Group News

A number of events are being set up by SCI's Regional and Technical Groups for Early Career Scientists. Keep an eye on our events calendar and make the most of support being offered to PhD students, postdocs, and those starting out in industry or academia.

We look forward to putting our 2012-14 strategy into place, with the support of our members and partners. For more information on the SCI's priority objectives, see the About Us page below.

Getting too many e-mails from us? You may belong to too many technical groups. We'd recommend you limit your choice to just a couple, and one regional group.

The challenges associated with providing sufficient food in the near future are now high profile, but the nutritional quality of food is also an issue for huge numbers of people today

Please tell us what you think of SCI's services

As voted by Members at the 2011 Annual General Meeting, annual membership fees are now £90 for Standard Membership and £25 for Student Membership.

At the Board's annual planning day on 21 September 2011, we reviewed our strategic direction and rolling three-year plan, and realigned our priorities for the future.

SCI's Board of Trustees has decided that SCI should undertake a thorough review of its awards programme. During 2012, we are therefore cutting back the distribution of awards to a minimum until the review is completed.

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.

On 17 November at SCI HQ, Professor Subhash Anand, from the University of Bolton, presented a Public Evening Lecture on Nonwoven Fabrics in Healthcare and Medical Devices, where he reminded us that 'life often hangs by a thread'.

Enzymatic Processing and Modification - Current and Future Trends took place on Tuesday 21 - Wednesday 22 June 2011 at Het Pand, University of Ghent, Belgium.

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.

Read the Members' Code of Ethics, which is available online below.

EUREKA runs the Eurostars SME Programme to co-fund R&D and innovation projects in research-intensive SMEs, which have an ambition to develop ground-breaking new products, processes and services for the world market.

There have been a number of changes to tenancies at our London Belgrave Square headquarters recently.

Can you think of a fellow member worth their weight in gold? Nominate them to receive the Lampitt Medal or a Distinguished Service Award

Julian Perfect has kindly volunteered to take up the role of Hon Librarian. SCI will continue to seek additional volunteers to support Julian and to help us to ensure continuity.

On 17 November 2011, Prof Subhash Anand delivered an SCI Public Evening Lecture on 'Non-woven fabrics in healthcare and medical devices'

Andrew Ladds (CEO of SCI, 2005 - 2010) has resigned as an SCI trustee, effective 1 September 2011, citing the growing demands of his chemical-using business activities

Dame Sue Ion has been a prominent figure in the UK nuclear industry for decades, and is internationally recognised as an expert in nuclear fuels.

We have definitive legal advice on the subject of sending 'unsolicited direct marketing emails' and a few suggestions on how to guard against breach of the legislation are also set out below.

Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually at the Society's AGM. The awards celebrate the hard work and goodwill of longer-serving Members of all component parts of the Society

6-12 June 2011 sees the return of the Food Group's popular 'Ask A Food Scientist': your chance to ask an expert any food-related question!

Three top UK scientists were recognised at SCI's International Honours Presentation on 12 November 2009.

'Ask a Horticultural Scientist' ran from 15-22 May 2011, and was your chance to ask your questions on professional crop production and protection and other horticultural issues via the SCI forums.

Is there a scientific basis for concern over human-induced climate change? This was the subject of the first Public Evening Lecture of 2011, entitled 'The challenge of climate change', given by Sir Brian Hoskins. A soundtrack of the lecture is now available

The College of Scholars was established to help current SCI scholars make the most of the opportunities the SCI scholarships provide

On 16 September 2010, SCI hosted a free Public Evening Lecture featuring Fred Pearce, who is currently the environment consultant of New Scientist magazine and a regular contributor to British newspapers.

Prof David Philips presented a lecture on the subject of light - from sun damage to photo-medicine as part of SCI's Public Lecture Series. The overheads can be downloaded here, and you can also listen to audio.

Originally billed as two presentations on the Shale Oil and Coal Tar industries, the evening had to be modified due to the tragic death of one of the intended speakers, Andrew Ainsworth, earlier this year. Alec Thomson kindly volunteered to go solo concentrating on the Scottish Shale Oil Industry 1850-1964. Nestled in the huge refinary complex at Grangemouth, the Ineos Exhibition Centre was an apt venue for this presentation.

A profile of the newest members of SCI's governance: Dr Brian Iddon, Professor K Clive Thompson and Dr Roger Gilmour

SCI provides opportunities for some of the brightest people in the world to exchange ideas and gain new perspectives on markets, technology, and people, SCI Honorary President Dr Stephanie Burns says in a video shown at the 7 July 2010 AGM.

GM Food was the subject of the third in the SCI's series of public lectures and took place on 2 December 2010.

Dr Geoff Fowler reports

In the six months since Joanne Lyall was appointed Executive Director of SCI, she has launched a new business plan for 2011-13.

Joanne Lyall joined SCI as Executive Director on 21 June 2010

On 9 November 2010, the Membership Advisory Committee held its annual Members' Forum, chaired by Dr Geoff Fowler

SCI members are not impressed with the BBC's coverage of science and think it is neither impartial nor accurate, according to a survey carried out in September 2010.

In this period of substantial public sector cuts the Chancellor has recognised the fundamental role science will play in economic recovery.

Horticulture, BioResources, and Food Commodities and Ingredients Groups have all recently launched Facebook Groups.

Food scientists from the Food Commodities and Ingredients Group answer questions from SCI members and the general public on subjects ranging from cooking and nutrition, to vegetarianism and food safety.

Messel Scholar and SCI Scholar Claire Stanley reports from San Diego

Educationalist Sir David Harrison, SCI member and former chairman of the Awards Committee, talks about his perception of science in education, the media and today’s quality of teaching

REACH is an EU-led initiative to test all chemical substances imported or manufactured in quantities of over one ton in the EU by 2018.

Diane Wood started out as an SCI Member and now works for the Society providing support and customer care.

The global financial crisis has reduced access to credit, combined with a sharp decline in demand for durable goods – both of which have impacted the chemical industry.

SCI, the society established nearly 140 years ago to link science with business in the application of scientific innovation, has recognised three top UK scientists in the International Honours announced on 12 November 2009.

In July 2009, SCI entered into a broader strategic alliance with the American Chemical Society (ACS) to advance chemistry-based knowledge and address global issues of mutual interest and benefit to our members.

SCI provided very valuable resources for my career, Dr Melling tells Members News

More than 50 SCI members attended the Members’ Forum held on Wednesday 25 November 2009

SCI and its publishing partner John Wiley and Sons are launching a new range of books.

Want to reduce ageing, improve cognitive function and manage your weight better? Perhaps you should consume more antioxidants. Are antioxidants just a marketing food fad or does the science behind the word hold value?

SCI’s website now features a poll on the homepage, where users can vote to express their opinions on a variety of issues.

It could be said that this waving, drowning or emerging figure represents the global chemical industry as delegates heard at the SCI Summit, since some companies are suffering badly while others are making the best they can, and others even seeing some improvement.

The Young Chemist in Industry symposium is an annual, one-day meeting, which represents a unique opportunity for younger chemists to showcase their industrial research to an external audience.

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.

Food Events from the Institute of Food Science and Technology

Have you ever read a news story based on science that concerns you?

Sue talks about her experiences with teaching science to boys and girls, and particularly about her efforts to encourage girls into the field.

An alliance between SCI, the Society of Dyers and Colourists and the Oil and Colour Chemists’ Association will deliver reciprocal benefits to members of all three organisations

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.

The third SCI Members' Forum 2009 took place on 25 November at SCI HQ, London.

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.

Good packaging means safe and effective product delivery, as well as enhancing consumer appeal.

The Food Commodities and Ingredients Group is publishing the results of its 'Ask a Food Scientist' campaign to mark Food Safety Week held in June 2009

Palm oil is the world’s most widely produced and traded vegetable oil and a feedstock for biodiesel. Indonesia and Malaysia dominate production and have done much to make the oil so important, but have also come under criticism for the destruction of tropical rainforest.

Do the slogans 'from plough to plate' or even, 'from field to forecourt' mean anything to you? If so, there are around a thousand SCI members who share your interests in agriculture, food, feed, fuel or fibre.

While the US is the fattest nation on earth, the UK is just ten years behind the US, and the increase in obesity is rising at almost exactly the same rate as in the US.

The Food Commodities and Ingredients Group would like to congratulate Yannan Jin, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading for being awarded first place in the ‘Antioxidants in Food – from Science to Shelf’, poster competition.

The World Health Organization has called obesity one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century.

SCI's BioResources Group is creating an Early Careers Network for, and run by, younger members studying or researching in universities and industry.

Separation technology is fundamental to all chemical production processes. The separation techniques used are common to a range of industries and are continuously developing.

Kevin Smith, chairman of SCI's Oils and Fats Committee and lipid scientist at Unilever Colworth, talks to SCI about the June 2008 conference: 'Crystallisation & Physical Properties of Fats: from Molecules to Market'.

Ralph Timms, SCI's joint 2008 Lampitt Medal winner talks about 'not-so-cheap' food, the trend for nutraceuticals and the global nature of work within the fats and oils industry.

Palm oil (PO) is the world’s most widely produced and traded vegetable oil. It is predominantly used for food, but increasingly also used for oleochemicals and more recently as a feedstock for biodiesel.

This conference aimed to review the latest research into the crystallisation and physical properties of fats. It covered research into pure triacylglycerols, fats alone and in products such as chocolate, spreads and emulsions, as well as non-food applications.

The aim of the Cairo event was to provide a good overview of the edible oils and fats industry by covering current processes and products together with a look at future trends

The aim of the conference was to provide a good overview of the edible oils and fats industry by covering current processes and products together with a look at future trends. Expert speakers were invited from all over the world.

The aim of the technical conference was to give a broad overview of the edible oils & fats industry. It covered fundamental aspects, including current processes and products, as well as looking toward the future trends in technology and the market.

Information on speakers

Prof Christine Williams awarded

Dieters spent £47million last year on pills and diet aids; it’s no wonder that so many companies want a slice of this lucrative cake.

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

Ralph Timms joined SCI in 1985, and the Oils and Fats (now Lipids) Group in particular.