STFC

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation, and our goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world. Our strength comes from our distinct but interrelated functions:

• Scientific Facilities: Providing access for scientists to world-leading, large-scale facilities across a range of physical and life sciences, enabling research.
• Universities: supporting university-based research, innovation and skills development in astronomy, particle physics, nuclear physics, and space science.
• National Campuses: working with partners to build National Science and Innovation Campuses based on our National Laboratories to promote academic and industrial collaboration and transfer technology and knowledge through interaction with industry.
• Inspiring and Involving: we help ensure a future pipeline of skilled and enthusiastic young people by using the excitement of our sciences to encourage take-up of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in school and future life.

Our large-scale scientific facilities in the UK and Europe are used by more than 3,500 scientists each year, carrying out more than 2,000 experiments and generating around 900 publications. The facilities provide a range of research techniques using neutrons, muons, lasers and x-rays, and high performance computing and complex analysis of large data sets, and are used by scientists across a huge variety of science disciplines ranging from the physical and heritage sciences to medicine, biosciences, the environment, energy, and more.

Our two main Campuses are the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell in Oxfordshire, and Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire – each of which offers a different cluster of technological expertise that underpins and ties together diverse research fields. 

The combination of access to world-class research facilities and scientists, office and laboratory space, business support, and an environment which encourages innovation has proven a compelling combination, attracting start-ups, SMEs and large blue chip companies.

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