Networks Newsletter- January 2023
Dear Colleague,
Welcome to the January Networks Newsletter, our way to provide key dates for RSC activities, services and new initiatives to our member network committee members and representatives.
This month’s Newsletter contains:
- Upcoming Deadlines
- Upcoming Events
- Spotlight: Results of the Networks Newsletter survey
- Changes to the e-alert process
- Communications from across the RSC
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01 January
10 January
12 January
16 January
18 January
24 January
25 January
26 January
31 January
31 January
03 February
07 February
13 February
28 February
28 February
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11 January
25 January
26 January
01 February
08 February
16 February
22 February
23 February
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| Spotlight: Results of the Networks Newsletter survey |
In the first Spotlight of 2023 we discuss the feedback from the October Networks Newsletter Survey and look at how the newsletter will improve in the new year.In the November networks newsletter, we sent you a survey to get an idea of newsletter engagement and to receive feedback on the communication. This newsletter contains key information for our volunteers from the RSC and therefore is essential reading for all volunteers.We’d like to thank all of you who filled in the survey, the feedback has been crucial in helping us understand how best to contact our volunteers. The key outcomes of the survey were:
- The Member Networks Newsletter will not be changing its name.
- The Newsletter cannot be used for network-organised events, but the RSC Events website has a list of these for members to check.
- We will try and get more lead in time for announcing the dates of our bigger RSC-led events.
- We have rephrased the preview line and opening paragraph of the newsletter to make the importance and purpose of the newsletter more clear.
Read the full report on the newsletter on our MyRSC blog. Should you have any other feedback than what was in the survey responses, feel free to get in touch at networks@rsc.org.
| Changes to the e-alert process |
We have heard feedback from our volunteers that you are frustrated by the limitations of our e-alert system and the difficulties in contacting all of your members and this was highlighted in our volunteer survey as one of the top challenges experienced by our committee members. This has been largely due to the number of members who have either purposefully or inadvertently unsubscribed from email communications and how this is then handled on our email platform to meet our data protection processes.In 2020, we upgraded our membership database, and this new system allowed members to more actively manage their group preferences. This system now allows us to send targeted emails to members of Interest Groups, Subject Community Regions or Local Sections. We are therefore taking this opportunity to change our e-alert process so that all members of your Local Section will be sent your emails as part of their membership.This essentially overrides the previous unsubscribe options with the rationale that Interest Group and Subject Community Region activities are part of the overall membership offering. If a member no longer wishes to receive any messages related to their Interest Group or Subject Community Region, they will be directed to instructions on how to change this – this will involve logging into the website.In addition to ensuring that all of your members receive your emails, other changes include:
- We have heard from volunteers that the sending of e-alerts bi-monthly was causing some frustration so, from the end of January 2023, e-alerts to a single Interest Group or Subject Community Region will now be sent weekly on Thursdays through the new system – all committees are still limited to one e-alert per month. There is a still a multi-team process involved in sending e-alerts so they will be processed as quickly as possible but there will still be a few days needed to process them.
- Because of the justification we are using to override the unsubscribe data, we can now only send information about events to members of the group or groups hosting events. We would not have sufficient justification under GPDR to send these as separate emails to members of other groups.
- We therefore encourage committees running events of interest to members of other groups to consider formally collaborating on or co-badging these events, when relevant, to engage with a wider community to whom we can then justifiably promote the event or activity.
- All messages will contain a footer with links directing members to find more events in their field or local area.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact Fiona McMillan, Member Networks Manager.
| Communications from across the RSC |
Here are updates about events and activities from our Chemist Community Fund, Global Inclusion, Publishing, Outreach and Policy teams. Please pass on to your networks where relevant.Receive help with the rising cost of living: confidential support from the Chemists’ Community FundWith energy and fuel bills and the cost of living continuing to rise, we are here to support members and their family to navigate through financial and well-being challenges. Awards can include-one off grants up to £1,500, or a regular monthly payment to help cover everyday living costs.Contact us for confidential financial support: 0800 084 3451 (UK Freephone) +44 1223 853549 (International) or email.From Goodwill to Equitable and Inclusive Practice: 23 FebruaryThis online workshop will discuss and reflect on what inclusion and equity mean in science engagement contexts. Led by Vanessa Mignan Jenkins, we will explore the key challenges of reaching diverse audiences and look critically at our practice.Join our interactive session and bring along some of the challenges you are facing when trying to achieve inclusivity in science engagement. We will use a peer-consultation approach to identify practical actions for change.Takes place on 23 February from 11am-1pm (GMT).RegisterFour new Open Access journals publish first articlesFour of our newly-launched open access journals have published their first articles, and will publish Issue 1 in January. These journals form part of our ongoing commitment to support the chemical sciences in facing up to global sustainability challenges.EES CatalysisIndustrial Chemistry & MaterialsRSC SustainabilitySustainable Food TechnologyPolymer Chemistry and Soft Matter Lectureships open for nominationsThe Polymer Chemistry Lectureship honours and early-stage career scientist who has made a significant contribution to the polymers field. Nominations close 28 February 2023.Find out more and nominateThe Soft Matter Lectureship honours and early-stage career scientist who has made a significant contribution to the soft matter field. Nominations close 28 February 2023.Find out more and nominateJournal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship winner announcedWe are delighted to announce that Professor Sahika Inal has been selected as the winner of the Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship 2022. In addition, to recognise the diversity of the three journals, overall community and candidates nominated each year, going forward we have decided to recognise two runners-up for the Journal of Materials Chemistry lectureship. This year’s runners up are Professor Luisa Whittaker-Brooks and Dr Jessica Wade.Find out more2022 Outreach Fund Round-Up and 2023 applicationsIn 2022, the Outreach Fund offered grants to 70 applicants across the UK and Ireland supporting the promotion of chemistry to the public in exciting and engaging ways. Read a summary of the 2022 Outreach FundThe Outreach Fund is now open for applications in 2023. Deadlines are throughout the year – the next deadline is Monday 16 January 2023.Find out moreShare your views on the RSC’s science culture vision for the chemical sciencesBuilding on RSC activities exploring the cultural conditions that will best enable quality science and taking inspiration from good practice examples in the science community, we have started to develop a science culture vision for the chemical sciences. As we develop this vision, we are seeking your views.Join one of our focus groups on:
Wednesday 1 February 2023 10.30 - 12.30 or
Thursday 16 February 2023 14.00 - 16.00Science culture encompasses the behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes and norms of our science communities and influences science career paths. Themes under the science culture umbrella, that will feature during the focus groups, include inclusion & diversity; research integrity; open science; career development; and recognition of scientists. Registration closes 25 January.Express your interest
This Newsletter has been tailored to you, but the full version can be found on the Networks Newsletter blog. Please read the online version 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, Debbie, Claire and Barney
