With the early bird deadline fast approaching (2 December, register below), SCI spoke to Dr Andrew Howe – a scientist at Aqdot Ltd, visitor at Cambridge University, and one of the event organisers – about this exciting conference and why you should sign up.
Why are you excited about this conference?
Well, it’s a chance to see ‘how stuff works’ – really good scientists will be explaining how they use science to formulate commercially viable, safe, effective products in their industry sector. Different sectors face different constraints (cost, health and safety, purity, application conditions, intellectual property, etc) and scientists are under pressure to make things better, simpler, faster and at lower costs – while still introducing innovative properties. It’s amazing how they succeed. Different industries have different folklore and what is well understood in one sector might be novel in another. What’s not to be enthusiastic about?
Who do you think would most benefit from attendance?
There’s something for everyone! Industrial scientists can learn how great scientists develop products and solve problems in other industry sectors. Academics can share research, gain appreciation of the scientific problems confronting different industries, and find new collaboration partners. It’s also a great opportunity for the younger generation: young industrial scientists have an opportunity to learn from successful scientists and to encounter other areas of applied research, and students can see what industrial scientists really do, which could inform their research and career choices.
Top academics speak in public regularly, but this is a rare opportunity to hear from their industrial counterparts as well. Additionally, both the academic speakers have recent and extensive experience of industrial research.
What do you hope will be the outcome of this event?
My hope is that speakers at this meeting will provide insights into challenges they face in their industry and in their science – without any marketing spin. I hope the perspectives across industries is very broad even if the science has been narrowed down to the traditional formulation and soft matter areas.
While each potential audience sector would have a different interest, I expect the talks to be of most interest to those who work in a different industry sector or in academia... The ‘secrets’ are intended to be those things well understood within each sector but that may not be appreciated in other sectors.
There will be networking opportunities throughout the day, as well as an exhibition. SCI Members attending this meeting are able to claim CPD points. Email conferences@soci.org for more information.
Visit Blog