University Fears Cuts Will Hit Physics Projects

LEADING North-East researchers in particle physics and astronomy fear their work could be at risk due to an pounds 80m national funding shortfall.

Professors from the physics department at Durham University have written to the Government to express concern at the projected deficit for the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) which supports their research.

The department is one of the leading few in the world and employs nearly 100 research scientists.

While the Government increased the budget for the SFTC in this year’s Comprehensive Spending Review, the research council said it represented “an essentially flat cash allocation” and said it would be “necessary to withdraw from or cut back on other planned programmes and facilities”.

Opponents set up a petition on the 10 Downing Street website to reverse the cuts, which attracted almost 2,000 signatures within a day of its launch.

A Government select committee is set to discuss the funding – which makes up more than half of Durham University’s grant income for physics – next month.

In their letter, sent to John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the professors wrote: “It is very difficult for our scientific community to understand the rationale behind the current de facto cuts to the STFC’s operating budget. Such cuts will hit the university sector particularly hard, leading to the loss of highly trained staff and placing more physics departments at risk of closure.”

One of the signatories is Professor James Stirling, pro-vice- chancellor for research at Durham University and a world-leading particle physicist.

He said that although Durham’s physics department was not immediately threatened, he feared that funding for certain projects, including work with thousands of North-East children, may go.

He said: “We have a major schools outreach project which we set up on the back of our worldclass science, particularly particle physics and astronomy. The type of work we do with schoolchildren contributes to developing our next generation of scientists. We feel this is a very important issue to raise at regional and national levels and we look forward to hearing the Government’s response.”

The STFC declined to comment on the cuts.

(c) 2007 The Journal – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.