2 Background to the post
The Science and Technology Facilities
Council
6. Compared to the other Research Councils, STFC
is relatively new. It was formed on 1 April 2007 as a result of
the merger between the Council for the Central Laboratory of the
Research Councils (CCLRC), which managed national facilities,
and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC),
which funded particle physics and astronomy research. It also
took on responsibility for nuclear physics from the Engineering
and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It was established
by Royal Charter in 2007 and, along with the six other Research
Councils, is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department
for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
7. The Mission of STFC (set out in full in its Royal
Charter)[11] is to promote
and to support:
- high-quality scientific and
engineering research by developing and providing facilities and
technical expertise in support of basic strategic and applied
research programmes;
- high-quality basic, strategic and applied research
and related post-graduate training in astronomy, particle physics,
space science and nuclear physics and research in any other field
which makes use of STFC-managed facilities; and
- advancement of knowledge and technology (including
the promotion and support of the exploitation of research outcomes)
and to provide trained scientists and engineers.
8. STFC's principal activities are:
- funding researchers in universities
directly through grants, particularly in astronomy, particle physics,
space science and nuclear physics;
- providing in the UK access to world-class facilities,
including ISIS,[12] the
Central Laser Facility,[13]
and High Performance Computing (HPCx).[14]
It is also a major stakeholder in the Diamond Light Source,[15]
which started operations in 2008.
- providing in the UK a broad range of scientific
and technical expertise in space and ground-based astronomy technologies,
microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear
physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and
radar; and
- providing access to world-class facilities overseas,
including through CERN,[16]
the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Southern Observatory
(ESO), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the
Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) and telescope facilities in Chile,
Hawaii, La Palma, Australia and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility,
which includes the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory.[17]
9. The STFC annual budget for 2009-10 is £630
million. It has over 2,000 staff and the STFC Head Office is at
Swindon, Wiltshire. As well as funding researchers in universities
particularly in astronomy, particle physics, space science and
nuclear physics, it operates research facilities in the UK including
the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Didcot, Daresbury Laboratory
in Cheshire and the Astronomy Technology Centre at Edinburgh.[18]
10. STFC is drawing up, and has consulted on, its
future strategy. The vision set out in the strategy document is
that the STFC, working with the other Research Councils and the
broader research base, "will deliver maximum scientific,
economic and societal benefits to the UK by:
a) providing world-leading science facilities
and associated technologies, and leveraging the UK position in
the choice and location of international facilities as appropriate;
b) taking the UK lead in supporting world-class
research in astronomy, nuclear and particle physics, and space
science; and
c) maximising the impact of our science and technology,
including through the Science and Innovation Campuses and Gateway
Centres, to generate skills and public engagement and to transfer
knowledge and create economic impact."[19]
The role of the Chair
11. STFC is governed by a Council made up of the
Chairman, the Chief Executive, and six to ten (currently eight)
other members appointed by the Secretary of State for Business,
Innovation and Skills for their expertise, or as industry or Government
users of research. The Council has "ultimate accountability
for all aspects of the STFC's affairs"[20]
and in addition the Chairman acts "as custodian of the Council's
objects and Chartered objectives and has overall responsibility
for the governance, direction and management of the Council"
and he works with the full-time Chief Executive and the Council,
"leading the STFC in pursuit of its objects".[21]
The current Chief Executive of STFC is Professor Keith Mason,
who took up the post on 1 April 2007.[22]
12. The job specification states that the appointment
to the role of Chair is for four years in the first instance.
The post is part-time and non-executive, the Chair is expected
to dedicate "in the order of 36 days a year" to the
role. An honorarium is paid per year (£24,270 at appointment).[23]
13. A full description of the responsibilities of
the Chair is attached as Annex C to Appendix 1.
11 Appendix 2 Back
12
ISIS is the world's leading neutron and muon source, based at
the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus at Didcot,
Oxfordshire. Back
13
At the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus at Didcot,
Oxfordshire. Back
14
At the Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire Back
15
At the Harwell Campus at Didcot, Oxfordshire Back
16
Particle physics laboratory situated on the French-Swiss border Back
17
www.scitech.ac.uk/About/wwd/wwdContents.aspx Back
18
Appendix 1, Annex A Back
19
www.scitech.ac.uk/STFCConsultation/cnStrategy.aspx?id=5 Back
20
www.scitech.ac.uk/About/Strat/Council/role.aspx Back
21
Appendix 1, Annex A Back
22
www.scitech.ac.uk/About/Strat/Council/mason.aspx Back
23
Appendix 1, Annex B: Job description Back
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