We are pleased to introduce three new RSC journals: EES Catalysis, RSC Sustainability, and Sustainable Food Technology.
All three journals are gold open access, and will have their article processing fees (APCs) waived until mid-2025, so you can publish your research openly without cost. Submissions will open for each journal in Summer 2022.
Click the images below to find out more information about each journal and to stay up to date with their developments as they move forward.
Update: The webinar on Thursday, March 24th has been cancelled due to exceptional circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience. However, the webinar on Tuesday, March 29th will occur as scheduled.
The first issue of Digital Discovery is coming soon, and to mark the occasion we are excited to announce two desktop seminars. These free 90 minute seminars will feature the authors and editors of Digital Discovery and discuss the exciting experimental and computational work being performed to accelerate scientific progress.
Please see below for the seminars’ details, including scheduled times, featured speakers, and links to registration.
If you are unable to attend during their scheduled times but are still interested, simply register and you will receive the recorded seminars afterwards.
Tuesday, March 29th – 18:00 BST (1:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM PDT)
| Professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik
University of Toronto, Canada Editor-in-Chief, Digital Discovery Title: “Computer Vision for Self-Driving Labs.” |
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| Andrea Angulo
New York University, USA Title: “Leveraging Machine Learning Approaches to Optimize Organic Electrosynthesis.” |
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| Professor Lilo D. Pozzo
University of Washington, USA Editorial Board Member, Digital Discovery Title: “Materials Acceleration for All through Open Hardware.” |
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Register for Tuesday, March 29th
Thursday, March 24th – 9:00 UTC (5:00 AM EDT/2:00 AM PDT)
(Cancelled)
| Professor Yuya Oaki
Keio University, Japan Title: “Sparse modeling for small data (SpM-S) toward digital discovery in chemistry and materials science.” |
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| Professor Ekaterina V. Skorb
ITMO University, Russia Editorial Board Member, Digital Discovery Title: “Digital Discovery at Infochemistry Scientific Center of ITMO University.” |
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| Professor Evgeny A. Pidko
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands Title: “High throughput computational screening and reaction network analysis for homogeneous catalysis with transition metal complexes.” |
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Additional Information
Register for Thursday, March 24th
A selection of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s North American Editorial Board Members that will be participating in events in 2019. Pictured from left to right, top row: Michael Krische, Andrei Yudin, Natalie Stingelin, Douglas Stephan. Middle row: Elena Shevchenko, Ryan Bailey, Alan Aspuru-Guzik, Sara Skrabalak. Bottom Row: Huw Davies, Emily Pentzer, Jim McCusker, Jonathan Sessler.
Do you want to know who is making the decisions behind the papers that we publish? We want you to get to know them too! While what happens behind-the-scenes after submitting a paper may seem mysterious sometimes, it’s no secret here at the Royal Society of Chemistry – our Editorial Boards are made up of international teams of globally-acclaimed researchers. As Editorial Board members, these folks work to stay up-to-date with the most exciting research and shape the field in which they have made significant contributions of their own. They are the world’s leading experts and they believe in the RSC’s mission.
To help our community get to know them, we have been bringing our Editors to events and institutions around the world, giving researchers a chance to learn not only about their science but also about the publishing process and what it’s like to handle manuscripts and be the deciding factor in a publication. Oftentimes, we include additional sessions and activities to help our communities grow stronger, stay connected to the bigger picture, and be in-the-know about the scholarly communication landscape and how it is affecting their research. We are very excited to showcase so many of our Editorial team members around the US and Canada this year. We hope you can join us in one of the cities we will be visiting this year!
Our first Meet the Editor event will be held in beautiful Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, the home institution of Professor Ryan Bailey. Prof Bailey is an Associate Editor for Analyst, and the Bailey Lab focuses on biomolecular signatures of disease in individuals – single patients, in a clinical setting – and the development of tools for multiparameter biological analysis. Prof Bailey will be joined by Jenny Lee, PhD, from our Washington, DC office, and Professor James (Jim) McCusker from Michigan State University. Prof McCusker is an Associate Editor for Chemical Science, and is one of the most prominent researchers working in photochemistry. The McCusker Research Group focuses both on ultrafast spectroscopy of transition metal complexes, and on chemical dynamics related to electron exchange. Prof. McCusker will give a research presentation on “Deconstructing Reaction Coordinates for Ultrafast Excited-state Dynamics: Using Coherence to Inform Synthetic Design.” Afterwards, Jenny will join our two Associate Editors to give an interactive presentation on publishing in high-quality journals like Analyst and Chemical Science, and will cover components of a submission, the peer review process, and more. Attendees can ask the Editors and Jenny for specific advice or insights, and also share their own experiences. Lunch will be provided, while Jenny gives an informal talk on Careers in Publishing, and afterwards she will give an informative presentation on Open Access Publishing – an important topic for publishers that can otherwise be alien to researchers. The events are all free to attend, and you can register now at rsc.li/michigan!
For updates from the University of Michigan Department of Chemistry, you can follow @MichiganChem and for updates from Michigan State University Department of Chemistry, you can follow @msuchemistry
In September, Marika Wieliczko from our Washington, DC office will travel to Canada, where you can find many of our wonderful Board Members. Toronto is known as one of the most multicultural metropolitan areas in the world, with residents from all nations adding to the diversity of the city. Joining Marika in the provincial capital will be Professor Sara Skrabalak from Indiana University for a day of activities at the University of Toronto. Prof. Skrabalak is an Associate Editor for Nanoscale and our newly-launched Open Access journal, Nanoscale Advances. Her research is focused on developing synthetic methods for solid materials with defined shapes and architectures, and studying their properties for applications in energy, chemical sensing, and secure electronics. For updates from Prof. Skrabalak, you can follow her on Twitter @SaraSkrabalak and for news from the Department of Chemistry, you can follow @chemuoft.
In the Department of Chemistry, Prof. Skrabalak and Marika will join Professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik and Professor Andrei Yudin, both Associate Editors for Chemical Science, as well as Professor Douglas Stephan, Chair of the Editorial Board of ChemSocRev. Prof. Aspuru-Guzik’s research group is renowned as a leader in quantum computing and machine learning. Prof. Aspuru-Guzik is very active on Twitter and posts lots of updates from his group and much more – follow him @A_Aspuru_Guzik. The Stephan Research Group spans a wide range of inorganic main group chemistry and organometallic chemistry. They explore fundamental research on new reactivity and chemical transformations, with the aim of developing new catalysts, materials and processes. Prof. Andrei Yudin is a pioneer in the development of tools for chemical synthesis. The Yudin Group has developed entirely new synthetic process that have reached the commercial market, and they continue to explore intermediates that many would consider impossible to prepare. You can get more updates on their exciting work through Twitter by following @andrei_yudin.
Together with Marika and Prof. Skrabalak, Prof. Aspuru-Guzik, Prof. Yudin, and Prof. Stephan will help attendees learn about and understand the publishing and peer review process, and learn from the Editors first-hand how to craft their submissions to maximize their efficiency and improve their experience with publishing. If you can’t make it to the event, you can still ask your questions through Twitter! Send your questions to @ChemMarika with the hashtag #AskTheEditor and Marika will include your questions for Sara and the other Editors during the event and share their responses and advice with everyone!
Also in September, Jen Griffiths, PhD, will travel to Atlanta from our Washington, DC office. The city, whose emblem of a phoenix rising from the ashes, representing its transformation into a major center of the civil rights movement after its decimation in the civil war, has been flourishing with many diverse institutions of higher learning. While visiting Atlanta, Jen will host events at both Georgia Tech University and Emory University. At Georgia Tech, she will be joined by Elena Shevchenko, Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and an Associate Editor for Nanoscale and our newly-launched Open Access journal, Nanoscale Advances.
Next, Jen will bring Professor Natalie Stingelin from Georgia Tech over to neighboring Emory University to introduce the Department of Chemistry to Prof. Stingelin, as a researcher and as an Associate Editor for Journal of Materials Chemistry C. The Stingelin Lab is interested in organic functional materials, including inorganic/organic hybrids, advanced optical systems, and bioelectronics. You can follow Prof. Stingelin @StingelinN and get updates from her lab through @StingelinGroup on Twitter.
Prof. Stingelin and Jen will be joined by Professor Huw Davies, Associate Editor for ChemSocRev. The Davies Group is renkowned for its work on dirhodium catalyts for C-H activation, and leads the nation-wide NSF Center for Selective C-H Functionalization. They will give insights into publishing, and Jen will participate in a career panel to introduce attendees to careers outside of academia.
The city of Austin is unlike the rest of Texas and is known for its lively music and arts scene. Towards the end of the year, Jen Griffiths will visit the great state of Texas, bringing Professor 
Emily Pentzer, who is moving to Texas A&M University over the summer of 2019, to the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin. Prof. Pentzer is an Associate Editor for Polymer Chemistry, and she will present on her research, which focuses on synthetic organic and materials chemistry, and she will be part of an interactive presentation on publishing along with Jen. They will be joined by two of our Associate Editors for ChemComm from UT Austin, Professor Michael Krische, and Professor Jonathan Sessler. The Krische Research Group focuses on catalytic reaction development for natural product synthesis. You can get updates from the group by following @KrischeLab on Twitter. The Sessler Group explores various aspects of supramolecular chemistry and is highly interdisciplinary, combining inorganic and synthetic organic chemistry with biochemistry and spectroscopy. For updates from the Sessler Group, follow their Twitter account @JLsessler.
We are excited to highlight our high-quality journals, and we know that it’s the people behind them that make them so valuable and integral to the communities they serve. We hope that you have a chance to get to know our Board Members in person at one of our upcoming events, and that what you learn from them helps you in publishing your own research.
Do you want to host an event at your institution, or have suggestions for how we could better connect with your community? While we can’t accommodate all requests, we would love to hear from you and take your ideas into consideration! Email us at Americas-Editorial@rsc.org and we look forward to continuing to serve our community.
Our flagship journal Chemical Science, with its dedicated team of Associate Editors, aims to publish research that’s most important to the chemical sciences community. We were excited to announce the appointment of Professor Luis Campos from Columbia University as an editor for polymer science on the Chemical Science blog, and we enjoyed taking some time to get to know him on a more personal level, from his views on publishing to his love of improv!
What are you most looking forward to as an Associate Editor at Chemical Science?
I’m excited to be a part of Chem Sci because I am hoping to serve and represent the polymer community, bringing visibility to the creative work that many people are doing worldwide. With its broad target audience, Chem Sci is an ideal venue to highlight the work of talented young chemists.
What recommendations do you have about publishing journal articles that was helpful in your experience?
Clarity and attention to details in the story you’re telling. Setting the stage in a paper is as important as the results one describes. For example, in my group, we’ve found it very useful to focus on “Figure 1” to try to use images to represent the hypothesis or the story that we’re trying to tell in the paper. It is not always straightforward in all cases, but it’s an important exercise when we write papers. There are many other tips floating around, and I highly recommend that all authors keep an open mind when learning how to write.
Could you share something you’re excited about related to your research or the field?
My group studies small molecules and macromolecules in a way that I can categorize as falling in the bucket of physical macromolecular chemistry, akin to the well-known field of physical organic chemistry. Interestingly, there is not one particular topic that I’m excited about in my research field since there are many exciting challenges out there. I recently participated in an NSF-led workshop to establish a 10-year roadmap of challenges in polymer science and engineering. The final report is a valuable piece, outlining some of the most exciting and challenging areas of research.
There is one thing that I am passionate about –
the polymer community is awesome!
However, there is one thing that I am passionate about – the polymer community is awesome! It’s a very warm, kind, understanding, and supportive group of people. I have had my share of ups and downs, and the support I’ve received from friends and colleagues in the community is just amazing and energizing.
How did you get involved with improv?
A friend of mine introduced me to Thank You, Robot, an improv comedy group in NYC. They are really talented individuals who perform regularly in the city. Each set involves a research scientist presenting their work (~10 min talk). Then, the improv team does a whole comedy routine around it. It’s super entertaining and fun and I always look forward to working with them and their shows.
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For more tips on how to publish your research, you might find some helpful notes from the RSC in the online guide.
We warmly welcome Luis to the Chemical Science team and look forward to publishing more of the community’s innovative research, especially in the areas of polymer chemistry and organic & functional materials!
We look forward to attending the upcoming ACS National Meeting with colleagues traveling to Boston from both the DC and UK offices. We would love to meet you so please stop by Booth 2008 for conversations with the Editor from the flagship journal Chemical Science and others across the portfolio. A great time to meet most of us is Sunday from 5:30-8:30PM when the Expo opens, or individually based on the schedule.
In line with the conference theme of Nanoscience, Nanotechnology & Beyond, we’re launching the newest addition to our journal portfolio, Nanoscale Advances at the booth on Tuesday afternoon. This will be a nice opportunity to meet Associate Editors Shouheng Sun at Brown University, Benjamin Wiley at Duke University, Rongchao Jin at Carnegie Mellon University, and Elena Shevchenko at Argonne National Laboratory.
We enjoy supporting opportunities for early career researchers with sponsored sessions throughout the meeting and corresponding web collections within the journals.
PMSE: PMSE Young Investigators’ Symposium
View additional content in the Polymer Chemistry Emerging Investigators, 2018 web collection.
Organized by Polymer Chemistry Associate Editor Emily Pentzer
Sunday, August 19th and Monday, August 20th from 8:30AM – 4:50PM
Commonwealth Ballroom B, Westin Boston Waterfront
ENVR: Showcasing Emerging Investigators: A Symposium by the RSC Environmental Science Journals
The symposium features work across the Environmental Science sister journals Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, Environmental Science: Nano, Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. Read about the speakers on the blog post and view content from the Emerging Investigator Series for each journal.
Presided over by Editor-in-chiefs Kris McNeill (ESPI), Peter Vikesland (ES Nano), and David Cwiertny (ESWRT).
Monday, August 20th from 1:00 – 4:30PM
Room 259A, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
ORGN: Young Academic Investigator Symposium
Annually sponsored by Chemical Society Reviews and Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. Read the Chem Soc Rev 2018 Emerging Investigators and the OBC New Talent web collections.
Organized and Presided over by Chemical Society Reviews Associate Editor Huw Davies
Tuesday, August 21st from 8:20 – 11:55AM & 1:20 – 4:55PM
Room 253C, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
We are pleased to support additional symposia throughout the meeting:
PHYS: Ultrafast Molecular Sciences by Femtosecond Photons & Electrons: Symposium in honor of Ahmed Zewail with support from Faraday Discussions, as detailed in the blog post.
INOR: Recent Advances in the Photochemistry & Photophysics of the P-Block Elements with support from Dalton Transactions in the form of Outstanding Poster Presentations.
If you plan the attend the ACS Meeting in Boston, we hope to meet you in person either at the booth or during the technical sessions!
Faraday Discussions: No Ordinary Conference
The Faraday Discussion conference series are true to name. They honor Michael Faraday, who made seminal contributions to electrochemistry. Each conference has a scientific committee that invites world-class speakers on a key topic focused on physical chemistry and interfacing fields. The Discussions part of the name reflects the core emphasis of the meeting with a 5-minute talk from a speaker, followed by 25 minutes of discussion.
Interactive Discussions: Key Messages in 5 Minutes
It may sound challenging to highlight a research project in 5 minutes, but it’s possible since accepted speakers submit papers which are circulated to attendees in advance, with the expectation that attendees read all papers before arriving.
After the initial 5-minute talk, anyone can speak for up to 5 minutes. In the past, attendees have prepared comments, questions, and even short presentations of their own work to confirm or raise concerns about results.
Posters: Opportunity for Recognition
Attendees can also submit posters for consideration by the scientific committee. Once accepted, poster presenters can make contributions to the Discussion itself, including showing their own work if pertinent, and there are prizes to recognize exceptional work.
Faraday Discussions (The Journal): Keep the Conversation Going
Since not everyone can attend the meeting in person, the corresponding Faraday Discussions volume publishes all discussion remarks alongside the papers and poster title and abstracts. Updates and highlighted content can be found on the Faraday Discussions Blog.
2019 Faraday Discussion on Ultrafast Photoinduced Energy and Charge Transfer
Faraday Discussions are held all over the world, but the next meeting in the US takes place in Ventura in April 2019. The meeting broadly addresses critical challenges in ultrafast energy and charge transfer across four main themes:
The Committee organized the following distinguished speakers in the area, including Gordana Dukovic from University of Colorado Boulder, Advisory Board member for Sustainable Energy & Fuels; Greg Scholes from Princeton University, Advisory Board member for Materials Horizons and Chemical Science; and Emily Weiss from Northwestern University, Advisory Board member for Materials Horizons.
A Conversation with Committee Co-Chair, Professor Stephen Bradforth
We had a chance to hear from Committee Co-Chair Divisional Dean and Professor Stephen Bradforth, at University of Southern California, who shared his perspective.
What surprised you/was your favorite part about your first Faraday Discussion Meeting? What inspired you?
I attended my first Faraday Discussion at the University at Nottingham on the subject of Structure and Dynamics of Reactive Transition States. For me, as a graduate student in Berkeley, it was a return to Britain after three scientifically rich years in California. The format of the meeting was incredibly engaging. Seeing names familiar from the literature as speakers wrestling with only 5 minutes to summarize their work! But immediately followed by an in-depth questioning and scholarly discussion of each speaker’s written paper that revealed what was fact, what was conjecture and what simply wasn’t known. It was invaluable for a student finding his feet in the field of physical chemistry.
Why did you decide to get involved and why do you think the topic of the meeting is timely?
I was persuaded by Mike Ashfold and Tom Oliver, with whom I had collaborated on two Faraday Discussion contributions over the years, that it was time to bring the Faraday Discussion to the west coast of the USA. In fact, this is the first time an FD has been held west of Chicago, and about time too! This meeting, on Photoinduced Charge and Energy Transfer, comes after a recent trans-disciplinary surge in activity to better understand solar energy conversion, both in natural photosynthetic systems and in man-made materials, spurred by the formidable energy challenge in front of us as a society.
“Attendees will gain a window on the array of contemporary advanced tools,
both experimental and theoretical, that are being developed to attack this scientific grand challenge”
–Committee Co-Chair Stephen Bradforth, Divisional Dean of Natural Sciences and
Professor of Chemistry at University of Southern California–
What do you hope prospective attendees will gain from the upcoming meeting?
The goal of the meeting is to bring together experts from several areas, spectroscopists, biophysicists, theoretical chemists, and materials scientists, to uncover the basic design principles for efficiently converting the energy delivered in a photon into useful chemical potential. And all while considering the potential photodamage to the molecular and nanoscale architectures employed. FD attendees will gain a window on the array of contemporary advanced tools, both experimental and theoretical, that are being developed to attack this scientific grand challenge.
Welcoming You
The oral abstract deadline is approaching in July, but there is still time to submit either oral or poster abstracts. Monetary support in the form of travel grants of at least £200 are available for early-career RSC members (only £20 for students), within 10 years of completing their PhD or still students, as detailed in the bursary section of the website.
We hope you take advantage of the opportunity to share your ideas and connect with the community in a uniquely interactive meeting. Whether you’re a spectroscopist, biophysicist, computational or theoretical chemist, physicist, or a material scientist working in photo-induced biomolecular and nanoscale dynamics, join us for the first Faraday Discussion in California.
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Brazil has been the research centre of South America since the beginning of the 21st century and is responsible for more than 50% of chemistry papers published in Latin America. The Royal Society of Chemistry has been committed to fostering international collaborations for at least as long. Ties between UK and Brazilian researchers have become common, and it was a natural result to sign our first Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ) in 2007, promoting and fostering collaborations. The MoU was renewed in 2012, and this May, the RSC and SBQ are signing an updated MoU that will incentivize UK and Brazilian researchers to participate in SBQ or RSC meetings, encourage inclusion and diversity and seek out joint third party activities.
In honour of this event, we have organized a special virtual issue highlighting collaborations between UK and Brazilian researchers. Articles from authors from 34 institutions in Brazil and 41 in the UK were selected, resulting in more than sixty articles on topics such as electroanalytical techniques, nanomaterials, catalysis, synthetic pathways and theoretical calculations, among others.
“The close ties and friendship between the SBQ and the Royal Society of Chemistry has helped foster many scientific collaborations and has brought scientists together to promote and share knowledge and ideas. Some of the results of these collaborations are now showcased in this web collection and we are immensely proud that these researchers chose to publish their work in our journals.” said Emma Wilson, Director of Publishing, RSC
“I’m very satisfied to renew the SBQ/RSC partnership signing a new Memorandum of Understanding during the SBQ Annual Meeting in Foz do Iguaçu, as an official activity of the UK-Brazil Year of Science and Innovation. To celebrate, the editors of both RSC journals portfolio and the Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society-JBCS decided to create themed issues. Each society selected scientific papers by authors from Brazil and UK. This is a great initiative, and the success is guaranteed. Congratulations to all the people engaged in actions to approximate SBQ and RSC much more, hence the Brazilian and the UK sciences.“ said Prof Aldo J G Zarbin, SBQ President
“Our future collaborations include a themed issue in the Royal Society of Chemistry journals portfolio and the JBCS of selected scientific papers shared by authors from Brazil and UK. I am also very much looking forward to formally renewing our partnership and friendship by signing our Memorandum of Understanding – a welcome commitment between our two countries to collaborate further in the future for the benefit of chemistry and humanity.“ said Professor Dominic Tildesley Past President, Royal Society of Chemistry
This themed issue will also celebrate the UK-BRAZIL Year of Science and Innovation 2018-2019, organized by the Science and Innovation Network Brazil (SIN). This initiative recognizes the significant increase in collaborations between the two countries and their resulting publications.
“The UK-Brazil Year of Science & Innovation is a celebration of current and new world class collaborations in global challenges including in energy, climate, biodiversity, agriculture and health & linked to our Industrial Strategy and Clean Growth Grand Challenge. I am thrilled that the Royal Society of Chemistry and Brazilian Chemical Society are a strong part of this Year” said Dr Julia Knights, Director of Science & Innovation at the British Embassy in Brasilia. Check the provisional UK-BR YoS&I program here.
We invite you to browse the collection to see what’s been happening between Brazil and the UK since 2016.
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Last year we introduced the Royal Society of Chemistry Certificate of Excellence – an award program to recognize outstanding undergraduate students across the United States. The Certificate is our modern reinvention of the well-known Merck Index® Award, which we have been working to transform since the RSC took over publishing of the classic text a few years ago. In the inaugural cycle, we asked institutions to select exemplary students from their department who have shown special achievement in the chemical sciences. We awarded almost 100 Certificates to students like Nancy Song (pictured,center, with Department Chair and Van Zandt Williams, Jr. Class of ’65 Professor of Chemistry, Prof. Tom W. Muir, at left, and Director of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Robert P. L’Esperance,at right), who graduated with Highest Honors from Princeton University, where she did her thesis work with Chemical Science Associate Editor, Prof. Haw Yang.)
Nancy Song, (center) recipient of a 2017 Royal Society of Chemistry Certificate of Excellence, pictured with Department Chair and Van Zandt Williams, Jr. Class of ’65 Professor of Chemistry, Prof. Tom W. Muir (at left) and Director of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Robert P. L’Esperance (at right). Nancy graduated with Highest Honors from Princeton University, where she did her thesis work with Chemical Science Associate Editor, Prof. Haw Yang. Photo: Frank Wojciechowski
The students chose from one of two prize options – either a hard copy of the classic reference text, The Merck Index® now in its Fifteenth Edition or a 6-month digital subscription to Chemistry World magazine. Since its first publication in 1889, The Merck Index® has become an essential reference for all scholarly and professional chemists, biochemists, pharmacists and toxicologists, of interest to students, teachers, libraries, researchers, information professionals, solicitors, journalists and government agencies – it has been the leading source of information on chemical compounds for generations of scientists and professionals. Recognized as a badge of achievement and dedication on the bookshelves of chemists worldwide, this formidable title continues to serve as the symbol of an early scholarly and professional milestone. For many of these outstanding undergraduates, receiving the text represents the closing of one chapter in their education, and the beginning of the next phase of their scientific careers.
This year, we’re happy to announce that the program will continue for 2018 and invitations to nominate exceptional undergraduates will be sent to select institutions at the beginning of February. We’re working to expand the program in the future and look forward to recognizing more deserving students. For any questions or comments about the Certificate of Excellence, contact us at americas-editorial@rsc.org.
*The name THE MERCK INDEX is owned by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A., and is licensed to The Royal Society of Chemistry for use in the U.S.A. and Canada.
Women in Science Career Panel, from left to right: Dr. Stacey Tobin, Dr. Sadie Wignall, Dr. Stephanie Knezz, Dr. Dimitra Georganopoulou, and Dr. Jen Griffiths.
We recently visited the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University, where we hosted a day of educational activities for graduate students and postdocs, including a career panel of women in science who chose to follow a range of traditional and alternative career paths. Dr. Jen Griffiths from our Washington, DC office shared insights into the world of scholarly publishing and was joined by Northwestern alumni in traditional and non-traditional careers. During this engaging, informal session, attendees were able to ask questions, learn about challenges and opportunities the representatives had encountered, and hear some great advice and tips from successful women in science.
“I realized fairly early on that an academic career wasn’t for me, and I started seeking out seminars and roundtables on ‘alternative careers.’ “
Dr. Stacey Tobin noticed that unlike a lot of her peers, she really enjoyed writing as a graduate student. “I realized fairly early on that an academic career wasn’t for me, and I started seeking out seminars and roundtables on ‘alternative careers,'” she said. “One focused specifically on science writing, and the entire panel was made up of PhDs who found careers in various types of science writing—from journalism to regulatory writing, continuing medical education to advertising.” She also joined professional organizations as a student member, including the American Medical Writers Association and the Council for Science Editors, to take advantage of their educational programs and sought outside opportunities to write. “I contributed articles to the department newsletter, and took any opportunity I could to write and edit.” Stacey built up her reputation as a skilled writer and knowledgeable scientist before starting her own firm, The Tobin Touch.
“When I discovered that I wanted my career to focus on teaching, I found my campus program that focuses on STEM teaching opportunities for graduate students and post-docs.”
One common thread of the discussion was the importance of pursuing opportunities outside the lab to both discover interests and talents, as well as to gain practical experience. Dr. Stephanie Knezz, Assistant Professor of Instruction and Co-Director of General Chemistry Laboratory at Northwestern University says, “When I discovered that I wanted my career to focus on teaching, I found my campus program that focuses on STEM teaching opportunities for graduate students and post-docs. I was able to implement a project at a local community college “flipping” a traditional chemistry class and working on the corresponding curriculum development for a few lessons in the course.” She says that the experience not only gave her a better idea of the duties of an instructor and but also inspired a renewed motivation to continue her degree now that she could focus on a specific career goal.
“I’ve found that networking can be a great way to learn about career possibilities, and that informational interviews can be very helpful for learning about day-to-day aspects of a career.”
Dr. Sarah Kamper now oversees intellectual property protection for various chemistry and materials technologies as Invention Manager at the Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO) at Northwestern. “I learned about IP law through attending a career panel focused on careers outside of academia or industry.” she says. “It sounded like a great way to stay connected to science while transitioning into more translational aspects away from the bench.” Sarah also realized the power of networking by talking with former members of her lab who worked at law firms in tech transfer. “I’ve found that networking can be a great way to learn about career possibilities, and that informational interviews can be very helpful for learning about day-to-day aspects of a career.” Sarah also suggests looking to campus groups as a way to begin networking: “If anyone is unsure of where to start, some organizations have student or young professional networking events where you can efficiently meet many people in a few hours!”
“My best piece of advice is to figure out what aspect of your science you are most passionate about, find opportunities where you can get first-hand experience delving into that aspect, and use careful time management to make it work with your research.”
We also asked the panelists what actions they recommend students take or what was especially helpful to focus on for graduate students and postdocs. Stephanie suggested spending some time and effort to uncover your interests and finding ways to take advantage of related opportunities. “My best piece of advice is to figure out what aspect of your science you are most passionate about, find opportunities where you can get first-hand experience delving into that aspect, and use careful time management to make it work with your research.” And she added, “If you are doing something you love (even if it’s not at the bench), you will almost definitely be more efficient in the lab than if you’re coming to lab everyday with the primary goal of just ‘getting through it.’ ”
Welcome to the Royal Society of Chemistry Americas blog! We wanted to create a space to let you know about what we do in North and South America and first we wanted to introduce you to our team:
The Washington DC office
The Washington DC office (L to R): Rebecca Trager, Marika Wieliczko, Jennifer Griffiths, Jenny Lee
Jennifer Griffiths (Editorial Development Manager, Americas) received her Ph.D. in bioorganic chemistry from Duke University before moving into publishing. She started with the RSC five years ago as our first publishing representative in the US. She currently manages the team that develops our publishing activities in North and South America. Before joining the RSC, she was a Managing Editor at the ACS for Analytical Chemistry and several other journals. Jen has a wide variety of interests outside of work, including knitting and needlework, running, Pilates and has recently started volunteer work teaching English as a second language.
Jenny Lee (Assistant Editorial Development Manager, North America) joined the RSC in 2014 after completing her Ph.D. at Iowa State University in synthetic organic chemistry with sustainable applications. Jenny enjoys meeting researchers and discovering opportunities to share knowledge and support research advances throughout North America. She looks forward to interesting conversations with the researcher and scholarly communication community, most recently through a Society for Scholarly Publishing Fellowship. If she’s not at a conference or visiting institutions, Jenny can be found learning new things at events across the city, doing yoga, or cooking experimentally in her kitchen “lab”.
Marika Wieliczko (Assistant Editorial Development Manager, North America) joined the RSC in 2017 after finishing her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at Emory University. She always felt that the best part of science and research is sharing it with the rest of the world so jumped at the chance to move into publishing to help others share their work. With a non-profit like the RSC she is able to combine this love of science with a passion for community service! In this position, she most enjoys learning about all the new research that she never had a chance to pursue, getting to know the scientists who inspired her, and helping young people gain the experience and skills they need to become the next generation of global leaders. In her free time, Marika enjoys athletic activities, especially running, tennis, and horseback riding, learning, watching, and playing games, planning fun activities for friends and family, listening to podcasts and reading about movies and books instead of watching and reading them.
Rebecca Trager became the US Correspondent for the RSC’s Chemistry World magazine in September 2014 after writing for the magazine on a freelance basis since 2007. She tracks and covers all news coming out of North America that impacts the field of chemistry, including policy developments. With a background in policy, and a passion for journalism, she has found her niche covering the world of science policy since 1997. Rebecca’s interest was sparked after spending summers during college as a press intern for the US National Institutes of Health. Before joining Chemistry World, she was the US Editor for Research Europe, reporting on the White House, as well as government departments and US agencies. She is also the former managing editor of The Blue Sheet, an Elsevier biomedical research and health policy publication. She studied philosophy and political theory at Haverford College in Pennsylvania.
The São Paulo office
Elizabeth Magalhaes
Elizabeth Magalhaes is the RSC Manager for Brazil and Latin America. She started with the RSC almost six years ago as our representative in the region. Beth received her Ph.D. in analytical-inorganic chemistry from University of Campinas-UNICAMP. She now manages the RSC office in São Paulo working with the community to develop skills and promote knowledge in Brazil and South America. Before joining the RSC, she worked as Editorial Manager at the Brazilian Chemical Society for Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (JBCS). Beth’s interests outside of work range from Formula 1 to Football in sports. She enjoys cooking and collecting stones from places she visited.
Look for further updates soon!
