A message to our Members

By 24.04.20

Updated 24th March 2020 at 14:40pm

Dr Helen Pain, Chair of the Science Council, would like to share this message to our Members:

At the start of 2020 it would have been difficult for any of us to have imagined where we would be at this point in year with a global pandemic touching the lives of each and every one of us. I sincerely hope that you, your families and your teams remain safe and well, and that your organisations will be able to weather the uncertainty of the coming weeks and months. The science and engineering communities have a huge part to play in the fight against Covid-19 and the Science Council is continuing in its efforts to support all of our members, our registrants and our partners.

When the current situation started to unfold in February, the team at the Science Council, led by Helen Gordon, began to make preparations for moving staff to home working and to switch operations to make the most of virtual technologies and online platforms. The dedication of the team has really paid off and all staff have been able to continue working, making the adjustments where necessary, to host meetings, deliver workshops and uphold standards. There has also been an increased focus on support for registrants and those applying for registration, adjusting licence reviews to give much needed flexibility to Members, and actively promoting science and the science workforce, especially around their contribution to tackling coronavirus. In particular, the team has taken the opportunity to raise the profile of the work of the Science Council and Members via social media.

As a Board, trustees have been meeting virtually to discuss the immediate and longer-term impacts of the coronavirus on the Science Council. We have reviewed our financial position as well as the business critical operations. I am very pleased that the staff have done an amazing job to transition to their new working environment and, along with many of us, to look at the opportunities as well as the challenges. I am sure this experience will change how all of us work, now and in the future.

Please keep in touch, share your stories and provide feedback. This will enable staff and trustees to continue working with you to deliver the Science Council’s core purpose.

Best wishes,

Dr Helen Pain CSci CChem FRSC

Chair of the Science Council and Acting Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry