Networks Newsletter - May 2022
Dear Colleague,Welcome to the May Networks Newsletter, our way to keep our member network committee members and representatives up to date with RSC activities, services and new initiatives.This month’s Newsletter contains:
- Upcoming Deadlines
- Upcoming Events
- Updated member networks Handbook
- Communications from across the RSC
03 May 09 May 09 May 10 May 12 May 24 May 26 May 31 May 06 June |
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05 May 11 May 19 May 13-14 June 15 June |
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Updated member networks Handbook |
The Networks Handbook outlines the support and guidance available to the committees and volunteers of all RSC member networks. The Networks Team update the Handbook regularly with information about resources and training available and processes for member network committees to follow, and add answers to common questions about how to do specific tasks or how to spend network funds in the FAQ section. You can find the most up to date version at rsc.li/member-networks-handbook, please contact the Networks Team with any questions or feedback.Find answers to your questions in the Networks Handbook
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.Interest Group and Subject Community ConsultationFinal deadline for responses 9 MayAt the end of March we emailed our Interest Group and Subject Community Consultation survey to Interest Group committee secretaries asking for every committee to complete the survey. Please could you or a member of your committee complete the survey by 9 May at the latest if you have not already. The Division Councils are meeting soon, and we would like to be able to share as many responses with them as we possibly can. Your response will inform the Subject Community information that members of your interest group will see via the members’ area or via Subject Community communications. However, members will be able to change their subject preferences at any time and this will not impact their membership or communications from your Interest Group.
In the same survey, we also want to understand what you might want to achieve or would be of most benefit to your Interest Group Committee by engaging with the relevant Subject Community Council and how to best enable this. Building on many of the existing types of collaboration and links between our Interest Group Committees and our (what are currently named) Division Councils, we have proposed three initial categories of engagement.
We are very grateful for your input, which will help to inform the transition to Subject Communities. Please note that this transition will not alter financial arrangements for Interest Groups or the governance or strategic responsibilities of the Member Communities Board (including financial and legal aspects) for all member-led networks, including Interest Groups. This will also not change current links that Interest Groups have to the MCB, the Member Networks Committee or support and activities overseen by the RSC Networks Team such as the Interest Group Forum and the Networks Newsletter.Share your committee's input by Monday 9 MayWe are launching a dedicated Race & Ethnicity UnitWith the launch of our Missing Elements report in March, we committed to create a dedicated Race & Ethnicity Unit to lead systemic and structural change. Our Race and Ethnicity Unit represents our commitment in action to tackling racism and ethnic inequalities uncovered in the chemical sciences. The Unit will be established with an initial investment of £1.5M over the first three years to serve as a basis to evaluate outcomes and impact, and future needs in the community and for our future work.We are now recruiting for a Race & Ethnicity Unit Lead to manage the team who will make recommendations to empower communities to drive racial and ethnic equality. Please share the job ad with your networks and keep an eye out for future vacancies.Learn more about the Unit Lead role and apply online by 23 MayCelebrating our outstanding reviewers of 2021In 2021, we were supported by a network of over 46,000 peer reviewers across 130 countries. These individuals helped us ensure that the research we publish is high quality and impactful. From this community, we are celebrating over 530 reviewers for their incredible contributions to the publishing process. They are being recognised in particular for the number, timeliness and quality of their reports.Discover our full list of outstanding reviewers of 2021 on our website Understanding implicit bias in decision makingEvery day, our minds make snap decisions about others without us realising it. If left unchallenged, one person’s implicit bias can have a lasting impact on another’s career path. We’ve created this short video to guide decision-makers and committee members on actions we can all take to mitigate the effects of implicit bias.Watch our video and learn how you can mitigate the effects of implicit biasMentoring Training11 May, 11.00am–1.00pm (UK time)Mentors find the experience of helping another member rewarding as they help them to grow and 'address their own challenges, considering their relationships at work and thinking of the future'. If you are a Member or Fellow and are interested in becoming an RSC mentor, there is a mentoring training session scheduled 11 May.Learn more and register onlineOutreach Fund grants of up to £10,000 availableOur Outreach Fund is currently open for grants of up to £10,000 to support chemistry-based outreach activities.This year we are again running a rolling monthly application system Tuesday 3 May and Monday 6 June being the next deadlines. We are especially interested to receive applications that support sustainability as well as those that target under-represented audiences.
Please consider whether you could include details of the Outreach Fund in any communications you send to the members of your groups or if you know of any friends or colleagues that would be interested to hear about the Fund maybe from work or other community groups you are a part of do pass this on.
Head to the Outreach Fund page for further information or contact Geri Kitley via outreach@rsc.org if you have any questions or want to discuss an application or project.Find out more on the Outreach Fund webpage
This Newsletter is sent out as a tailored email communication to all member network volunteers. Please read the full version here and get in touch with suggestions for what you would like included or feedback about what we've sent you.Send us your feedbackKind regards,
The Networks Team
Fiona and Debbie