Call for nominations to STFC's Science Board, Committees and Peer Review Panels

A number of vacancies have arisen for outstanding individuals to become members of STFC's Committees and Panels, as listed below. In particular, we are looking for nominations from under represented groups.

The vacancies have arisen, or will be arising, due to the normal rotation of membership on:

• Science Board - 4 vacancies
• The STFC advisory panels - various vacancies
• The Projects Peer Review Panel (PPRP) - 8 vacancies
• The Nuclear Physics Grants Panel (NPGP) - 4 to 5 vacancies
• The Particle Physics Grants Panel (PPGP) - 1 (theory) and 4 (experimental) vacancies
• The Industry Partnership Scheme Panel (IPS) - 1 (academic) and 1 (industrial) vacancies
• Advisory Panel for Science in Society (APSiS) - 1 vacancy for a particle physicist
• The Education, Training and Careers Committee (ETCC) - 4 vacancies
• The CERN Fellowships Panel - 1 vacancy

If you wish to nominate yourself or a colleague please complete our online form.

The closing date for these posts is Monday 27 February 2012.

Brief descriptions of the panels and committees can be found below. Please follow the links above to each panel's terms of reference.

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Science Board (4 vacancies)

Science Board provides the Science and Technology Facilities Council with a strategic scientific overview and assessment of, and science advice on, all of the programmes STFC supports.

The STFC Advisory Panels (various vacancies)

The STFC Advisory Panels report to Science Board, providing a route for consultation and interaction with the community. The panels draft and maintain a roadmap describing current and future research opportunities in their areas.

• Particle Physics Advisory Panel (3 vacancies – in particular expertise in flavour physics and formal theory)
• Nuclear Physics Advisory Panel (2-3 vacancies)
• Particle Astrophysics Advisory Panel (2-3 vacancies)
• Astronomy Advisory Panel (6-8 vacancies – all areas of expertise)
• Solar System Advisory Panel (6-8 vacancies – all areas of expertise)
• Physical Sciences and Engineering Advisory Panel (8-10 vacancies – all areas of expertise)
• Life Sciences and Soft Materials Advisory Panel (8-10 vacancies – all areas of expertise)

Projects Peer Review Panel (8 vacancies)

The Projects Peer Review Panel (PPRP) is responsible for assessing projects that the Council consider have significant scientific priority and proposals for the development of the Council's facilities. The PPRP also considers requests for funding research and development projects that will provide underpinning technologies for future projects.

Nuclear Physics Grants Panel (4-5 vacancies)

The Nuclear Physics Grants Panel (NPGP) is responsible for assessing and making recommendations to the STFC Executive on research grant applications in nuclear physics.

Particle Physics Grants Panel (1 vacancy for Theory and 4 vacancies for Experiment)

The Particle Physics Grants Panel (PPGP) is responsible for assessing and making recommendations to the STFC Executive on research grant applications in particle physics.

The IPS Panel (1 vacancy for an academic with expertise in detectors and instrumentation, and 1 vacancy for an industrialist with expertise in information, communication and electronics technology)

The IPS Assessment Panel reviews grant applications received against IPS and the Follow on Funding scheme (FoF) whose objective is to further the exploitation and application of technologies developed through the Council's science programme. Membership would begin in September 2012.

Advisory Panel for Science in Society (1 vacancy for a particle physicist)

The Panel provides advice to the Council and the executive on strategy, policies and programme balance for public engagement with STFC's science and technology; and to provide new ideas for programme development. Nominations of self or another should contain a brief case for support, indicating personal interest in public engagement (PE) with science and technology, experience, special PE areas of interest, and any evidence of innovative ideas.

Education, Training and Careers Committee (4 vacancies in the areas of solar system science, astronomy, particle physics experiment, particle physics theory and industry)

The Committee provides advice to Science Board and the executive on strategy, policies and programme balance for all aspects of education and training relevant to the STFC core programme including studentships, Fellowships, equality issues and career development of early career researchers. The Committee oversees the allocation of STFC quota studentships, the peer review and award of fellowships and CASE studentships and the quality of training provided by these programmes. The Committee meets three times a year and members usually serve on the Fellowships panel at some point during their term.

The CERN Fellowship Panel (1 vacancy)

The CERN Fellowship committee reviews the UK applications for CERN Fellowships in particle physics. This is then sent to CERN who consider this together with the ranked applications from other Member States.

Projects Peer Review Panel (8 vacancies)

The Projects Peer Review Panel (PPRP) is responsible for assessing projects that the Council consider have significant scientific priority and proposals for the development of the Council's facilities. The PPRP also considers requests for funding research and development projects that will provide underpinning technologies for future projects.

Additional information

Appointments for Science Board will be made initially for a period of one year, with the possibility of reappointment. For all other committees, members will be appointed for two years with the exception of PPGP where members will be appointed for three years.

Members of STFC advisory bodies are expected to have expertise across the breadth of their scientific remits, from a range of different institutions. Nominees should have a strong scientific reputation. See How do we appoint our committee members.

Nominations are sought from members of the particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics research communities and from the physical and life sciences research communities supported by STFC facilities in both academia and industry. Nominations from STFC scientists are also welcome.

STFC will seek the best members possible for its advisory bodies but also seeks to ensure that membership reflects the diversity within the relevant research communities and so would particularly welcome nominees from groups traditionally underrepresented on such bodies. STFC welcomes nominations of appropriate experts based outside the UK.

If you wish to nominate yourself, or a colleague, please complete the online form. Alternatively, please complete the proforma (Word document - link opens in a new window) and email it to Janice Masone at Polaris House. For the Science in Society Advisory Panel, any special interests in outreach or public engagement should also be included. Please ensure that the nominee is aware of and agrees to nomination.

The closing date is Monday 27 February 2012.

If you require any further information, please contact Jenny Hiscock.