Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is keeping the UK at the forefront of international science and tackling some of the most significant challenges facing society such as meeting our future energy needs, monitoring and understanding climate change, and global security.

The Council has a broad science portfolio and works with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise in materials science, space and ground-based astronomy technologies, laser science, microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and radar.

STFC has 5 main UK sites:
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), Daresbury Laboratory (DL), UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC), Chilbolton Observatory and Boulby Underground Laboratory.

STFC operates or hosts world class experimental facilities including:
• In the UK; ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, the Central Laser Facility and RAL Space. STFC is also the majority shareholder in Diamond Light Source Ltd.
• Overseas; telescopes on La Palma and Hawaii

STFC enables UK researchers to access leading international science facilities by funding membership of international bodies including European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

STFC is one of seven publicly-funded research councils and is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It is an independent, non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).