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School of Physics and Astronomy

Institute for Astronomy. Institute for Particle & Nuclear Physics. Institute for Condensed Matter & Complex Systems. EPCC. HoI. HoI. HoI. HoI. School of Physics and Astronomy. = Departments of Natural Philosophy, Mathematical Physics & Astronomy. Head of School.

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School of Physics and Astronomy

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  1. Institute for Astronomy Institute for Particle & Nuclear Physics Institute for Condensed Matter & Complex Systems EPCC HoI HoI HoI HoI School of Physics and Astronomy = Departments of Natural Philosophy, Mathematical Physics & Astronomy Head of School +4 HoIs = School Executive Committee Research Committee: DoR + HoIs + others KT committee: HoI + DoR + others Will merge (and probably slim down!) Jan 2011 HoS, HoIs & Directors report to School Academic Board Director of Graduate School Director of Publicity and Recruitment Director of Teaching

  2. Research income (past 5 years) £13.7M £14.4M £14.7M £14.9M Overall: ~ 25% EPSRC ~ 36% STFC EPCC 36 grants 47% EC, 49% EPSRC IfA 27 grants 68% STFC ICMCS 43 grants 60% EPSRC, 22% RS/RSE IPNP 20 grants 98% PPARC/STFC

  3. SCUBA JCMT (Hawaii) LOFAR Institute for Astronomy • Highlight: survey astronomy • Observation • Statistical analysis • Theoretical interpretation • Characteristics and issues • Facilities dependent • Technology advantage: proximity of ATC (but future?) • Need to take advantage of opportunities Priority Traditional strength SUPA1

  4. Institute for Particle & Nuclear Physics Theme 1: finding the Higgs @ LHC (CERN) Already in LHCb Just joint ATLAS (SUPA2 priority) Associated theory and supercomputing Physics beyond the Standard Model Theme 2: nuclear astrophysics FAIR (ca. 2017) – nuclear reactions Boulby – dark matter Characteristics & issues • Very few international facilities compared to astronomy • Very dependent on STFC priorities  non-perturbative changes (Boulby closure) • Local experiment/theory balance in particle physics (5 vs. 9 FTEs)

  5. Institute for Condensed Matter & Complex Systems Hard condensed matter: extreme conditions physics (CSEC) • High pressure/high T • Low T magnetic field/high purity (SUPA1 success!) Soft condensed matter • Strength 1: the physics of ‘model’ colloidal suspensions • Strength 2: very large scale simulations ( patented new material) Biological Physics • Major investment in SUPA2 (+ NPL) • Multi-scale (molecules, cells, ecosystems; ps to years) Characteristics & issues • ‘Small science’ – driven by unforeseeable new developments on short time scales • Heavy reliance on central facilities • Very highly interdisciplinary • Currently very focussed on fundamental end, with less attention to applications • Priority: substantial re-orientation towards energy + drug discovery

  6. A leading HPC centre in the world • “Best example of commercialising the science base in Scotland” (Scottish Enterprise) • ‘In physics but not simply physics’ (collaborators from all 3 Colleges) • 95% funded by external contracts and grants (50:50 academic : industry) • Strength and priority: Driving HPC and data in Europe A major issue: how to maximise REF impact?

  7. Cross-institute ‘unique selling points’ • Actual • Interdisciplinarity • Close in-house collaboration between experiment, theory and simulation • Embedding e-science and HPC in all areas • Balanced breadth • Potential • Detector technologies

  8. Strategic challenges/threats • Balancing big science vs. small science • Almost total reliance on RCUK funding • Culture change vis-à-vis KT and ‘impact’ (in the REF sense) … • … and set up the structures to facilitate it! • Reorientation towards RCUK (and HM Treasury!) priorities (energy, F&D) • New Physics Education research effort • College plans for central workshop That’s all folks! 

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