Group News

The SCI Bristol and South West group held a joint meeting with the RSC Bristol and District Section on Wednesday, 23 November 2011.

When your Board of Trustees last met on 16 November 2011, the key priority was to agree the rolling business plan for 2012-14 and the budget to implement this.

The original devices, technology inventions and new products exhibited in the conference added to my knowledge and I discoved that some of them could be more effective than what I currently use.

Water use to grow and process biomass feedstocks for fuels has recently emerged as an important controversy. In a world where several countries already face water stress – and where over 70% of global freshwater use takes place in the agricultural sector – bioenergy development might present considerable challenges, from the perspective of water quantity as well as water quality.

The Bristol and South West Group, working in collaboration with the RSC Bristol and District Section, has set up a busy event schedule for this season.

The SCI Fine Chemicals Group held its 21st annual 'Graduate Symposia for Novel Organic Chemistry', in early 2010, giving final year PhD students the opportunity to present their latest research.

The prize giving was followed by a spectacular demonstration lecture entitled 'Fireworks - science, art or magic?', presented by Chris Pearce and Martin Hadlington of Jubilee Fireworks.

Liam's fascination for the sciences was inspired by an enthusiastic secondary school teacher and has developed into a passion for chemistry.

Rideal bursar John Watkins presented a poster entitled 'Synthesis, characterisation and applications of cationic carbon nanoparticles'.

At this conference, in the division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (AGFD), I presented a poster entitled: Measurement of some physical and chemical properties of reconstituted skim milk powder at high temperatures using dialysis membranes.

Dr Emsley talked about how people are helped to look better, live longer and healthier and are relieved of suffering, by synthetic chemicals.

Stephanie Burns, CEO and Chairman of Dow Corning and new Honorary President of SCI, talks about her experience leading a corporation where innovation is paramount. She also discusses SCI's role in driving knowledge transference in the chemical industry, CSR initiatives and innovative ideas for the future of SCI involving community engagement and mentoring of young scientists.

SCI is always happy to welcome new volunteers and members to the Society.

On Thursday 11 and Friday 12 September 2008, SCI ran two ‘workshop and best practice sharing’ events, open to all Treasurers, Secretaries and Chairs of Regional Interest (RIG) and Technical Interest Groups (TIG).

The main aim of SCI is to bring members together and an online forum can help us do this through the web.

On Monday, 28 September 2009, SCI will be hosting a one-day ‘Volunteer Workshop and Best Practice’ day for the Honorary Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers of all its UK-based Interest Groups.

Low Carbon Cements: recent research and developments on alternatives to Portland Cement Past Conference Papers was held on 25 November 2010 at SCI HQ, London.

On 15 July 2009, the Horticulture Group joined the Bristol and South West Regional Group and the South West Growers Group for a visit to Home Covert Gardens and Arboretum.

Each year, the undergraduate chemists from the University of Bristol who have ventured into industry to undertake a year-long placement return to their department for the Rothwell Symposium, where they each give a short presentation on their experiences of working in an industrial environment.

The Great Achievement of Chemistry. That’s how Professor John Nicholson summed up the periodic table of the elements as he rounded off his talk to a fascinated audience at the University of Bristol.

The close links between the University of Bristol School of Chemistry and the Bristol and South-West Regional Group are well-established, and one of the major events held throughout the year by the two bodies is the Mike Rothwell Symposium

Dr Nigel Knee of British Energy, and also a graduate of Bristol University, gave a fascinating and comprehensive lecture on the future of the nuclear power industry in the UK.

The visit was not a simple walkabout, but a rare chance to experience the hard work that goes on behind the scenes at a large gallery.

The Bristol and South-West Regional Group were recently treated to a wonderful tour around the rocks and landscapes of the local area by Elizabeth Devon, who thoroughly entertained the 50-strong audience with a visual presentation par excellence.

This talk was designed to give the audience a flavour of the (energy) future, and how hydrogen could be used as a major contributor to the UK’s energy production, the current situation and likely obstacles that energy producers will face.

On Monday, 26 January 2009 two young members of the Bristol and South West Regional Group Committee, Melanie Sapsford and Becki Scott presented the 2008-2009 School Lecture to 100 girls in Years 10-13 at Westonbirt School.

The Bristol and South West Group collaborates with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and British Science Association on a number of events in its annual programme; a strategy that creates a more useful regional networking opportunity for members.

At the very end of summer 2007, Bristol University held the first in what is hoped to be an annual meeting bringing together industrial and academic chemists working in catalyst design and application.

Richard Evershed, professor of biogeochemistry at the University of Bristol, UK, provided a fascinating insight into archaeological chemistry to a joint meeting of the Bristol & South West Regional Group