STFC

STFC is one of seven publicly funded research councils in the UK. It is an independent, non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). STFC’s programme tackles some of the most significant challenges facing society such as meeting our future energy needs, monitoring and understanding climate change, and global security.

The Council has a broad science portfolio and works with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise in materials science, space and ground-based astronomy technologies, laser science, microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and radar.

Science and Technology at STFC

STFC operates or hosts world class experimental facilities including the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Central Laser Facility, and LOFAR, and is also the majority shareholder in Diamond Light Source Ltd.  It enables UK researchers to access leading international science facilities by funding membership of international bodies including European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

STFC manages UK contribution to the ESS   

In BrightnESS, STFC is involved in Work Package 2: Strengthening In-Kind Contribution and Coordination, where the organisation is part of the In-Kind network of Regional Hubs. The regional actors will monitor and maintain technical progress relative to schedule on IKC during the periods of peak project activity. STFC is also part of WP6: Collaboration, Communication and Dissemination, which includes expanding the ESS community and network.

STFC’s Accelerator Science and Technology Centre (ASTeC) is providing in-kind contributions to ESS, including recently delivered state of the art vacuum facilities.  STFC is the prime contractor on two key instruments, LoKI and FREIA. The ISIS Neutron and Muon Source has over 30 years’ experience in the construction of spallation neutron instrumentation and the team will be taking the lead in designing and delivering these two instruments for ESS.

STFC’s ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.