News from Physical and Life Sciences Committee

At its meeting on 15^th and 16^th September 2009, the PALS (Physical and Life Sciences) Committee undertook a prioritisation process using the decision making criteria that were developed following the STFC strategy consultation. The facilities portfolio under consideration also included those not previously considered during the 2007/08 STFC Programmatic Review.

To facilitate this prioritisation PALS received completed proformas from each of the facilities under consideration and advice from the two advisory panels: the Neutron Advisory Panel (NAP) and the Photon Advisory Panel (PAP). The PALS Committee thanked the Advisory Panels for their hard work, dedication and effort in preparing their reports for the current prioritisation exercise and the facility user communities for their engagement with this process. PALS recognised the tight deadlines that the Advisory Panels had to work to and the effective and extremely useful work that was undertaken in preparing the NAP and PAP reports following the community consultation exercise.

By taking full account of the advice from the Advisory Panels, PALS produced an initial prioritised list of facilities grouped alphabetically and by alpha ranking. This was reported to the Science Board meeting on the 19th and 20th October where PALS received strategic guidance for the next stage in the prioritisation exercise. In light of this, PALS will be developing advice on the shape of the facilities programme at its November meeting including further discussion with the Advisory Panel Chairs.

In doing so, PALS will have to ensure that the requirements and expectations of a large and diverse user base, the strategic requirements of STFC, the other Research Councils and stakeholders are fully taken into account, before making their final presentation on the shape of the facilities programme at the December meeting of Science Board.

PALS advice to Science Board will be published in due course.