Conor Fitzpatrick

'...the UK has traditionally led the world: think Stephen Hawking, Peter Higgs, Roger Penrose and Paul Dirac. These cuts attack the very pipeline of talent that the government wants to encourage.' Jeff Forshaw and @ProfBrianCox on @UKRI_News cuts theguardian.com/science/2026/m…

Excellent ongoing work from @CommonsSITC on the ongoing physics funding crisis in the UK. It’s also worth noting that the crisis is not one of funding for science overall - rather it stems from hasty and ill-informed decision making. One senior person I talked to used the term ‘bull in a china shop’. Not good when we’re talking about one of the foundations of our fragile economy.

Today, Lord Vallance and Sir Ian Chapman's letter in response to the select committee stated 'no decisions have yet been taken on the funding committed to PPAN projects'. @guardian shows otherwise: theguardian.com/science/2026/m…

We’ve written to @SciTechgovuk minster Lord Vallance and @UKRI_News, pressing for urgent clarification on science research funding cuts. Find out more: committees.parliament.uk/committee/135/…

So will UKRI's actions materially affect future science collaboration with the UK? They will, because the rest of us are obliged to treat UKRI's behaviour today as predictive of its behaviour tomorrow. The shame is that it is our colleagues in the UK who will pay the real price.

And yet, UKRI continues to tell us there are no cuts. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

UK research funding latest

@whitherapathy @martinmbauer @profserious I'm afraid the train of logic left the station along with @profserious's article, as evidenced by this figure. 'Different camps' are free to argue positions but I hope you agree supposition is a poor counter to fact.

"It may be that the government has decided that our field is not strategically important, so heavy cuts are appropriate... they should do so with their eyes wide open to the potential implications in the future for the UK workforce" Malcolm Fairbairn timeshighereducation.com/opinion/stfc-t…

@whitherapathy @martinmbauer @profserious You also appear to be confusing IF projects with facilities. These are not the same thing, and PPAN 'space' with STFC. Also not the same thing.

@whitherapathy @martinmbauer @profserious They are run by stfc for the benefit of research undertaken outside of stfc. They are tensioned against research undertaken within stfc. If that isn't a moral hazard that entirely undermines the central thesis of that article I don't know what is.

Physics cuts ‘could hurt government’s dash for growth’ UK scientists fear for the talent pipeline and homegrown expertise in AI and quantum researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

One of the UK’s best-known scientists, Brian Cox, has condemned “devastating” cuts to physics funding after major reductions in postdoctoral research support were communicated to universities timeshighereducation.com/news/brian-cox…

trending link: x.com/i/trending/203…

Looks like this is getting quite a bit of attention. I hope @UKLabour is taking note:

I agree with everything in this article. The cuts to particle, nuclear and astro physics research in the UK will be devastating, not only to the fields themselves but also to universities more widely and, in the longer term, to industry and therefore the economy as a whole. They were not thought through, there was little or no consultation, and I do not believe they have the support of parliament. The SI&T select committee has been ignored, indeed pretty much everyone who knows anything about the successful but delicate research ecosystem in the UK has been ignored.

NEW: Feature by me on Physics cuts ‘could hurt government’s dash for growth’ Letters last March were sent to project leaders informing them that their funding would not be renewed. “We’re losing people”, including postdoctoral  researchers. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

Great if depressing read from @frances_jones00 in @resprofnews on the UKRI PPAN situation. “The uncertainties around career progression often drive early career researchers abroad or out of research completely” researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…