STFC: activities, issues & ambitions Professor Mark Thomson STFC Executive Chair 23 November 2018

1. STFC: activities, issues & ambitions Professor Mark Thomson STFC Executive Chair 23 November 2018

2. STFC as Part of UKRI

3. We are developing STFC’s first “Strategic Delivery Plan” as part of UKRI Publication expected in April 2019 New format of priority areas and strategy for the next ~10 years Also Delivery plan for FY’19 STFC is developing a “bold and ambitious” forward-looking plan There is a lot of change around us, including the additional resources associated with the formation of UKRI and the government’s Industrial Strategy I believe this is a unique opportunity for STFC and the other councils of UKRI Strategy for STFC Credit: STFC/Timothy Mills

4. STFC’s Priorities Key priorities for STFC’s SDP: • Fully engage with new frontier science opportunities to drive development of novel technologies • Use our inspiring high-tech facilities (in UK and overseas) as a training ground for skills in engineering, technology and computing for the UK • Create a strategic pipeline for developing our world-leading National facilities and to keep them world class • Grow our stewardship of the R&I ecosystem at the Harwell and DL Campuses • Strengthen strategic partnerships with other councils, e.g. EPSRC

5. STFC: Change and refresh We’re continuing to work through the division of responsibilities within UKRI between the Councils and the central team, and between UKRI and BEIS • We need to deliver a more efficient process and service for you, for government, for staff and for the public • The UKRI Transformation Programme is underway, and will lead to internal changes – e.g. HR, Finance already centralised teams, opportunities to reduce red tape etc STFC also experiencing some change • Executive Board retirements and departures has allowed a refresh at the top level, including better representation of our lab-based activities • We’re also conducting a targeted review of the Consolidated Grants process

6. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion • E,D&I is a very high priority for STFC and UKRI • Jennifer Rubin (Executive Chair, ESRC) is the UKRI E,D&I champion • UKRI Board made strong public commitments • STFC has a dedicated EDI team and is establishing an high-level Advisory Body chaired by a Council member, and an internal Implementation Group • Physics community has taken some positive steps • But the Strumia case demonstrates we cannot be complacent, cannot simply assume we’re doing OK • There needs to be an increased focus on E,D&I across all of activities

7. UKRI Funding Opportunities

8. UKRI Funding Opportunities Autumn Statement 2016 uplift to research and innovation budget: • Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) – Wave 2 challenges underway, launch of Wave 3 expected • Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) – large amounts still unallocated • Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) – £560 million over three years, bids from UKRI Councils and BEIS PSREs • Talent Fund – £300 million over three years • Commercialisation Fund – £108 million • Strength in Places Fund – £115 million over three years for collaborative bids between research organisations and business to support regional growth • Fund for International Collaboration (FIC) – £110 million over three years

9. STFC and the new funds The STFC community was not as successful with round one of GCRF as hoped: • We accepted the need to improve our bids, and for closer working with other councils, departments and industry In the last year there has been significant progress: • Received funding for National Satellite Test Facility at Harwell from ISCF • Now expecting several major projects to be confirmed in coming weeks from SPF and FIC Recently (since April) adopted a new approach: • Target highest-priority ideas from STFC’s communities • Our job is to align these highest priority ideas with the new funding opportunities

10. New ideas and reviews of old The Developing a World Class Programme exercise in summer has provided 51 “proposals” now reviewed by STFC Council, Executive Board and Science Board • It wasn’t a prioritisation, but instead the collection of new ideas with which to bid for the new UKRI-wide funding streams – the list is on our website • The list is already being used to help inform bids for Fund for International Collaboration, Strategic Priorities Fund. We continue our regular reviews of our programmes • Completing programme evaluations of computing, nuclear physics and particle astrophysics • Just starting particle physics and astronomy These will feed into the next PPAN Balance of Programmes

11. Astronomy Update

12. ESO ESO recently welcomed Ireland as its 16th Member State • We are looking at ways to work with them in regard to technology/instruments ESO just had Visiting Committee - outcomes next year ELT foundations are well advanced ELT UK instruments are all under review by PPRP ALMA is continuing to deliver excellent science.

13. SKA • HQ delivered and occupied • Formal signing international treaty delayed to Feb/March next year - six countries including UK have initialed • Design reviews well underway - complete next year • Independent review of potential for impact from SKA completed • Future R&D programme to be reviewed by PPRP

14. Operations • Reviewed proposals for e-MERLIN operations and development - secured programme for next years • ING preparing to receive WEAVE whilst still delivering excellent science

15. Development Still full programme of developments underway – including: • MOONS for ESO, DKIST, DESI, WEAVE, LSST data centre, SOX and HARPS3 Others coming forward for review • LOFAR, LT, Wide Field Units, NGTS etc List of Priority Projects already being used: • Simons Observatory (CMB) to FIC • GOTO (multi-messenger) to Science Board Other projects await Evaluation

16. Grants 2018 round now announced and most grants awarded and accepted • Jim Wild will give detail Flat cash plus increasing university costs having an increasing impact Consolidation being reviewed by panel led by Alison Davenport (ex-SB chair) - in preparation for UKRI harmonisation and new office systems.

17. Training awards Ernest Rutherford fellowships: • 161 proposals received in the current round. Interviews in February. DTP studentships: • following the reaccreditation of departments’ training provision, DTP allocations will be made in December. Data intensive science CDTs: • 88 STFC-funded studentships were awarded to the eight CDTs for the first cohort, 32 for the second.  A further five AI studentships were awarded to the five founder universities of the Alan Turing Institute.  The five students will spend six months at the ATI, working together as a cohort. Applications and Implications of Artificial Intelligence CDT call: • 84 proposals, six of which STFC-led. Four were shortlisted and decisions will be announced in December.

18. Training Awards Innovation placements: • STFC received £750k for placements for students to enable them to work with non-academic partners. These were allocated to major projects nearing industrial R&D phases, with the aim of helping to develop their industrial connections. Future Leaders Fellowships: • 369 proposals were received in the first round, 34 in STFC’s remit. Shortlisting takes place in November, with interviews in January. 399 proposals were received in the second round, 17 in STFC’s remit. Hawking Prize fellowships: • This new scheme is likely to provide up to 10 3-yr postdoctoral fellowships a year, probably in theoretical physics, mathematics and computer science. To be administered jointly by STFC and EPSRC.  More details to be announced in 2019.

19. Space Continuing to utilise modest funds to support pre-launch / pre-science efforts for ESA programme • Gaia, Euclid, JWST, Bepi, Solar Orbiter etc Several bilaterals seen as Priority Projects n recent exercise - exploring with UKSA AGP grants based upon supporting the best applications and balance between ground-and space-based proposals remains similar to that requested - no sign of bias or disadvantage.

20. Astronet New self-funded organisation underway and gathering members • Already includes ESA, ESO and many funding agencies • Aim as for previous EU-funded Astronet and APPEC to provide strategic basis and coordination for Astronomy in its fullest sense across Europe • Plans new Science Vision and Road Map by 2020/1 • UK leading on this (as we did for the first and updated versions)

21. Spending Review 2019

22. Government announced intention to hold a full Spending Review in 2019 Precise timing not confirmed, nor is the period of time it will cover Will be challenging as public finances remain tight, despite the “end of austerity” message Brexit remains an unknown But … commitment to raise total investment in research and development to 2.4% of Gross Domestic Product by 2027 Spending Review 2019 Gross Expenditure on R&D as a % of GDP

23. UKRI requested scenarios for lower, unchanged and higher budgets to inform their bid to BEIS Options for infrastructure projects CSR Preparations STFC also provided an optimum scenario of the benefits from increasing our: • Core Programme • Skills and Talent • Science Estate / ”well found” labs • Innovation • Technology Credit: STFC/Martin Malies

24. Infrastructure Roadmap

25. Infrastructure Roadmap This is an exciting time for UK science: • Government’s Industrial Strategy highlights the importance of Research and Innovation to the UK economy • Significantly increased investment in Research and Innovation • Goal of 2.4% of GDP by 2027 Currently developing the “UK Research and Innovation Infrastructure Roadmap” • Work led by STFC on behalf of UKRI • First exercise of its type in the UK • Will provide an evidence base of current research infrastructures and future research needs out to 2030

26. Infrastructure Roadmap Main Outputs: • Interim Report (November 2018) • Summary of landscape analysis • Themes within sectors • Final Report (May/June 2019) covering • Landscape (what we have got) • Future capability needs (what the research and innovation community needs) • Options for meeting future needs with narrative • Not a prioritisation exercise Factual resource that may be used to inform policy

27. Closing remarks

28. What keeps me awake at night ? 1) Pressure on STFC’s core programme: Recently withdrawnUK involvement:SuperNEMOneutrinoless double beta decay, ... Reduced contribution:CERN, Lux Zeplin, Gravitational waves, CTA, LHC upgrades, academic time for particle physics, reducing experimental programme Currently Unable to pursue: Simons Observatory, nEDM, no early stage R&D programmes, iceCube, DiRAC 3, Liverpool telescope 2, European Solar Telescope, ELI, … • Over last years, flat cash has squeezed core programme • Unable to join/lead new world-class scientific projects (except through one-off interventions) • Missing many opportunities to develop new and novel technologies • Ultimately, this will stifle innovation 2) Staff recruitment and retention: • Particularly acute for STEM staff at Harwell • If not addressed, there is a real risk of not being able to operate efficiently our National facilities

29. Questions

30. Astronomy Grants Panel 2018 Jim Wild (AGP Chair) Kim Burchell (Head of Astronomy Grants)

31. Applications to AGP

32. 2018 Outcome Summary Recommendation overview [2015] • Total cost £9.8M p.a. [£9.9M] • 77 (37%) of the highest-ranked projects on 29 proposals [42%] • 75.7 FTE PDRA + Technical effort [79.6] • 33% of requested PDRA + Technical effort [37%] • Applicant time (5-35%) for 40% of (103) applicants [64%] Applicant FTE recommendations • Total 15.6 FTE applicant time recommended [21.3] • 103 applicants recommended for FTE on projects above [165] • the PDRA funding cutoff (mean 15% FTE) [13%] • 0 applicants recommended 5% FTE on high-quality projectsbelow PDRA funding cutoff [25]

33. Outcome: Analysis “Baseline” = 2015-18 average ”Recommended” = 2019-21 average Left: A comparison of the number of PDRAs recommended in each proposal in this round versus existing STFC support to that applicant group (“Baseline”). A rough illustration of the budgetary parameter space that AGP is working within in terms of the balance between applicant FTE and PDRA support .

34. Testing for biases [2016/17/18 rounds]

35. Outcome: Long-term trend The evolution of PDRA support provided by STFC/PPARC astronomy grants compared to the growth of the UK’s academic research community. Note that the Applicants line has been divided by 5, so that it can be compared with the PDRA awards.

36. Subject Evaluations Don Pallacco University of Warwick

37. Remit Evaluate the strength in each area, balance, funding and the size of community. In addition, they will respond to relevant recommendations from the 2016 PPAN BoP and include some information, such as tensioning of new projects, which will require a level of flexibility and the impact of +/-10% change in funding. The evaluations will be designed to enable standardised information from the various scientific disciplines to be used together with the Programme Evaluation report to inform the next BoP exercise.

38. Current status • Completed • Computing – done • Particle Astro – done (ish) • Nuclear Physics – done • Just Starting - • Particle Physics • Astronomy • Accelerators • Subject evaluation feed into next years Balance of Programmes Review

39. More specific to Astro… The position of Astro-particle research within Astro – exploitation funding etc Science prioritization? Facility prioritization Future instrumentation

40. Review Format Discussion STFC Programme/Chair over Panel make up Initial telecom • Intro’s, agree evidence gathering format (end of October) Evidence gathering (now) • Proformas to project PIs (deadline: 19/12/18) • Request for input from the community AAP & SSAP (deadline: 28/11/18) Panel Meeting (2 day, early January) • Examination of evidence, discussion, report format Report writing Panel Meeting (2 day, March) • Further discussion Submission to Science Board (April)

41. Panel Members • Malcolm Bremer (Bristol) Leigh Fletcher (Leicester) • Nina Hatch (Nottingham) Melvin Hoare (Leeds) • Ineke De Moortel (St Andrews) Don Pollacco (Warwick, Chair) • Alberto Vecchio (Birmingham) David Wands (Portsmouth) • Chris Watson (Queens Belfast) • Office: • Malcolm Booy Michelle Cooper • Colin Vincent Chris Woolford