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#stfc

192
posts · 30d
17
users
6
posts / day
11.3
posts / user
-42% vs last week

#stfc is an active hashtag on Bluesky. In the last 30 days, 17 people shared 192 posts with it — around 6 a day. Activity is down 42% versus the previous week, peaking on Jul 25 with 10 posts.

#stfc posts per day (last 30 days)

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Posts with #stfc

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
3 months ago
🔊Calling UK science & physics teachers. Could you lend me your voice to help us fight the devastating funding cuts planned for UK astronomy and particle physics? Please sign this open letter, which we will be delivering to the UKGov next week. 🧪🔭⚛️🎢 #STFC ✍️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre... Thank you!
Dear Lord Vallance, Cuts to funding for astronomy and space science We are writing to you as physics teachers in secondary schools and sixth form colleges, to express our grave concern at the cuts to funding for astronomy and space science, and particle and nuclear physics, proposed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). As you know, these amount to 30% overall, and project groups have been asked to plan for budget reductions of up to 60%. We urge you to take prompt action to reverse these cuts, the scale of which are without precedent in modern times.

Are you a physics teacher in the UK? We need your help! 🧑‍🔬🧑‍🏫 We've created an open letter for teachers to sign and express their grave concern at the devastating proposed cuts to astronomy, space science and particle and nuclear physics. ✍️ 👉️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre... #STFC #UKRI

ras.ac.uk
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
3 months ago
Jim's started his 1st week as the new @royalastrosoc.bsky.social President with a💥, fighting #STFC funding cuts to astro, particle & nuclear physics 💪 "We urge you to commission a wider study of their impacts, not just on research, but on higher education and the economy as a whole"🔭🧪⚛️
Dear Lord Vallance, Scope of impact assessment for STFC cuts We are writing to you as the Presidents of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and the Institute of Physics (IOP) to ask you to seek a full assessment of the impact of the cuts proposed to the particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) budgets of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). As you know, the RAS represents more than 4,000 members (Fellows), three quarters of whom are based in the UK, and around half are involved in professional astronomy, space science and geophysics in some capacity. The Institute of Physics represents over 22,000 members working in occupations related to physics, including in academic and industrial research in the PPAN area. The chair of STFC’s PPAN Science Board, Professor Keith Grainge, confirms that he will lead a prioritisation exercise based on the potential cuts to PPAN science. While we in no way support the cuts, we welcome this engagement with the scientific community, but believe that its scope is far too limited.
There are significant wider consequences from the proposals that fall beyond the current STFC assessment remit. In particular, the proposed reductions risk serious adverse impacts on university physics and astronomy departments. At a time when many higher education institutions are already facing acute financial pressures, further funding shocks could accelerate course closures, reduce research capacity, and weaken the sustainability of departments that are critical to the UK’s skills pipeline. While we welcome the commitment to 2025/26 postdoc numbers we are concerned as the proposed reductions will still threaten the recruitment of young people into science and risks reducing the supply of doctoral graduates into the wider economy, particularly if project cancellations lead to fewer postgraduate opportunities. In parallel, these decisions carry important implications for the UK’s international standing. Withdrawal from major programmes or a perceived instability in funding risks undermining our position as a trusted and reliable global partner in science, with long-term consequences for collaboration, influence, and the UK’s ability to attract and retain world-class talent. The IOP recently published evidence indicating that over a quarter of physics departments in universities are already at risk of closure . Many of these depend heavily on STFC research grants, which enable them to carry out programmes that make their departments appealing to undergraduates. As so called ‘STEM attractors’, there is related evidence that PPAN science is cited by 50% of physics undergraduates as a key reason for their choice of degree programme.
In addition, the follow up evidence supplied to the Commons Select Committee on Science, Innovation and Technology by Professor Catherine Heymans (Astronomer Royal for Scotland), Professor Jon Butterworth and Dr Simon Williams included a survey of the destinations of PhD graduates. It demonstrated that after a decade around three quarters take their skills into the wider economy in areas including data science, AI, defence, teaching and finance, all critical areas for the UK . In these and other ways, PPAN plays a vital role in the supply of skills such as data acquisition, electronics, engineering and computing that are greatly valued in sectors such as defence, automotive, aerospace and other growth driving sectors of the economy. We support the ambition for science to drive growth and welcome additional investments in areas such as quantum, fusion and AI. However, particle physics, astronomy and nuclear are fundamental disciplinary pillars and we are concerned that further reductions to funding for these areas will jeopardise the flow of people, skills and knowledge into growth driving industries. Given the scale of the proposed cuts to PPAN science grants, still likely to be of the order of 30%, it is of vital importance that the leaderships of STFC and UKRI, and Government ministers in DSIT and also in DfE, are fully apprised of their consequences. It is our understanding from your public statements that these cuts are yet to be finalised. We therefore urge you to commission a wider study of their impacts, not just on research, but on higher education and the economy as a whole. Both our organisations would be very happy to assist with this work, and we would of course be delighted to meet you to discuss our concerns in more detail. Professor Jim Wild President, Royal Astronomical Society Professor Paul Howarth CBE President, Institute of Physics

IOP President Paul Howarth and I have today written to Science Minister Lord Vallance calling for a full impact assessment of proposed STFC cuts to particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) research.
2 9 63
Starfleet Academy Department of History
@starfleethist.bsky.social
over 1 year ago
The destruction of the Odyssey in #DS9 and Enteprise-D in #Generations juxtaposed with the reveal of the Enterprise-E in #STFC shows the end of a “naive innocence” of Starfleet represented by #TNG and the Galaxy Program and the re-establishment of a professional, uniformed service (1/2): #StarTrek

In the aftermath of the USS Odyssey’s destruction, Starfleet was concerned that both current and upcoming capital ships would be vulnerable to the Jem’Hadar threat. With Dominion fleet composition then unknown, there was no guarantee that the attack ships encountered were the only type fielded.
The USS Odyssey moments after being fatally kamikazed by a Jem'Hadar Attack Ship. Image from Memory Alpha.
2 10 51
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
4 months ago
Finally some clarity on the #STFC budget: it's falling in real terms as UKRI spending rises. A conscious decision has been made to decrease UK funding for fundamental physics, despite all the evidence that our blue skies research is key for economic growth. Thank you @resprofnews.bsky.social!
A graph showing spending power for UKRI is increasing between 2022 and 2030
Pressure drop. A graph showing the STFC budget in real terms decreasing from 2023 to 2030

I think this says a lot about the pressure STFC is under: its budget will not have risen (in cash terms) between 2023 and 2030 Inflation is obviously going keep eroding that, and more so with the Iran war (Details of STFC budget figures over the spending review have not been published before now)
Inflation has piled pressure on STFC's budget, which has stayed relatively flat in cash terms
2 22 48
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
3 months ago
Latest on UKGov #STFC cuts to physics & astro. Love Hiranya's take: "Peiris said she thinks...policy is “evolving in a matter of weeks”, suggesting it was a “very incoherent approach that leaves us vulnerable...” Yup - that about sums it up. Feels like they're making it up as they go along 😬🧪🔭

Removal of STFC grants protection raises long-term fears. Ending of mechanism shielding grants from rising costs “central to this funding crisis”, say researchers. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

www.researchprofessionalnews.com
1 13 45
Nevertheless
@readytm.bsky.social
6 months ago
Ollie Palmer sinks one into the net for Swindon Town FC to equalize in the first qtr. Commentators giving well-deserved gushing praise “That’s why you get an Ollie Palmer to come into this team. To do just that.” Love that he’s appreciated 💗 #stfc #askwxm
1 0 33
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
16 days ago
Best thing about #NAM2026: meeting lots of fantastic early career researchers and demanding they tell me all about the cool science in their posters. 🥳 Not so best thing about NAM2026: giving the why/what/how of #STFC funding cuts explainer, while trying to not jettison all their hopes and dreams.🔭

Astronomer Royal for Scotland @astroroyalscot.bsky.social giving overview of the state of UK astronomy funding Rising facility costs has led to a budget chasm. Huge cuts to labs. Postdocs protected, but at historically low level. To balance this, projects will be cut. 🔭 #SaveUKAstronomy #NAM2026
Graph using Freedom on Information data showing breakdown of STFC costs. Grants are basically flat. Projects are similar (with potential bumps from supercomputing). International commitments like CERN have grown, reflecting currency fluctuations, etc. The biggest change is in facilities and subscriptions, which have doubled since 2018.
Costs chasm from Research Professional News. Budget shortfall was up to £192 million in 2029. To balance this: 40% cut to Boulby Lab, 20% in UK Astro Technology Centre, 20% to Particle Physics Dept, 58%(!) to National Labs, and 3% to Particle Physics, Astronomy & Nuclear.
Data from Mark Sullivan, Astro Grant Panel Chair showing postdoc numbers. Numbers are protected at 2025 levels, which are the same as levels after the 2008 financial crash. The number is just under 60, down from about 80 in 2023. Figures in terms of years funded has dropped further.
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