Networks Newsletter: February 2023
Dear Colleague,
Welcome to the February 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:
| Spotlight: Don’t forget to renew your RSC membership |
In this month’s spotlight we want to remind you to renew your RSC membership as a requirement for volunteering with us.With the new year ticking over it is membership renewal time! Regardless of when in the year you signed up to membership with the RSC, you will need to renew your payment from the end of the calendar year (31 December). This is crucial for you all as volunteers one qualifier is for you to be an active member. This will also affect your ability to run for future committee positions this year.You can check and renew your membership by visiting the members’ portal and clicking the box titled “Renew Your Membership” and following the instructions.Should you have any other questions about member renewal, feel free to get in touch at membership@rsc.org.
Thank you to those who could attend Local Section Day both virtually and at Burlington House on 16 November. Interesting discussions were had around events planning post-pandemic and engaging network members.We recorded the talks from our staff, which is available to you via the links below, starting with Jo Reynolds, (Director, Science & Communities) talking about our overall RSC strategy:Watch Jo Reynold’s talk on RSC strategyWe also had Amanda Bailey (Manager, Education Strategic Programmes) talk about the RSC Education strategy:Watch Amanda Bailey’s Talk on EducationFinally we had Anna Dearden (Manager, Chemists' Community Fund) talking about progress and next steps for the CCFWatch Anna Dearden’s talk on CCF
Thank you to those who could attend our virtual Interest Group Forum on 8 December. We mainly focussed on the changes to how you can communicate with your members in 2023, and answered your questions.The meeting was recorded and can be viewed through the link below.Watch the Video
As part of their prize, many RSC prize-winners deliver lectures across the UK and Ireland, providing an opportunity for winners to share their outstanding work, and in turn, for members of the community to hear about and discuss that work, meet with winners and develop new connectionsAt the end of 2022 we have launched a new web page that lists upcoming dates and venues for our prize lectures with the aim to increase accessibility and transparency.Please feel free to use this page to find lecture tours near you and to advertise to your networks, the page will be constantly updated as the prize team organises more lectures.See Prize Lecture Tours
| Communications from across the RSC |
Here are updates about events and activities from our Chemist Community Fund, Publishing, Industry, Careers, Outreach and Policy teams. Please pass on to your networks where relevant.Confidential addiction support now availableIf you have concerns about a family member, colleague, or yourself relating to dependencies and addiction a confidential addiction support service is now available through your RSC membership.We’ve partnered with leading specialist service provider, Rightsteps, to provide this confidential addiction service with online resources covering a wide range of dependencies, counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy sessions.Find out moreEssay competition on the role of the chemical sciences in sustainabilityThe International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD), in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), is launching an annual essay competition on the role of the chemical sciences in sustainability, open globally to entrants under 35 years of age.The theme for 2023 is “How can the chemical sciences lead the stewardship of the Earth's element resources?” Winning entries will be published in RSC Sustainability.Essays must be submitted in English as a Word document, by 12am (UK time) on 31 March 2023 to essay@iocd.org accompanied by a completed Entry Form, which is available on IOCD's website. Find out moreJournal of Materials Chemistry A, B and C celebrate their 10th anniversary 2023 marks the beginning of the tenth anniversary year of Journal of Materials Chemistry A, B and C as three separate titles. Get in touch with the editorial office if you have any ideas of how you can help us celebrate!Get in touch with the editorial officeEmerging Technologies Competition 2023The 2023 Emerging Technologies Competition is seeking agile innovators, start-ups and spin-outs across Enabling Technologies, Health, Energy and Environment categories who are ready to catapult their novel ideas to the next level and win £25,000 and post-event publicity and exposure. Applications will open on 20 February and close 17 April 2023.Find out more and applySustainable composites report launches in FebruaryIn February we are launching a report on sustainable Fibre Reinforced Composites, a £4bn market in the UK, for applications in automotive, aerospace, wind energy, hydrogen, defence, marine, construction and infrastructure, rail and oil and gas. In collaboration with the Sustainable Composites (a partnership between the National Composites Centre and CPI), we consulted with key academic and industry experts to provide an overview of the key challenges facing the sector in their production and manufacture, use and end-of-life and the opportunities for chemistry to move towards a sustainable future. This report raises awareness of the opportunities for chemistry research, innovation and collaboration in the UK, with key insights that are relevant to the global chemistry community. Keep an eye out on the RSC website for the report launch.Mentoring training 28 February, 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.’ Members (MRSC) and Fellows (FRSC) are eligible to sign up to become a mentor on our mentoring scheme. There is a mentoring training session scheduled 28 February.Find out moreChemists in the Museum: Novel Spaces for Public EngagementWould you or your committee like to learn about public engagement with science in museums? Are your committee interested in novel and inclusive forms of science communication?Join Nuzhat Tabassum from the Natural History Museum and Science London for an in-person workshop at Burlington House, London on science communication and public engagement in museum spaces from 11am-1pm (UK time) on 30 March.Find out more and registerRSC attending meeting on UN Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Prevention of PollutionThe RSC is attending the first in person meeting of the Open Ended Working Group for the establishment of a UN panel on chemicals, waste, and the prevention of pollution. Taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, this meeting will bring together member nations and UNEP-accredited stakeholders to discuss the scope and function of the new panel. The RSC is also participating in the Technical Advisory Group to provide specialist scientific expertise. Read more on the RSC work with the UN panel process
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
