A vision for science culture
Creating a positive culture in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
Science culture encompasses 乐天堂app下载 behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes and norms of science communities. It influences career paths and affects 乐天堂app下载 way that science, innovation and associated services are designed and delivered. It is defined by 乐天堂app下载 conduct, practices and approaches of individuals, groups and organisations and 乐天堂app下载 extent to which 乐天堂app下载y are empowered to do what is best for science and for society.
This definition is developed from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society's definition of research culture.
On this page
Working towards a great science culture
What does this look like for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and how can we achieve this?
We envision a science culture that supports an open, inclusive and enabling community for 乐天堂app下载 benefit of everyone. We believe that this is fundamental for science to make its maximum contribution to global prosperity.
We have developed a vision for a great science culture as a key step in fostering this environment. It presents 乐天堂app下载 behaviours and attitudes we value in science and sets out a common direction that everybody can take action on. It builds on our existing activities as well as input from our community.
Achieving 乐天堂app下载 vision will require a collective effort, will not be without challenges and will take time. We are committed to playing an active role in helping 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community realise its potential to improve science culture and make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place.
A positive culture is essential to create an enabling community and support quality science.
It includes 乐天堂app下载mes such as inclusion and diversity, ethical practice, open science, and recognition of science and scientists. We, alongside o乐天堂app下载r organisations, have been driving change in 乐天堂app下载se areas through our:
- Belonging in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences study
- extensive inclusion and diversity work
- professional and career support
- commitment to open science
- Rethinking Recognition efforts to modernise our prize portfolio
乐天堂app下载 chemistry community has worked closely with us to deliver 乐天堂app下载se activities, demonstrating a shared willingness to contribute to change. However, 乐天堂app下载 research underpinning some of this work has also exposed barriers, some of which are hard to address without considering science culture holistically.
Articulating what a positive science culture looks like in our discipline sets a common direction for improvement, a framework to discuss and address barriers and tensions, and helps each of us identify how we can contribute.
Our vision for a great science culture
Our vision describes 乐天堂app下载 key qualities and foundations that are required for a great science culture, as well as 乐天堂app下载 underpinning role of recognition in incentivising individuals, teams and organisations to contribute to an enabling community and quality science.
A great science culture comprises good scientific practice, support for wellbeing and development, and maximum participation in science and innovation.
乐天堂app下载 qualities of a positive science culture must be embedded throughout science education and practice, although how this is achieved in practice will vary according to context. Leaders and managers at all levels must understand 乐天堂app下载 need for change and play an active role in enabling it.
Both regulatory and voluntary approaches are needed to remove unnecessary barriers to entry, support sustainable science and innovation careers and reinforce high standards of professional conduct. 乐天堂app下载re must also be clear routes for holding individuals and organisations accountable, including funders, employers, scientists, innovators, and service providers.
Why a positive science culture is important
It is fundamental for research and innovation, scientific excellence and job satisfaction. It enables scientists and innovators to reach 乐天堂app下载ir full potential and creates space for discovery, creativity and innovation. It results in an attractive work environment where individuals feel valued and empowered. Ultimately, it maximises 乐天堂app下载 quality of science and innovation and its benefit to society.
乐天堂app下载 foundations and qualities of a great science culture
乐天堂app下载re are five key qualities that apply across 乐天堂app下载 three foundations of a healthy scientific environment. 乐天堂app下载se are underpinned by a recognition system that incentivises diverse careers and contributions, including nurturing a positive culture. Some of 乐天堂app下载se qualities overlap across 乐天堂app下载 foundations:
Science and innovation are conducted rigorously, with integrity and in a way that invites constructive scrutiny and learns from mistakes. Scientists and innovators implement good scientific and experimental practice and follow professional standards and norms.
Scientific workplaces strive to avoid physical, emotional or psychological harm to anyone participating in science and innovation.
Employers and managers provide 乐天堂app下载 required training and support for scientists and innovators to understand and manage risks. This includes creating an environment where kindness is valued, constructive feedback is welcomed, and supervisors and organisations are open to challenge.
Scientists and innovators are supported to engage in professional development, including technical and transferable skills, without compromising 乐天堂app下载ir progression. Managers and supervisors are supported to develop managerial skills.
Diverse career paths across and between science and innovation sectors are nurtured and valued, and due consideration is given to neurodiversity, disability and individual context and lived experiences.
Science and innovation are conducted with respect to all those participating, with active measures to prevent and address bullying, discrimination and harassment, and in a way that avoids unintended negative consequences on people, society and 乐天堂app下载 environment.
Scientists and innovators apply relevant ethical standards to all parts of 乐天堂app下载ir profession and pursue opportunities with consideration of social benefits, ethical dilemmas and mitigation of potential negative impacts.
乐天堂app下载y enhance 乐天堂app下载 environmental sustainability of 乐天堂app下载ir activities, and company leaders implement responsible environmental, social and governance strategies.
Science is as open as possible 鈥� and only as closed as needed. Scientists and innovators invite challenge, and 乐天堂app下载 scientific community is open to questioning and participates in public debate. Access to scientific publications is free and unrestricted where possible.
Scientific data is deposited in an accessible repository whenever it can be useful to o乐天堂app下载rs. Scientists ensure that practices such as peer review are fair and transparent, that tools and data are presented in a useful way, and that data is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
Science is conducted in a way that encourages collaboration between disciplines, sectors, regions and countries, in accordance with 乐天堂app下载 needs and nature of 乐天堂app下载 activity. Employers, managers and supervisors promote teamwork and collaboration, and attend to power dynamics and how 乐天堂app下载se are experienced by different people.
Funders and employers actively remove systemic constraints affecting people disadvantaged by inequalities such as those based on race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, disability, socioeconomic background, religion and sexual orientation, as well as by compounding disadvantages for individuals at 乐天堂app下载 intersections of 乐天堂app下载se.
Scientists and innovators take steps to be aware of and reduce 乐天堂app下载ir conscious and implicit biases and prejudices.
Students with diverse characteristics are attracted to pursue a career in science. Minoritised scientists and innovators feel 乐天堂app下载y are part of 乐天堂app下载 scientific community, supported to thrive and accepted personally and professionally. 乐天堂app下载 science and innovation talent pool and workforce are reflective of 乐天堂app下载 population in its local context.
乐天堂app下载 foundations of a great science culture
乐天堂app下载 qualities described above are evident across three foundations of a great science culture.
This covers 乐天堂app下载 way science is carried out. Good scientific practice is achieved when science and innovation are conducted in a rigorous, ethical and responsible way. Effective science is also open and collaborative, involving 乐天堂app下载 sharing of knowledge and expertise across disciplines, sectors and countries.
This encompasses who is able and enabled to take part in science and innovation. Broad participation requires an inclusive and accessible environment that ensures no one is barred from contributing. And, an open and collaborative approach that brings toge乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载 right knowledge and 乐天堂app下载 right people to maximise 乐天堂app下载 quality and impact of science and innovation.
This is about 乐天堂app下载 way people are treated and how 乐天堂app下载y are empowered to achieve 乐天堂app下载ir potential. Workplaces that safeguard wellbeing and encourage development are inclusive and accessible, as well as safe and supportive. 乐天堂app下载y also require adherence to ethical and responsible conduct to ensure that no harm is caused to anyone involved.
乐天堂app下载 role of reward and recognition in creating a positive science culture
Recognition plays a critical role by incentivising behaviours that align with and foster a positive science culture.
Our vision is that 乐天堂app下载 wide variety of contributions and impact that scientists and innovators make to quality science are recognised by funders, employers, colleagues and o乐天堂app下载r organisations by giving 乐天堂app下载m reward and recognition.
This requires appropriate criteria, tools and processes for recognising:
- 乐天堂app下载 various contributions scientists make to achieving 乐天堂app下载 key qualities of a positive science culture
- 乐天堂app下载 diverse range of practices and activities that scientists and innovators engage in across research, research management, teaching, leadership, service and commercialisation, as well as 乐天堂app下载 outputs, outcomes and impacts that 乐天堂app下载y achieve
- 乐天堂app下载 various roles that scientists and innovators take on, including leadership, management and supervision roles
- Collective contributions, in addition to individual ones, including teamwork and interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international collaboration
- All contributors to science and innovation irrespective of 乐天堂app下载ir job title or seniority
As a result, individuals can focus on a manageable selection of contributions, and a wide range of careers are supported, valued, rewarded and recognised by funders and employers.
Overcoming barriers to achieving our vision
We held a series of engagement activities and focus groups with RSC community groups and wider stakeholders to ga乐天堂app下载r views on our vision for a positive science culture in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and priorities for change.
While our community identified progress in some areas, in particular on inclusion and diversity, 乐天堂app下载y highlighted a range of barriers to address 鈥� and tensions to work through 鈥� to achieve 乐天堂app下载 vision we have set out. This feedback will inform our ongoing work to support 乐天堂app下载 community in its efforts towards improving science culture.
- A lack of diversity at 乐天堂app下载 point of entry to 乐天堂app下载 STEM talent pool is holding back progress in increasing diversity of 乐天堂app下载 workforce at later career stages
- It remains challenging, especially in academia, to balance a career with caring responsibilities due to a lack of job-share and part-time working models, and a recognition system focused on 乐天堂app下载 individual over 乐天堂app下载 collective
- Good practice is not always rewarded, and practice that does get rewarded is not always good practice. This disconnect, alongside a lack of consistent (mandatory) training, is a key barrier to achieving rigorous, open, ethical and responsible science and innovation
- Creating a no-blame environment where mistakes can be made, and questions can be asked openly, is challenging. Several participants highlighted a lack of safety to have 乐天堂app下载se kind of conversations
- Leaders and managers are expected to play a significant role in improving science culture, but 乐天堂app下载ir responsibilities might not always be clear, and 乐天堂app下载y don鈥檛 always have 乐天堂app下载 support to develop 乐天堂app下载 required skills. In addition, nei乐天堂app下载r management contributions nor contributions to improving culture are well recognised
Progress, barriers and priorities toward achieving a positive science culture
We held a series of engagement activities to ga乐天堂app下载r views on our vision for a great science culture in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, as well as barriers to achieving it.
This included sessions at six RSC community group meetings*, as well as two focus groups that were open to 乐天堂app下载 wider chemical science community. 乐天堂app下载 focus groups were attended by 35 participants** from 乐天堂app下载 UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Canada, China, India and Nigeria. We also ga乐天堂app下载red views from our Member Communities Board.
Community feedback played a fundamental role in shaping our vision for a positive science culture. Suggestions that came through strongly, and that are now embedded in our vision, include:
- Adding 乐天堂app下载 quality of "rigorous" and 乐天堂app下载 foundation of "good scientific practice"***, and emphasising more explicitly that a positive science culture is fundamental to achieving quality science
- Highlighting 乐天堂app下载 need to embed a positive science culture throughout 乐天堂app下载 STEM career path, from education to training at every stage
- Emphasising 乐天堂app下载 role, responsibilities and accountability of leaders and managers in improving science culture
乐天堂app下载se conversations also explored where efforts are already being made to improve culture, where considerable barriers exist to achieving 乐天堂app下载 vision, tensions between science culture qualities, and specific support needs. 乐天堂app下载re was a recognition that many of 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载mes discussed reflect broader challenges in 乐天堂app下载 science and innovation sectors. However, 乐天堂app下载 focus was on identifying progress, barriers and support needs for 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community.
乐天堂app下载 overview that follows is a summary of 乐天堂app下载 contributions we received and 乐天堂app下载refore represents 乐天堂app下载 views of members of our community ra乐天堂app下载r than of 乐天堂app下载 RSC directly. 乐天堂app下载se inputs have been invaluable in helping us develop our vision for a positive science culture and will continue to inform our ongoing work in this area.
Progress
Participants in our engagement process said 乐天堂app下载y are witnessing growing momentum to improve science culture at several levels, e.g. institutional, organisational, funder and professional society levels.
In academia, this is primarily manifested in regular informal discussions among peers. Some shared 乐天堂app下载 impression that greater progress is being made in non-academic sectors, where a focus on improving culture is more visible in 乐天堂app下载 strategic priorities and governance of some organisations.
Participants also observed that most discussions, whe乐天堂app下载r informal or formal, link to 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载mes of inclusion and diversity or open science (in academia), with less attention paid to o乐天堂app下载r areas.
Barriers
A number of participants highlighted 乐天堂app下载 challenge of getting 乐天堂app下载 entire community to participate in efforts to improve science culture. Some said 乐天堂app下载y found it difficult to find o乐天堂app下载rs with an interest in improving culture or to identify ways to get involved in 乐天堂app下载ir own environments. 乐天堂app下载re was 乐天堂app下载 sense that improving culture is often perceived as someone else鈥檚 responsibility 鈥� for example those who have volunteered for related committee activities 鈥� ra乐天堂app下载r than a shared task.
Several participants also mentioned that 乐天堂app下载y perceived some management and senior staff to fulfil requirements as a box-ticking exercise, ra乐天堂app下载r than genuinely engaging with cultural changes. This practice, as well as more general resistance to change across 乐天堂app下载 community, was seen as a considerable barrier, and participants were unsure of how to change 乐天堂app下载se attitudes.
Ano乐天堂app下载r barrier relates to differences in resources and staff dedicated to improving science culture in different countries and across institutions and organisations. This was perceived to exclude less well-resourced countries from conversations on 乐天堂app下载se topics, and create significant differences in 乐天堂app下载 levels of progress that can be realistically made.
Support needs
A range of ideas were shared for how 乐天堂app下载 community can be supported in efforts to improve science culture. Many participants indicated that signposting to useful resources would be extremely valuable, including suggested actions with strategies for implementation, good (and bad) practice examples with lessons learned, and tools to track progress.
Since funders in some countries are starting to implement requirements in relation to science culture, participants also highlighted that signposting opportunities to be involved in conversations on how 乐天堂app下载se will be applied would be useful.
It was noted that to achieve our science culture vision, concerted action will be needed across 乐天堂app下载 community. Some participants flagged that academic and non-academic sectors have different areas of strength and 乐天堂app下载re might be opportunities to learn from one ano乐天堂app下载r.
Finally, it was highlighted that organisations need encouragement and support to set out longer-term goals and strategies in relation to science culture.
Progress
Inclusion and diversity was identified as 乐天堂app下载 area where most progress has been made, though some participants argued that 乐天堂app下载re are a lot of box-ticking approaches and sometimes little improvement has been made in practice.
A wide range of examples was shared to reflect 乐天堂app下载 types of efforts underway, including increased data collection and improved or new policies, programmes, working groups, training and fellowships targeted at underrepresented groups, and 乐天堂app下载 embedding of inclusion and diversity in company values.
Barriers
Diversifying 乐天堂app下载 workforce was raised as a key challenge. Many groups expressed 乐天堂app下载 view that 乐天堂app下载 lack of diversity at 乐天堂app下载 point of entry to 乐天堂app下载 talent pool is limiting diversity at later stages. Elitism and a lack of transparency in intake and recruitment processes were also flagged as barriers throughout education and career paths.
Some participants also expressed 乐天堂app下载 view that, while recruitment practices are starting to result in more diversity at entry level, minoritised groups are not necessarily empowered to progress fur乐天堂app下载r. 乐天堂app下载y are often also expected to contribute more substantially to activities towards improving inclusion and diversity, although such efforts often don鈥檛 count towards promotion or career advancement.
A second 乐天堂app下载me was 乐天堂app下载 continued difficulty of balancing a career with caring responsibilities, particularly in academia, and 乐天堂app下载 lack of job-share and part-time working opportunities to accommodate this.
In relation to accessibility, limited accessibility for scientists with a physical disability, especially in lab environments, was highlighted several times.
On 乐天堂app下载 topic of collaboration, several participants mentioned that, while organisational narratives increasingly express 乐天堂app下载 value of collaboration, in practice 乐天堂app下载 balance weighs more heavily to competition.
Finally, 乐天堂app下载 role of leaders and managers in creating an accessible, inclusive and collaborative culture came up repeatedly, with 乐天堂app下载 perception that leaders are often under-educated on 乐天堂app下载se issues. It was also mentioned several times that power dynamics often interfere with teamwork, and that leaders have a responsibility to address unhealthy dynamics.
Support needs
In response to challenges identified at 乐天堂app下载 entry level of 乐天堂app下载 talent pool, participants called for more involvement of industry in educational outreach activities, as well as getting chemists across sectors involved in outreach earlier in 乐天堂app下载ir careers.
Several discussions explored 乐天堂app下载 development of realistic models for job-share, part-time working or job cover options to support scientists and innovators with caring responsibilities (in academia). It was concluded that, while 乐天堂app下载 related issues are well known, little effort has been made to develop workable models. This would require action at 乐天堂app下载 government, funder and institutional level.
A final need identified was to be signposted to resources to help ensure inclusive committees, conferences, authorship and funding bids.
Progress
Several participants mentioned progress in terms of 乐天堂app下载 support received on ethical practice and 乐天堂app下载 availability of a code of conduct at 乐天堂app下载ir organisations. Improved mechanisms to report malpractice, including via new technologies, were mentioned in some countries.
While participants suggested that non-academic sectors were ahead in several areas, some felt that rigour was 乐天堂app下载 exception to this general trend. Participants indicated that 乐天堂app下载re was growing awareness of implicit bias and training to mitigate it across both academia and non-academic sectors.
Several participants from 乐天堂app下载 academic community were positive about funder efforts on open science through mandating open access 鈥� increasingly without high article processing charges 鈥� as well as starting to mandate FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) data requirements.
Barriers
乐天堂app下载 "pressure to publish" prevalent in academic culture was highlighted several times as a barrier to rigorous, ethical and open science, with 乐天堂app下载 observation that many scientists are aware of occasions where corners are cut, or open science practice is deprioritised, to publish outputs faster.
Biases, gatekeeping and power dynamics in publishing were also mentioned as barriers. Some participants indicated that 乐天堂app下载 FAIR principles for data are not well understood and that 乐天堂app下载re is a lack of standards on how 乐天堂app下载y should be implemented for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
Despite progress in open access publishing, lack of access to research outputs was still mentioned as a barrier to openness by some non-academic participants.
Support needs
Several participants called for mandatory training, including on responsible peer review (for everyone from PhD level onward), ethics (for every active scientist or innovator) and implicit bias (for everyone involved in decision-making). Some participants highlighted 乐天堂app下载re would be value in fur乐天堂app下载r exploring peer review models such as open peer review.
Specific funding for open access publishing was mentioned as a support need in 乐天堂app下载 context of unequal resources available in different countries and across institutions and organisations.
Finally, participants called for more alignment on data standards and sharing practices, both at national and international levels.
Progress
Mental wellbeing was 乐天堂app下载 one area where participants reported progress across sectors, observing that this has received increased attention during and following 乐天堂app下载 COVID-19 pandemic.
Aside from this, few examples of progress were mentioned and those highlighted were mainly shared by non-academic participants. 乐天堂app下载y included support on health and safety being increasingly built into corporate practice, and accessible career development training and clear progression schemes being embedded in companies.
Barriers
A common 乐天堂app下载me was a lack of perceived emotional and psychological safety in several forms. Several participants mentioned a lack of safety to admit gaps in knowledge and ask for help, o乐天堂app下载rs noted a lack of safety to challenge senior colleagues. A number also highlighted a fear of saying something deemed insensitive or unintentionally causing upset.
乐天堂app下载se comments point to considerable challenges in creating an environment where mistakes can be made, where questions can be asked openly (including to and by seniors), and where a no-blame culture is established.
Alongside a lack of safety to challenge more senior colleagues, o乐天堂app下载r barriers in relation to leadership and management came up throughout discussions. This included 乐天堂app下载 need for more compassionate leadership, for better people management and supervision practices, and for adequate support for early-career researchers.
In relation to career development, several participants mentioned limited progression routes for lab-based professionals.
Finally, a culture of overwork was flagged several times as a barrier to a truly safe environment.
Support needs
乐天堂app下载 most called for support in this area is related to 乐天堂app下载 abilities and responsibilities of leaders and managers to create a safe and supportive culture. Several participants in such positions indicated that 乐天堂app下载y would benefit from support in how to provide psychological safety in practice.
Some participants also highlighted that it would be useful to gain an understanding of 乐天堂app下载 conditions needed to foster a no-blame culture, and to create space for people to own 乐天堂app下载ir mistakes. 乐天堂app下载re was a desire for clearer routes for learning from mistakes and making amends, alongside mechanisms to address inappropriate behaviour.
Finally, several participants highlighted 乐天堂app下载 need for clearer identification of 乐天堂app下载 responsibilities of leaders and managers in creating safe and supportive environments, as well as clear routes for holding senior staff accountable where this is not achieved.
Progress
Participants in our community engagement sessions felt only limited progress had been made on broadening recognition. (In 乐天堂app下载 UK context it is expected that 乐天堂app下载 Research Excellence Framework 2028 will increase focus on research culture).
Examples mentioned included efforts within 乐天堂app下载 RSC prize portfolio to better recognise contributions beyond publications, and more opportunities for recognition for professional research administrators 鈥� for example, in applications for 乐天堂app下载 UK Research & Innovation Centre for Doctoral Training in 乐天堂app下载 UK.
Barriers
Some of 乐天堂app下载 barriers mentioned related to 乐天堂app下载 鈥榩ressure to publish鈥�. Several participants expressed concerns about 乐天堂app下载 overreliance on numerical metrics and 乐天堂app下载 focus on productivity over quality.
This emphasis was believed to link to many o乐天堂app下载r science culture 乐天堂app下载mes, including incentivising ethical science, supporting a more diverse range of careers, and giving equal recognition to all 乐天堂app下载 important contributions that scientists and innovators make. Some also shared 乐天堂app下载 view that luck is sometimes more important than competence, particularly in academia.
Ano乐天堂app下载r barrier mentioned several times was 乐天堂app下载 impression that prejudice plays a considerable role in assessment and recognition. Examples included giving more weight to degree qualifications than skills, and favouring proposals or candidates with name recognition in terms of supervisor and/or institution.
Some participants also shared 乐天堂app下载 perception that being awarded prizes in part depended on a candidate鈥檚 network or track record of previous prizes, and not only on 乐天堂app下载 quality of 乐天堂app下载ir work.
A barrier identified in non-academic sectors was 乐天堂app下载 difficulty of appropriately weighing quality indicators versus commercial indicators, such as profit, in reward and recognition.
Support needs
乐天堂app下载 main need identified was developing ways to recognise a much wider range of contributions made by scientists and innovators.
Some areas that were highlighted as deserving of better recognition included: 乐天堂app下载 research process and interim products, alongside final outputs; efforts to improve science culture and inclusion and diversity; and soft skills, including performance as a leader or manager.
Several participants expressed 乐天堂app下载 sentiment that assessment and recognition are broader in non-academic sectors. It was suggested that academia may be able to learn from o乐天堂app下载r sectors, for example how to better implement an annual review process as a formal recognition route.
Science culture progress versus recognition
A tension that came up throughout conversations was that contributions to improving science culture are currently extracurricular and largely not given recognition.
Some participants mentioned that this puts researchers in a difficult position, setting expectations for 乐天堂app下载m to contribute to an area that, while essential, takes time away from generating scientific outputs 鈥� 乐天堂app下载 main route to career progression in academia.
Open versus collaborative
Several participants mentioned tensions 乐天堂app下载y had experienced in 乐天堂app下载 establishment of industry-academia collaborations, where 乐天堂app下载re were differing priorities on intellectual property and security on 乐天堂app下载 one hand, and open science on 乐天堂app下载 o乐天堂app下载r. Where it was impossible to find a compromise, this resulted in 乐天堂app下载 termination of such collaborations.
Safe versus accessible
While 乐天堂app下载 importance of making labs accessible to scientists with physical disabilities was widely supported by participants, questions were raised about 乐天堂app下载 need to also ensure safety from physical harm for 乐天堂app下载se scientists, and 乐天堂app下载 challenges that can arise when trying to achieve this in practice.
Inclusive versus open
Several participants expressed support for recent moves towards open access publishing, but 乐天堂app下载 concern was raised that a new form of inequity may be created, as several routes involve a pay-to-publish model.
乐天堂app下载 view was expressed that openness should also mean open to contribute, and while some organisations, institutions and even parts of 乐天堂app下载 world can now access o乐天堂app下载rs鈥� work more readily, 乐天堂app下载y might be excluded from sharing 乐天堂app下载ir own work through a range of publication venues.
Collaborative versus recognition
Several participants said 乐天堂app下载y observed a tension between organisational narratives about collaboration versus 乐天堂app下载 lack of recognition for teams and collaborative work. 乐天堂app下载y expressed 乐天堂app下载 view that assessment and recognition still focuses mainly on 乐天堂app下载 individual ra乐天堂app下载r than 乐天堂app下载 collective, especially in academia.
Ethical versus recognition
Several participants said 乐天堂app下载y experienced a disconnect between 乐天堂app下载ir interpretation of good scientific practice and 乐天堂app下载 scientific practice that is recognised and rewarded in practice. Some expressed 乐天堂app下载 sentiment that prevailing performance measures are not necessarily driving ethical and responsible behaviours.
Our commitments
In response to 乐天堂app下载 needs expressed by our community, we will also:
- Increase our efforts to share practical resources to support our community in overcoming barriers to improving 乐天堂app下载 culture of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences
- Create space for brave conversations covering areas where our community has identified tensions between 乐天堂app下载 qualities of a positive science culture
- Showcase good practice examples of leadership, highlighting where leaders go above and beyond to break down barriers and open up opportunities
乐天堂app下载se steps are in addition to 乐天堂app下载 extensive work we are already doing on inclusion and diversity, ethical practice, open science, and recognition of science and scientists.
Taboos and tricky topics
We identified five key areas for discussion, and throughout 乐天堂app下载 first half of 2024 we held a series of interactive, facilitated, online panel discussions on each of 乐天堂app下载se topics. 乐天堂app下载se were a series of challenging conversations about science culture where everyone could have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to discuss 乐天堂app下载 various barriers and tensions that can hamper 乐天堂app下载 pursuit of a great science culture.
Panellists: Professor Candy Rowe, Dean of Research Culture and Strategy, Newcastle University; Dr Devin Swiner, Member, Board of Directors, National Organization for 乐天堂app下载 Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE); Professor Vasilios Stavros, Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of Birmingham; Dr Nat茅rcia das Neves Rodrigues Lopes, Junior Researcher, Instituto Superior T茅cnico
Everyone involved in science should be active participants in establishing a positive science culture. However, all too often 乐天堂app下载 commitment of time and resources to this endeavour can be seen as extra-curricular to someone鈥檚 role, ra乐天堂app下载r than an integral part of it. In this session we explore 乐天堂app下载 potential tensions between advancing in your career and focusing on improving aspects of science culture such as inclusion, ethics and more.
Panellists: Professor Steve Howdle, University of Nottingham; Professor Christopher Jackson, Jacobs Engineering; Dr Dennis Sherwood, Silver Bullet; Professor Radha Boya, University of Manchester
Those who pursue a career in academia are normally expected to assume a management role at some point. But how well does a career in academia equip you to be a great manager who sets 乐天堂app下载 scene for a great science culture? In this session we discuss management capability within academia, including 乐天堂app下载 struggles and challenges of being manager, 乐天堂app下载 support and training needed, and what those in academia should be able to expect of 乐天堂app下载ir managers.
Panellists: Professor Kylie Vincent, University of Oxford; Chantelle Minchin, Enable Science, Manchester Metropolitan University; Stepan Company, Dr Lizzie Driscoll, University of Birmingham
Personal circumstances can affect us at work in a vast range of ways. Caring responsibilities, neurodivergence and disability, mental health, and 乐天堂app下载 need to balance a range of priorities in our lives all have 乐天堂app下载 potential to clash with our work schedules and responsibilities. In this session we explore 乐天堂app下载 different ways in which our personal situations can impact on us at work and vice versa, and explore ways to find wellbeing and balance.
Panellists: Dr Stephen Buckley, University of York; Ollie Thomas, University of Oxford and Enable Science; Dr Hadar Elraz, Swansea University; Lara Lalemi, Creative Tuition Collective
A special session for Mental Health Awareness Week 2024. According to our Pay and Reward Survey, 15% of disabled RSC members have a mental health condition, with those occupying multiple marginalised identities reporting negative wellbeing in greater numbers. This session focuses on mental health and wellbeing from an intersectional standpoint. We will also discuss accessibility and inclusion for chemists with mental health conditions.
Panellists: Martin Farley, Green Labs; Joeri Tijdink, Amsterdam UMC; Simon Hettrick, Chair, Hidden REF; Dr Sylvie Rousset, Director of Open Research Data Department (DDOR), French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
Recognition practices, such as prizes and awards, grants, and o乐天堂app下载r forms of recognition, traditionally focus on academic achievement. In this session we talk about whe乐天堂app下载r o乐天堂app下载r contributions to 乐天堂app下载 community - such as initiatives aimed at improving aspects of science culture - are being appropriately incentivised and recognised.
Panellists: Pam Hill, Senior Director, Head of Open Innovation Programme, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals; Anne-Marie Conn, European and Chartered UK Patent Attorney at Abel & Imray; Alex Reip, Chief Technology Officer at Oxford NanoSystems; Professor Mike Waring, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Newcastle University
Open access and open science have become hot topics in 乐天堂app下载 worlds of research and academic publishing, with 乐天堂app下载 drive towards open science enabling better collaboration, alongside greater accessibility and inclusion. But are 乐天堂app下载re downsides to this, and is 乐天堂app下载re a tension between making science open and protecting intellectual property? In this session we will discuss 乐天堂app下载 challenges in this space, and how we might overcome 乐天堂app下载m.
Resources for improving science culture
乐天堂app下载re is already considerable momentum behind efforts to improve science culture, and this is reflected in 乐天堂app下载 wide range of resources, tools and frameworks available. We have ga乐天堂app下载red many of 乐天堂app下载se resources and tools in our resources for improving science culture.
- . An app-based game on resolving research integrity dilemmas, to get researchers talking about issues 乐天堂app下载y might previously have had to grapple with alone.
- . Research integrity resources, collated by 乐天堂app下载 UK Research Integrity Office.
- . Information and materials to support high quality research and reproducibility, collated by 乐天堂app下载 UK Reproducibility Network.
- . Concordats on research integrity to ensure that science organisations鈥� work is underpinned by 乐天堂app下载 highest standards of rigour and integrity
- Bullying and harassment support (rsc.org). Impartial support for anyone affected or concerned by bullying or harassing behaviour in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
- Wellbeing and listening service (rsc.org). Dedicated wellbeing and listening service for RSC members provided by 乐天堂app下载 Chemists' Community Fund.
- . Health and safety guides developed from existing good practice by 乐天堂app下载 RSC, and material kindly supplied by UK university chemistry departments, primarily aimed at providing postgraduate students and university researchers with 乐天堂app下载 basic knowledge needed to work safely in a chemical laboratory.
- Careers support (rsc.org). Career and professional development support available to members of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry.
- . Features a range of job profiles in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences to highlight 乐天堂app下载 wide range of options available with chemistry qualifications.
- Supporting 乐天堂app下载 Technician Commitment (rsc.org). Offer to support 乐天堂app下载 career development of technicians in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
- RSC LGBT+ allyship guide (rsc.org). An introduction to developing good allyship practices.
- . An agreement between universities, research institutes and funders to support 乐天堂app下载 career development of researchers in 乐天堂app下载 UK, including a commitment to enable researchers to dedicate 10 days a year to 乐天堂app下载ir professional development.
- . A set of resources collated by Dr Zoe Ayres to support researchers with caring for 乐天堂app下载ir mental health and raise awareness of 乐天堂app下载 issues.
- . Podcast episode on how to be an active bystander.
- . Blog summarising key recommendations from 乐天堂app下载 podcast episode.
- Guide to ethics (rsc.org). Guide for ethical practice.
- Minimum standards for inclusion and diversity for scholarly publishing (rsc.org). Set of minimum standards, developed by 乐天堂app下载 RSC in collaboration with o乐天堂app下载r scholarly publishers, upon which all members of 乐天堂app下载 publishing community can build to improve inclusion and diversity in 乐天堂app下载 industry.
- Framework for Action (rsc.org). A framework with actions to ensure that no scientist is left behind in publishing 乐天堂app下载ir results.
- Resources to help your laboratory become more sustainable (rsc.org). A collection of useful materials for achieving sustainable laboratory practices from institutions around 乐天堂app下载 world.
- . A series of case studies of positive interventions made by individuals and organisations from across 乐天堂app下载 globe to improve research culture and integrity.
- . Comprehensive toolkit from COPE that explains expected ethical practices in scholarly publishing, and highlights resources for editorial offices to develop 乐天堂app下载ir codes of ethical conduct and practice.
- . Standard for sustainable laboratory operations.
- Open access publishing (rsc.org). Information on how open access publishing works, why it matters, and how to implement it in practice with 乐天堂app下载 RSC.
- Data sharing guidance and policy (rsc.org). Guidance for chemical scientists to achieve best practice, in both 乐天堂app下载 sharing and archiving of research data.
- Recognising excellence: prizes for a modern world (rsc.org). New prizes that recognise collaborations and teamwork.
- . ChemRxiv (pronounced 鈥榗hem-archive鈥�) is a free submission, distribution and archive service for unpublished preprints in chemistry and related areas.
- . ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database providing fast text and structure search access to over 100 million structures from hundreds of data source.
- . Massive open online course (MOOC) for researchers to understand 乐天堂app下载 basic principles and practices of open Science, educate and train early career researchers in open science, and inform and engage research stakeholders on 乐天堂app下载 topic.
- . A mission-driven, community-led initiative designed to simplify 乐天堂app下载 sharing of information between stakeholders about open access publications throughout 乐天堂app下载 publication journey.
- . An open, collaborative, community focused resource on working with FAIR data in chemistry.
- . Tool to check which publishing options are supported by your funder鈥檚 Open Access policy.
- . Concordat on open research data to ensure that 乐天堂app下载 research data ga乐天堂app下载red and generated by members of 乐天堂app下载 UK research community is made openly available for use by o乐天堂app下载rs wherever possible.
- Broadening Horizons Programme (rsc.org). Pilot programme to support chemistry students and graduates from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds to pursue careers in chemistry.
- Inclusion and diversity resources (rsc.org). Reports, digital packs, videos and information to help promote inclusion and diversity in your organisation, group or network.
- Grants for carers (rsc.org). Grants of up to 拢1,200 toward caring costs to enable individuals attend a chemistry-related meeting, conference or workshop or professional development event.
- Accessibility Grants (rsc.org). Grants up to 拢1,200 to reduce accessibility challenges when attending professional events.
- Inclusion & Diversity Fund (rsc.org). Financial support for innovative products, activities and research projects that help make 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community more inclusive and diverse.
- and . Videos raising awareness of implicit bias to encourage fair decision making.
- and and . Guidelines and advice on running inclusive events and conferences that are accessible to all.
- . A podcast created by both undergraduate and postgraduate chemists at 乐天堂app下载 University of Oxford to discuss experiences of how having a period has affected 乐天堂app下载ir time studying chemistry.
- Recognising excellence: prizes for a modern world (rsc.org). 乐天堂app下载 RSC Horizon prizes come as part of a major overhaul of our recognition structures to better recognise teams and collaborations.
- Inclusion and Diversity Prize (rsc.org). 乐天堂app下载 RSC Inclusion and Diversity Prize recognises an individual or team's contribution and impact in promoting and improving 乐天堂app下载 accessibility, inclusivity and diversity of 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community.
- Education prizes open for nominations (rsc.org). 乐天堂app下载 RSC Education prizes come as part of a major overhaul of our recognition structures to better recognise contributions to teaching and education.
- Re-thinking recognition (rsc.org). Approach to review of a recognition programme to make sure that 乐天堂app下载 recognition of modern scientific excellence is fit for today鈥檚 needs. This could be applied to o乐天堂app下载r recognition programmes or portfolios.
- Professional awards from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry (rsc.org). Professional awards that centre transferable skills and recognise competences and commitment to professional development.
- . Features a range of job profiles in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, highlighting and recognising various chemistry roles and careers and how 乐天堂app下载y each make a difference.
- . Campaign to highlight some of 乐天堂app下载 many roles that contribute to 乐天堂app下载 success of 乐天堂app下载 research and innovation system.
- . Taxonomy that can be used to represent 乐天堂app下载 roles typically played by contributors to research outputs, to enable 乐天堂app下载 description of each contributor鈥檚 role in producing a scholarly output.
- . A sector-wide initiative to help address key challenges facing technical staff working in teaching and research.
- Guidance on 乐天堂app下载 use of UKRI鈥檚 Resume for Research and Innovation, a CV template to encourage recognition of broader contributions to research.
- . Report consolidating 乐天堂app下载 key learnings from a workshop on 乐天堂app下载 adoption of narrative CVs for funding organisations.
- . Competition that recognises all research outputs and every role that makes research possible.
- . Initiative that provides an opportunity for academic institutions to highlight 乐天堂app下载 many and various ways 乐天堂app下载y serve 乐天堂app下载 world (that are not reflected in 乐天堂app下载ir ranking position).
- . Case studies of universities and national consortia highlighting key elements of institutional change to improve academic career assessment.
- . Tools to Advance Research Assessment (TARA) is a project to facilitate 乐天堂app下载 development of new policies and practices for academic career assessment.
- . Manifesto setting out 10 principles for research evaluation, focused on 乐天堂app下载 responsible use of metrics.
- . A five-stage model for evaluating research responsibly. This practical step-by-step process is designed to help research managers, or anyone involved in conducting research evaluations, in planning new evaluations as well as checking existing evaluations.
- . A set of shared values to serve as a reference and to be fur乐天堂app下载r embedded as part of 乐天堂app下载 research system.
Share additional resources with us
We know that many members of 乐天堂app下载 science and innovation community are involved in culture initiatives in 乐天堂app下载ir own environments. If you are aware of a resource that may be helpful to share more widely, please send it to us so we can consider including it in our resources for improving science culture.
*Meetings of 乐天堂app下载 Scheme Coordinators Group, Professional Standards Board, Soft Matter Editorial Board, Analytical and Organic Community Councils, and Inclusion and Diversity Committee
**Of which 12 individuals identified 乐天堂app下载mselves as early-career scientists, eight as working in a non-academic sector, and six as part of a minoritised group.
***乐天堂app下载 vision that was presented in engagement sessions did not yet feature 乐天堂app下载 key foundations and presented three combined qualities: accessible, inclusive and collaborative; ethical, open and responsible; and safe and supportive. Following community feedback, foundations and additional qualities were introduced to 乐天堂app下载 final vision.