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06.03.2026 18:34
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Thanks a lot for a very high quality questioning. This session was a great relief for the whole PPAN community. We are many to look forward to the options suggested by the SITC being implemented!
My two-and-half year old saw it on my screen yesterday evening and said "This is funny" 🤣👶🏻🍼
"Grilled" is the word...🔥🔥🔥
Except that within the buckets, it is very difficult to know how money flows from council to council. As was mentioned today during the hearing at the SITC select committee, "if PPAN research is getting cut, who is winning?". The bucket flow chart presented by UKRI doesnt allow anybody to understand
A LOT going on in the Commons select committee hearing on STFC budget pressures
Michele Dougherty said that, despite having previously been on STFC's council, she didn't know until starting as exec chair in Jan 2025 that there was a £100-150m shortfall
She said it was "not what I signed up to" 😶
Dr Simon Williams did a great job today at representing UK postdocs and PhD students in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics in front of the Science, Innovation, and Technology select committee.
We are all looking forward to what's coming next! 🧪🔭
For people who have a partner, children, or families requiring care, forcing them to go abroad is likely to force them into industry or is asking from them that their partners are happy to give up their own careers. Postdocs seek stability and faculty jobs are rare. They can't constantly move around
Tagging @si-wills.bsky.social Dr Simon Williams ;-)
A truly excellent summary of what happened during the SITC session this morning.
#STFC, we won't let you down! 🧪🔭
Today the SITC committee held a crucial session for STFC, hearing from the PPAN community, but also from Prof. M. Dougherty about how #STFC will avoid cutting fundamental science dramatically.
The committee named the situation "unacceptable" and proposed ways out of it.
A great step forward. 🧪🔭
⏰Wake up #STFC & #UKRI! In a little more than an hour, great reps of the PPAN community (particle physics astronomy and nuclear) will be heard by the Science and Technology committee to talk about the huge cuts to fundamental physics that #UKRI is looking into.
Share, follow, & comment! 🧪🔭
I am very glad that this was acknowledged. QR research is such a huge part of bucket 1!
Nobody told it the pandemic lockdown was over...
Thanks for the summary! This is very encouraging and we are all behind you to push for more (not less) PPAN science! I've got lots of messages of support from the community and we are determined to keep pushing!
Lord Patrick Vallance and Liz Kendall MP are being heard by the House of Lords Science and Technology committee today about the new #UKRI funding situation.
Many concerns are being raised about the risk of "replacing disciplinary rigidity by bucket rigidity".
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Safe travel @astroroyalscot.bsky.social ! STFC (and all its lovely people) need you! 🔭🧪🚒
Nice little accessory! 💼🧪🔭
There's something quite exciting about Scotland sending our astronomer royal down to put the southern one right.
(England's one is also, in what feels like a conflict of interest on some level, the head of the STFC...)
An open letter has been sent to Lord Vallance from 57 heads of UK physics departments and institutes, including all of the heads of physics departments of the Russell group.
www.iop.org/about/news/o...
University physics heads warn Vallance of STFC cuts impact.
Cuts “inconsistent” with government plan for growth, says open letter urging science minister to act.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Yes! Sorry for forgetting that one!!
If you are a UK physics student, you may sign this open letter: student-openletter-stfc.github.io/index.html
If you are an early career researcher: ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are an advanced fellow: advancedfellows-openletter-stfc.github.io/index.html
Altogether, we will be heard.
Here we are: "Almost 60 heads of university departments in physics and related disciplines have told science minister Lord P. Vallance that the cuts will damage the UK’s scientific standing" #UKRI 🧪🔭
Top academics warn UK physics cuts threaten effort to boost economy www.ft.com/content/a235...
This Wednesday I will be giving evidence on science funding to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
lifeandphysics.com/2026/03/01/a...
#LifeAndPhysics
Astronomers are getting ready. So are early-career researchers! Wednesday's hearing is going to be truly decisive.
Watch & comment on the event live, to support the voices of @astroroyalscot.bsky.social @jonbutterworth.bsky.social & @si-wills.bsky.social !
committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/...
Let's hope they won't make one for the UK soon...
I have tea & chocolate: ready to start a day of prep for my Wed appearance at the UKGov Science, Information and Technology select committee.
I'll be making the case for the economic and scientific benefits of funding (not cutting) UK astronomy. Keen to hear your Sunday thoughts on the matter!🔭⚛️🎢👩🔬
I think this is going to be exciting to watch!
committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/...
Mine is two years old, so it's a bit early to say, but I can't wait to feel that proud about her! 🥰