Connecting our membership: networking within your networks
Our networks of chemical scientists – local sections and interest groups – form a central part of how we support our members. Some of our members have shared their experiences of visiting other networks while travelling for work or holiday.
Dave Alker from our Kent Local Section in the UK recently went to Sri Lanka on holiday and got in touch with an old colleague, Rajitha Hanarasinghe, he knew to be based there.
"My lecture came about as a consequence of connections with Kent Local Section and highlights the positives of getting involved in local section activities and also the value of networking", he explains.
"Raj and I first met five or so years ago when she joined Kent Local Section, on which I was Secretary at the time.
"She was I think an undergraduate and quite shy but she elected to do a PhD at the University of Greenwich and remained on the committee until she returned back to Sri Lanka to find a job. During her time on the committee her confidence and experience grew and she got involved in outreach, teaching and event organisation.
"She was an engaging colleague with whom I made friends and I, along with all the other committee members, were deeply sad to see her return home. At our last meeting she said ‘if anyone is planning a holiday in Sri Lanka let me know’ – I wasn’t then but did for Spring 2016. Raj asked me if I would give a talk to students at the university at which she had recently been appointed to a lectureship.
"Opportunities for students to hear overseas industrial speakers are few and far between and I think I added a little bit to their experiences – not least because my style is very informal and enthusiastic compared to the rather formal interaction students have with their lecturers. I now have links with both the Sri Lanka local section and the chemistry department at the University of Peradeniya, so who knows what will happen next?"
Opportunities in Belgium
It’s always great to hear about the talks our members give and the events our networks hold. Recently our local section in Belgium expressed interest in encouraging members to contact them if they are in the area for work or passing through. Rith Woodward, of the Belgium Local Section, explains the value of having speakers visit from overseas.
"The Royal Society of Chemistry International Section in Belgium has, for over 25 years, invited enthusiastic and expert speakers to give evening lectures to an audience composed of professional members, students and interested folk from our ‘Friends of the Section’. The brief being 'a talk that promotes some aspect associated in some way with the chemical sciences'. To continue with broadening the horizons It would be really good to be able to extend our network of contacts to include members from other local and international sections and interest groups.
"There must be many members who find themselves coming to Belgium for professional reasons and who would be willing to spend an evening to share with the Belgium Section some aspect of their work, expertise and passion. We would happily ‘look after’ the accommodation and travel arrangements; but, and it is a big but, how do we know who you are if we do not have your coordinates? This could be an opportunity to extend and enhance your network of contacts too by 'celebrating 175 years of progress and people in the chemical sciences'."
Get involved
If you are planning on visiting another area and want to be put in touch with the local section in that region please do contact us as we are always happy to connect our membership together.
Are you planning any visits and would you like to meet other chemists in that area either through a local section or an interest group? Giving talks or attending events within our networks is a great way to take part in our anniversary 175 minutes for chemistry. Please get in touch with us by email if you're interested.
For more inspiration on how to get involved with our anniversary go to our anniversary webpage, or if you’ve recently done something for your 175 minutes and want to tell us about it fill in our web form or tweet us @RoySocChem using #Time4Chem.
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