Our 175th anniversary so far
As the oldest chemical society in the world, we're proud to be celebrating our 175th anniversary during 2016.
We’ve been asking all of you – our members and supporters around the world – to dedicate 175 minutes to chemistry, and to share your stories with us.
We’ve received some fantastic #Time4Chem tweets so far this year.
Tweet us @RoySocChem with your #Time4Chem.
175 minutes for chemistry: your stories
At almost halfway through our anniversary year, we wanted to celebrate your fascinating activities so far and to highlight the many different ways you can get involved with 175 minutes for chemistry.
Education & outreach
DON CLARK 
Pfizer employee Don Clark has spent many more than 175 minutes giving his time to an array of mentoring and outreach programmes.
With mini lab coats and safety specs on-hand, Stephen uses household materials and substances to introduce fundamental concepts in chemistry in 'Chemistry Corner'.
Stephen – aka 'the Kitchen Chemist' – spent many more than 175 minutes presenting his new show, ‘Kitchen Chemistry: Seconds’, to audiences across South Africa.
Two year-seven students at Fairfield High School in Bristol – one of whom speaks English as a second language – spent their 175 minutes for chemistry learning the periodic table by heart.
Aileen is the director of Young Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Ambassadors, a programme that links teams of pupils aged between 12 and 14 years across Scotland with ambassadors from SET companies.
Beaminster comprehensive organised a Chemistry at Work event in conjunction with Dorset and Wilts STEM, which featured hands-on workshops and a demo from the local fire and rescue service. Sean, a year nine student who took part in the event, said: "I really enjoyed the presentation at the start about gases in the air. For me, that was the best bit of the day. The presentation has inspired me to keep studying chemistry and I will take triple science for my GCSEs."
Senior science lecturer at Stranmillis University Belfast John spent 180 minutes coordinating the Northern Ireland heat of our Analytical Division Schools’ Analyst Competition. "I am very passionate about this event and enjoy working to devise experiments which give life to our chemistry curriculum. The enthusiasm of the students makes all the hard work worthwhile. The feedback from teachers is always very positive and it seems to dovetail nicely with what they do in school."
The Analytical Division’s Northern Ireland sub-region is currently looking for sponsors for next year’s competition heat. Find out more about the competition and how to get involved.
ROSIE FIELDER
Head of chemistry at Austin Friars School, Cumbria, Rosie organised a 'Bangs, Flashes and Colourful Chemistry' evening for pupils, parents and the public. A-level students and teachers took turns to lead the experiments.
"Everyone had a really fun evening; the A level students enjoyed promoting their favourite subject and Mrs Fielder managed to confirm that chemistry just has to be the best A-level subject. What better way to celebrate chemistry!" – Austin Friars student.
The history of the chemical sciences
BILL GRIFFITH 
Emeritus professor at Imperial College London, Bill spent his 175 minutes writing about the fruitful relationship between the Chemical Society and the Royal College of Chemistry.
John is on the committee of our Industrial Physical Chemistry Interest Group, one of the oldest interest groups of our Faraday Division. John wrote an article discussing its interesting and rather unique origins.
Retired member David is a STEM Ambassador, and wanted to highlight some of the historical achievements of women in science.
Volunteering
RICHARD BRETT
Richard is an audit and assurance manager at GSK, and volunteers on our mentoring scheme, which pairs members and provides training and support to both mentors and mentees.
The scheme pairs members and provides training and support to both mentors and mentees. For the mentee, having a mentor provides an opportunity to reflect on their career development and discuss any aspects of this with someone objective. For the mentor, helping another member is rewarding and the process allows them to address their own challenges, considering relationships at work and thinking of the future.
"I have been working with my mentee on how she can develop herself and work out how she can move her career forward – possibly in a different direction. We have had a number of meetings and we have certainly exceeded 175 minutes! We have both learnt a lot through this process and development works both ways – for the mentor and the mentee. The training and support from the RSC has been first-rate and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this service to both potential mentors and mentees."
GIOVAMBATTISTA DEPIETRA
Giovanni is a PhD student at Bristol University, and volunteers through our local networks and governance structure in the Bristol Local Section and Member Networks Committee.
He is also the South West representative for our Early Career Network: "The involvement with the different RSC committees represents an excellent opportunity to improve interpersonal and communication skills. My roles have also provided me the opportunity of working with a wide variety of people and I firmly believe this represents the most valuable experience I had during these years."
ADRIAN ADAMSON
Adrian volunteers as secretary of our Teesside Local Section. He told us: "The Teesside Local Section held their first Ordinary Meeting of 2016 on Monday 18th January 2016, at Durham University. With many issues to discuss, it happened to be quite a long meeting and it was commented that this was five minutes short of three hours, that is 175 minutes."
Our Chemists’ Community Fund (the working name for the Benevolent Fund) makes a difference to the lives of our members and their families when facing financial hardship and other difficult circumstances. It relies on a network of volunteers who provide individual support to members and their families, offering an invaluable, caring service at a local level. Some of our volunteers told us how and why they became involved, and how those they support benefit.
"I became a Chemist's Community volunteer in 1994 having served on the Kent local section committee for the previous 10 years. My work for the Benevolent Fund has served to keep me in touch with chemists and chemistry during my retirement years. I enjoy working with like-minded colleagues and making new contacts through sending Christmas cards. The care that our society has for the welfare of its members, particularly for those who are older, isolated or just less fortunate than most of us is one of its strengths and it is very rewarding for me to be involved with that side of our work. In the past 22 years I have encountered many people who have been so grateful for the work we do, members and relatives, some just pleased to have a visit or to talk on the telephone, others requiring much more serious help."– Noel Grabham
"I had been thinking of how to support the RSC when an e-mail arrived stating that there was a shortage of volunteers in my region – so I joined the team after the focused training and guidance from the RSC Benfund [as was] advisors. It is rewarding to quietly support the central fund team and the RSC that has, and is, supporting our colleague chemists and their families when needed. Those supported feel that they are not alone in times of difficulties and that their society is prepared to listen and give assistance if appropriate." – Avon Joyce
175 minutes for chemistry
As the oldest chemical society in the world, we celebrated our 175th anniversary in 2016. We wanted to mark this milestone by recognising the important contributions our community makes to the chemical sciences. We asked our members and supporters to dedicate 175 minutes to chemistry in 2016 and share their stories with us. We featured these stories throughout the year on our website, in print in RSC News, and on social media using #time4chem.