STFC Grant Funding Cut

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has announced a cut to grant funding. New grants will be issued only to October 2010 in the first instance. According to a press release the temporary measure has been implemented with immediate effect and will stay in place “pending the outcome of the prioritisation exercise” which will end in the New Year. However, there's no guarantee that funding will return to previous levels afterwards. STFC has fallen foul of the fall in the strength of the pound, as it is committed to international subscriptions to facilities abroad.
It has cut funding before; in 2007 it cut grants funding by 25%, to the consternation of the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society.

Impact Seminar with Steven Hill (RCUK): 8 October

A final reminder about the Impact Seminar next Thursday. As you can see from many of the preceding posts, 'Impact' is a key issue in research funding at the moment, and this Seminar will be the chance to hear from two sides on this: Steven Hill (note his blog entry on 'Impact') is head of the Strategy Unit at RCUK, and has worked at both Defra and Oxford. He'll be presenting the 'official' RCUK viewpoint. Prof Peter Taylor-Gooby, Professor of Social Policy in SSPSSR, will be giving an academic's viewpoint. Their talks will be followed by a discussion chaired by Prof John Baldock, PVC for Research.
If you would like to come along and have not been in touch already, do drop me a line.