30 Oct 2017
SCI member Katherine Geogheghan is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and became an SCI Ambassador in June this year. Here she talks about her first year at SCI and why she became a member.
‘SCI was recommended to me by a friend at the University of Edinburgh. I joined for the same reasons most PhD students join, access and discounts to events and the chance to win awards and bursaries while building a strong, professional network.
‘My first SCI event was in June 2016, when SCI Executive Director, Sharon Todd, visited the University of Edinburgh to give a lecture about SCI, how it operates at the business interface, and how it complements the RSC. It was an excellent opportunity to learn more about SCI and the Q&A session afterward gave me a chance to speak to Sharon Todd and ask her more about her career and role.
‘The first SCI conference I attended was the SCI/RSC Symposium on Challenges in Catalysis for Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals V in November 2016. This was not only a fantastic opportunity to hear about some fascinating work in my field but it also gave me a chance to network with peers and academics. I was awarded an SCI Travel Bursary to attend, which helped to facilitate my travel from Edinburgh to London, which isn’t a cheap route. At the event I won best poster prize, making the day even more enjoyable than it already had been.
‘In April I was one of ten students selected to give an oral presentation at the Scotland 28th Regional Postgraduate Symposia on Novel Organic Chemistry. It was a thoroughly interesting day covering a range of chemistry, and everyone had clearly put a lot of time and effort into their presentations. It is always a pleasure to meet people from other universities and be given the chance to present my research to a wider audience.
‘SCI held a Day of Science and Careers at the University of Edinburgh in April 2017, giving attendees a chance to hear from a wide range of scientists, and learn about non-traditional career paths. As I’m now in my final year of study, I found this day particularly useful. I relished in the chance to hear from people who have taken a non-traditional path and have a successful career they love. It was a very inspiring day and motivated me to look further into career paths outside academia.
‘My SCI membership has given me the chance to present my work to a wide range of people from both academia and industry, and build upon my network. It’s a fantastic group to be part of, and one that truly cares about its members with various support schemes to help people build their career. I look forward to seeing what new experiences my membership brings me and wholeheartedly recommended everyone to join.’
Katherine Geogheghan
University of Edinburgh
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