While UKRI ponders our fate it was deeply disappointing to see the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Royal Observatory MP responding to our concerns with "funding for STFC has not been cut". True, but flat-cash to cover rising UK facility electricity costs and inflation = cuts to physics and astronomy. #AnswerTheQuestion 😡🔭🧪

At today's UKRI board meeting, the fate of UK particle physics and astronomy will likely be decided. Have we done enough to convince the powers-that-be to halt the proposed funding cuts? 🤞 Read Prof. Hiranya Peiris in Nature today eloquently explaining why these cuts are wrong.🧪🔭⚛️ 📖: rdcu.be/friwM

So long #LHC and thank you for all the collisions 👋 Today, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, comes to the end of an extraordinary chapter in its scientific journey. Find out more: home.cern/cern-bids-fa...

The process of deciding how to cut costs at STFC by £162m is reaching its endgame The ball is now firmly in the government's court. As @francesjones.bsky.social reports in today's Research Fortnight, an impact assessment of the cuts has been sent to DSIT It appears not to make pretty reading 🧵

'A senior member of one of STFC’s advisory bodies told RPN that the..exercise represents “a major crisis for the UK"...all of the outcomes modelled are “shocking”....the government would be “committing an act of national self-harm by imposing these cuts”.' 🙏 @francesjones.bsky.social

Another excellent article from @francesjones.bsky.social . These cuts represent an enormous act of self harm and solutions that maintain PPAN science must be found.

Exclusive: STFC evaluation lays bare ‘huge damage’ if cuts go ahead. Advisers warn of “major crisis” for UK research as impact assessment is sent to ministers. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

A sad week for a child of Sherwood Forest. The greatest tree has died. I’ll always remember the Major Oak from long dog walks and the Robin Hood Festival 🌳

Hey @ukri.org the STFC council minutes page has disappeared: www.ukri.org/publications... Don't worry though, the national archives has a copy here: webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/202601... Could put it back up along with recent minutes, would hate to think you've something to hide 🤔

A full-on week, fighting to #SaveUKAstronomy & PPAN from 30% funding cuts. There were highs (👇hanging out with fab-folk) & lows (@ukri.org trying to erase history in old Council minutes) but the amazing support & ❤️ from the wonderful wide astro-community makes it all worth it. Onwards and upwards 💪🔭

Altering public minutes months after publication, without explanation or a record of the changes made, is deeply concerning. This raises serious questions about transparency and governance at @ukri.org. We’re requesting an explanation.

Hi @ukri.org I see the minutes are back up, but have been modified. Dec 2025 Item 3.1 previously read: (1/n)

This is * insane *. STFC council minutes from December have been removed from their website, changed, and reposted. The new version rolls back on funding commitments made explicit in the initial version. I can't think of another adjective other than Trumpian behaviour.

"Astrophysics research is in trouble". Yup, we've brought in the big guns to #SaveUKAstronomy, particle and nuclear physics! Thank you @drbecky.bsky.social 🙏 📽️: www.youtube.com/shorts/omICc...

🚨"Astrophysics research is in trouble!"🚨 @drbecky.bsky.social talks to Prof Brian Cox about the STFC funding crisis facing astronomy, particle and nuclear physics! #SaveUKAstronomy youtube.com/shorts/omICc...

Time for some more reaction from Monday's Westminster event... Here's Dr Harry Cliff explaining that some of the cuts have already been made, including the "devastating impact" of axing funds to upgrade the LHCb experiment – a huge particle detector buried 100 metres underground at CERN.

Thank you to Dame Chi and the SITC for continuing to scrutinise the impact of recent funding decisions on UK research. Fundamental research and the people who carry it out are the foundation on which future technologies are built. Early-career researchers are the backbone of that research.

Neuromorphic computing is the next big-thing for the future of hardware & algorithm design. Dame Chi, being awesome, as ever, asks if the #STFC cuts to astro/particle physics will impact this UK industry. "I think for sure... someone else [will be] doing the cutting-edge research for the future" 🔭⚛️🧪

Only 8 per cent of early career physicists would advise others to pursue a career in UK research after downturn in postdoc funding, survey finds. @jgro-the.bsky.social reports #research #ECRs #highered #edusky https://ow.ly/1T1Y50Zcpls

📢 450 early-career researchers told @si-wills.bsky.social and me how they have felt about the future of their career since cuts in STFC funding were first announced in January. The results are heartbreaking🧪🔭 Excellent paper from @jgro-the.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/physics...

Among the worst-hit by the cuts will be early career researchers, nearly 80% of whom are now considering leaving the UK in the wake of the crisis, according to a new survey. 🧑‍🔬🔭🪐 @drbecky.bsky.social said they feel "disheartened, disillusioned and dismayed by the bleak future they're facing". ⤵️

📢The results from a survey of 449 early-career researchers in PPAN science are out🧪🔭 Only 8% would now recommend a PPAN career in the UK. 79% are less reassured by recent UKRI announcements. 89% report low confidence in UK postdoc opportunities. 👉 ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io/survey.html

Stars of physics are in Westminster right now to call on the Government to halt funding cuts to astronomy and particle physics research. Professor Brian Cox called them "inexplicable", urging the Government to instead "trust, inspire and continue to invest in the next generation of scientists".

I have rarely seen in my career such a large scientific community facing funding challenges with such strength and a high sense of union.🧪🔭 I am hopeful that the government will hear these brilliant voices and not let #UKRI sacrifice PPAN science. We won't let it happen. ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...

Heading to Parliament to meet MPs and enlist their help to stop the cuts that UKRI and STFC will impose upon UK particle physics, astrophysics and nuclear (PPAN) research! We need to help Science Minister Vallance, who is “determined that UKRI must find a way to look after PPAN” #SaveUKAstronomy

These are crucial questions for #UKRI, #STFC, and the physics community - also echoed in @iop.org's letter to the Committee: committees.parliament.uk/publications...

Before Thursday’s Public Accounts Committee hearing on research infrastructure, Dr Sarah Williams and I wrote to the Committee on behalf of the Particle Physics Action Group and the wider PPAN community. We raised two concerns: infrastructure value for money and the postdoctoral pipeline. 🧵[1/6]

After particle physics and astronomy, STFC's large facilities are next at risk for cuts: www.theguardian.com/education/20...

The potential for #physics driven growth is huge, but getting #UKRI funding changes wrong could cause irreparable damage to our scientific capability. @iop.org calls for the pace of change to be slowed and for full consultation, to avoid unintended consequences ⬇️ www.iop.org/about/news/g...

Government urged to ‘slow down’ physics funding changes. Institute of Physics warns of “irreparable damage to UK scientific capability” beyond areas facing cuts. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Strong statement from the Institute of Physics on the growing pressures facing UK discovery science. The IOP is right to call for proper consultation, a full impact assessment, and stability while decisions are made. #saveSTFC #physicscuts

@resprofnews.bsky.social highlights a gap in UK science policy: ministers promise curiosity-driven research will “grow”, but the budget is flat in cash terms and DSIT can’t explain how growth happens. The mismatch between rhetoric and reality is impossible to ignore.

England win eighth successive Women’s Six Nations after powering to victory over France

This article again highlights the immense damage being done to fundamental science, an area where the UK is genuinely world-leading. Funding choices at @ukri.org that erode the research base in pursuit of short-term economic impact risk weakening the foundations of future UK science and innovation.

Cuts have already devastated arts, humanities & social sciences in universities The fire is spreading & “blue skies” science is next This isn’t a tired “humanities vs sciences” battle We must all stand together or the flames will consume us all www.timeshighereducation.com/news/physics...

Physicists: please consider signing this open letter of support: nottinghamphysics.github.io/Open_Letter/ The University wants to cut a third of academic and related staff from the School of Physics and Astronomy.

Alongside the majority of my colleagues in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Nottingham, I have received a letter telling me I am at risk of redundancy. To my physics friends - please sign this letter to help us save our amazing School nottinghamphysics.github.io/Open_Letter/

My latest for Research Fortnight: 'A “highly successful” programme for using quantum technologies in fundamental physics research is in a state of limbo as decisions over its future hang in the balance, RPN understands.' Almost 50 postdocs have already been lost, according to project leaders.

IOP President Paul Howarth and I have today written to Science Minister Lord Vallance calling for a full impact assessment of proposed STFC cuts to particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) research.

Brilliant to visit IBM Quantum in London today to speak about simulating quantum field theories on quantum computers. The range of work happening across so many disciplines was striking, from fundamental science through to applications in finance. Exciting times ahead.

There is absolutely no reason to transfer PPAN grants to EPSRC - especially right now, as the funding associated with any transfer would undoubtedly be at the planned reduced level and hence too low to sustain them properly. It would simply move the problem from one council to another within UKRI.

Our physicists are pushing the boundaries of research - contributing to major advances in our understanding of the Universe. Read more about some of their outstanding work 👉 tinyurl.com/yc45pa2u @durhamphysics.bsky.social | @icc-durham.bsky.social | @ukri.org | @dirac-hpc.bsky.social

I just sent this letter to the Science Minister and the CEO of UKRI concerning STFC's budgets

🔊Calling UK science & physics teachers. Could you lend me your voice to help us fight the devastating funding cuts planned for UK astronomy and particle physics? Please sign this open letter, which we will be delivering to the UKGov next week. 🧪🔭⚛️🎢 #STFC ✍️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre... Thank you!

Our Centre for Advanced Instrumentation @durhamphysics.bsky.social is helping to build the world’s biggest telescope! 🔭 We’re working on the HARMONI and MOSAIC instruments for the @eso.org Extremely Large Telescope – allowing deeper exploration of our Universe 👉 tinyurl.com/y2k5895e @ukri.org

At the #STFC Partnership Summit today, a live visual summary of the discussions was created in the room. It’s an interesting reflection of what was emphasised…and what wasn’t. Spot the PPAN science:

Durham physicist Professor Valery Khoze has been elected to the Academia Europaea, one of Europe’s most prestigious academic bodies. The honour recognises his outstanding contributions to theoretical particle physics and his international standing. Discover more 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

Terrific article by @si-wills.bsky.social describing the fragile progress we are seeing in particle, astro and nuclear early career researcher posts. Really hope UKRI sticks to Lord Vallances positive words on this.

Restoring physics postdoc posts could save a generation of researchers. UK science must stop using early career researchers as shock absorbers, says Simon Williams. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

The latest edition of Research Fortnight is out today! A quick🧵of what's inside. Turbulence hitting the money available for research and researchers—in funding, in universities and in grant systems—is a theme. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...