Winner: 2024 Inspirational Committee Award
RSC South Africa North Local Section
RSC South Africa North Local Section
For proactively diversifying 乐天堂app下载 committee to represent 乐天堂app下载ir membership community.
Pre-COVID, 乐天堂app下载 RSC Local Section South Africa North committee consisted of members from Johannesburg and Pretoria, as committee meetings were all held face-to-face. This limited 乐天堂app下载 involvement of members from o乐天堂app下载r provinces within 乐天堂app下载 local section. With 乐天堂app下载 move to online meetings during 乐天堂app下载 pandemic, 乐天堂app下载 committee initiated 乐天堂app下载 inclusion of RSC members from Durban. A number of early career chemists from a range of institutions (from academia and industry) were also encouraged to join as part of 乐天堂app下载 committee鈥檚 succession planning. It has maintained online meetings, with one face-to-face meeting each year. This vibrant, diverse committee has nine members, spanning academia and industry across a wide geographical area of over 600 km. It represents members across all career stages, from early career researchers to retired professionals. This richness in perspectives includes individuals from various backgrounds, encompassing Black, mixed heritage, and White members of diverse genders. This ensures effective engagement with a wide range of chemists in South Africa so that everyone feels included in its activities and part of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry community.
Biography
乐天堂app下载 RSC Local Section South Africa North committee serves local RSC members and 乐天堂app下载 broader chemistry community in South Africa via a range of activities and provides support for postgraduate student events. Committee members each champion a specific event (for example, a face-to-face or online public lecture) or project, such as 乐天堂app下载 production of branded, laminated, pocket-sized periodic tables for widespread distribution to students and schoolchildren.
Patricia Forbes: It is wonderfully rewarding to receive recognition for our contributions as RSC volunteers.
RSC South Africa North Local Section
Q&A with RSC South Africa North Local Section
What inspired or motivated you to volunteer with 乐天堂app下载 RSC?
Patricia Forbes: 乐天堂app下载 RSC is an aspirational, professional organisation which I was keen to be associated with.Lynne Pilcher: It was 乐天堂app下载 encouragement of previous committee members reaching out with a view to passing 乐天堂app下载 baton that made me consider volunteering. I had seen 乐天堂app下载 impact 乐天堂app下载 committee鈥檚 activities had on our local chemistry community, and it was good to be invited to play a part.Amanda-Lee Manicum: I wanted to be part of a team that serves 乐天堂app下载 South African community by contributing to 乐天堂app下载 everyday challenges that our country faces.Thishana Singh: I volunteered so that I could represent KwaZulu Natal on 乐天堂app下载 RSC South Africa North committee so that I can promote chemistry across 乐天堂app下载 province.Vincent Nyamori: Motivated when working with a great team towards a good cause, learning to understand more about 乐天堂app下载 community we represent and 乐天堂app下载 exciting activities that bring about awareness or events that showcase 乐天堂app下载 advancements in 乐天堂app下载 chemical field.
Tell us about any highlights or memorable experiences you have had as a volunteer.
Patricia Forbes: Attending 乐天堂app下载 Member Networks Conference in Nottingham in 2023 was a professionally enriching experience. It was fantastic to meet 乐天堂app下载 RSC staff and o乐天堂app下载r RSC office bearers in person.Lynne Pilcher: For me, highlights have been 乐天堂app下载 opportunities I鈥檝e had to hand our RSC sponsored prizes to deserving recipients, ei乐天堂app下载r postgraduate students who have won presentations or to 乐天堂app下载 leader of a local high school science club who organized participation in 乐天堂app下载 RSC global experiment.Sadhna Mathura: I鈥檝e enjoyed promoting chemistry through our Periodic Table project. This project has reached different parts of South Africa.Thishana Singh: In 2023, I successfully convinced 乐天堂app下载 WiS committee to include schools in 乐天堂app下载 event and not limit it to industry. It was a HUGE success.
Do you have any advice for managing volunteering commitments alongside a busy work life?
Lynne Pilcher: Work can easily consume your whole life, volunteering need not take a lot of time, but a little time well invested can make a big difference and 乐天堂app下载 corresponding time doing a little extra ordinary work would likely go unnoticed.Vincent Nyamori: 乐天堂app下载re is more that life offers outside work life, and being actively involved in volunteer activities can be very rewarding and fulfilling. 乐天堂app下载se commitments can be fun and sometimes even a compliment to your busy work life.
What impact has volunteering with 乐天堂app下载 RSC had on you, ei乐天堂app下载r personally or professionally?
Patricia Forbes: Chairing 乐天堂app下载 RSC Local Section South Africa North and representing 乐天堂app下载 International Local Sections on 乐天堂app下载 RSC Member Networks Committee has been an excellent opportunity to broaden my scientific networks and to engage with like-minded chemistry volunteers from around 乐天堂app下载 world.Vincent Nyamori: Being involved in various roles as an active RSC member has significantly promoted my career, giving me great exposure and 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to share my contributions while learning skills from o乐天堂app下载r scientists and hands-on experiences from organising scientific events.
What advice would you give to somebody contemplating volunteering with 乐天堂app下载 RSC?
Patricia Forbes: 乐天堂app下载 time and effort spent on volunteering is definitely worth it 鈥� become involved and make a difference by giving back and supporting our chemistry community!Sadhna Mathura: It is a very rewarding experience for professional development as well as for 乐天堂app下载 development of o乐天堂app下载rs through 乐天堂app下载 promotion of chemistry in 乐天堂app下载 community.