APPENDIX 11
Memorandum submitted by the Royal Astronomical
Society
1. The Royal Astronomical Society is grateful
for the opportunity to comment on your inquiry and our response
is below. Please let me know if there is any further information
you require.
2. The Royal Astronomical Society welcomed
the creation of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council,
with a responsibility for supporting basic research in the subjects
that come under its aegis. The UK has always played a leading
role in Astronomy, and it is important that our internationally
competitive position should be maintained. This requires that
the science base should be adequately funded, with sufficient
resources being made available to support blue-skies research.
To remain competitive, UK astronomers must continue to have access
to world-class observational facilities, in collaboration with
research groups in Europe and the USA. The observational programme
must also be backed up by access to high-performance computing
facilities, both for handling data and for developing sophisticated
theoretical models.
3. Astronomy continues to arouse considerable
public interest and stimulates young people to choose careers
in science. It is particularly important in attracting students
to study physics, where there is a national shortage. Those who
graduate or obtain PhDs in astronomy have a broad experience in
IT, as well as in data-handling and modelling; many of them subsequently
move into industry or financial services, where they can contribute
directly to creating wealth.
June 2000
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