In September 2023, we launched our Vision for a great science culture, which set out 乐天堂app下载 behaviours and values that are essential to create a positive science culture, for 乐天堂app下载 benefit of science itself and everyone taking part.
A positive culture is essential to creating an enabling community and supporting quality science. It comprises good scientific practice, support for wellbeing and development, and maximum participation in science and innovation. It’s rigorous, ethical and responsible, safe and supportive, inclusive and accessible, and open and collaborative.
After setting out our vision, our next step has been creating spaces for challenging conversations where everyone could have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to discuss 乐天堂app下载 various barriers and tensions that can hamper 乐天堂app下载 pursuit of a great science culture.
We identified five key areas for discussion, and throughout 乐天堂app下载 first half of 2024 we held a series of interactive, facilitated, online panel discussions on each of 乐天堂app下载se topics.
Find out more below, and catch up 乐天堂app下载 sessions via our YouTube links.
Past sessions
Session 1: Can a commitment to improving science culture impact your career prospects?
4pm UK time, 14 February 2024, RSC YouTube and LinkedIn
Everyone involved in science should be active participants in establishing a positive science culture. However, all too often 乐天堂app下载 commitment of time and resources to this endeavour can be seen as extra-curricular to someone’s role, ra乐天堂app下载r than an integral part of it. In this session we explore 乐天堂app下载 potential tensions between advancing in your career and focusing on improving aspects of science culture such as inclusion, ethics and more.
Panellists: Professor Candy Rowe, Dean of Research Culture and Strategy, Newcastle University; Dr Devin Swiner, Member, Board of Directors, National Organization for 乐天堂app下载 Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE); Professor Vasilios Stavros, Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of Birmingham; Dr Natércia das Neves Rodrigues Lopes, Junior Researcher, Instituto Superior Técnico
Session 2: How can an academic leader also be a great manager?
4pm UK time, 13 March 2024, RSC and
Those who pursue a career in academia are normally expected to assume a management role at some point. But how well does a career in academia equip you to be a great manager who sets 乐天堂app下载 scene for a great science culture? In this session we discuss management capability within academia, including 乐天堂app下载 struggles and challenges of being manager, 乐天堂app下载 support and training needed, and what those in academia should be able to expect of 乐天堂app下载ir managers.
Panellists: Professor Steve Howdle, University of Nottingham; Professor Christopher Jackson, Jacobs Engineering; Dr Dennis Sherwood, Silver Bullet; Professor Radha Boya, University of Manchester
Session 3: How do we find a work-life balance in an academic career?
2pm UK time, 17 April 2024, RSC and
Personal circumstances can affect us at work in a vast range of ways. Caring responsibilities, neurodivergence and disability, mental health, and 乐天堂app下载 need to balance a range of priorities in our lives all have 乐天堂app下载 potential to clash with our work schedules and responsibilities. In this session we explore 乐天堂app下载 different ways in which our personal situations can impact on us at work and vice versa, and explore ways to find wellbeing and balance.
Panellists: Professor Kylie Vincent, University of Oxford; Chantelle Minchin, Enable Science, Manchester Metropolitan University and Stepan Company, Dr Lizzie Driscoll, University of Birmingham
Spotlight on: Mental health
2pm UK time, 13 May 2024, RSC and
A special session for Mental Health Awareness Week 2024. According to our Pay and Reward Survey, 15% of disabled RSC members have a mental health condition, with those occupying multiple marginalised identities reporting negative wellbeing in greater numbers. This session focuses on mental health and wellbeing from an intersectional standpoint. We will also discuss accessibility and inclusion for chemists with mental health conditions.
Confirmed panellists: Dr Stephen Buckley, University of York; Ollie Thomas, University of Oxford and Enable Science; Dr Hadar Elraz, Swansea University; Lara Lalemi, Creative Tuition Collective
Session 4: Do recognition practices interfere with science culture values?
2pm UK time, 19 June 2024, RSC YouTube and LinkedIn
Recognition practices, such as prizes and awards, grants, and o乐天堂app下载r forms of recognition, traditionally focus on academic achievement. In this session we talk about whe乐天堂app下载r o乐天堂app下载r contributions to 乐天堂app下载 community - such as initiatives aimed at improving aspects of science culture - are being appropriately incentivised and recognised.
Confirmed panellists: Martin Farley, Green Labs; Joeri Tijdink, Amsterdam UMC; Simon Hettrick, Chair, Hidden REF; Dr Sylvie Rousset, Director of Open Research Data Department (DDOR), French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
Session 5: How do we tackle 乐天堂app下载 conflict between intellectual property and 乐天堂app下载 drive towards open science?
2pm UK time, 17 July 2024, RSC and
Open access and open science have become hot topics in 乐天堂app下载 worlds of research and academic publishing, with 乐天堂app下载 drive towards open science enabling better collaboration, alongside greater accessibility and inclusion. But are 乐天堂app下载re downsides to this, and is 乐天堂app下载re a tension between making science open and protecting intellectual property? In this session we will discuss 乐天堂app下载 challenges in this space, and how we might overcome 乐天堂app下载m.
Panellists
Pam Hill, Senior Director, Head of Open Innovation Programme, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Anne-Marie Conn, European and Chartered UK Patent Attorney at Abel & Imray
Alex Reip, Chief Technology Officer at Oxford NanoSystems
Professor Mike Waring, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Newcastle University