About

Science is Vital was a grassroots campaigning organisation formed in 2010 and dissolved in October 2018 by a group of concerned scientists and supporters to combat threats to the public R&D budget. It was run entirely by volunteers, making the case for UK research in their spare time.

Contact

Although SiV is no longer active, this website remains as an archive of its activity. Social channels are also still open but inactive: Facebook, Twitter

Governance

Science is Vital was run by an executive committee and supported by an Advisory Board of senior scientists and former SiV Exec Board members.

A brief history of Science is Vital

2010 – Science is Vital founded. Petition, rally, and parliamentary lobby against threat of cuts to science budget. Read more »
2011 – Report “Careering Out of Control: A Crisis in the UK Science Profession?” presented in a meeting with David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science. Read the report »
2013 – Report on the legacy of the flat-cash settlement (based on information gathered from supporters all over the UK) presented in a meeting with David Willetts Read the report »
2014 – Organised a public consultation on plans for capital consultation Read more »
2015 – Broke the story that UK public funding of R&D had dropped below 0.5% of GDP Read the article »
2015 – Campaigned for real increases in the R&D budget in run-up to the Comprehensive Spending Review in Nov 2015. Public rally in Conway Hall with high-profile speakers was live-streamed & synchronised with meetings around the UK Read round-up and watch rally »
2016 – HE & Research Bill Action – media briefing and letter writing campaign to MPs Read more »
2017 – Organised a letter-writing campaign and lobby in Parliament about the consequences of Brexit for UK science Read more »
2018 – SiV was formally dissolved in October 2018. Read more »