UK physicists warn of brain drain over funding freeze, page 1

physicsworld.com...

Quote from source:

Physicists have written to the UK’s science minister, Lord Drayson, about the “dismal future” for researchers in the UK following cuts announced by a leading UK funding agency last month. They warn that unless the government takes action to reverse the situation the UK will be “perceived as an untrustworthy partner in global projects”, and that there will be a brain drain of the best UK scientists to positions overseas.

The cuts were made on 16 December by the Science and Technology Faculties Council (STFC), which announced that the UK will be forced to withdraw from over 25 leading international projects in astronomy, nuclear physics, particle physics and space science. The cuts – brought about by a £40m shortfall in STFC funding – would also lead to a 25% cut in the number of STFC studentships and fellowships over the next five years, as well as a 10% reduction in support for “future exploitation grants”.

Now, in an unprecedented step, the five chairs of the STFC’s advisory panels, which represent the members of the UK’s particle physics, nuclear physics, astronomy and space physics communities, have written to the science minister to express their concern about the STFC’s budget and the damage it could cause to the UK.

I really do not understand with the amount of money being spent on wars how countries are cutting funding to what is really important. For people to start taking money away from education and advancement show how poor of shape our world is really in. This really upsets me and to loose the UK in funding for science is disappointing.

Any thoughts?