"We need a credible plan for science funding in the UK" Excellent letters in @theguardian.com from Prof Ruben Saakyan and Prof Sheila Rowan on the cuts to @ukri.org - STFC PPAN science www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

IOP members: nominations for our Council of Trustees close 7 April. If you have a passion and commitment to the IOP and physics, consider nominating yourself. Find out more at https://www.mi-nomination.com/iop26

What is the impact of cuts to physics? Read more here ⬇️ www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

This seems to be a wholely new form of the Drayson partitions. In this letter, the government and UKRI are saying that they are actively tensioning CERN costs against PPAN grants. This is completely different to what the Drayson partitions have been in the past.

The Lord Vallance/UKRI answers to @chionwurah.bsky.social's Science, Innovation and Technology select committee questions are now online ⬇️: committees.parliament.uk/publications...

I'm sure, given what Minister Vallance and the UKRI post have said, that this can't be intended? But the lack of coordination is incredibly damaging. These are cuts. Not delays to allow consideration of priorities.

Today's reminder (from @malcfairbairn.bsky.social) that economic growth needs skills, that the generation and supply of skills from curiosity driven research is a pipeline, in an ecosystem that needs consistent support. This isnt a tap to turn off and on, not if you want to nurture best talent.

This ⬇️ from @si-wills.bsky.social so articulately makes the case for investing in all aspects of the R&I pipeline, to generate future opportunities and nurture the skills to power progress. And this ⬇️ so clearly shows how mobile good ECRs are, and how quickly we can lose them if we are not careful.

Transparency is so important when there is change. There needs to be a full well-motivated #UKRI picture that is clear to everyone, with a clear and fair impact assessment. Maintaining that there is growth gaslights those facing cuts and adds disquiet and confusion. This is not transparent yet.

In depth report on UKRI/STFC funding issues from @pallabg.bsky.social. We need to find a way through this to a better research landscape; in the words of Lord Vallance yesterday, "we need to make sure we don't cause damage in the wrong place".

We're hosting a virtual town hall on 24 Mar, 3-4pm, where our CEO, Professor Sir Ian Chapman, will outline UKRI's upcoming five-year strategy & new mission. He'll be joined by an executive panel and a Q&A will follow. Registration closes 23 Mar, 5pm. Register here⬇️

Xi_cc+ in the Guardian, noting that cuts from @ukri.org will prevent future discoveries like this.

The Science, Innovation & Tech committee have written the most amazing letter to DSIT/UKRI/STFC: "What is clear is that, despite your assertions to the contrary... widespread cuts have been proposed before adequate consultation with those affected was undertaken. This is wholly unacceptable" 💪🔭⚛️🧪

Excellent points made by ECRs in this ⬇️ meeting. Any potential change to PPAN needs open and constructive consultation and dialogue, and include the particular needs of supporting long term, large scale collaborative research and international context in each area.

Banger measurement. This started as an mphys project in Manchester and was led by some great people to work with.

Physics at risk: UK science leader on what's wrong with the latest funding cuts www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Great! ⬇️ Photonics is so underpinning to so many sectors. It's a valuable UK asset.

Two excellent hearings last week ⬇️; the articulate cases made by all physicists and the focussed questioning of both committees, bravo to all. There is a lot to work through here. How we got to here, what motivated decisions, what really is going on, what is the future.

HERE WE GO!!!! Final year of @cern.bsky.social #LHC Run 3 coming up .... and then a metamorphosis into high luminosity LHC #HL-LHC (when we'll get most of our data).

Some thoughts on this : Michele again conflates the cern subscription with our ability to do science. By cutting lhcb's upgrade but paying the subscription, we are paying for something our researchers can't benefit from either in publications or technology transfer.

Here is my run-down of today's Science, Information & Technology Committee hearing (House of Commons) where @jonbutterworth.bsky.social @si-wills.bsky.social & I argued for no funding cuts, & Prof. Michele Doughtery explained why they were needed. The public gallery again packed with physicists 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

Want to analyse our @lhcb.bsky.social data? Well ... now you can:

Follow this morning's SITC session if you have *any* interest in @ukri.org and STFC funding, including @jonbutterworth.bsky.social and the Astronomers Royal: committees.parliament.uk/committee/13...

UKRI funding changes are raising serious concern across the UK science community. More than 50 university physics leaders including all 23 Russell Group universities with physics facilities have warned that proposed cuts risk undermining innovation-led economic growth. 🔗 www.ft.com/content/a235...

What a super meeting at @waltoninstitute.bsky.social exploring the opportunities for Ireland at @cern.bsky.social this morning. It's such an exciting time - and what brilliant facilities and research at the institute too!

CaSE ask for clarity, transparency over #UKRI figures, and impact monitoring ⬇️⬇️

I'm sure this⬇️ is an accidental, unplanned, undesired consequence. But it's pretty consequential: "a fundamental betrayal of more than two decades of scientific leadership and a blow to the foundational stability of European big science"

I am living the nominative determinative dream....

This is an amazing place, that makes amazing science happen. You want to test the boundaries of particle physics? Find new forces and types of matter? You need technology and skills like this.....

More comment on potential damage to physics ⬇️. "Difficult choices have to be made but they have to be good choices" - or profound damage ensues. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I've written about the UKRI funding situation and the 'buckets' explainer, looking in detail at QR, STFC and Quantum. www.ersatzben.com/p/the-bucket...

Letters from astronomers, particle physics and @iop.org ⬇️: the dangers to skills, knowledge, leadership and our future economy and society; the impacts of "uncontrolled and irreversable damage". www.theguardian.com/education/20...

This ⬇️; the impacts of sudden, unprepared cuts to projects. It's not just science that's lost. It's people. Skills. International collaboration. Opportunity. Futures. Future growth. Physics cuts put livelihoods, investment and reputation at risk www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

This ⬇️, the other Infrastructure project deprioritisations, the 30% cuts planned at STFC, are not "doing fewer things better". These long term endeavours are already streamlined like a whippet. This UKRI funding rebalancing will result in the UK losing world leading science. #UKRI #STFC #physics

Article from @physicsworld.bsky.social about the decision to withdraw UK funding from the @lhcb.bsky.social upgrade, without which LHCb will not be able to exploit the high luminosity LHC (which the UK has already paid for via the CERN subscription). physicsworld.com/a/cern-upgra...

We're delighted to welcome HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to our Physics Powering the Green Economy reception, exploring how physics-led innovation can deliver the green solutions society urgently needs. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to the brilliant exhibitors who showcased their tech.

Some initial reactions to the 'published on a Sunday afternoon' letter from the CEO of UKRI. 🧵 www.ukri.org/news/open-le...

Today, we're sharing an open letter from our Chief Executive, Professor Sir Ian Chapman, outlining changes to UKRI investment approach, and addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC. Read his letter here: www.ukri.org/news/open-le...

"Physics isn't a luxury we can afford to throw away through confusion and cuts." Following our response to STFC's funding reductions yesterday, it's great to see this news covered in @thetimes.com. (1/4) www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

New Science Technology & Facilities Council (STFC) letters confirm major funding reductions to areas including particle, nuclear and astrophysics, with a similar process expected for national facilities and labs. While investment in quantum, AI and green tech is welcome, the IOP warns cutting (1/3)

Congratulations to LHCb-UK Edinburgh colleagues for this one! Who would have thought we could not only detect exotic states of matter like the χc1(3872), but start pinning down its nature too? Go @lhcb.bsky.social !

Just look at the northern lights over Iceland right now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B-x...

New result from @lhcb.bsky.social posted on arxiv, great explainer by @wjbarter.bsky.social. Here B mesons are behaving in a way we don't understand. What's the cause? Is our theory not quite right? Is it new physics, hiding in plain sight? More details ⬇️

@ukri.org has set out how it plans to invest its £38.6bn funding allocation over the next four years. Professor Paul Howarth, IOP President-elect, responds to the announcement: www.iop.org/about/news/i...

LHC Status is feeling festive!

These look brilliant. If you have a great idea for AI that could transform research in our research frontiers @liverpooluni.bsky.social - this is for you!

Are you in Edinburgh? This will be a super talk - don't miss it!

Students, apply for a CERN summer studentship. Greatest experience ever! Deadline 26 January 2026. careers.cern/programmes/s... (It's not just for physicists. Check it out.)

More info on UKRI allocations published today (more, but not full - Council-by-Council to be published in Dec). Also note that footnote 5 confirms that the 25/26 figure isn’t comparable with 26/27 - sigh www.gov.uk/government/p...

Do you have great ideas for innovative uses of AI in research? Interested in a 5 year @liverpooluni.bsky.social fellowship to enable you to make it happen? Look no further ⬇️