Ian Leitch Mcdougall

High-temperature superconductivity

Cohn Humphreys criticizes the UK superconductivity community for its apparent lack of positive response to the recommendation by the materials panel in the UKs Technology Foresight exercise that additional funding should be directed towards the processing of superconductors for applications (August p15). Be assured that the community is totally convinced of the importance of processing. The problem is the lack of directed funding for such a programme, compounded by the demise of the advanced technology programmes of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the disbanding of the National Committee for Superconductivity and the ending of the special initiative on superconductivity set up by the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC). The UK no longer has a national strategy or framework to focus such efforts.