"The Collaborative Computational Projects (CCPs), assist universities in developing, maintaining, promoting and distributing computer programs and computational methods."
The CCP14 (Collaborative Computational Project No. 14) in Powder and Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction was initiated in 1994 to collect the best and most commonly used programs. The software located on the CCP14 site is freely available to academic users.
Several software surveys between 1991 and 1993 highlighted the need for a suite of programs to perform all the standard functions for X-ray powder diffraction. Dr. J. I. Langford of Birmingham University, and Dr. R. J. Cernik and Dr. P. J. Durham of Daresbury Laboratory, submitted to S.E.R.C. a proposal to establish a new CCP (Collaborative Computational Project). The proposal was approved in June, 1993. The CCP system exists to promote collaboration between different universities into computational and theoretical research in a whole variety of fields within the broad areas of Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Crystallography. Each CCP is coordinated by a Steering Committee, which is, in turn, guided and advised by the CCP Steering Panel. The aims of the CCP14 project in powder and single crystal diffraction were defined:
- to develop and assemble an integrated and user-friendly suite of programs relevant to the powder and single crystal diffraction communities,
- to organise meetings, and
- set up a working group, establish priorities, disseminate information and report to the CCP Steering Panel.
Summary of proposal rounds
- First round of grant funding by EPSRC (1995 to 1997) with J. Ian Langford (Birmingham) as the first Principal Investigator of the grant. Physically located at Daresbury Laboratory.
- Second round of grant funding by EPSRC (1998 to 2000) Grant renewal with Jeremy Cockcroft (Birkbeck College) as Principal Investigator ; Bob Cernik and David Watkin as co-investigators. Physically located at Daresbury Laboratory.
- Third round of grant funding by EPSRC (2001 to 2007) Jeremy Cockcroft (University College London) as Principal Investigator ; Bob Cernik and David Watkin as co-investigators. Located at Birkbeck College, London, until November 2006, now housed in the Materials Chemistry Centre, Chemistry Department, University College London.
- Renewal of the grant is pending.