UK Solar Physics Community Open Letter

An open letter to:

Professor Sir Ian Thomas Chapman FREng FRS FInstP

The Rt Hon Dame Chi Onwurah DBE MP

The Rt Hon Elizabeth Louise Kendall MP

The Rt Hon Lord Vallance of Balham GCB FRS KCB FRS FMedSci FRCP HonFREng

Professor Michele Dougherty CBE FRS FRAS

We are writing as representatives of the UK Solar Physics Community in response to recent announcements from UKRI and STFC about proposed investment for 2026 to 2030.

In an open letter and an address to the SITC, it was highlighted that savings need to be made in the STFC budget, ramping up to £162M per year by 2030/2031. This is apparently due to increasing costs from (1) inflation, (2) exchange rates for international subscriptions (3) lacking funds to cover the costs of projects that have already started. It was emphasised in SITC that at a macroscopic level across UKRI the funding split is essentially unchanged between curiosity-driven fundamental science, applied science, and helping companies to scale. However, communications from STFC do in fact suggest a significant cut in fundamental science funding for the fields of astronomy/astrophysics, particle physics, and nuclear physics. Here, we place this in context and provide perspective from the UK Solar Physics community.

In a letter addressed to the Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics (PPAN) research communities dated 28th January 2026, the Executive Chair of the STFC discussed a 30% reduction in the long-term budget for PPAN compared with the previous year’s budget. Existing individual project awards have been asked to provide an assessment of the impact of reductions by up to 60%. This news came alongside the report of the Astronomy Grants Panel from the (prior) 2025 round which also detailed deep reductions to grant funding.

There is a longstanding structural situation within STFC, where the costs of facilities and international subscriptions are tensioned against PPAN research funding. This relates to STFC’s formation, which involved the merging of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC). Members of our community are concerned that specific disciplines of fundamental science, such as Solar Physics and Astronomy, are now absorbing increased national facilities costs and international subscriptions, after the softening and removal of measures that were introduced by Lord Drayson to prevent this.

The current funding structure creates a serious mismatch between UK investment in world-leading space instrumentation and the capacity of UK scientists to exploit it. Cuts to the grants line mean researchers outside our system are increasingly positioned to lead the scientific return from UK-built hardware. Left unaddressed, this structural imbalance will disproportionately harm early-career researchers, weaken the UK research base, and damage long-term national growth.

Critically, each point listed above will disproportionately affect funding of postdoctoral early career research. Taken together, they will damage the UK’s reputation among talented young researchers, create early career instability, drive away our next generation of scientific leaders before they can establish themselves, and thereby cause lasting damage to the UK’s fundamental research capacity. Thus, they also pose a serious risk to long-term UK growth.

Astronomy and Solar System Science have always had a special role in inspiring STEM careers. Many of us teach, train and mentor talented young people who choose STEM pathways as a direct result of the UK’s visible strength in these fields. Most of the students, apprentices, PhD students, and researchers who follow this path enter the wider workforce, such as industry, defence, or government agencies, having gained valuable subject knowledge, skills, and attributes. Reductions to research funding hinders recruitment of future STEM students and workers and depletes the pool of educators. This will magnify existing skills shortages that were already clearly highlighted by IOP surveys as a key obstacle to government objectives.

We agree with the sentiment of Prof. Sir Ian Chapman’s statement to SITC: “What is it that differentiates the UK when we are seeking above average growth? The only thing I can point to is our Research and Innovation base which, per Capita, pound-for-pound, is best in class. And I really do believe that if we are going to seek above average growth, that is our asset”.

Fundamental research in Astronomy and Solar System Science, including Solar Physics, makes significant direct and indirect contributions to the UK economy. Today’s curiosity-driven science is fundamental to tomorrow’s applied science and is in unison as a pillar with, not opposition to, economic growth. UK Solar Physics research is highly internationally recognised, a status built over decades. Continuity is a vital component that powers this. Just a few recent examples include:

1. UK research institutions partner with the UK Met Office via the SWIMMR research programme to provide fundamental solar and heliospheric physics input into its world-leading, trusted space-weather forecasts. Space weather, which impacts critical infrastructure, including power grids, satellites, aviation, navigation and communications, is recognised on the National Risk Register. This demonstrates how our fundamental research directly informs real-world risk assessment and decision making. This fundamental solar physics and space weather research contributes directly to growth and UK excellence, as well as protecting critical infrastructure.

2. Andor, a UK leader in high-performance scientific imaging, developed the cameras for the first-light instruments of the US Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope. The cameras were developed in partnership with six UK Solar Physics university partners, led by Queen’s University Belfast. This camera platform, originally developed for solar physics research, has found wider applications in high-energy X-ray neutron-radiography/tomography, fusion-diagnostic imaging, and defence-related sensing systems and presents a strong example of academia-industry collaboration.

3. In Newcastle, Northumbria University’s STFC-funded Solar and Space Physics Group was instrumental in securing a £50 million investment for the new North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) facility, developed by Northumbria University with investment from Lockheed Martin and the UK Space Agency.

4. In Leicester, the UK’s space science leadership and the University of Leicester’s Institute for Space were critical in developing the £100m Space Park Leicester, creating a world-leading cluster for innovative space research and technological innovation.

We add our voices to those across the sector urging ministers, UKRI and STFC to assess how the planned cost reductions will affect Astronomy and early career researchers. We understand that like-for-like comparisons under restructurings are challenging, but useful metrics are available and valuable, such as numbers of doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships supported. We also note the willingness of UKRI leadership to innovate, and invite collaborative discussion about how inflationary and currency risks can be more effectively managed to reduce risks to fundamental PPAN research. Our community is open and eager to work with you to develop a plan for Astronomy and PPAN that will power the UK’s growth and research excellence.

What is most important to us? In the near-term, we require reassurance that the cost reductions will not severely damage fundamental research or the training pipeline for early-career researchers. Possible actions include:

• Re-evaluation of the scope and scale of the proposed reductions in Astronomy fundamental research and wider PPAN research.

• Ring-fencing fellowships and grants, particularly for early-career researchers.

• Consideration of mitigating measures for increased facilities costs, for example, increasing facility access charges for researchers funded by other councils to reflect new operating costs.

In the longer-term we recommend:

• Balanced representation of the fundamental research community on strategic decision-making panels.

• Clarification of the position of our fundamental science within a council that also represents facilities.

• A review of whether the dual-key model is ensuring adequate UKRI/STFC support for scientific exploitation of UKSA-funded assets.

• A review of the decision-making process that led to spend exceeding the budget, to prevent a recurrence.

Yours sincerely,
Dr. Malcolm Druett, University of Sheffield, Chair of the UK Solar Physics Council
Dr. Marianna Korsos, University of Sheffield, Deputy Chair of the UK Solar Physics Council

Sign the letter here: https://forms.gle/h77BcoeRoBLiHf5S9

119 Co-signatories (in alphabetical order):

Aisling O'Hare – Queen's University Belfast – PhD Student

Alexander Russell – University of St Andrews – Senior Lecturer, Head of Solar and Magnetospheric Theory

Andrew Wright – University of St Andrews – Reader in Applied Mathematics

Anmol Kumar – University of St Andrews – PhD Student

Anne-Marie Broomhall – University of Warwick – Associate Professor

Annelies Mortier – University of Birmingham – Associate Professor and UKRI FLF

Anthony Yeates – Durham University – Professor

Balveer Singh – University of Dundee – Postdoctoral Research Assistant

Ben Snow – University of Exeter – Postdoctoral Fellow

Cara Waters – Queen Mary University of London – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Chris Osborne – University of Glasgow – Research Fellow

Christopher Chen – Queen Mary University of London – UKRI Future Leaders Fellow & Reader in Space Plasma Physics

Christopher Scott – University of Reading – Professor of Space & Atmospheric Physics

Dale Weigt – Aalto University (Finland) – Postdoctoral Researcher

Daniel Brown – University of Lancashire – Reader in Solar Physics

Daniel Johnson – University of St Andrews – Honorary Research Fellow

David Hughes – University of Leeds – Professor

David Jess – Queen's University Belfast – Professor

David MacTaggart – University of Glasgow – Senior Lecturer

David Tsikauri – University of Salford – Honorary Academic Staff

Duncan H Mackay – University of St Andrews – Professor in Applied Mathematics

Edris Tajfirouzeh – Queen Mary University of London – Research Associate 

Eric R Priest – University of St Andrews – Emeritus Professor

Erwin Verwichte – University of Warwick – Associate Professor (Reader)

Florian Koller – Queen Mary University of London – Postdoctoral Researcher

Francesca Coke – University of Glasgow – PhD Student

Gary Verth – University of Sheffield – Senior Lecturer of Applied Mathematics

Gert Botha – Northumbria University – Assistant Professor

Giulio Del Zanna – University of Cambridge – Research Professor

Gordon Bromage – University of Lancashire – Professor Emeritus Astrophysics

Graham Kerr – University of Glasgow – Royal Society University Research Fellow

Gunnar Hornig – University of Dundee – Professor

Harry Greatorex – Queen's University Belfast – Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Harry Lewis – Imperial College London – Postdoctoral Researcher

Helen Mason – University of Cambridge – Emeritus Professor in Solar Physics

Heli Hietala – Queen Mary University of London – Royal Society University Research Fellow & Senior Lecturer in Space Plasma Physics

Hemanthi Miriyala – University of St Andrews – Postdoctoral Researcher

Huw Morgan – Aberystwyth University – Professor & Physics Director of Research

Iain Hannah – University of Glasgow – Senior Lecturer

Istvan Ballai – University of Sheffield – Senior Lecturer

Jack Reid – University of St Andrews – Honorary Research Fellow

James Brooks – University of St Andrews – PhD Student

James O'Donoghue – University of Reading – STFC ERF Fellow and Associate Professor

James Threlfall – Abertay University – Lecturer in Applied Mathematics

Jenna Scott – University of Southampton – Senior Procurement Manager

Jim Wild –  Lancaster University – Professor of Space Physics

John Coxon – Northumbria University – STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow

Julia Stawarz – Northumbria University – Royal Society University Research Fellow

Karen Meyer – University of Dundee – Lecturer in Mathematics

Konstantinos Karampelas – University of St Andrews – Research Fellow

Krishna Mooroogen – GhGSaT – Senior Data Scientist

Laura Vuorinen – Queen Mary University of London – Postdoctoral Research Assistant

Lauren McClure – University of Sheffield – PhD Student

Liam Edwards – University of Helsinki – Postdoctoral Researcher

Luca Franci – Northumbria University – Royal Society University Research Fellow & Assistant Professor

Lucie Green – UCL, Mullard Space Science Laboratory – Professor of Solar Physics

Luke Gostelow – University of Glasgow – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Luke Majury – Queen's University Belfast – PhD Researcher

Lyndsay Fletcher – University of Glasgow – Professor of Astrophysics

Madeleine Heideman – University of St Andrews – PhD Student

Maria-Theresia Walach – Lancaster University – Research Fellow and Lecturer

Martin Archer – Imperial College London – UKRI Future Leaders Fellow

Marzena Trela-Brownlie – University of Southampton – PhD Student

Mathew Owens – University of Reading – Professor of Space Physics

Mihalis Mathioudakis – Queen's University Belfast – Professor of Astrophysics

Muhammed Aslam Ottupara – University of Glasgow – Research Associate

Nachiketa Chakraborty – University of Reading – Lecturer

Natalia Bajnokova  – University of Glasgow – PhD student

Natalia Zambrana Prado – University College London – Postdoctoral Researcher

Natasha Jeffrey – Northumbria University – Associate Professor

Nawal Alanazi – University of Glasgow – PhD Student

Nicolas Labrosse – University of Glasgow – Senior Lecturer

Patrick Antolin – Northumbria University – Associate Professor

Peter Cargill – Imperial College – Emeritus Professor

Peter Keys – Queen's University Belfast – Lecturer

Peter Wyper – Durham University – Associate Professor

Philippa Browning – University of Manchester – Professor Emerita of Astrophysics

Renzo Lam – University of Reading – PhD Student

Richard Boynton – University of Sheffield – Lecturer

Richard Morton – Northumbria University – Professor & UKRI Future Leaders Fellow

Robertus v Fay-Siebenburgen – University of Sheffield – Professor, Head of SP2RC

Robert Kamlah – Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Postdam – Postdoctoral Researcher

Roger Dufresne – University of Cambridge – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Ross Pallister – Northumbria University – Research Fellow

Ryan James Campbell – Queen's University Belfast – Lecturer

Ryan Milligan – Queen's University Belfast – Senior Lecturer

Sage Stanish – University of Glasgow – PhD Student

Samuel Carter – Northumbria University – PhD Student

Samuel Grant – Queen's University Belfast – Lecturer

Samuel Skirvin – Northumbria University – Postdoctoral Researcher

Sargam Mulay – University of Glasgow – Research Associate

Sarah Matthews – UCL – Professor of Solar Physics

Serhii Zharkov – University of Hull – Lecturer in Physics

Shaun Bloomfield – Northumbria University – Associate Professor

Shivdev Singh Turkay – Northumbria University – PhD Student

Sian Ford – Northumbria University – PhD Student

Silvia Dalla – University of Lancashire – Professor of Solar Physics

Simon Daley-Yates – University of St Andrews – Postdoctoral Researcher

Simona Nitti  – University of Leicester – PhD Student

SJ Brooks – University of St Andrews – Scientific Officer

Stephanie Yardley – Northumbria University – STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow

Stephen J. Bannister – Northumbria University – PhD Student

Steve Milan – University of Leicester – Professor

Suzana de Souza e Almeida Silva – University of Sheffield – Research Associate

Thomas Howson – Abertay University – Lecturer

Thomas Neukirch – University of St Andrews – Professor of Applied Mathematics

Thomas Rees-Crockford – Northumbria University – Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Timo Laitinen – University of Lancashire – Research Fellow

Tom Elsden – University of St Andrews – Lecturer

Valentin Aslanyan – University of Glasgow – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Valery Nakariakov – University of Warwick – Professor of Physics

Viktor Fedun – University of Sheffield – Professor

William Bate – University of Hertfordshire – Postdoctoral Research Fellow

William Chaplin – University of Birmingham – Professor of Astrophysics

Zach Clare – University College London  – Research Software Engineer

Zhangrong Hou – Queen Mary University of London  – PhD student