Alex Sterling: Making a contribution to the conversation
Alex Sterling, currently working towards her PhD at UCL, talks about being a younger voice on RSC committees and the experience of supporting our Board of Trustees at a fascinating point in our history…
AS: I'd been involved in the chem soc in the first year of my undergraduate degree at Heriot Watt, but we didn't really have that much connection with the RSC – I first got involved seriously as a student representative on the Edinburgh and south-east Scotland local section and I stayed there until I finished my degree.
I remember, there was an email that went round for the RSC Nominations Committee, for a term from 2018. I was 19 and I didn't really realise how serious it was – when you first join an organisation, finding out you get to go down to London, you get to see Burlington House, you think “Oh, this is really cool, it sounds quite an interesting thing to do”.
What would you say to other young chemists about why they might join a committee?
At least for a local section we get to meet people within the same city but in different sectors and also across different universities. I don't think you necessarily get that interaction if you just stay within a club or society in your own university.
I guess early on at university you don't really think about your future career – it is actually good to get involved, because you find out about a lot of opportunities through local sections, whether it's funding for summer projects or placements or just how an industry particularly works with your degree.
It's really useful to have insight from people who are older and speak about it so openly, so I would say this is well worth joining a committee, because might not necessarily get that from a stand or stall at a careers fair or even if you do a placement.
Skipping forward to your time working with our Trustees… how did that come about?
It came about in December last year. I was still on the end of my term for the nominations committee and there is an early career observers post with Trustees, reserved for early career scientists.
I think Helen Pain [RSC CEO] and RSC Head of Governance David Barr both put my name forward because of my committee work. I was very flattered because I don't often get recognised for a lot of things, so I was quite shocked when they sent me an email. It's almost like looking behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz and you get to see how the whole thing's run.
How did you feel at your first Trustees session?
Honestly, I was terrified! I am a physical chemist so some of these people I'm not totally familiar with their research specifically, but within the field generally and the broader system, everybody's just very impressive. I remembered my first nominations committee trip to London – I didn't know what to do and think! Carol Robinson was president at the time and she helped calm my nerves.
This time around it was on Zoom so they don't see your nerves so much – it is exciting as well. The Board of Trustees dynamic was really relaxed, everybody felt comfortable and I was kind of shocked that with all these very big names they were sort of chatting like pals. That's quite a nice, welcoming atmosphere to come into.
They’re run like clockwork in the way that you can interject into a conversation and make a point and I think Tom Welton does an excellent job of chairing the sessions and it was very nice to see my opinions listened to.
I remember discussing the funding going towards chemistry students in the summer – they actually did want to listen to opinions, and commenting and acknowledging people’s points, which can sometimes be a bit hard to do at committee meetings, particularly when you've got 14 to 16 trustees.
What would you look back on and say I found that a positive experience or I learned something?
I think just building up the confidence to make a point and, even though I may be young, I can actually make a contribution to the conversation, so it's better to say something than hide it away. I think it's notorious with imposter syndrome. Having experience like this does make you feel that you can reflect back on participating in a policy discussion or about different global issues, in a 180 year-old institution, and get listened to.
Are there people you would say particularly helped with that dynamic and how has the experience helped you?
I'd say Julia Hatto, she has been wonderful. She's a gem. She always used to message me on Zoom meetings saying “I found that really insightful, thank you for your contribution”. I've had many discussions with her in person as well – I think she's a phenomenal chemist and yet she is just really nurturing.
I would really encourage younger members to get involved in these kinds of committees, because I think senior people do want to listen to those ideas. I think it's very rare for a very learned institution to seriously take those opinions into account, I actually do think the RSC is doing something meaningful.
I have had a lot of opportunities through the RSC or from doing these committees – this is not the only reason why I do it, there are other societies I could be a part of but this is the one where I actually feel like I want to contribute something. Opportunities like that should be more widely advertised, specifically targeting younger audiences.
It would definitely be nice to see that recognised more, possibly within a degree in some respects, because it does prepare you for the wider world. You always have to have discussions with people, you're going to work on projects, you're always going to have to organise things and interact with people, so it's a really useful life skill.