STFC Update – Programmes Directorate PPAP Community Meeting 20 July 2017 Tony Medland

Current Challenges Managing Core Programme within a flat cash budget. Supporting our communities to access GCRF, Newton Fund and ISCF Impact on our communities of Brexit and potential loss of EU funding. Demonstrating impact of the science we support (e.g. CERN Impact Evaluation) Implementing BoP recommendations and upcoming Programme Evaluations. Preparing for transition to UKRI UKRI - develop an overarching research and innovation strategy Strategic prioritisation of resources - especially for interdisciplinary and cross-cutting research and investment in research infrastructure Maintain strong leadership and strategic oversight in domain specific areas

Managing Flat Cash Continuing flat-cash allocation through to 2019/20. Putting the budget under extreme pressure Flat cash means reducing volume Programme has survived largely by big projects moving downstream (E-ELT, LHC upgrades), but can’t continue forever Strategic reviews to tension the programme (LHC Upgrades, Neutrinos, Phenomenology) Sub-optimal funding , PRD cancelled Little benefit to date from centrally held funds like ISCF and GCRF BEIS and UKRI understand our flexibility is now very low STFC pressing for financial uplift to protect our science programme

BoP – Next Steps Following on from the 2017 Balance of Programmes Report… “Recommendation 12: We recommend a Particle Physics programme evaluation be carried out in late 2017, with a view to ensuring that the programme is optimal, balanced, coherent and sustainable.” Firstly, and to feed into this, we must undertake…

PP Theory Review Feeds into Programme Evaluation STFC BoP 2016 endorsed recommendation of 2015 Review of Phenomenology that “STFC reviews the level and balance of funding for particle theory ” To review the quality and impact of UK PPT research across core themes and advise the STFC Executive on the future breadth and balance of STFC-support, including: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each theme Appropriate breadth and balance of PPT programme to ensure sustainability, impact within available funds; Computing requirements Feeds into Programme Evaluation Report to Science Board Feb 18

PP Programme Evaluation 4-yearly Programmatic Review process for evaluating STFC’s core programmes replaced by new two stage process: Balance of Programme (BoP) exercise every 3 years, supported by Detailed programme evaluations of specific science areas during intervening period First BoP Exercise completed in 2016 - published spring 2017 Excellent world-leading science programme Exploitation funding a priority in all areas to maintain capability Uncertainty over future funding introduces risk for future development and maintaining breadth of programme Will now be followed up by programme evaluations of each science area during 2018 to feed into next BoP in 2019

PP Programme Evaluation PP Theory Review Q4 2017 PP Programme Evaluation Q3 2018 BoP2 2019 Completed by May 2019 to feed into next BoP exercise Inter-dependencies between areas to be managed (e.g. PA and PP) Each review will explore consequence of + 10% funding over the next 5 years metrics to track and compare progress and performance Impact potential will be important.

PP Programme Evaluation Programme Evaluation Schedule and Terms of Reference still to be finalised but will include: Evaluation sub-panels with appropriate representation Fact-finding and analysis using standard proforma to request inputs from projects and experiments Review by Science Board Additional evaluations that could usefully feed into next BoP: the PRD programme and whether it should be modified or replaced; the funding delivery method for exploitation grants and construction projects, to ensure benefits and objectives of these processes continue to be met

PPGP(E) Consolidated Grants New 3 year CG mechanism, with review period beginning earlier to maintain longer planning horizon Approximate timeline: Activity Timing Kick-off Meeting 10 August 2017 CG Proposals & Form X Closing Date 13 February 2017 Clarification Meetings March to May 2018 Experiment Panel Meeting April 2018 Peer Review Meeting June 2018 Report to Science Board July 2018 Grants Announced September 2018 Grants Begin October 2019 Consolidated grants will be awarded as three year grants, with the potential to request up to a one year no cost extension providing flexibility to start posts later in the grant period

PPGP(E) Consolidated Grants Kick Off meeting 10 August New Applicant and Reviewer Guidelines. Incorporate lesson learned from previous grant round to improve review process: Structure and content of submissions Effectiveness of external reviewer process Ring-fenced Effort. Maintaining level of support for projects in the last round proved difficult because of long-term effects of flat cash PPGP may not be able to ring-fence the level requested due to impact on the wider experimental programme.

Any Questions…?