I’ve now worked my way through the DIUS select committee report (not with a fine toothcomb, though), and there are some extremely interesting conclusions. You can find the whole thing here, or just trust my reading of it.
The meat starts on p20, which discusses the budget left to STFC from the two councils which [...]
Posts in the "Funding" Category
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The report by the Science Select committee on funding for STFC is to be released at midnight tonight, BST…more as soon as I’ve had a chance to read it.
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Update : Here’s the press release. While the Times focus on the threat to Keith Mason, the head of the STFC, to my mind the Guardian are [...] -
Then can I recommend this ebay listing?
Background story is here.
Edit : Ebay have removed the listing, which was for the Jodrell Bank telescope. If anyone has a screenshot, let me know.addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fchrislintott.net%2F2008%2F03%2F11%2Fgot-a-few-million-spare%2F’;
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addthis_title = ‘Got+a+few+million+spare%3F’;
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Just got back to the UK – got very little from the observing run (more on which soon) – but Andy’s reporting that the UK is at least temporarily back in Gemini. The release from the board, here says negotiations are underway, but the important thing is that those astronomers who’d put so much effort [...]
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I’m logged on to Parliament Live trying to watch the select committee inquiry into physics funding. There’s no sound at the minute, although people are still filing in (I’m spending most of my time trying to recognise the members of the public sitting at the back). If sound doesn’t appear, I’ll update this once the [...]
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Today sees the House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills select committee undertaking an investigation into what’s gone wrong with the STFC budget. The fun begins at 4.15pm UT, and can be watched live on Parliament TV. It comes with a promise from the committee’s chairman, Phil Willis, that
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“ .. my committee’s going to examine [...] -
Speaking of the funding crisis in British astronomy, it’s time for an update on the situation. First, a quick recap; the body which is responsible for funding all of British astronomy and astrophysics, the STFC, announced an £80 million shortfall in its budget. While initially I (and many others) blamed the non-astronomical bits of STFC, [...]
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Sadly, my laptop is out of commission, so now review of 2007 just yet. But in the meantime, you should all read Steve Eales’ article on why we should fund astronomy, as published in this month’s Prospect. He ends by arguing that the correct level of funding is one which sees the number of foreign [...]
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Anyone reading this blog last week would have heard about the doom and gloom that’s enfolding UK astronomy. There are two things you could do to help us; the first is to sign the petition that’s up here. If we’re to save the situation, though, we need as many people as possible to write to [...]
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STFC have just released their plan based on currently available funding. It doesn’t make pretty reading so let’s start with the good news.
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Safe
1. Our membership of ESO, which provides for access to the VLT, VISTA and, in the future, ALMA.
2. Long term planning for the next generation of telescopes, an Extremely Large (optical) [...]