainger @kirstygrainger.bsky.social · last wk.Earlier this year UKRI launched a funding call to invest £40M in ONE AI lab. www.ukri.org/opportunity/... For some unknown reason they decided to fund TWO AI labs at the cost of £60M. An extra £20M. Just found. That's the equivalent of 7 more years of Jodrell Bank. www.ukri.org/news/ukri-la...
Earlier this year UKRI launched a funding call to invest £40M in ONE AI lab. www.ukri.org/opportunity/... For some unknown reason they decided to fund TWO AI labs at the cost of £60M. An extra £20M. Just found. That's the equivalent of 7 more years of Jodrell Bank. www.ukri.org/news/ukri-la...
UKRI launches two AI research labs to stay ahead in global race
Two new labs will back British researchers to develop next generation artificial intelligence (AI) systems, helping secure the UK’s position as a global leader.
ukri.org
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · last wk.I'm absolutely devastated for colleagues at Jodrell Bank who found out this morning that funding for the UK's e-MERLIN radio telescope array will be terminated. This is a short-sighted move, to save a tiny fraction of the overall UK science budget. #SaveJodrellBank 🔭🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jodrell Bank telescope loses funding as STFC confirms cuts Today, the Science and Technology Facilities Council has announced that nine projects are “not prioritised for further funding”... www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Jodrell Bank telescope loses funding as STFC confirms cuts - Research Professional News
Science and Technology Facilities Council announces nine projects “not prioritised for further funding”
researchprofessionalnews.com
Jodrell Bank trending for the wrong reasons. So many children in the North West of England got to go as a school trip. It's so blooming marvellous at outreach alongside being a national research asset. If you don't know what I'm talking about Tom Scott has you covered youtu.be/YrZyJuaBfKA
I cannot believe Jodrell Bank let me do this
YouTube video by Tom Scott
youtu.be
Just off #BBCR4 World at One, arguing the importance of discovery science (like Jodrell) for long-term economic growth. I said I was heartbroken at the news: evidence just look at how exceptionally excited me & @mamaphysikerin.bsky.social were when we got to stand inside Lovell back in 2017 🥰 🔭🧪
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · last wk.I'm absolutely devastated for colleagues at Jodrell Bank who found out this morning that funding for the UK's e-MERLIN radio telescope array will be terminated. This is a short-sighted move, to save a tiny fraction of the overall UK science budget. #SaveJodrellBank 🔭🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Today, @ukri.org informed particle, astro and nuclear groups across the UKRI of the profound cuts they are laying on them. These cuts are at odds with the @ukri.org 2026-2031 strategy. www.ukri.org/publications... 1/n
ukri.org
@ukri.org's omnishambles includes soft-launching the cuts (and they are cuts, this table makes it clear) to PPAN science. DBIST has now a huge loss on its hands in its first weeks, unless it can turn the ship around.
Tara Shears@tarashears.bsky.social · last wk.The full list of cuts is here (scroll to end). As @chionwurah.bsky.social said, these cuts shouldn't be happening. Add in cuts to the facilities and this is utterly grim for research. www.ukri.org/publications...
The STFC redemption quest has started.🧪🔭 This is only the beginning.
Research Professional News@resprofnews.bsky.social · 2w agoScience secretary urged to review withdrawal of Cern project funding. The new science secretary in Andy Burnham’s government has been urged to review a decision to cancel UK funding for upgrading a key Cern experiment. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Some important, and incredibly depressing news. @andyburnham.bsky.social 's new department has a real chance to make a difference here and roll back the damage being done to UK led science.
Science secretary urged to review withdrawal of Cern project funding - Research Professional News
Physicists appeal to Jonathan Reynolds after STFC rules out fresh funding for LHCb upgrade
researchprofessionalnews.com
I'm happy and honoured to say that I will be President Elect of the Institute of Physics from October this year. www.iop.org/about/news/2... It is a challenging, as well as exciting, time for physics right now, and the IOP is, and must remain, strong and clear voice for the whole community.
IOP 2026 Council election results announced
We are delighted to announce our three new trustees – one President-elect and two General Trustees – who will take up their posts from 1 October 2026.
iop.org
@ukri.org STFC continues to be a basket case of mismanagement. More good work by @robinbisson.bsky.social that lines up with my own assessment. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
STFC’s true cost overrun revealed as nearly £700m - Research Professional News
Exclusive: Figure calls into question transparency from UKRI leadership amid cuts to science facilities
researchprofessionalnews.com
Paul Nurse (Royal Soc president) got in early on the Today prog this morning to say Burnham should recognise science “isn’t simply a slave to business and trade” Reynolds said later on Today that “in no way will science be a secondary issue—it will be at the forefront of the business department”
Research Professional News@resprofnews.bsky.social · 2w agoUPDATED: Jonathan Reynolds named science secretary as Dsit abolished. Plus, role of artificial intelligence minister elevated to a cabinet position with Kanishka Narayan continuing in the role. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Is the demise of the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology really the disaster that some commentators are suggesting? The nice people at @resprofnews.bsky.social gave me the space to explain why it really isn’t: www.researchprofessional.com/news-article... #scipolicy
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