EPSRC and the funding of UK chemistry research

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has recently introduced significant changes to its strategy that have substantially affected the ways in which physical science and engineering research within the UK is organised and funded. The nature of these changes and the speed with which they are being implemented, together with the absence of the words 'chemistry' or 'chemical sciences' from any title within the EPSRC programme portfolio, are raising considerable concerns within the UK chemistry research community.  

RSC Council met with senior EPSRC representatives on 2 October 2008 to exchange views, obtain clarification of EPSRC's funding intentions with regard to chemistry, and to discuss several of the concerns that had been expressed by the UK chemistry community. A summary of this information exchange can be downloaded from this page.  

In addition, an advanced article from the RSC Policy Bulletin is available for download. This article seeks to identify some of the issues causing concern and to suggest ways in which the situation could be improved so that the UK chemistry research community remains internationally competitive.