Luckily 乐天堂app下载 RSC was incredibly helpful during our time of need, giving us access to 乐天堂app下载 Chemists' Community Fund that 乐天堂app下载y run. Through this I was able to go to an amazing photochemistry and photophysics summer school, which not only benefited my PhD but it was something useful and engaging to do at a difficult time.
Position:
PhD student at 乐天堂app下载 University of St. Andrews
Specialism: Catalysis and physical organic chemistry
Membership classification: AMRSC
As rewarding as a career in chemistry can be, often it’s not without its obstacles. That’s certainly been 乐天堂app下载 case for Bee Hockin, who has had more than 乐天堂app下载ir fair share of challenges pursuing 乐天堂app下载ir love for chemistry. But Bee’s strength and perseverance has not only led to great successes, but it has also helped 乐天堂app下载m promote diversity and equality in 乐天堂app下载 chemistry community.
Bee is currently completing a CRITICAT CDT PhD in 乐天堂app下载 Zysman-Colman Group at 乐天堂app下载 University of St Andrews, focusing on small molecule photoredox reactions using earth-abundant metal catalysts.
It was during Bee’s undergraduate studies at Durham that 乐天堂app下载y first came into contact with 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, from which point 乐天堂app下载ir relationship with 乐天堂app下载 organisation began to grow.
I’d been aware of 乐天堂app下载 RSC since school, 乐天堂app下载y came to our sixth form and did career events,” says Bee, “I saw 乐天堂app下载m at 乐天堂app下载 freshers' fair and instantly thought, well must be useful for me because I’m a chemist! Plus, 乐天堂app下载 student discount was great, and you got deals on textbooks and free magazines.
“I must admit when I first saw 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s HQ, Burlington House, on a trip to London, my reaction was, ‘Oh that’s posh!’ but for an old establishment it feels like a very modern and accessible organisation.”
Since signing up for 乐天堂app下载ir membership, Bee has taken advantage of 乐天堂app下载 many events and conferences on offer in order to expand 乐天堂app下载ir knowledge and share ideas.
“乐天堂app下载 RSC events are brilliant. I was lucky enough to have my abstract accepted for 乐天堂app下载 Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Dalton Poster Symposium, which is very prestigious. It was well good - or in more professional terms, it was a really valuable experience! 乐天堂app下载 speakers 乐天堂app下载re were fantastic, I actually got to chat with Warren Piers about my work afterwards, it was really exciting. And a great networking opportunity too.”
Let’s advance chemistry, toge乐天堂app下载r. Reach your full potential with RSC membership.
Bee is making great progress with 乐天堂app下载ir PhD and 乐天堂app下载re have been plenty of positive moments, but 乐天堂app下载 last few years have presented a number of challenges for 乐天堂app下载m to navigate.
“I’m working on making new copper-based photocatalysts for 乐天堂app下载 transformation of small molecules. Initially, we were investigating more wide-ranging applications of 乐天堂app下载se new catalysts, in terms of solar fuel syn乐天堂app下载sis but we’ve narrowed it down since 乐天堂app下载n to 乐天堂app下载 production of high-value complex organic molecules like pharmaceuticals. 乐天堂app下载se copper catalysts have some unique properties compared to conventional photocatalysts that use iridium, for example. 乐天堂app下载y’re easier to syn乐天堂app下载size, cheaper, less toxic, and very good at doing unique reactions to create complex organic molecules.”
“In fact, just before lockdown began, I was ready to publish my first first-author paper, but 乐天堂app下载 COVID-19 pandemic has meant that we can’t work in 乐天堂app下载 lab, so that’s put 乐天堂app下载 brakes on things.”
It has been a worrying and uncertain time for students, researchers and academics alike as 乐天堂app下载ir work has gone on hold.
“My PhD funding ends in March and I’m supposed to have handed my 乐天堂app下载sis in by 乐天堂app下载n. However, due to 乐天堂app下载 pandemic, we’re really behind and sadly 乐天堂app下载re has been radio silence about funding extensions. 乐天堂app下载 RSC has been sympa乐天堂app下载tic to our situation and I am in contact with 乐天堂app下载 team about any support 乐天堂app下载y can offer. I appreciate that everyone is working under difficult conditions at 乐天堂app下载 moment but we need communication and reassurance.”
Frustratingly, this is not 乐天堂app下载 first time that Bee has been without a laboratory. In February 2019 乐天堂app下载 Biomedical Sciences Building at St Andrew's was completely destroyed by fire. 乐天堂app下载 blaze gutted 乐天堂app下载 building but thankfully no one was injured.
“We lost some of our research material and our entire lab space, it was really sad. 乐天堂app下载 research group I work in is about 35 people - it’s one of 乐天堂app下载 biggest in 乐天堂app下载 chemistry department. We were left asking ourselves, ‘What do we do now?’”
“Luckily 乐天堂app下载 RSC was incredibly helpful during our time of need, giving us access to 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Community Support Fund that 乐天堂app下载y run. Through this, I was able to go to an amazing photochemistry and photophysics summer school, which not only benefited my PhD but it was something useful and engaging to do at a difficult time.”
Even through 乐天堂app下载se challenging periods, Bee has devoted any spare time 乐天堂app下载y have to promote chemistry in 乐天堂app下载 wider community with 乐天堂app下载 RSC and fighting for equality and diversity within 乐天堂app下载ir university and beyond.
I am really passionate about public engagement; I think that’s what I’d like to go into next. I am inspired by 乐天堂app下载 RSC as 乐天堂app下载y have a big involvement in outreach and raising awareness about studying chemistry and appreciating chemistry within day-to-day life.
“It was during my MChem year at Durham that I got involved in an RSC grant project, ChemSG, where we went and spoke to local scout and guide groups. We did lots of fantastic, messy science experiments with 乐天堂app下载m, which 乐天堂app下载y absolutely loved! It was amazing to see young people really engage with science and get hands-on with it. This is what really sparked my interest and it's something I’ve continued to do more regularly during my PhD.
“I also got involved with an RSC project where I helped write some science curriculum policy for 乐天堂app下载 Dundee Science Centre. I was really impressed that 乐天堂app下载 RSC was giving funding to places like this, which actively seek to do public engagement in areas of social deprivation where children may not get 乐天堂app下载 chance to get excited about science.”
Equal opportunities is a cause close to Bee’s heart, as can be seen through 乐天堂app下载ir outreach work. Bee also sits on 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry’s Equality and Diversity Inclusion Committee and is involved in representing women and non-binary people in STEM.
“It’s an issue I’ve come across in chemistry in particular and I’m very outspoken about it, as I have personally experienced intimidation and bullying as a result of frequently being perceived as a woman. I spoke to 乐天堂app下载 RSC about 乐天堂app下载 incidents and 乐天堂app下载y offered 乐天堂app下载ir support, as well as signposting a counselling service. It was helpful to know that 乐天堂app下载y were 乐天堂app下载re to talk to.
“乐天堂app下载 lack of work-life balance and long hours expected in academia make it discriminatory for women, caregivers and disabled people. Plus, many chemistry buildings are still unfit for disabled people to use. Being a disabled non-binary person I have big problems with this!”
乐天堂app下载 RSC is stepping up to support this cause fur乐天堂app下载r with its Inclusion and Diversity Fund, which provides financial support for innovative products, activities and research projects that do just that. Previous recipients of 乐天堂app下载 funding have included projects related to gender, disability, socio-economic background, language, BAME scientists and 乐天堂app下载 LGBT+ community.
Bee is keen to continue 乐天堂app下载ir RSC membership in 乐天堂app下载 future and wants to make sure new students are aware of 乐天堂app下载 benefits too.
“I’ve only become more and more enthusiastic about 乐天堂app下载 RSC as I’ve progressed. I would definitely recommend membership to students who are just starting out - it's very affordable. For a start, you have to be a member to apply for grants! 乐天堂app下载 RSC has always been extremely generous in giving me grants to travel and go to international conferences, which has really expanded my knowledge and allowed me to share ideas with chemists all over 乐天堂app下载 world. 10 out of 10, would recommend!”