Economic Impact
The STFC has undertaken a project
to investigate the Economic Impact of the SRS at the DSIC over its
lifetime. This project will be published in April
2008.
This is part of broader UK Government and Research Councils
projects to define the economic impact of Research Council funding.
In addition, the STFC
has been defining metrics to measure and maximise the Economic
Impact of the council and its campuses.
This study is one of three reports which will outline the
Economic Impact of research council funding and large facilities to
the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
(DIUS). These reports will shape future decisions on the
establishment of new large scientific facilities in the UK.
Using the DIUS agreed definitions of Economic Impact, examples
of how the Synchrotron Radiation Source impacts are:
New or improved products, processes, services (for
industry)
The SRS has impacted industry's capabilities via a number of
routes. For example, commercial companies can use the SRS
to solve problems which could not be solved through conventional
techniques. Numerous industrial partners have also supplied
products to the SRS, due to the advanced nature of the required
technology; this, in turn, has pushed the boundaries of their
capabilities.
The establishment of new businesses
The SRS has contributed to the creation of new businesses
through spinning out several companies based on the various
technologies associated with the SRS. Direct impacts
arise from revenues generated by licences or spin out companies or
services that exploit the technology and knowledge developed at the
SRS. In addition, there are several cases in which users of the SRS
themselves have gone on to create companies based on
experience gained using the facility. Daresbury SIC also hosts
several companies in the Daresbury Innovation Centre
which are aligned closely to SRS science or technology and which
are supported by scientists from the SRS.
Improvement of Public Services
Science output from the SRS has impacted in several sectors,
most notably the Biomedical sector through its contribution
to drug discovery. This has been due to the development
of protein crystallography which was pioneered at the SRS.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies use the SRS PX
capability and insights from protein structures routinely to guide
some early aspects of drug development. Wider, and potentially
larger, economic benefits arise from a contribution to the cost
effectiveness of new drug development and on the enhanced quality
of life and social impacts arising from novel, more effective
therapeutics.
The production of highly qualified people
The SRS has contributed to the production of highly qualified
people through a number of routes. Over its lifetime the SRS has
been responsible for the high tech training of thousands of users
and research carried out on the SRS has contributed to hundreds of
students gaining PhDs or degrees. Many SRS staff have transferred
their highly specialised knowledge when they have taken up
positions at other synchrotron sources, such as the ESRF in
Grenoble. As the world's first synchrotron radiation facility, the
SRS contributed hugely to the world wide growth of other
synchrotron radiation facilities which now number 75 through the
transfer of the skills and knowledge by its staff. A significant
amount of advisory committees for synchrotrons around the world
have contained SRS staff.