Editing Science and Engineering Research Council

{{Infobox organization
| name                     = Science and Engineering Research Council
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| abbreviation             = SERC
| formation                = 1981
| dissolved                = 1991
| predecessor              = Science Research Council (SRC)
| successor                = [[Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council]] (EPSRC)
| purpose                  = Funding of science and engineering research
| headquarters             = 
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| type                     = [[Non-departmental public body]]
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}}

The '''Science and Engineering Research Council''' ('''SERC''') and its predecessor the '''Science Research Council''' ('''SRC''') were the [[United Kingdom|UK]] agencies in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities, including astronomy, biotechnology and biological sciences, [[space research]] and particle physics, between 1965 and 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://epsrc.ukri.org/about/history/ourbeginnings/|title=Our beginnings|author=Anon|year=2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111140431/https://epsrc.ukri.org/about/history/ourbeginnings/|archive-date=2019-11-11 |publisher=EPSRC |website=epsrc.ukri.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/5a10ce9e-99cb-3684-aa60-12ef95675933?component=254f7a33-cdd2-361e-a9ac-f8fd86c23080|title=Science And Engineering Research Council (SERC)|location=Newcastle|website=archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk}}</ref><ref name="Walgate1983">{{cite journal|last1=Walgate|first1=Robert|title=UK energy research: Powers link up with SERC|journal=Nature|volume=304|issue=5922|year=1983|pages=106|issn=0028-0836|doi=10.1038/304106a0|bibcode=1983Natur.304..106W|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112062820/https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/pubs/realising-our-potential-a-strategy-for-science-engineering-and-technology/|archive-date=2019-11-12|url=https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/pubs/realising-our-potential-a-strategy-for-science-engineering-and-technology/|website=epsrc.ukri.org|title=Realising our potential: A strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology|year=1993|author=Anon}}</ref><ref name="Dickson1993">{{cite journal|last1=Dickson|first1=David|title=William Waldegrave wants to carve up SERC and create stronger political links|journal=Nature|volume=363|issue=6427|year=1993|pages=289|issn=0028-0836|doi=10.1038/363289a0|doi-access=free}}</ref>

== History ==
The SERC also had oversight of:

* the [[Royal Greenwich Observatory]] (RGO)
* the [[Royal Observatory Edinburgh]] (ROE)
* the [[Rutherford Appleton Laboratory]] (RAL)
* the [[Daresbury Laboratory]]

From its formation in 1965 until 1981 it was known as the Science Research Council (SRC). The SRC had been formed in 1965 as a result of the Trend Committee enquiry into the organisation of civil science in the UK. Previously the Minister for Science had been responsible for various research activities in the [[Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (United Kingdom)|Department of Scientific and Industrial Research]] (DSIR) and more loosely with a variety of agencies concerned with the formulation of civil scientific policy. One of the main problems addressed by the enquiry was how to decide the priorities for government funding across all areas of scientific research. Previously this task had been the responsibility of the Treasury without direct scientific advice. The other [[UK Research Councils|Research Councils]] formed in 1965 were:
 
# the [[Natural Environment Research Council]] (NERC)
# the [[Social Science Research Council (UK)|Social Science Research Council]]  (SSRC)
# the [[Agricultural Research Council]] (ARC)

These bodies joined the [[Medical Research Council (UK)|Medical Research Council]] (MRC) which had existed since 1920. In 1981, to reflect the increased emphasis on engineering research, the SRC was renamed the Science and Engineering Research Council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our history |url=https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/epsrc/who-we-are/our-history/ |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=www.ukri.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 1994, the new [[Director General of Research Councils]] was charged with reorganization of the four existing research councils, and this resulted in the SERC being split three bodies:
# the [[Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council]] (PPARC)
# the [[Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council]] (EPSRC)
# the [[Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council]] (BBSRC)

The two Observatories were moved under the aegis of PPARC, and the Laboratories initially into EPSRC and later into their own organization, the [[Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils]] (CCLRC).

In 2007 CCLRC and PPARC were merged to form the [[Science and Technology Facilities Council]] (STFC), with responsibility for nuclear physics being transferred from EPSRC to STFC.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

==See also==
*[[ORRF Risk Research Forum]]
*[[Packet switching#SRCnet/SERCnet|Packet switching § SRCnet/SERCnet]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Science and technology in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Research councils]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1994 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1984]]
[[Category:Organizations disestablished in 1991]]
[[Category:Engineering organizations]]
[[Category:Research in the United Kingdom]]