Creating collaborations
Our chief executive, Dr Robert Parker, welcomed Pâmela Bernardini, from Brazil, and Zainoura Oodally, from Mauritius – the first recipients of our international student research bursary – to a celebration at our London home at Burlington House.
The pilot programme gives students – from institutions outside the UK at which we accredit chemistry courses – an opportunity to travel to another Royal Society of Chemistry-accredited institution in the UK or Ireland. It’s a demonstration of our support for the international knowledge-sharing and collaboration that leads to so many important developments in the chemical sciences. Pâmela and Zainoura are enrolled on accredited degrees at UFRGS, Brazil, and the University of Mauritius respectively.
Pâmela (who is being hosted in the UK at Cardiff University) and Zainoura (whose placement is at the University of Leicester), were joined by their supervisors as Robert Parker gave them a tour and history of Burlington House.
Pâmela says: “Being one of the two winners of this bursary was simply the most wonderful thing that happened to me at university, and I risk to say in life. It is due to the fact that there is no other way for me to have such an amazing opportunity like this one, which gives me the unique chance of working in a laboratory at a university in the UK, on an important and significant project like this.
“There is no exchange that gives this kind of experience, since it is neither an exchange just to study English at a language school nor only to study chemistry at a university, which is usually what happens on student exchanges.
“This bursary is different from the common bursaries offered by institutions so far, because it gives students not only the amazing experience of living in another country, learning their culture and language, but also the chance of absorb the knowledge from professors on our field, however with different points of view than those of our professors from home universities.”
Zainoura says: “As I prepare to step into my final year from my 2nd BSc Chemistry year, this bursary from the Royal Society of Chemistry is providing me with a timely opportunity to get an enriching multifold exposure.
“Getting the chance to spend an albeit short stay, in a cutting-edge research laboratory, will allow me to live and better understand the research culture and the dedication that pull researchers beyond.
“I am anticipating that this placement will be an eye opener on various aspects of research work, namely how a research group works towards ultimate common goals; how these goals are set and on what rationale these are based.”
What does the scheme involve?
This pilot funding scheme is for undergraduate students enrolled on accredited degrees outside of the UK and Ireland. This scheme complements our existing undergraduate research bursaries for students in the UK and Ireland.
The International Undergraduate Research Bursary provides funding of up to £2,500 for a penultimate-year undergraduate student to travel to an accredited university in the UK or Ireland to carry out a six to 10-week research placement.
The awards give experience of research to undergraduates who have demonstrated outstanding research potential, encourage them to consider a further career in scientific research, and facilitate international collaboration and cooperation.
It is also an opportunity for the host institution to raise its profile internationally and to attract new talent.
It is students’ responsibility to approach potential host supervisors, agree a project and secure their place in the lab, and they write the application for funding, with supporting information from the host supervisor and their home institution.
Benefits for host universities
Professor Andy Ellis, Zainoura’s supervisor at the University of Leicester, says there are a number of benefits: “I think first and foremost it's about the recipient of the studentship and the experience they gain and the effect on their outlook on life and their future career.
“One aspect of that is the opportunity to live and work in a foreign country for a few weeks. Beyond, we would hope that the research that Zainoura does while here enthuses her to consider a career in science.”
Dr Tim Easun, who leads the research group that Pâmela will join, agrees. He said: “Knowledge sharing with researchers who have a different perspective and live in a different culture – often that can bring unexpected insight into what we are already doing.
“It is also an opportunity to share our methods with and offer training to someone who may not have the same level of access to equipment and related technical expertise as we are fortunate to have in the UK.
“Hosting a chemist from another country can also help make longer-term collaborative links, either with the hosted chemist if they pursue a career in the chemical sciences, or with their contacts, supervisors and friends in their home country.
“If the visit goes well I would hope to play a part in inspiring a young chemist to stay in the profession, and future visits are likely to happen from the same place. Brazil is also particularly relevant to my university at the moment as we are setting up formal relationships with several institutions there and having existing connections is potentially helpful in the medium-long term.
"Finally of course, it is beneficial to have a motivated researcher in my lab as they can help us progress our research!”
Chemistry is international
Tim Easun makes the point that enabling international scientific cooperation benefits researchers and society as a whole. He says: “Chemistry is international. In academic research, the best science is done by collaboration with the right people – who might be anywhere in the world. Also, bringing a fresh perspective into a research team, whether from differing experience or differing worldview, can be transformative when it comes to problem-solving and generating new ideas.
“Chemistry is ideal for this as it spans such a wide range of areas that collaboration is essential; chemistry therefore leads to collaboration, to the synthesis of ideas into new science. Having an international team leads to a heterogeneity of approaches, which in this field is very positive.”
Andy Ellis says: “Our experience of international research collaborations has always been positive and indeed I always try to spend some time myself overseas each year in research collaborations. We therefore welcome international visitors and Zainoura is no exception.
“We haven't been involved in something quite like this before. We have, however, had quite a few undergraduate fellowship students working with us over the summer in previous years. It's not always possible to achieve great things in eight weeks but we have certainly had publishable work in the past from such summer studentships.”
A learning experience for everyone
Tim Easun explains that in his current and previous roles he has enjoyed hosting international visitors and students from a wide range of countries. He says: “There are many positives, including the feeling that anywhere I go in the world I will be able to find interesting, motivated and like-minded scientists! There have been new materials, new publications and in some cases new grant proposals funded because of international visitors. I have made friends and colleagues this way, and done some of my best science with them.
“With respect to my team, being able to send people to trusted hosts in other countries offers them a fantastic training opportunity both academically and in their own personal development.
“For example, one of my undergraduate tutees is about to start an international year in Sydney and one of my PhD students is planning a three-month research visit there next year, both as a result of a research connection with an academic at USyd, which came about partly because of an Australian researcher who visited the UK.
“I currently have a Pakistani short-term visiting PhD student, and as a result of her visit, several other Pakistani students have made enquiries about visiting next year, and we are planning the best way to publish her work at the moment.
“I would also say that this scheme is a really good idea, and it facilitates exchange at an early stage in the visiting researcher’s career, which can be a pivotal time for them when it comes to experience, motivation and of course building a strong CV. It also helps the UK to be building international research links from the early stages upwards by running such schemes and in my particular case the scheme has certainly attracted an excellent and highly motivated early career researcher.”
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