All articles tagged with #ukri
The UK government is 'exploring' long-term options for Jodrell Bank Observatory after UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) declined to prioritize the site for funding beyond March 2028. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated the facility has a 'secure future' and recently met with the University of Manchester to find solutions, despite a 'science-based decision' to shift focus to the Square Kilometre Array.
UKRI's STFC plans to terminate £2.8m/year of funding for the e-Merlin network in 2028, risking the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank unless alternative funding is found. The move is part of broader PPAN cuts, including scrapping about £49m for a CERN LHCb upgrade and £58.8m for the US Electron-Ion Collider, while the SKA remains funded and UKRI plans to boost budgets for AI and quantum tech; officials say the reductions aim to protect postdocs and PhD opportunities and preserve UK leadership, even as energy costs and international memberships rise.
More than 100 artists, writers and scientists urge the UK government to reverse funding cuts to Jodrell Bank Observatory’s e-Merlin network, arguing that shutting it down would remove a key global eye on the sky, threaten dozens of local jobs and thousands of researchers, and jeopardize the UK’s leadership in space science as other facilities face cuts.
More than 150 public figures signed an open letter urging the government to reverse UKRI's decision to cut about £2.8m a year from Jodrell Bank Observatory, warning that 28 jobs and research used by thousands of scientists would be at risk unless new funding is secured by 2028. The UNESCO World Heritage site, home to the Lovell Telescope and a hub for the Square Kilometre Array project, is pivotal for space observation, education and safety work.
The UK’s Jodrell Bank Observatory faces closure after UKRI cuts shave its £2.8m annual budget as part of a 2.7% reduction in astronomy and related research, risking 28 jobs and Britain’s radio astronomy capabilities—including the Lovell telescope, the e-Merlin network, and future SKA involvement—unless alternative funding is found.