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.
 

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Archive for February, 2021
Did you know that the RSC has international offices that support our international community? This month in the Spotlight Hongmei Peng, Engagement and Programme Manager in our Shanghai Office, tells us about how she started with the RSC and what her team do to advance the chemical sciences in China.


Hongmei joined the RSC Shanghai office in 2010 and became our China Engagement and Programme Manager in 2014.

Hongmei, what brought you to the RSC?
Before I joined RSC Shanghai office in 2010, I worked as a research associate in Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Being a gregarious person, I found the routine of conducting experiments in the laboratory rather solitary. So, when I came across the RSC's mission in advancing the excellence of Chemical Sciences by supporting practicing chemists through its network of global community, I was inspired and wanted to be part of the organisation to serve the needs of the chemical science community. In 2010, I was lucky enough to be able to join the RSC Shanghai office.


How many people are on your team?
Currently, there are only two team members, Yang Lei and myself, but we are recruiting another team member and we expect he or she will be on board in March.


What do you all do?
In China, the RSC is known by researchers as one of the top publisher in the chemical sciences, but not many of them are aware that we are also a learned society with the mission to advance excellence in the chemical sciences.

Our goal is to create a sustainable eco-system for chemical sciences researchers in China. We have been trying to design and deliver effective tailored programmes and platforms to serve researchers at different stages of their career – from early career to well established scientists.

In summary, we are aiming to engage the chemical science community in China in the most efficient and effective ways and, by doing so, maximising our influence in China as an influential professional society and as a top publisher.


What kind of programmes do you mean?
As I have mentioned previously, for the engagement team that I lead, we are focusing on designing and delivering tailored engagement programmes to meet the needs of the research community as a whole – from early career to established researchers. To this end, our programmes reflect this aim.

To engage well established professors who are leaders in their respective fields, we have run the Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) Forum since 2016. This annual event is aimed towards finding chemical solutions to solve key issues relating to global challenges.

In order to ensure that the FRSC Forum can stand-out from the multitudes of symposia/conferences being held in China the Forum has a unique format: it consists of six plenary lectures focusing on the progress, development and future challenges of a specific research field, followed by a panel discussion. For our previous FRSC Forums, the topics included materials, health, energy, and water safety.  This annual event has been very well received and supported by the community.

In 2019, we introduced the RSC Emerging Investigator Forum to engage emerging investigators/ early career researchers in China. To ensure the Forum addresses the need of the researchers, we conducted surveys and communicated with many young researchers to solicit their input and ideas. The resultant Forum was devised to focus on debates and discussions within cutting-edge cross-discipline research fields. We also linked the Forum with our journals and invited eligible delegates to submit to emerging investigator issues.

In 2014, we initiated the RSC Student Clubs programme at top universities to engage postgraduate chemists and in 2019, we enriched this initiative by collaborating with Tsinghua University in organising the RSC Predoc Symposium. This aim of this event is to provide a unique platform for students to present their research in English.



Thank you Hongmei for telling us about the work your team does and how you support the broader chemical sciences community in China!

 
Posted by Aurora Walshe on Mar 1, 2021 2:00 PM GMT

Dear colleague,

Welcome to the March 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
  • Spotlight: Engaging with our international community – China
  • Communications from across the RSC
 
Upcoming Deadlines
 
01 March
08 March
09 March
11 March
23 March

24 March
25 March
31 March

01 April
06 April

19 April
Application deadline for the Outreach Fund small and large grants
Deadline for applications for the 2021 Undergraduate Research Bursaries
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 March to additional networks
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 March
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 1 April to additional networks
Registration deadline for Carbon Dioxide Utilisation: Faraday Discussion

Deadline for E-alerts going out on 1 April
Deadline for March Research Development Grant applications
Deadline for Local Section and Interest Group Top-Up Fund applications
April deadline for Outreach Fund small grants

Deadline for Inclusion & Diversity Fund applications
 
Upcoming Events
 
02-03 March
04 March
08 March
18 March
24 March
01 April
#RSCPoster Twitter Conference
Member e-alerts
Addressing Gender Parity across the Commonwealth, 11:30 UK time
Member e-alerts
Retirement in Sight Workshop from the CCF, 17:00 UK time
Member e-alerts
 
Spotlight: Engaging with our international community – China

Did you know that the RSC has international offices that support our international community? This month in the Spotlight Hongmei Peng, Engagement and Programme Manager in our Shanghai Office, tells us about how she started with the RSC and what her team do to advance the chemical sciences in China.

Read the full update on the Networks Newsletter blog, and contact the Networks Team with any comments or questions.

Read about our engagement activities in China on the Newsletter blog

 
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 2021 Grants
We have now started to process the 2021 grants and wanted to express our appreciation to the Treasurers for their efforts in preparing and submitting their financial reports. The grants will be processed for your network when all the required financial information has been submitted and we have received the 2020 Annual Report.

We would also like to remind Treasurers to check their accounts every month, this helps to identify any Bankline access issues or unusual transactions in your account.



RSC and SCI joint events
Some RSC and SCI networks have in the past regularly collaborated on events. Recently the RSC and SCI signed an agreement to formalise the obligations for these joint events, and in simple terms it is agreed that:
  • The split of risk and reward between the RSC and SCI is 50:50.
  • For any advance deposits the RSC shall commit the funds and this will be taken into account in the final calculations of surplus/loss.
  • The organising committee should have at least four members (two each from the RSC and SCI) and a maximum of eight members (four each from the RSC and SCI). If more committee members are required this can be included as an amendment.

For each joint RSC and SCI event we will need to prepare a document outlining the details of that event, including that approval has been obtained from the RSC and SCI for the event. For most joint events a contract is normally reviewed, so we have altered the Contract and MCB Budget Approval form to collect the additional information required. However, if your network is thinking of running an event with the SCI and there are no contracts involved can you please complete this form.

If you organising an event with an organisation other than the SCI, or have any questions regarding running joint events with the SCI, please get in touch with the Networks Team.


Contact the Networks Team with any queries about running a joint event


Telephone Befriending with CCF Volunteers
The COVID-19 national lockdowns have left many people by themselves for long periods of time, which can naturally lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

We wanted to let you know that Royal Society of Chemistry members, whether student, professional or retired, can arrange regular phone calls with one of our trained Chemists’ Community Fund volunteers.

Our volunteers all have scientific backgrounds, and provide support and companionship, bringing comfort to those who are feeling alone.


For more information, please get in touch by phoning +44 (0)1223 432227, or by sending the team an email. Messages are always kept confidential.


Hardship Grants for Chemists
The Chemists' Community Fund is extending support to chemists who are not members of the RSC whose financial situation has been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
These one-off grants are offering £500 to working chemical scientists and up to £250 to those in full-time chemical/chemical science education or working as an apprentice in the UK and ROI.

Email us to find out more information or visit our website.
Please share this information with your colleagues and across your own networks.

As a member of the RSC we would like to remind you that there is an enhanced member package of support for those affected by COVID-19 available, wherever you are based, on our Chemists' Community Fund web page.

Learn more on the Hardship Grant website


Are you applying for the Inclusion & Diversity Fund?
Do you have a great idea for a project that will help make the chemical sciences community more inclusive and diverse? If so, you could apply for our Inclusion & Diversity Fund, which provides financial support typically up to the value of £5,000.

There are two rounds of applications each year, and the first closes on 19 April. Open to everyone, applicants will be notified of the funding decision by 4 June.

Learn more and apply online


Join the gender parity webinar
Addressing Gender Parity across the Commonwealth – 8 March 11.30 GMT

Delivered by Commonwealth Chemistry and Chemistry World to celebrate both International Women’s Day and Commonwealth Day, Addressing Gender Parity across the Commonwealth will explore ways to overcome barriers that prevent women from fully participating in the chemical sciences. Our expert speakers will discuss:
  • perspective on gender issues throughout the Commonwealth and cultural challenges to attract and retain women in the chemical sciences
  • gender inequality and its consequences in research culture, including gender bias in publishing
  • policies on integrating diversity and gender equality from the perspective of a funding agency

The seminars will take place during a variety of time zones to accommodate our winners from different regions, so we encourage any and all interested to register and attend.

Find out more and register


How can the Careers team support you?
Have you thought about asking the Royal Society of Chemistry Careers team how they can support you and your members in 2021?

The team are available to run CV reviews, present or take part in panel discussions on a wide range of career-related topics such as job searching in your sector, using labour market information in your career development, identifying your transferable skills and managing your CPD, and developing specific skills like leadership, communication or career resilience. We can work with you to shape our support to your needs.

You can find out more about what we do by visiting rsc.li/careers.


Contact the team to find out more about how they can support you


Join us for #RSCPoster 2021 from 12:00 UTC tomorrow!
Our annual Twitter conference kicks off tomorrow and is a chance for all chemists, at every career stage, to share their research with the global chemistry community for 24 hours.

You can follow the excitement on Twitter by searching for #RSCPoster and your preferred subject hashtag, you can watch the short #RSCPosterPitch video clips, or you can register for the #RSCPosterLive webinars!

Learn more about and register for the 2021 #RSCPoster Conference


Analytical Research Forum 2021 - Call for abstracts
The Analytical Research Forum (ARF) provides the opportunity for early career researchers from analytical communities to present their work, alongside high profile analytical scientists, showcasing cutting-edge analytical chemistry. Join us online on 15th and 16th June 2021.

Find out more on our website


 
Thank you for reading!

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 feedback

Stay safe,

The Networks Team
Fiona, Aurora and Debbie




 
Posted by Aurora Walshe on Mar 1, 2021 2:00 PM GMT
Dear ​colleague,

Welcome to the February 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
  • Spotlight: RSC Division Review - Update for member networks
  • Communications from across the RSC
  • Latest updates on our policy work
 
Upcoming Deadlines
 
01 February
01 February
08 February
09 February
10 February
11 February
11 February
23 February
25 February
26 February
28 February
01 March
08 March
Deadline for 2021 ChemComm Emerging Investigators nominations
Deadline for 2021 ChemSocRev Pioneering Investigators nominations
Deadline for nominations to RSC Board and Division vacancies
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 February to additional networks
Deadline for submitting the 2020 Financial Reports
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 February
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 18 March
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 4 March to additional networks
Deadline for E-alerts going out on 4 March
Deadline for registration for Schools' Analyst Competition
Deadline for February Research Development Grant applications
Application deadline for the Outreach Fund small and large grants
Deadline for applications for the 2021 Undergraduate Research Bursaries
 
Upcoming Events
 
04 February
09 February
18 February
23 February
02-03 March
04 March
18 March
Member e-alerts
IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast 2021: Empowering Diversity in Science
Member e-alerts
Chemists' Community Fund Helping with debt webinar, 5pm UK time
#RSCPoster Twitter Conference
Member e-alerts
Member e-alerts
 
Spotlight: RSC Division Review - Update for member networks

The Division Review is looking at the function and structure of the nine RSC Divisions; the Advisory Group is currently developing its proposals to present to MCB in March 2021.

Read the key findings from the member survey and next steps on the Networks Newsletter blog, and please contact the Advisory Group with any comments or questions.

Read about the update and next steps here

 
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.


Reminder: One week left to nominate your representative
The closing date for nominations for the Local Section and Interest Group representatives on Member Communities Board is Monday 8 February.

We have engaged with Mi-Voice, an external electoral services provider, to manage the process for our nominations. You would have received an email from our Interim CEO Helen Pain in early December, sent by Mi-Voice, inviting nominations for the vacancies on our Boards, Committee and Divisions. This email included a personalised link to make your nomination. There are two ways to nominate:
  1. Self-nomination
  2. Proposal nomination

Any member can self-nominate or propose another member; all nominations are required to be accompanied by names of two RSC members willing to second the nomination. If you would like more information about the vacancies, or if you have not received an email from Mi-Voice, please contact our Governance team.

Contact our Governance team for information or support



2020 Annual Report data and the 2021 Annual Report form
98 out of 137 member network Annual Reports have been received, describing 313 events in 2020 (not counting individual events as part of series). Thank you to all of you who have submitted your Annual Reports so far.

Almost 120 of the reported events were cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic, however you also shared more than 30 new events that came about as a direct result of the "new normal" we experienced in 2020. We are very excited to go through the data in detail and share the outputs with you all over the coming weeks.

If your committee has not submitted your 2020 Annual Report yet, please contact the Networks Team as soon as possible.

As promised, we have developed the 2021 Annual Report form based on your feedback. We will be sharing the form with Secretaries this week with additional training material and an updated video guide.



Planning your 2021 activities?
Have you thought about asking our Careers Team how they can support you and your members in 2021?

The team are available to run CV reviews, or present or take part in panel discussions on a wide range of career-related topics such as job searching in your sector, using labour market information in your career development, identifying your transferable skills and managing your CPD, and developing specific skills like leadership, communication or career resilience. We can work with you to shape our support to your needs.

You can find out more about what we do by visiting rsc.li/careers.

Contact the team to find out more about how they can support you



Zoom licence for member networks
We’re pleased to announce that we have now acquired a Zoom Meeting license for RSC Interest Groups and Local Sections to use free of charge. This Zoom license allows up to 300 participants and you can enable up to 50 breakout rooms per session.

We still have the GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar accounts to enable more networks to organise virtual events, particularly as Zoom is not accessible at some institutions.

Please use the Zoom Booking form to schedule your Zoom meeting. The booking form allows you to book a test session on Zoom so you can become familiar with the Zoom software. We are currently finishing a user guide for Zoom, and this will be available soon under the Virtual Events section of the Useful Forms and Documents webpage.


Book your Zoom meeting here



Exciting updates for #RSCPoster 2021
As you may know, #RSCPoster is a Twitter poster conference open to all chemists, at every career stage, to share their research with the global chemistry community.

This year, we’re adding two new elements to the #RSCPoster Conference. These are #RSCPosterPitch, short video pitches to accompany posters, in the same way you might give a quick presentation to someone at a physical conference, and #RSCPosterLive, a series of live webinars to accompany the main event.


#RSCPosterLive will bring together scientists from across the globe to discuss topics of relevance to the chemistry community, including pathways to becoming professor, mental health in STEM, and how to choose the right PhD or postdoctoral supervisor. The webinars will take place on GotoWebinar, to allow everyone, including people without Twitter, to be able to participate.

We would be very grateful if you could encourage your members to sign up for #RSCPoster and direct them to the #RSCPoster Conference webpage for further information about all aspects of the event.

One final thank you to all the Interest Groups who have supported us via sponsorship so far, your help is invaluable. If any further groups are interested in sponsorship opportunities, or if anyone has any other questions, please do get in touch with the team at rscposter@rsc.org.


Learn more about and register for the 2021 #RSCPoster Conference



Awarding 2020 and 2021 40-Year Gold Badges
In 2019 we implemented an anniversaries engagement plan for our members; this included a new process to ensure that all those entitled to received their 40-year gold badge (the process was shared in this June 2019 Spotlight article).

Obviously, last year we were not in the office to send these, but we will be working with our Brand Centre to get the 2020 badges mailed out as soon as possible. For the 2021 badges, we wish to safeguard all of the members involved in the sending and receiving of the badges, so we will be sending 2021 badges out directly to members.


If you would like to send congratulations from the Local Section to members reaching their 40th anniversary of membership in 2021, contact our Membership Team below.

Request contact details for gold badge recipients



2021 Undergraduate Research Bursaries are open
The Undergraduate Research Bursaries for Summer projects in 2021 opened today for applications and will close on Monday 8 March 2021. The scheme is open to students registered with a UK or Republic of Ireland institution looking for a wage contribution undertaking a 6-8 week research project. We have also updated our scheme this year to make it more flexible, so you can adapt your project should circumstances change.

Find out more and submit your application on our website



RSC Desktop Seminar Lectureship Series
We are delighted to announce our inaugural free, online-only RSC Desktop Seminar Lectureship Series, featuring virtual talks by our recent journal lectureship winners. Each session will include an introductory talk by a journal board member as well as a journal lectureship winner.

The seminars will take place during a variety of time zones to accommodate our winners from different regions, so we encourage any and all interested to register and attend.

Visit the webpage to find the full list of Desktop Seminar and to register



Hello from the RSC Public Engagement Officer!
Hello Networks! My name is Anna and I am the Public Engagement Officer here at the RSC. It is my job to work with people across the RSC, including members and networks, to support, develop, facilitate and deliver public engagement and outreach activity.

I know that there are many of you who are interested in public engagement and outreach, and I wanted to let you know that I am here to support you however you may need. I am currently working on an exciting piece of work looking at what provision the RSC has to empower and enable its members to develop and deliver their own activity and what we should be providing in the future – over the coming months I hope to speak with some of you to get your valuable input.

If you need any support or advice regarding any public engagement activity that you do or would like to do please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Talk to Anna about your public engagement ideas



Our Outreach Fund is open and welcome to applications
Our Outreach Fund provides financial support to members, individuals and organisations in order to enable them to run chemistry-based public and schools engagement activities.

Our next deadlines are Monday 1 March for both small grant (up to £5,000) and large grant applications (£5,000 to £10,000). Please visit our website for further details on applying during this period or get in touch with the team.


Find out more about eligibility, criteria and restrictions here



Analytical Division celebrates the 100th AMC Technical Brief
The Analytical Division’s Analytical Methods Committee (AMC) has published its 100th Technical Brief.
AMC Technical Briefs are free to access and provide reliable and up-to-date technical information about aspects of analytical science.

 Read the full article here

 
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.


UK-EU deal: Horizon Europe
Following influencing by the research and innovation community, including the RSC and its members, the UK will associate to Horizon Europe, (subject to ratification of the deal and finalisation of the Horizon Europe Programme regulations). This will provide researchers and businesses access to all pillars of Horizon Europe (including the European Research Council and Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions), as well as:
  • Joint Research Centre activities
  • Article 185 and 187 partnerships
  • The European Institute of Innovation and Technology
  • The European Research Infrastructures Consortium 12 January 2020
  • The European Research Area Committee.
  • Euratom Research and Training Programme
  • European Joint Undertaking for ITER (‘F4E’) and the Development of Fusion Energy
  • Copernicus

The UK will not participate in the new European Innovation Council fund, which provides equity based investment to SMEs, however UK entities will still be eligible to apply for the grant elements of the European Innovation Council. UK researchers will still be able to lead projects and participate in collaborative projects as they have done in previous European Framework programmes.

Our Brexit Preparedness pages contain up to date information about EU Funding, Mobility and Immigration and Chemicals Regulation



Chemicals strategy and future chemicals policy
In 2021 the government is looking to develop a new UK-wide chemicals strategy. During 2020, the RSC championed the way in our foundational work ‘A chemicals strategy for a sustainable chemicals revolution’. We are calling for UK investment in a green and sustainable innovation strategy and our interim chief executive Helen Pain shares the importance of scientists in this vision in her Opinion piece. There are many opportunities to get involved as the UK develops a new chemicals strategy from new jobs in the civil service to a new public consultation expected in the Spring of 2021. This year also sees evolution of the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and with the new trade and cooperation agreement in place, those developing a UK strategy will need to be cognisant of what is also happening in the EU on this topic.

The RSC has been working with the United Nations Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Beyond 2020 program. Following engagement with senior scientists internationally, we call for a new intergovernmental panel for chemicals and waste to be established that is on a par with the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). The role chemical pollution plays in global health inequality, climate change and biodiversity loss needs to be higher up on national and global policy agendas, with greater involvement of scientists bringing their insights and experience to the table.

Download and read our full chemicals strategy policy position


 
Thank you for reading!

A tailored version of the Networks Newsletter is sent to all member network committee members each month, the complete version is published here. 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 feedback


Stay safe,

The Networks Team
Fiona, Aurora and Debbie


 
Posted by Aurora Walshe on Feb 1, 2021 3:00 PM GMT
This month in the Spotlight, the Division Review Advisory Group are sharing an update on the ongoing review of the RSC Divisions. Contact secretariat@rsc.org with any comments or questions.


During 2020 we initiated a review of the structure, role and purpose of Divisions.

The review was proposed by the Member Communities Board (MCB) in response to the most recent Governance Review. MCB set up an Advisory Group consisting of Division Council members past and present to carry out the review with a view to ensuring that the full potential of the Divisions can be achieved with clarity over their function and purpose.

Part of the review has been to seek input directly from members through a survey. The survey was conducted in early July and 356 members responded to the survey (56% of whom were MRSC and 32% were FRSC). 78% of the respondents were from the UK.

Key findings include:

Motivation for joining Divisions
To keep up to date with developments in the sector (45%)
To feel part of a community of chemists (40%)

Most valuable aspect of being in the Divisions
To have visibility of RSC activities (37%)
The Division makes a positive impact in the community (23%)

Interactions with Divisions
Attendance at events, meetings and conferences (20%)
Involvement with committees and councils (20%)
Via Division communications (20%)
No interaction (18%)

Purpose of the Division
To bring together members with similar interest to form a network and represent the community (27%)
To promote and raise the profile of the chemical sciences (22%)


These data together with a series of interviews, external benchmarking and activity audits, has confirmed to the Advisory Group within its early discussions that:
  • Clarity is required around the role of the Divisions and their relationships with other RSC groups
  • More effective mechanisms are required for communication
  • The language and nomenclature associated with Divisions should be reviewed

The Advisory Group is now developing its proposals and will present a set of recommendations to MCB in March 2021. MCB will then submit its plans to the Board of Trustees in April.

Please keep an eye out for future communications around the outcome of the Division Review.

Please contact secretariat@rsc.org if you have any queries about the survey, and thank you in advance for your support.

 
In case you missed them, please see these previous updates about the Divisions Review in the Networks Newsletter:
  1. Launch of a review of the RSC Divisions (June 2020)
  2. Help shape the next phase of our Division Review (July 2020)

 
Posted by Aurora Walshe on Feb 1, 2021 2:00 PM GMT