These monthly newsletters aim to keep all member networks updated with news describing how to get involved, as well as information of relevant events, services and new initiatives from the RSC Networks team. If you require further information about any of the items in the newsletter, or have any comments or ideas for content please contact the Networks team.

Committee members and representatives are encouraged to disseminate this information, as appropriate, to colleagues and other members. E-alert request forms can be downloaded from the Useful Forms and Documents page. Up to date lists of members can be obtained by emailing the Networks Team.
 

Networks Newsletter – July 2019

 Dear all,

Welcome to the Networks Newsletter, our way to keep our member networks up to date with RSC activities, services and new initiatives.

This month in the Spotlight we have information about your new logos and how to use them. As always, full-length Spotlight articles will be published on the RSC Networks Newsletter blog.

This month’s Newsletter contains:
 
  • Upcoming Administration Deadlines
  • Upcoming Events
  • Spotlight: New logos for member networks
  • Communications from across the RSC
  • Latest updates on our policy work
 
 

Upcoming Administration Deadlines

01 July       Deadline for Local Section and Interest Group Top-Up Fund applications
09 July       Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 July to additional networks
11 July       Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 July
15 July       Deadline for IYPT Member Grants
23 July       Deadline for E-alerts going out on 1 August to additional networks
25 July       Deadline for E-alerts going out on 1 August
31 July       Deadline for Chemistry World inserts (UK Local Sections only)

06 August  Deadline for E-alerts going out on 15 August to additional networks
08 August  Deadline for E-alerts going out on 15 August
12 August  Deadline for Outreach Grant

 
 

Upcoming Events

04 July                  Member e-alerts
10 July                  Local Section Day
10 July                  Annual General Meeting of the Royal Society of Chemistry
10 July                  Close of the 2019 Pay and Reward survey
18 July                  Member e-alerts
24 July                  Interest Group Forum
01 August             Member e-alerts
15 August             Member e-alerts
11–12 September 2019 Joliot Curie Conference

 
 

Spotlight: New logos for member networks
As many of you know, we refreshed our brand and logo in April. New logos for all member groups were sent out to Chairs and Secretaries last week along with supporting information on how to use them. Please email networks@rsc.org if you have not yet received your logo.

We have also created headed Word and branded PowerPoint templates, which are available for you to download from rsc.org/FormsDocuments. Further information about the brand refresh and downloadable RSC logos can be found at brand.rsc.org.

To find out more about the new logos, read 
the full blog post, or contact the Networks team.


 

 

Communications from across the RSC
Here are updates about events and activities from our Outreach, Careers, Events, International, and Research & Innovation teams, as well as the Chemists’ Community Fund and RSC Publishing.


RSC Breaking the Barriers report celebrated on 20 June
The report won Best Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Campaign at the 2019 memcom excellence awards in June

Breaking the Barriers highlighted the systemic barriers that women in the UK’s chemical sciences academia face. The report was based on a major survey, interviews, focus groups and data gathered across the community. This bold and groundbreaking research gave us insights into the reasons why women interested in academic careers are not progressing to senior grades or reaching their potential as their male counterparts do.

Our campaign to achieve
#ChemEquality resulted in significant media coverage and a huge volume of supportive social media posts from members of our community, which impressed the judges.

Find out more about how Breaking the Barriers is continuing to implement recommendations, including our new
Grants for Carers, on our Inclusion & Diversity pages.


Get involved: Pay and Reward survey 2019
This year’s Pay and Reward survey is now open for members to contribute until Wednesday 10 July. The published report (available from early Autumn) provides valuable information about the pay and benefits in different areas of the chemical sciences allowing members to make evidence-based about their careers.

In its 100th year, we want this report to be the most accurate, comprehensive and helpful yet, so we encourage all members to take part in this significant project. You should have received your personal link by email on 12 June. If you haven’t received your email then contact the Careers team.


Exploring the workplace for LGBT+ physical scientists
The Institute of Physics, Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry carried out the first ever survey of LGBT+ physical scientists in the UK, collecting evidence on workplace climate and experiences.

We present the results of this research, along with recommendations for how we can create a climate that enables everyone to be fully themselves in their workplace or place of study in our new report, launched on Wednesday 26 June.

Read it here: rsc.li/LGBT_report


Providing frontline and vital support for student mental health and wellbeing
A collaborative team from the Technician Commitment, Science Council, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry, University of Liverpool and University of Nottingham undertook a national survey to highlight the important roles technicians play in student mental health and wellbeing.

The report offers a number of recommendations to the higher education and research sector, individual employers and to technicians themselves in order to ensure that all involved and fully supported and appropriately trained.


Member to Member Mentor Scheme – looking for mentees and mentors
The award winning Member to Member Mentor Scheme is continuing to grow. We have a number of mentors, with backgrounds in industry, who are ready to be matched with a mentee. If you’d like to be mentored by one of them please email careers@rsc.org for more details.

Additionally, the scheme is keen to recruit more mentors with academic backgrounds. Please do get in touch at careers@rsc.org if you’d like to learn more about being a mentor.

Volunteer opportunity with the Chemists’ Community Fund
The Chemists’ Community Fund are currently looking to recruit Ambassador volunteers.

The Ambassador role plays a key part in amplifying the reach of the Fund, helping to raise awareness of their services with local networks through events and communications. You can find more about the Ambassador role in the May Spotlight article. Please do share with your networks and friends and colleagues who may also be interested. For further details contact ccfund@rsc.org.


PACN Congress 2019: ‘Riches of the Natural World: Sustainable Use of Africa’s Natural Products and Materials’
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 5–7 November

This annual flagship event will take place in Addis Ababa from 5th – 7th November 2019. The theme of the congress is natural resources and their sustainable management in Africa, and will include scientific sessions on natural products, raw materials and biomaterials, and climate change and water resources.

Abstract submissions are now open and full funding is available if you are selected for a presentation and you are an African scientist working in Africa. Don’t miss out – deadline is 12 August 2019.

Find out more at:
rsc.li/pacncongress2019

 
 

Latest updates on our policy work
With a programme of activities spanning research funding, mobility of scientists, open access, chemicals regulation, teacher supply, curriculum and much more, our goal is to shape the development of policy relevant to the chemical sciences.


Plan S: the future of Open Access publishing
We held a livestreamed panel discussion on Plan S at Burlington House. Reacting to changes to Plan S published just that morning, our panel of researchers explored its potential impacts and consequences, including cost implications and the need for a global rollout. The discussion was broadcast on our YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts and generated good online conversation, which fed into the panel discussion. The video recording is now available on our YouTube channel. Research Fortnight published a news piece covering the event and Nature News quoted Emma Wilson, Director of RSC Publishing, in their first reaction piece.
 

Breaking the Barriers outcomes: Grants for Carers
We launched the second phase of our Breaking the barriers report project, with the introduction of our Grants for Carers, through which members of our community can now apply for up to £1,000 per year to help them attend a chemistry-related meeting, conference or workshop or a professional development event. These grants have been introduced as part of the Breaking the Barriers action plan, after our research found that 78% of chemists working in UK academia felt that managing parenting and/or caring responsibilities had an impact on women’s retention and progression.


‘Future Waste’ and the role of chemistry
Our Policy & Evidence team, together with the Environment, Sustainability & Energy Division, co-organised a ‘Future Waste’ summit in Swansea. The event brought government, academia and industry together to help us shape our policy recommendations in the areas of critical raw materials (CRMs) in waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE), plastics and biopolymer alternatives (including a presentation on the findings of a discussion meeting on sustainable plastics hosted by our Materials Chemistry Division earlier this year), and food and farming waste. These are the critical areas of the government’s resources and waste strategy within the 25 year plan for the environment, where chemical scientists play key roles.


The importance of practical and technical skills in education
T-levels – new, 2-year, post-GCSE technical qualifications – are coming soon in England. Full updates on the Science T-level and our recent consultation responses are now on our website: https://www.rsc.org/campaigning-outreach/policy/importance-of-practical-technical-skills/


HCUK update: growing the talent pool in higher education and research funding post-Brexit
The Heads of Chemistry UK (HCUK) met in Warwick to discuss the future of chemical sciences in higher education and ways to grow the talent pool. Invited speakers included industry R&D managers, education experts and funders to explore the factors impacting graduate recruitment, future skills needs and the research funding environment.

The HCUK also held a dedicated policy workshop organised by the RSC and BEIS on the Sir Adrian Smith Independent Review on International Collaboration on Research and Innovation. The RSC submitted evidence to Sir Adrian Smith’s review, stressing that the UK should continue to participate in EU programmes as an associated country and other international collaboration opportunities should be developed in addition. We also highlighted the importance of curiosity-led, discovery research and used results from our Brexit Policy Survey earlier this year.
 


 

We welcome any feedback you have on what you would like included in this newsletter; please email any suggestions to networks@rsc.org.

Please feel free to encourage other members of your committee to read the Networks Newsletter blog.

Kind regards,

The Networks Team
Fiona, Aurora & Becky

 
Posted by Aurora Walshe on Jul 1, 2019 10:00 AM Europe/London

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