Organic Division Activities in India

14th Organic Chemistry Conference of National Organic Symposium Trust (NOST-14)

In view of the rapid growth in the organic chemical sector in India, the Organic Division launched an initiative in 2007 to foster interactions between organic chemists from the UK and India. Originally this was developed as an opportunity for eminent organic chemists in academia and industry to participate in the Organic Chemistry Conference of the National Organic Symposium Trust (NOST). This annual meeting in India is by invitation only and the venue is selected in such a way that delegates stay under one roof to maximise personal and professional interactions.

The relationship has grown over time and in December 2010, a group of four organic chemists, Professor Jim Thomas (University of Manchester); Professor Darren Dixon (University of Oxford); Professor Steve Clark (University of Glasgow); Professor Ray Jones (Loughborough University), travelled to NOST-14 symposium in Goa. 

Professors Jim Thomas, Darren Dixon and Stephen Clark were selected to give presentations amongst the outstanding line up of international speakers. Professor Ray Jones (Organic Division Council representative) chaired a session. The meeting proved to be a great success, not only in terms of the wide and varied interactions that took place at the meeting.

Some quotes from delegates:

"The standard of the presentations was very high and covered a broad range of topics. The 30 minute lecture format worked well and within the four day period as the number of attendees was limited, it was possible to talk informally to most of the participants. Finally, the venue was excellent and the hospitality first class. I think the Indian Organic Chemists who initiated NOST were very shrewd.....the reputation of the NOST will rise and it will become one of the premier and most sought after meetings on Organic Chemistry. I hope the RSC can maintain its association with this meeting and keep sending a representative delegation."

"I have been to many meetings this year including the massive ACS and EuChemS meetings and this for me was by far the best owing to its size, the quality of the science, the ability to network and the location/venue.....I returned to the UK with many new contacts and ideas stimulated by the event. Creating new links between developing countries like India and UK - for the future success of UK science - should not be underestimated and from this point of view the NOST experience was excellent and I would strongly recommend it to any potential participant from the UK in the future."

J-NOST

November 2007 saw a second phase of the collaboration between the RSC Organic Division and colleagues in the Indian organic chemistry community, when the NOST welcomed a party of 8 UK-based postgraduate students to their J-NOST meeting (a ‘Junior’ version of the NOST Conference exclusively for young research scholars). 

J-NOST meetings, comprised primarily of PhD students, provide a fantastic opportunity for young researchers to network  and share work with chemists from a diverse range of scientific backgrounds within the Indian chemical community.

J-NOST 6

January 28-31, 2011 

In 2011 the Organic Division supported 8 UK post-graduates to participate in the J-NOST-6 meeting, that was held at the University of Hyderabad, January 28-31, 2011.  The students were Samantha Brogan (supervised by Dr Hon Wai Lam, University of Edinburgh); Liam Byrne (supervised by Professor Steve Marsden, Leeds University); Peter Harrisson (supervised by Dr Patrick Steel and Professor Todd Marder, Durham University); Jennie Hickin (supervised by Professor Keith Jones, ICR London); Phillip Inglesby (supervised by Professor Andrew Evans, University of Liverpool); Fiona Kirby (supervised by Dr Patrick O'Leary, NUI Galway); Ondrej Kysilka (supervised by Professor Pavel Kocovsky, University of Glasgow ); Ruth Webster (supervised by Professor Robin Bedford University of Bristol).

J-NOST-7

December 15-18, 2011

J-NOST-7 took place at IISER Mohali located in Punjab, northern India. The meeting was attended by 8 UK-based postgraduates, thanks to generous support from the Organic Division. The UK delegation was welcomed and hosted by NOST and IISER; and included: Eswarao Doni (supervised by Professor John Murphy, University of Strathclyde); James Douglas (supervised by Dr Andy Smith, University of St Andrews); James Kirkham (supervised by Professor Joe Harrity, University of Sheffield); Jennifer Peed (supervised by Dr Steven Bull, University of Bath); Christopher Nawrat (supervised by Professor Chris Moody, University of Nottingham); Matthew Pennell (supervised by Dr Tom Sheppard, UCL); Christian Spiteri (supervised by Dr John Moses, University of Nottingham); Hazmi Tajuddin (supervised by Dr Patrick Steel and Professor Todd Marder, Durham University).