The GENERAL BOARD beg leave to report to the University as follows.
1. Cosmology has undergone a revolution in the last decade. Technological breakthroughs have transformed cosmology from a largely data-starved subject to a data-led discipline. At the same time, developments in fundamental physics have led to an entirely new landscape of cosmological theories. Yet we are still only scratching the surface. In the next few decades we can expect to see major new facilities, including ambitious X-ray, infrared and gravitational wave observatories in space, giant optical and radio telescopes, ground-based and satellite experiments to probe the microwave background radiation, and specialist survey instruments designed to map the distribution of galaxies and dark matter over enormous volumes. Answers to fundamental questions, and new theoretical understandings of our origins will surely follow from these experiments.
2. Cambridge has a distinguished record of achievement in astrophysics and cosmology in both theory and observation. This work is distributed across three Departments - the Institute of Astronomy (IoA), the Department of Physics (Cavendish), and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) - and covers an exceptionally wide range of topics. For example, there are world-class research groups covering subjects ranging from detector development to theoretical string cosmology, spanning from radio wavelengths to X-rays, and employing both ground- and space-based facilities. However, the current distributed nature of astronomical research is a poor model for the future and the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences has long seen the need to identify opportunities to move towards greater integration of astronomy activity. There are increasing areas of overlap between the activities in the different Departments and so the co-ordination and consolidation of activity is essential for the maintenance of Cambridge's national dominance in the field.
3. The Kavli Foundation, based in Oxnard, California, is dedicated to the goals of advancing science for the benefit of humanity and promoting increased public understanding and support for scientists and their work. The Foundation supports fundamental research in the areas of astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience and is establishing a network of research institutes in these subjects at leading universities worldwide. Nine of the twelve Kavli Institutes established to date are in the US, two astrophysics institutes have been established recently in China, and one (in Nanoscience) is in the Netherlands. The Kavli Foundation has also created major awards to recognize seminal advances in scientific research in these areas. The Kavli Foundation invited the University of Cambridge to submit a proposal for the establishment of a Kavli Institute and after a competitive process and subsequent negotiation agreement has now been reached for the donation of $7.5m to support a Kavli Institute of Cosmology in the University.
4. The Kavli Institute within the University would bring together researchers from the IoA, the Cavendish, and DAMTP for the first time into a dedicated, project-oriented environment. This is expected to form a first step towards further and closer integration, particularly between the IoA and the Cavendish. The Kavli endowment will enable the establishment of a number of prestigious Kavli Institute Fellowships, anticipated to be five-year awards at Senior Research Associate level. The Kavli Institute will develop a range of three- to five-year research programmes under the general theme of 'The universe at high-redshifts'. The emphasis of the research will be primarily on confronting cosmological theories with observations. These programmes will enable many staff from the IoA and Cavendish Astrophysics Group to engage with the Kavli Institute leading to new and distinctive research and further enhancing the reputation of Cambridge Astronomy.
5. After consultation with the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences, the General Board have agreed that the Institute should operate under the general oversight of that Council and that a Kavli Institute Trust Fund be established to administer the funds donated by the Kavli Foundation, the first call on which would be the stipend and support costs associated with the Kavli Institute Fellows. The General Board will invite the Kavli Foundation to suggest the names of two persons for appointment as Managers of the Fund.
6. The General Board recommend:
That a Kavli Institute Fund be established and governed by the regulations set out in the Schedule to this Report.
| 18 October 2006 | ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor | RICHARD FRIEND | MELVEENA MCKENDRICK |
| JOHN BELL | JACOB HEAD | ROGER PARKER | |
| TOM BLUNDELL | RICHARD HUNTER | J. P. SISSONS | |
| WILLIAM BROWN | D. W. B. MACDONALD | I. H. WHITE | |
| M. J. DAUNTON |
1. The sums received from the Kavli Foundation for the support of work in Cosmology shall form a fund called the Kavli Institute Fund.
2. The Fund shall be under the control of a Board of Managers who shall be:
| (a) | three persons appointed by the General Board, two of whom shall be appointed on the nomination of the Kavli Foundation; |
| (b) | two persons appointed by the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences. |
Members of the Board of Managers in classes (a) and (b) shall be appointed in the Michaelmas Term to serve for four years from 1 January following their appointment. The General Board shall appoint one of the Managers in class (a) to be Chairman.
3. The Director of the Institute shall be appointed by the General Board on the recommendation of the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences and shall act as Secretary to the Board of Managers.
4. The Managers shall be responsible for the administration of the Fund in support of research in Cosmology, for guiding the work of the Institute, and for encouraging collaboration with cognate Departments in the area of Cosmology.
5. The first charge on the Fund shall be the stipend, national insurance, and pension contributions payable by the University in respect of such number of Kavli Institute Fellows as the Managers shall so determine, and who shall be elected by the Managers of the Fund.
6. A Fellowship shall be tenable for up to five years as the Managers shall determine.
7. It shall be the duty of a Fellow to undertake full-time research in the field of Cosmology in the University of Cambridge. In any books, papers, or other publications containing the results of investigations carried out during the tenure of the Fellowship, the Fellow shall, where practicable, use the title 'Kavli Institute Fellow'.
8. The annual stipend of a Fellow shall be such sum as shall be determined by the Managers, within a range approved from time to time by the General Board.
9. After provision has been made in accordance with Regulation 5, the remaining income of the Fund shall be applied at the discretion of the Managers for the following purposes:
| (i) to make such grants as they consider appropriate in respect of expenses incurred in connection with the research undertaken by a Kavli Institute Fellow, | |
| (ii) to make grants in support of other research programmes in the Kavli Institute of Cosmology. |
10. Any unexpended income of the Fund in a financial year may be either added to the capital of the Fund or accumulated for use as income in future years, as the Managers may determine.