Engineering news
Peter Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize for his theoretical work
An £11 million space technology centre named after “God particle” scientist Peter Higgs is to be built in Scotland, the government has announced.
Due to open in 2016, the Higgs Centre for Innovation will be constructed on the site of the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (ATC) which is operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh.
Chancellor George Osborne said that the facility will focus on “big data” – or large-scale computer processing – and space, two of the most promising technologies of the future.
A capital investment from the Treasury of £10.7 million will be used to build the centre, which will then receive operational funding of £2 million a year from the STFC over a period of five years.
The centre will bring together particle physics, astronomical instrumentation, large-scale computer processing, academics and industry. As well as a team of scientists and students, the facility will house up to 12 small businesses.
Science minister David Willetts said that the new centre reflected the “valuable contribution” Professor Higgs had made to global science. He said: “The Higgs Centre for Innovation will focus on big data and space technologies, two of the eight great technologies of the future. The centre will enable us to build on our strong research base and play a major role in helping to bridge the so-called 'valley of death' between the lab and the marketplace.”
Professor Higgs, who was recently awarded a share of the Nobel Prize in Physics for his prediction of the Higgs boson, commented: “This support from the Treasury and the STFC will create an environment in which future generations of scientists from around the world can share and develop ideas.”
Chief executive of the STFC, Professor John Womersley, said: “The Higgs Centre for Innovation provides a unique opportunity to bring together the most advanced scientific and engineering expertise with the business support and knowledge needed to take new ideas through to market reality.
“Particle physics, astronomy and space science all address one of the biggest questions in science, what is the universe made of. The centre will significantly increase the positive impact that arises from fundamental research like this, both in job creation and economic opportunities and growth in the UK.”
The ATC, where the centre will be based, specialises in developing equipment and software for astronomical observatories, including some of the world's biggest telescopes. It also conducts its own research and manages collaborations with universities, institutes and companies at home and abroad.