PPARCs research programme addresses some of the biggest
scientific issues. Addressing these issues requires long-term strategic
planning and investment to provide UK researchers with access to the
state-of-the-art facilities necessary for competitive research. Planning a
long-term investment strategy requires consideration of a range of future
scientific opportunities and options and the PPARC Road Map is intended to set
these out in a structured way. The Road Map is built around nine key Science
Questions:
PPARCs Road Map describes these questions, the various projects
it is undertaking to address these questions, and the options for later
projects which will extend these areas of research in the future. The PPARC
programme can be described in terms of three phases:
- The current facilities and experiments which PPARC supports and which are
delivering scientific results today.
- The projects and facilities which are currently under construction and will
deliver the next generation of scientific results.
- The possible future projects. These are more long term and, typically, PPARC
would currently be supporting technical Research and Development for these
future projects.
For each of the Key Science Questions, the Road Map sets out the
current, in-build and possible future projects. In this way it is possible to
get an overview of the PPARCs various approaches and options for addressing the
key science questions.
The Road Map was developed by PPARC's Science Committee. The listing of a possible future project in the road map
is not an indication that PPARC intends to participate in that project nor is
the absence of a project an indication that PPARC has decided not to
participate. However, the future projects listed in the Road Map are a guide to
those projects which Science Committee regarded as the current likely options.
The Roadmap will be updated by STFC's Science Board in due course.
If you have any comments on the Roadmap, please contact Guy Rickett.