STFC and EPSRC Nuclear Physics Funded Programmes

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1 STFC and EPSRC Nuclear Physics Funded Programmes Jenny Hiscock Nuclear Physics Programme Manager STFC Neil Bateman Energy Manager EPSRC

2 Funding Mechanism HM Government (and HM Treasury) RCUK Executive Group

3 Science and Technology Facilities Council STFC funds world class and world-leading research in astronomy, particle physics, space science and nuclear physics o This research takes place in - university groups - STFC sites/laboratories - international organisations o o Providing access to world class UK facilities and overseas facilities Funding university researchers 1,700 academic staff in UK universities

4 Current STFC Support for Nuclear Physics STFC provides support for experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Including: Experimental work carried out at facilities Design and research and development of instruments and detector systems Analysis and interpretation of data Development and study of theoretical frameworks Total STFC NP programme funding in: 2012/13 = 5.8M

5 Current STFC support STFC funds NP Exploitation Grants: 4.2M pa Ten groups Prioritised science themes to arrive at a balanced programme

6 Current STFC Support UK groups win time on a range of international facilities (ISOLDE, Jyvaskyla, JLab, GANIL, GSI etc). AGATA deployment at GSI International Subscriptions - NuPECC, ECT*, experiments (e.g. ISOLDE, MINIBALL, EXOGAM, AGATA) STFC fellows - 6 (of ~60) 25% success rate in Studentships - ~13 starts p.a.

7 STFC Nuclear Physics Group (NPG) at Daresbury Support and contribute to the UK's Nuclear Physics research programme supported by the STFC Expertise and co-ordination: Electronic engineering Software engineering Project and Mechanical engineering Target preparation Detector simulations, design and production Research programmes Contact: Professor John Simpson, Head of Nuclear Physics

8 FAIR and NuSTAR May 2013 UK became Associate Member of the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) STFC funding for NuSTAR 8.6M construction project over 5 years

9 Future Project Proposals A number of new opportunities have been under consideration by the NP community. These include: - future UK contributions to the Jefferson Lab upgrade in US, - future ISOL facilities (ISOLDE), and - upgrades for the ALICE, AGATA and NuSTAR detectors. Review in next year and possible STFC funding pending confirmation of Spending Review.

10 Community Interaction Nuclear Physics Advisory Panel (NPAP) Developed NP community Roadmap in 2012 Fed into the STFC 2012/13 Programmatic Review Annual Town Meeting Institute of Physics IOP Review support the NP community to play a full role in applications

11 STFC Impact Report 2012

12 Pear shaped nuclei Impact through Innovation An international team at the ISOLDE radioactive-beam facility at CERN has shown that some atomic nuclei can assume asymmetric, "pear" shapes. The observations contradict some existing nuclear theories and will require others to be amended. The results are published in the journal Nature today. Contact: Peter Butler, Liverpool Image: ISOLDE/CERN

13 Properties of Astatine Impact through Innovation Nuclear physicists at the ISOLDE radioactivebeam facility at CERN, have for the first time measured the radioactive properties of astatine. Isotopes of astatine are candidates for the creation of radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment by targeted alpha therapy. Contact: Andrei Andreyev, York and Bruce Marsh, CERN/ Manchester

14 Nuclear Energy and Engineering STFC focus is primarily on transferable skills of STFC funded nuclear physics students; the materials research capabilities at ISIS and Diamond; and the Centre for Advanced Laser Technology and Applications. STFC works with other government agencies and research councils, particularly EPSRC, to develop and exploit links with the nuclear energy industry, e.g. member of Nuclear Research Coordination Group In 2012, provided input to two civil nuclear R&D reviews: House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee Enquiry: Building New Nuclear: The Challenges Ahead. Landscape Review of UK Civil Nuclear R&D Capabilities response to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology 2011 report on UK Nuclear R&D capabilities. Contributed to the recently published Government strategy, The UK s Nuclear Future.

15 Nuclear Physics Outreach Elizabeth Cunningham, PP & NP Outreach Officer UK Nuclear Activity newsletter List of speakers

16 Nuclear Energy & Nuclear Engineering The RCUK Energy Programme supports research into Nuclear power generation. The Energy Programme core remit includes: Materials (cross cutting) Decommissioning of nuclear facilities Treatment of nuclear waste for recycling within the fuel cycle or for disposal. The nuclear fuel cycle Current nuclear facility operation New nuclear build and advanced reactor technology Nuclear Fusion

17 Cross cutting research areas Nuclear safety (ESRC) Regulation (ESRC) Public acceptability (ESRC) Environmental aspects of Nuclear power (NERC) Geological waste disposal (NERC) Sensors detectors etc. (STFC) TSB

18 Nuclear national R&D Publication of the UK Industrial Strategy Government Infrastructure spend NNUF NIRO/NIRAB New nuclear build LCICG NSG NIC NRCG NIRAB (under negotiation)

19 Nuclear Fission Underpinning Activity/training: BGS Secure Energy Supply nuclear repository (NERC). Industrial Doctorate Centre in Nuclear Engineering. Nuclear first CDT. CDT in Actinide Chemistry. Nuclear Networking Nuclear Research Coordination Group (AWE, STFC, NNL, NDA, ONR, MoD, BIS, DECC, Horizon Nuclear Power, EDF, Environment Agency, Westinghouse, Rolls Royce). Nuclear Fission Champion group.

20 Nuclear research areas Theme no. of projects Value M Training Nuclear systems NNUF (nucl champ group) Safety Fuel Waste, Geodisp &Env Materials Supply Chain Total 47 70

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22 Nuclear Fission Principal Consortia Activities MBase: Advanced Nuclear fuel separations ( 1.3M). Performance and reliability of metallic materials for nuclear fission power generation ( 1.7M). REFINE: Materials for the reduction of spent fuel ( 2.4M). Fundamentals of current and future uses of nuclear graphite (1.3M). Materials for Fission and Fusion Power ( 5.8M programme grant) Current UK collaborative activities: NNUF; core of national facilities located at CCFE, Dalton and NNL ( 15M). Geo-waste projects, joint with NDA ( 2M RCUK, 2M NDA). TSB; 2M collaboration in nuclear supply chain R&D.

23 International Collaboration Fission India; 12 projects funded ( 6M) with DAE on-going formal partnership. USA; NUEP 3. projects funded ( 2.3M), 1 further to be funded ( 1M) France; Discussions over JHR, CEA engagement with CDTs Japan; Possible engagement in safety and extreme events.

24 Fusion for Energy Major block of funding to UKAEA Culham c. 27M pa. ( 163.4M six year grant) EPSRC funding for ITER, JET and UK domestic programme (alongside EURATOM funding). In light of the changing fusion research landscape and in order to ensure the right balance within the energy portfolio a long term strategy for fusion as an energy source has been developed and approved by EPSRC and STFC Councils. Fusion has received an award for six years of funding and a 20M upgrade programme. Additional 7M other research funding Including 2.4M fusion doctoral training Network

25 EPSRC and STFC Remits Working together to produce a joint statement on remits: Clarify the remits of each Research Council. Provide guidance to which Research Council proposals should be made. Consulted with community on draft statement. Likely to be published on EPSRC and STFC websites in the next few weeks.

26 Thank You for Listening Any Questions?