About Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is one of the UK’s principal research organisations, providing the large-scale scientific infrastructure that enables world-leading discovery and innovation.
From its base at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, STFC operates laboratories that support everything from particle physics and astronomy to materials science and space exploration.
Its facilities include the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, which allows scientists to probe materials in exquisite detail, and the Central Laser Facility, one of the world’s most advanced centres for high-power lasers. STFC also manages the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), a multidisciplinary site that hosts thousands of visiting researchers each year.
Beyond pure science, STFC plays a critical role in connecting research with real-world impact. Its facilities are used not only by academics but also by businesses, from start-ups to global corporations, fostering innovation in healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, and beyond. Through incubator programmes and partnerships, STFC supports technology transfer and entrepreneurship, ensuring discoveries lead to tangible benefits.
Education and outreach are equally important to STFC’s mission. By engaging schools, universities, and the wider public, it helps cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers. In doing so, it reinforces the UK’s position at the cutting edge of global science.
STFC’s presence in Oxfordshire highlights the region’s pivotal role in international research, ensuring that some of the most ambitious scientific questions of our time are tackled right here.
