We are trying to determine how the 2010 cash freeze has affected scientists, and science, in this country. If you are a UK researcher (or a researcher gone abroad in the past three years), we would be very grateful if you could take the survey, the results of which will be written up into a high-profile report aimed at Government.
Don’t forget to sign the petition, and let everybody know about it, too!
Categories: Campaign, Survey
There has been a severe impact on us and on astronomy. Facilities are being closed well before the end of their useful life (the JCMT and the 20 Million pound SCUBA2 instrument are prime examples) and the number of postdoc places being funded has significantly dropped.
We are in a state of ‘managed decline’ in astrophysics. The danger is that this will become unmanaged decline.
My research has been generally part funded by industry & Govt. Depts. and part by faculty funding. As funding from industry and government dwindles we find ourselves relying more heavily on money from the faculty, and grants. With the REF happening this year money within our Uni has been very forthcoming, but we understand, due to cuts, that next year will be very different. Now we’re frantically learning about and applying for grants, but even as a good research group, we’re in a smaller university and it often feels like it’s hard to compete.