Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Curious – Future Insight™ 2024 Conference – Poster prize winners

RSC Advances was delighted to sponsor a number of poster prizes at the Curious – Future Insight™ 2024 Conference.

www.julianhuke.com

  1. Dr. Lisa Maus and Dr. Stefan Liebig, Evonik Operations GmbHRevolutionizing the world of cleaning with glycolipid biosurfactants
  2. Dr. Jan Blankenburg, Evonik Operations GmbHEnabling Additives for Polymer-Based Electrolytes in Solid-State Batteries

The journal is delighted to provide support for this terrific work in such important areas of chemistry.

 

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Editor-in-chief Russell Cox visits China Agricultural University

RSC Advances Editor-in-chief Russell Cox was delighted to visit and present at the China Agricultural University in July.

Russell presented a discussion on the role and aims of RSC Advances in supporting our broad community, alongside an overview of Open Access at the Royal Society of Chemistry and an outline of where we envision the future of scholarly publishing.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Open Call for Papers – Advanced Nanomaterials for Optoelectronic and Sensor Applications

RSC Advances is delighted to announce Advanced Nanomaterials for Optoelectronic and Sensor Applications, a new themed collection.

This collection is Guest Edited by Prof. Sotirios Baskoutas (University of Patras), Prof. Sheikh A. Akbar (The Ohio State University), Prof. Ahmad Umar (Najran University), Dr. Priyanka Chaudhary (Ming Chi University of Technology) and Dr. Nazish Parveen (King Faisal University).

In this themed collection, we aim to provide the recent advancements and key developments in nanotechnology, particularly focusing on its application in the realms of optoelectronics and sensor technology.

We aim to provide a comprehensive examination of the latest advancements in the design, synthesis, characterization, and computational analysis of nanostructured materials. These materials hold immense potential for revolutionizing various technological domains and have broad applicability across a wide range of industries.

We invite submissions that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in this field, with particular emphasis on the following topics:

  • Optical gain: Exploring the mechanisms and applications of optical gain in nanostructured materials, with a focus on enhancing light emission and amplification.
  • Energy Transfer: Investigating energy transfer phenomena in nanostructures and their implications for energy harvesting, storage, sensor and conversion technologies.
  • Entanglement: Exploring quantum entanglement phenomena in nanomaterials and their potential applications in quantum information processing and communication.
  • Gas sensors: Development of nanostructured materials for highly sensitive and selective gas sensing applications, with a focus on detecting pollutants, toxins, and hazardous gases.
  • Electrochemical sensors/Optical sensors/Biosensors: Design and fabrication of nanostructured sensors for detecting various analytes, including biomolecules, ions, and chemical species, using electrochemical, optical, and biosensing principles.

We welcome contributions from researchers across the globe. Authors are invited to submit original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that address the aforementioned topics or related areas. Submissions will undergo rigorous peer review to ensure the highest scientific quality and relevance to the themed collection. We look forward to receiving your contributions and fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas within the scientific community.

 

Submission deadline: 31st December 2024

Submit your article to this collection

 

Both Papers and Review articles will be considered for this themed collection. All submissions will be subject to an initial assessment by Associate Editors and, if suitable for the journal, they will be subject to rigorous peer review to meet the usual high standards of RSC Advances.

We are proud to be an affordable gold open access journal. Submissions to RSC Advances will be published open access and the appropriate article processing charge (APC) will apply. RSC Advances’ article processing charge (APC) is among the lowest in chemistry and waivers are also available for authors who meet the eligibility criteria outlined here.

If you would like to submit to this themed collection the manuscript should be prepared according to our article guidelines and submitted via our online system any time before the submission deadline of 31 12 2024. During submission, authors will be asked if they are submitting for a themed collection and should include the name of the themed collection. If you would like to submit but require additional time to prepare your article, please do let us know by contacting the journal.

Submit to RSC Advances today! Check out our author guidelines for information on our article types or find out more about the advantages of publishing in a Royal Society of Chemistry journal.

Keep up to date with our latest Popular Advances, Reviews, Collections & more by following us on Twitter. You can also keep informed by signing up to our E-Alerts.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Research Technology Platforms – Global Access

RSC Advances is excited to spread awareness for a research technology platform that is freely available for researchers from less well-resourced geographical regions, subject to application.

The University of Warwick recognise that excellent science is carried out in areas of the world that might not have access to the type of analytical facilities that are often required by many international journals, referees and editors. This can sometimes obstruct publication and dissemination.

To support this, the University of Warwick is offering up their analytical facilities for free short-term projects globally, subject to application. This opportunity is open to everyone from a less well-resourced geographical region at all stages of their career.

The Research Technology Platform at University of Warwick is a cross university facility providing an integrated network of world-class technologies needed to carry out outstanding research. This platform provides wide ranging polymer characterisation technology including GPC, TGA, DSC, etc. It is part of a suite of analytical facilities supported by the University of Warwick, which also includes a suite of X-Ray diffractometers from single crystal and powder to SAXS, microscopy high resolution TEM, SEM and spectroscopy. The equipment is managed by highly trained technical staff.

Follow the links below to find out more information on the Research Technology Platform, how to apply for Global RTP Access, and important things to consider before the application:

Research Technology Platform

Global RTP Access

For successful applicants, there will be no cost for use of the facility if the application is approved. However, this does not include travel or shipping costs. All they ask is that where technical staff have contributed to the research, they are acknowledged in the most appropriate way to recognise their contribution.

For further information on Research Technology Platforms email: rtp@warwick.ac.uk, or follow them on X: @RTP_Warwick

 

Submit to RSC Advances today! Check out our author guidelines for information on our article types or find out more about the advantages of publishing in a Royal Society of Chemistry journal.

Keep up to date with our latest Popular Advances, Reviews, Collections & more by following us on X. You can also keep informed by signing up to our E-Alerts.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Themed collection: Metal extraction and recycling

RSC Advances is delighted to present this themed collection titled ‘Metal extraction and recycling’.

This collection aims to highlight the chemistry and chemical processes that underpin, and provide insight into, metal extraction and recycling. Metal extraction and recycling is an exciting and diverse topic for which fundamental chemical knowledge and its application are required. It is hoped that this collection will provide both greater awareness of the issues in metal extraction and recycling, and showcase the advances provided by chemists and researchers in allied disciplines.

This collection is Guest Edited by Professor Isabelle Billard (Université Grenoble Alpes), Professor Alexandre Chagnes (University of Lorraine), Dr Euan Doidge (Imperial College London), Professor Jason B. Love (University of Edinburgh) and Professor Magdalena Regel-Rosocka (Poznan University of Technology). They provide an overview of the collection in this accompanying Editorial.

A selection of articles have been highlighted below, and you can view the full collection here.

Towards electrochemical iridium recycling in acidic media: effect of the presence of organic molecules and chloride ions
L. Moriau, K. Stojanovski, P. Jovanovič, D. Escalera-López, S. Cherevko and N. Hodnik
RSC Adv., 2023, 137980-7987

A multi-faceted approach to probe organic phase composition in TODGA systems with 1-alcohol phase modifiers
Allison A. Peroutka, Shane S. Galley and Jenifer C. Shafer
RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 6017-6026

View the full collection here

We welcome you to contribute to this collection. Please contact the Editorial Office to highlight your interest in submitting to this collection.

 

RSC Advances Royal Society of Chemistry

Submit to RSC Advances today! Check out our author guidelines for information on our article types or find out more about the advantages of publishing in a Royal Society of Chemistry journal.

Keep up to date with our latest Popular Advances, Reviews, Collections & more by following us on Twitter. You can also keep informed by signing up to our E-Alerts.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Themed collection: Chemistry in Biorefineries

RSC Advances is delighted to present this themed collection titled ‘Chemistry in Biorefineries’.

This collection aims to deepen the current knowledge of chemistry in biorefineries. The non-renewable nature of fossil fuels makes the current economic model unsustainable. The biorefinery concept, which takes traditional refineries as a starting point and adapts them to environmentally friendly processes based on bioresources as raw materials, has attracted the interest of a large number of scientists. Achieving a sustainable production of bio-based fuels, chemicals and materials requires a deep understanding of the chemistry behind biorefining processes.

This collection has been Guest Edited by Professor Alejandro Rodríquez Pascual (Universidad de Cordoba), Professor Fabio Montagnaro (University of Naples Federico II) and Professor Carlos Martín Medina (Umeå University and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences). They provide an overview of the collection in this accompanying Editorial.

A selection of articles have been highlighted below, and you can view the full collection here.

Variable lignin structure revealed in Populus leaves
Nathan Bryant, Nancy Engle, Timothy Tschaplinski, Yunqiao Pu and Arthur J. Ragauskas
RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 20187-20197

From liquid to solid-state, solvent-free oxidative ammonolysis of lignins – an easy, alternative approach to generate “N-lignins”
Gerhild K. Wurzer, Markus Bacher, Oliver Musl, Nadine Kohlhuber, Irina Sulaeva, Theres Kelz, Karin Fackler, Robert H. Bischof, Hubert Hettegger, Antje Potthast and Thomas Rosenau
RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 9479-9490

Lignocellulosic residues from bioethanol production: a novel source of biopolymers for laccase immobilization
Valeria Vázquez, Victoria Giorgi, Fernando Bonfiglio, Pilar Menéndez, Larissa Gioia and Karen Ovsejevi

RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 13463-13471

View the full collection here

We welcome you to contribute to this collection. Please contact the Editorial Office to highlight your interest in submitting to this collection.

 

RSC Advances Royal Society of Chemistry

Submit to RSC Advances today! Check out our author guidelines for information on our article types or find out more about the advantages of publishing in a Royal Society of Chemistry journal.

Keep up to date with our latest Popular Advances, Reviews, Collections & more by following us on Twitter. You can also keep informed by signing up to our E-Alerts.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

RSC Advances 2022 Outstanding Student Paper Award webinars

We are delighted to announce the winners of our 2022 Outstanding Student Paper Awards. We are celebrating this year’s winners with a series of webinars and encouraging submissions for 2023 and onwards!

The RSC Advances Outstanding Student Paper Awards recognise outstanding work published in the journal, for which a substantial component of the research was conducted by a student. For 2022 we received over 550 nominations, which were shortlisted, and the winning papers were then selected by our Editorial Board and Associate Editors.

 

You can view the winning contributions and hear more about the winners here:

Editorial        Full Collection

In the series of webinars, award winners will present their research and there will be an opportunity to ask the winners questions about their work.

Registration is free, so sign up now by clicking the your chosen session below, to support our winners and hear about the exciting research that helped them to win the award!

 

Outstanding Student Paper Award Webinars

Session 1: 11th October, 2023
9:00 BST | 10:00 CEST | 16:00 CST
Session 2: 18th October, 2023
8:00 PDT | 11:00 EDT | 16:00 BST
Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Toni Pringle, Newcastle University, UK Analytical Chemistry Margaret MacConnachie, Queen’s University, Canada
Energy Chemistry Karina Asheim, NTNU, Norway Computational & Theoretical Chemistry Stephanie Linker & Christian Schellhaas, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Nanoscience Rabia Tahir, NUST, Pakistan Inorganic Chemistry Nicole DiBlasi, University of Notre Dame, USA
Physical Chemistry Rawia Msalmi, Sfax University, Tunisia Materials Chemistry Despoina Eleftheriadou, UCL, UK
  Organic Chemistry Alejandro O. Viviano-Posadas, NAUM, Mexico
[Registration link] [Registration link]

Apologies from a few of our winners who are unable to attend: Catalysis Gen Li, Dalian University of Technology, China; Environmental Chemistry Cui Li, China University of Geosciences, China; Food Chemistry Xingyu Ding, Nanjing Tech University, China

Looking forward: RSC Advances Outstanding Student Paper Awards 2023 and onwards

We will continue to recognise outstanding student contributions and give out these awards each year. If you published a research article in 2023 or go on to publish with the journal in the future, and the first author or co-first author must have been a student at the time of carrying out the research, we invite them to join us in future editions of this series. Please look at our webpage for more information or submit now!

 

Submit to RSC Advances today! Check out our author guidelines for information on our article types or find out more about the advantages of publishing in a Royal Society of Chemistry journal.

Keep up to date with our latest Popular Advances, Reviews, Collections & more by following us on Twitter. You can also keep informed by signing up to our E-Alerts.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

International Women’s Day – Editorial Board Members

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th to honour the achievements of women all around the world. IWD has been observed since 1911 and remains significant in driving positive change for women. In honour of this day, at RSC Advances, would like to take the opportunity to highlight some members of our Editorial Board and Associate Editor group. These members share some of their own perspectives of being a woman in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), and provide some guidance for researchers.

Prof Karen Faulds, Editor-in-Chief, University of Strathclyde, UK

Karen FauldsWhat are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

Early in my career the majority of speakers at conferences and in leadership roles were white males. Very few women were invited to speak at conferences therefore as an early career researcher there were very few visible female role models. It means it was harder and often took longer for a women in science to get visibility for their research through invitations to conferences and to be involved in leadership roles. Work still needs to be done on this aspect but it is better than it was 20 years ago with more emphasis on ensuring woman are represented but we also need to make sure that the science community as a whole is represented at conferences and committees. Role models for all aspects of the community are needed that early career scientists can identify with!

What do you think are the main factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields, and what can we do to help close this gap?

In academia there are challenges around short term contracts through postdoctoral years and having to move to different institutions, as well as competition for academic positions, meaning there is a huge amount of job instability which is extremely difficult for people with caring responsibilities. The system does not support this and many women chose to leave academia to have more stable positions that support more stable and flexible working. This needs to change.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Find a good mentor and take advantages of all opportunities that come your way!

Karen’s top publications:

Depth prediction of nanotags in tissue using surface enhanced spatially offset Raman scattering (SESORS)
Matthew E. Berry, Samantha M. McCabe, Neil C. Shand, Duncan Graham and Karen Faulds
Chem. Commun., 2022,58, 1756-1759

Rapid ultra-sensitive diagnosis of clostridium difficile infection using a SERS-based lateral flow assay
Waleed A. Hassanain, Julia Spoors, Christopher L. Johnson, Karen Faulds, Neil Keegan and Duncan Graham
Analyst, 2021,146, 4495-4505

Stimulated Raman scattering microscopy with spectral phasor analysis: applications in assessing drug–cell interactions
William J. Tipping, Liam T. Wilson, Connie An, Aristea A. Leventi, Alastair W. Wark, Corinna Wetherill, Nicholas C. O. Tomkinson, Karen Faulds and Duncan Graham
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 3468-3476

Prof Shirley Nakagaki Bastos, Editorial Board Member, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil

Shirley Nakagaki RSC Advances Editorial BoardWhat are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

As a woman aiming to become a scientist in the field of chemistry and at the same time wanting to build a family, I faced a few issues during grad school, such as the need to create, together with my husband, a support network that was conciliatory with my research activities. Finding a full-time day care that had quality and was affordable, considering our scholarship budget at the time, was a challenge. Another one was the lack of outstanding inspiring female examples in the sciences in general, because even if they existed, they were not well-known. In addition, I took some time to recognize that there is gender inequality in the various sciences and therefore lack of discussion and search for solutions, among many other factors that discouraged girls from opting for this area of activity. Throughout my career I have seen a lot of progress in this area, mainly regarding the greater discussion of the need for a more pluralistic environment with regard to gender issues, working in the science area.

What do you think are the main factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields, and what can we do to help close this gap?

Gender stereotypes are established in different cultures and areas of activity, mainly STEM, and the lack of information and knowledge contributes to their perpetuation. And, looking at my journey, I see how having a good support network, access to quality daycare and being able to count on my husband gave me the peace of mind to focus on my career as much as I wanted. I believe that only through the discussion of problems, knowledge and education can we arrive at answers that will act to reduce this gap.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Everyday we face problems that can have solutions based on scientific knowledge and this knowledge can be discovered by anyone who is interested in the scientific solution, regardless of their gender. So, when it comes to the development of a scientific career, if it is their wish, researchers can, are able, and will be successful!

Shirley’s top publications:

Synthesis, crystallographic characterization and homogeneous catalytic activity of novel unsymmetric porphyrins
A. R. Antonangelo, K. C. M. Westrup, L. A. Burt, C. Grazia Bezzu, T. Malewschik, G. S. Machado, F. S. Nunes, N. B. McKeown and S. Nakagaki
RSC Adv., 2017,7, 50610-50618

New highly brominated Mn-porphyrin: a good catalyst for activation of inert C–H bonds
Vinicius Santos da Silva, Shirley Nakagaki, Geani Maria Ucoski, Ynara Marina Idemori and Gilson DeFreitas-Silva
RSC Adv., 2015,5, 106589-106598

Fabienne Dumoulin, Editorial Board Member and Associate Editor, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Türkiye

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

I would say that problems started when I started to have ambition and apply to more prestigious tasks and positions. In a society I am involved with, I had to fight to have maternity considered in age calculations for young investigator awards. Also, when I ask for a better gender balance in various scientific activities (symposium organization in congresses), I still face those who argue “it should be about excellence, not gender”.  Others argue “there are only 30% of women in our field, why should they be 50% in the board / committee / etc…”. If this is the case, they should rather wonder about the 30% ratio! It is hard to pinpoint significant progresses, it seems to be one step forward and one step back.

What do you think are the main factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields, and what can we do to help close this gap?

The use of friendly but still respectful/considerate words should be used to describe/mention women. I remember a French professor who designated all female colleagues by “fillette” (meaning little girl), from students to full professor, without realizing the implications. When there are decisions to make, being a “fillette” does not help ascertain your credibility and generate respect. Also, how many colleagues, when learning that a female postgrad student is pregnant, immediately say “oh, she will not complete her Msc/PhD, for sure” instead of wondering how they could help? In their private lives, many women do not have a supportive partner who does their part at home – and I chose my words carefully because it is frustrating to hear male colleagues say they “help” their wife/partner. They are not “helping”, they are just doing their part.

Sadly, I do believe gender and other minority quotas work. I would prefer to be included in something “just because I am woman”, and be able to prove I actually deserve to be there, rather than not be included at all.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Find other friendly (female or not) researchers and watch and warn each other when you suspect or see a gender-biased behaviour. Be kind to yourself: you have enough burden, it is not your mission to change the system alone, do not feel guilty if you don’ manage to or don’t have the strength to try. Be kind with all other women, including students, cleaning, and admin staff.

The theme of this year’s IWD is Embrace Equity. Do you have any recommendations for improving the STEM workforce to create an environment that better supports women?

  • Do not let it be only a front to say something has been done, be active
  • Defend long paternity leaves in academia
  • Fight toxic metrics and evaluation criteria
  • Increase funding

Fabienne’s top publications:

Far-red triplet sensitized Z-to-E photoswitching of azobenzene in bioplastics
Pankaj Bharmoria, Shima Ghasemi, Fredrik Edhborg, Raúl Losantos, Zhihang Wang, Anders Mårtensson, Masa-aki Morikawa, Nobuo Kimizuka,Ümit İşci, Fabienne Dumoulin, Bo Albinsson and Kasper Moth-Poulsen
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 11904-11911

Phthalocyanine-based mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles: NIR photodynamic efficiency and siRNA photochemical internalization
Gülçin Ekineker, Christophe Nguyen, Sümeyra Bayır, Sofia Dominguez Gil, Ümit İşci, Morgane Daurat, Anastasia Godefroy, Laurence Raehm, Clarence Charnay, Erwan Oliviero, Vefa Ahsen, Magali Gary-Bobo, Jean-Olivier Durand and Fabienne Dumoulin
Chem. Commun., 2019,55, 11619-11622

The unique features and promises of phthalocyanines as advanced photosensitisers for photodynamic therapy of cancer
Pui-Chi Lo, M. Salomé Rodríguez-Morgade, Ravindra K. Pandey, Dennis K. P. Ng, Tomás Torres and Fabienne Dumoulin
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2020,49, 1041-1056

Check out our Women in Chemistry page to learn more about women working as chemists and the issues that affect them in science education.

In 2019, the Royal Society of Chemistry published a report to assess if publishing in the chemical sciences is gender biased. The full report and guidance as a result of the findings can be viewed here https://www.rsc.org/new-perspectives/talent/gender-bias-in-publishing

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

International Women’s Day – Associate Editors

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th to honour the achievements of women all around the world. IWD has been observed since 1911 and remains significant in driving positive change for women. In honour of this day, at RSC Advances, would like to take the opportunity to highlight some members of our Editorial Board and Associate Editor group. These members share some of their own perspectives of being a woman in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), and provide some guidance for researchers.

Prof Shannon Biros, Associate Editor, Grand Valley State University, USA

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

I would tell early career female researchers to never give up. Building a career in science is hard; I think it is hard for everyone, just in different ways. I would tell them that they are going to make plenty of mistakes, and when they do to learn from them and move forward. I would tell them to always stand up for themselves, and to trust their instincts. I would tell them that they are smart enough, they do work hard enough, and they do belong here. And then I would tell them that balance is important, to make sure they have friends and interests outside of their career. Lastly, I would tell them that they should have a job that they look forward to going to every day (well…most days) that brings them joy. If their current job doesn’t do that, then it’s time to reassess. But to always remember that they can do this, and that just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not right.

Shannon’s top publications:

Synthesis of diphenyl-(2-thienyl)phosphine, its chalcogenide derivatives and a series of novel complexes of lanthanide nitrates and triflates
Troy Luster, Hannah J. Van de Roovaart, Kyle J. Korman, Georgia G. Sands, Kylie M. Dunn, Anthony Spyker, Richard J. Staples,  Shannon M. Biros and John E. Bender
Dalton Trans., 2022,51, 9103-9115

Supramolecular ligands for the extraction of lanthanide and actinide ions
Eric J. Werner and Shannon M. Biros
Org. Chem. Front., 2019,6, 2067-2094

X-ray crystallographic, luminescence and NMR studies of phenacyldiphenylphosphine oxide with the Ln(iii) ions Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy
Erin G. Leach, Justin R. Shady, Adam C. Boyden, Anne-lise Emig, Alyssa T. Henry, Emily K. Connor, Richard J. Staples, Stephanie Schaertel, Eric J. Werner and Shannon M. Biros
Dalton Trans., 2017,46, 15458-15469

Dr Vandana Bhalla, Associate Editor, Guru Nanak Dev University, India

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

In the field, I have definitely faced my share of challenges. Starting from the basic level of scoring a job interview and unfavourable work environment due to subconscious and unintended gender insensitivity. To receive similar levels of recognition/respect for my research work as received by male colleagues, I had to show exceptional productivity.
Fortunately, I am lucky enough to witness the positive progress in the field. We are now initiating the conversation about this issue at all levels. Multiple initiatives have already been started to achieve gender equity in STEM like increased job openings, funding opportunities for women.

What do you think are the main factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields, and what can we do to help close this gap?

In my opinion, there are multiple prejudices that contribute towards the large gender gap in STEM. It is common practice to refer a male researcher as ‘Scientist ‘ while the female counterpart is referred as ‘Female Scientist’. The general perception about STEM as a career is that it requires high intelligent quotient (IQ) and low emotional quotient (EQ) and consequently, people with high EQs are usually considered unsuitable for the field.

To close the gap, efforts are needed at multiple educational levels starting from the primary schools. It is important to educate young minds that there is no competition to prove gender superiority rather we are working as a team to build sustainable future through positive initiatives in STEM.

Why do you think it is that women are often under-represented at senior levels? What are the benefits of taking on a leadership role?

According to me there is an uneven competition in the pathway to reach up the ladder.
Taking up leadership roles is essential in shaping the careers of young researchers. It is important to have an opportunity to bring your opinion to the table. Often women participation at senior levels is to complete the checklist, it is imperative to turn it into true representation.

The theme of this year’s IWD is Embrace Equity. Do you have any recommendations for improving the STEM workforce to create an environment that better supports women?

Honestly, I believe that holistic approach is required to improve effective participation of women in STEM. Interventions should be made at multiple levels starting from promoting gender equity at home, gender sensitivity at educational institutions and gender inclusivity at work place. More job openings and research opportunities should be created to close the gap.

Vandana’s top publications:

Enzyme-/metal-free quinoxaline assemblies: direct light-up detection of cholesterol in human serum
Amrit Kaur, Manoj Kumar and Vandana Bhalla
Chem. Commun., 2023,59, 1501-1504

A photocatalytic ensemble HP-T@Au-Fe3O4: synergistic and balanced operation in Kumada and Heck coupling reactions
Harpreet Kaur, Manoj Kumar and Vandana Bhalla
Green Chem., 2020,22, 8036-8045

Visible light promoted PANI@Au:CuO catalyzed sequential amination, azidation and annulation for the preparation of 2-arylbenzimidazoles
Radhika Chopra, Manoj Kumar, Neelam and Vandana Bhalla
Green Chem., 2019,21, 3666-3674

Dr Estelle Roth, Associate Editor, University of Reims, France

What do you think are the main factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields, and what can we do to help close this gap?

In my opinion, the main obstacle lies in the self-censorship of women in the consideration of a scientific career due to lack of confidence and a position behind the male sex. Many actions are currently being conducted to remedy this situation; for example, in France, the association Femmes et Sciences, of which I am a member, promotes scientific studies among young girls and supports doctoral students at the end of their thesis and in the construction of their careers. As well, recruitment of assistant professors to limit gender bias…. and so on.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Recruitment of lecturers is accompanied by training to limit gender bias. So my main advice would be to be self-confident and ambitious, and don’t worry about pregnancy affecting your career.

Why do you think it is that women are often under-represented at senior levels? What are the benefits of taking on a leadership role?

Women are still underrepresented in high responsibility jobs. I don’t think they are hindered in taking on responsibility, but they are not recognized in an official capacity. For example, being a woman should not affect whether you are the project investigator of a scientific project. Gender balance is a requirement for institutions. However, it is still much more difficult for women to reach the status of Professor or Director of a scientific institute. Women face the “glass ceiling” as we say in French!

Estelle’s top publications:

Gas-phase UV absorption spectra and OH-oxidation kinetics of 1H-1,2,3-triazole and pyrazole
Brahim Samir, Carmen Kalalian, Estelle Roth, Rachid Salghi and Abdelkhaleq Chakir 
RSC Adv., 2019,9, 27361-27368

Prof Shivani Bhardwaj Mishra, Associate Editor, University of South Africa, Johannesburg

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

Being a woman, the challenges started appearing at the very start of my academic journey as a student transitioning to a career in STEM. I could not score any fellowships for any of my degrees, and therefore made myself self-sufficient in pursing higher studies by outsourcing my knowledge as a tutor. The challenge was juggling university and work to contribute towards my academic expenses. At the time, it was tiring and demotivating but it helped me to develop teaching skills as well as retain the fundamentals of my chosen discipline and its implementation to research and development. A challenge can be difficult but if it is taken advantage of it can transform career. The opportunity in higher education lacked resources but even this challenge was a blessing in disguise that made me understand the value of collaboration, which also helped me to develop global networking at a later stage of my career.

What do you think are the main factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields, and what can we do to help close this gap

Unfortunately, its a huge gap. There are many factors for this, including underestimating the capabilities of women understanding STEM, and the patriarchal power play that involves demoralising ambitious women. To add onto is social stigma, there are set norms for woman regarding families, society and academic fraternity. STEM is gender biased just like any other sector. There is a need to bridge the gap in order to provide a platform for the flowers to bloom to their and contribute or participate towards further scientific advancement. For this, the academic sector has to work together with Government and other academic bodies at their respective levels to promote gender equity in STEM by introducing more fellowships, positions, academic women’s organizations and universities dedicated to uplift the STEM gap.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

The best advise to early career female researchers is “Never give up girls” if STEM is your dream. Transform your challenge into a long term investment for your career. Identify the purpose of your dreams and your life and respect your existence. No challenge is bigger or difficult than your will power. Stay patient when time tests you or your passion and keep working hard and the right opportunity will knock on your door at the right time.

The theme of this year’s IWD is Embrace Equity. Do you have any recommendations for improving the STEM workforce to create an environment that better supports women?

I would recommend new opportunities dedicated to women, new STEM institutions supporting only women both at leadership positions and as a work force. Promoting their achievements and contributing towards career development. Celebrating their performances locally and globally to present role models to new generation of STEM. Bring forward the historical STEM women who made significant contributions by organizing funds, holding conferences, colloquium, and symposiums in the name of these STEM women. Special issues dedicated to woman scientists could provide assistance, as well as support, through fellowships.

Shivani’s top publications:

Mechanistic pathways for the degradation of SMX drug and floatation of degraded products using F–Pt co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts
Majid Jahdi, Shivani B. Mishra, Edward N. Nxumalo, Sabelo D. Mhlanga and Ajay K. Mishra
RSC Adv., 2020,10, 27662-27675

Dr Xi Chen, Associate Editor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far? Why do you think it is that women are often under-represented at senior levels? What are the benefits of taking on a leadership role?

As a female researcher, I am delighted to be invited by RSC Advances to share my experience. When I was looking for a faculty position, women were still underrepresented in many fields of science, particularly in leadership positions. But today, more women are entering the field of science and pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields. And more women are being appointed to leadership positions in science. For example, two women—Prof Lesley Yellowlees and Dame Carol Vivien Robinson—have held the presidency of RSC in the past ten years. These women can help us better advocate for gender equality in STEM fields. These are all gratifying progress. Also, as a mother, I sometimes struggle to balance my work and personal life. Fortunately, I have family members and colleagues who always support me on the road of scientific research, take care of me and share happiness with me.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Some women with great scientific research potential may give up their favourite career due to the pressure of some traditional ideas or the need to take on more family tasks, but I want to encourage those outstanding female researchers not to give up easily, but to follow their hearts, be the truest self and don’t set limits on life. There may be a lot of challenges for early female researchers, but I hope we can have more courage and determination to go the way we like.

Xi’s top publications:

Acid hydrolysis of chitin in calcium chloride solutions
Yudi Wang, Jia Kou, Xuewei Wanga and Xi Chen
Green Chem., 2023, Advance Article

Base-catalysed, one-step mechanochemical conversion of chitin and shrimp shells into low molecular weight chitosan
Xi Chen, Huiying Yang, Ziyi Zhong and Ning Yan 
Green Chem., 2017,19, 2783-2792

Direct conversion of chitin into a N-containing furan derivative
Xi Chen, Shu Ling Chew, Francesca M. Kerton and Ning Yan
Green Chem., 2014,16, 2204-2212

Prof Abha Misra, Associate Editor, IISc Bangalore, India

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

It is difficult to find support from women and mentors to give advice on how to tackle the challenges that you face to make any significant progress in your early career. A slow and steady progress pays off in a long run.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

My advice is to see challenges as opportunities which bring a completely different perspective and can help with positive progress. It is important to be role model for other women facing similar problems and be part of the system to make changes for the young women of the future.

The theme of this year’s IWD is Embrace Equity. Do you have any recommendations for improving the STEM workforce to create an environment that better supports women?

Provide a support system to ensure an environment of trust and enable an understanding of the challenges faced. Women should also be given support at senior levels especially when it becomes important to have more role models.

Abha’s top publications:

Self-powered ZnO-based pyro-phototronic photodetectors: impact of heterointerfaces and parametric studies
Vinod Panwar, Sukanta Nandi, Mandira Majumder and Abha Misra
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022,10, 12487-12510

Role of the electrode-edge in optically sensitive three-dimensional carbon foam-MoS2 based high-performance micro-supercapacitors
Sumana Kumar, Anwesha Mukherjee, Swanand Telpande, Ayon Das Mahapatra, Praveen Kumar and Abha Misra 
J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 4963-4976

Stacked vanadium pentoxide–zinc oxide interface for optically-chargeable supercapacitors
Pankaj Singh Chauhan, Sumana Kumar, Anindita Mondal, Pragya Sharma, Mihir N. Parekh, Vinod Panwar, Apparao M. Rao and Abha Misra
J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 95-107

Dr Donna Arnold, Associate Editor, University of Kent, UK

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

Early in my career I found that I would be the only woman in a meeting. Sometimes this even meant that no one would know where female toilets were located! This could make you feel like you did not belong. Things have changed. There is now normally much wider representation in meetings and on the occasions where this is not the case there is enough awareness to ensure that it is a meeting of scientific equality.

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Change will only come from within. Do not be put off if you find yourselves in challenging environments and do not feel guilty for striving to have a career and a family. Both are possible. Remember that you are the voices of change and that once you get to the later part of your own career you are the voice that will inspire next generations and facilitate further change.

Why do you think it is that women are often under-represented at senior levels? What are the benefits of taking on a leadership role?

Whilst things are definitely changing women are more likely to take career breaks and then juggle family life alongside a STEM career. The demands of senior management often pulls against this. Additionally, these roles often require a certain seniority and thus also come about when women are entering menopause. This comes with self-doubt and other complicated emotional, mental health and physical states. We are still not open enough about menopause and the effects it can have on women and how that fits with delivering work demands.

Taking a leadership role can help to affect change and provide platform from which to do so. These are also the roles that end up shaping roles for early career individuals so it is important to have broad representation.

Donna’s top publications:

A new series of sodium cobalt oxyhydrates
Sundip Mistry, Donna C. Arnold, Chris J. Nuttall, Alexandros Lappas and Mark A. Green
Chem. Commun., 2004, 2440-2441

B-cation effects in relaxor and ferroelectric tetragonal tungsten bronzes
Donna C. Arnold and Finlay D. Morrison
J. Mater. Chem., 2009,19, 6485-6488

Investigation of the role of morphology on the magnetic properties of Ca2Mn3O8 materials
Laura J. Vera Stimpson, Silvia Ramos, Gavin B. G. Stenning, Marek Jura, Stephen Parry, Giannantonio Cibin and Donna C. Arnold 
Dalton Trans., 2017,46, 14130-14138

Dr Parukuttyamma Sujatha Devi, Associate Editor, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, India

What are some of the challenges you have faced as a woman in science and what positive progress have you seen throughout your career so far?

Meeting both domestic responsibilities and professional activities has been a major challenge throughout my career. I have always motivated myself to do so. 

What advice would you give to early career female researchers?

Equal opportunities have rarely been given to female researchers. So my advice to early career researchers would be to motivate yourself and stay inspired, even by smaller successes and recognitions in your career. Don’t be defeated – follow your consciousness and success will follow.

The theme of this year’s IWD is Embrace Equity. Do you have any recommendations for improving the STEM workforce to create an environment that better supports women?

Flexibility in the work place! The lack of adequate numbers of female mentors is a lacuna in STEM.

Devi’s top publications:

Some interesting insights into the acetone sensing characteristics of monoclinic WO3
Puja Ghosh, M Manikandan, Shrabanee Sen, Parukuttyamma Sujatha Devi,
Mater. Adv., 2023,4, 1146-1160

ZnO decorated ZnSnO3 as efficient fillers to PVDF: toward simultaneous enhancement of energy storage density and efficiency and improved energy harvesting activity
Abhishek Sasmal, Samar Kumar Medda, Parukuttyamma Sujatha Devi, Shrabanee Sen Nano
Nanoscale, 2020,12, 20908-20921

Surface functionalized multifunctional ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles as ad carrier of hydrophobic and hydrophilic anti-cancer drug molecules
Debabrata Maiti, Arindam Saha and Parukuttyamma Sujatha Devi
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016,18, 1439-1450

Check out our Women in Chemistry page to learn more about women working as chemists and the issues that affect them in science education.

In 2019, the Royal Society of Chemistry published a report to assess if publishing in the chemical sciences is gender biased. The full report and guidance as a result of the findings can be viewed here https://www.rsc.org/new-perspectives/talent/gender-bias-in-publishing

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

How can you reach the world with RSC Advances?

Learn more about our global presence and broad scope

In this blog post, you can discover how RSC Advances supports a global community of chemical scientists. We talk about this journal’s incredible editorial board and wide-ranging scope. Start reading to learn more.

Advancing chemistry. Supporting scientists.

RSC Advances sits at the heart of the chemical science community. We are passionate about chemistry, and we want to champion incredible science from around the world. Our brilliant editorial board connects us to scientists all over the planet and makes sure that every action we take benefits you. In our journal, you can discover research from a vast range of topics. If you’re looking for a platform for your next article, you can be reassured that we will consider any research that advances chemistry for a better, brighter future.

Exceeding the limits of what is possible

Chemistry fascinates us. This discipline is integral to life and impacts so many aspects of our world. The scope of RSC Advances is wide-ranging because we want to capture any research that can offer crucial insights and advance chemistry.

You can find a full outline of our scope on our main page. However, if you’re working on something that isn’t included on this list, please do send it to us to consider.

Taking knowledge further than ever before

Our community spans the entire globe – the research we publish comes from scientists in many different countries and institutions. We wholeheartedly believe that science can only progress when everyone has the opportunity to be heard. That’s why we are proud to publish articles from all corners of the globe. In 2022, we published work from over 105 countries, and in the years to come, we hope to publish from even more.

Behind every paper we publish is a group of expert editors from 24 countries. Our editors-in-chief, Karen Faulds and Russell Cox, lead the way to make sure that we publish high quality science for our broad readership.

For us, it is not just about publishing work from many countries and having a global presence. We also want to make sure that everyone – including funders, policymakers and the general public – has free, unrestricted access to the research we publish. As a gold open access journal, we champion free knowledge exchange for scientific advancement.

Discover more

Start your publishing journey with help and support. We have a range of resources on offer and easy ways for you to stay connected.

Visit our main page

Head to the author hub

Sign up for email alerts

 

 

 

 

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)