News from Science Board - March 2011

STFC's Science Board held its most recent meeting on 29th March 2011 at University College London. Science Board's business included a discussion on the Campus Centres initiative, the development of STFC's laser strategy, and updates from PPAN, PALS and the Accelerator Strategy Board (ASB).

Science Board received a report from STFC Executive describing the purpose, process and status of establishing the STFC Campus Centres of Expertise. These Centres are intended to become portals for close collaboration between Research Council facilities, academia, and industry. Twelve potential Centres have been identified and a process has been set up to assess the options and select which Centres should be progressed. This process includes reviews by a Strategic Project Review Board, the Economic Impact Advisory Board and the STFC Executive Board. Science Board agreed that a scientific review should also be incorporated to ensure that the Centres can benefit from, and provide benefits to, the academic community and the science programme.

Science Board received a presentation about the overall direction of the developing strategy for the laser programme at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. An integrated strategy with respect to lasers is being developed to align optimally all significant projects and support technology development for future initiatives. Science Board discussed the presentation and provided comments to be considered by Council and the Director of the Central Laser Facility.

Science Board received an update from the Chair of ASB, which had met on 4th March 2011 to agree upon the principles of the draft Accelerator Strategy and identify the steps required to develop the Accelerator Roadmap. ASB also considered two Statements of Interest (SoIs), one from the John Adams Institute, and the other regarding R&D for future high power proton-accelerator based facilities. These SoIs were also reviewed at PPAN and PALS which provided advice to ASB.

Science Board received reports from the Chair of PALS and the Chair of PPAN.

PPAN met on 23th & 24th February 2011. PPAN's main business was a discussion on the balance of the PPAN science programme in order to try and redress the lack of breadth in the current programme. Other major topics included: a discussion and recommendation based on of the Project Peer Review Panel (PPRP) report regarding support for UK participation in the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT); an update relating to UK participation in SuperB and NA62; and the potential establishment of a Virtual Institute for Particle Astrophysics. PPAN also considered a SoI for the Scientific and Strategic Exploitation of the UK's Investment in Large Radio Dishes. PPAN noted that the UK astronomy community wishes to contribute to a range of spectroscopic instrument opportunities proposed for ESO and non-ESO facilities, and established a sub-group, including ad hoc members with appropriate expertise, to consider these SOIs on 14th April 2011. PPAN received an update on the practicalities of the STFC-UKSA dual key system for the support of space science exploitation. Science Board requested some further clarifications from STFC Executive concerning the division of responsibility for funding space science projects and related R&D between UKSA and STFC.

PALS met on 1st March 2011. The main business was to carry out the first stages of a review of environment related science and research relevant to STFC and consider the impact that STFC does and could have in the environmental science area. PALS is carrying out science area reviews as part of a process to provide advice for the further development of STFC's science strategy in the physical and life sciences using a science driven approach. The Environment Review will be the second review that PALS carry out, and was chosen to build upon a workshop already carried out by the Futures Environment Programme on 11-12 November 2010. It is expected that PALS will submit a report to the October 2011 meeting of Science Board.

The next meeting of Science Board will take place on 29 - 30 June 2011.