Sandra Psiuk RSci, Scientist

Becoming a Registered Scientist

My manager encouraged me to apply for professional registration and at first I felt like I wasn’t ready. It’s always possible to feel like you haven’t done enough yet. But then she spent some time helping me fill in all the questions and I thought, “Actually, I can do this!” Sometimes, you don’t know what you really know.

How my professional body adds value to my career:

Support with my assessment for RSci

Even before joining the Royal Society of Biology, I had an opportunity to meet the membership team and talk to them about what they could offer. Organising the assessment to become a Registered Scientist through an interview with the Royal Society of Biology was an amazing idea. Stressful but exciting. Surprisingly during my interview I learnt quite a few interesting facts. I was concerned I might lack knowledge in certain areas but I realised it doesn’t matter as long as you are willing to learn and apply yourself. Ironically during my interview I was the one asking questions to my interviewers. This is what I believe makes you a scientist – not being afraid to ask questions.

Opportunities to get actively involved with my professional body

After I was accepted as a Registered Scientist, an amazing opportunity appeared. My colleagues and I were invited to the House of Commons to celebrate the achievements of the Royal Society of Biology and I received my Registered Scientist certificate.

Being actively involved in your professional body’s events is an amazing experience. When you are recognised and feel engaged you want to do more. You are inspired; you feel that you are a part of something great.

Networking with other scientists

During our celebration in the Winston Churchill room (how amazing is that?) we had the opportunity to talk to experienced scientists from various fields. I also met some scientists that were retired from their jobs but were still continuing to engage with the Society to pass on their knowledge and expertise. You can never retire from your passion!

What is good is that the professional body you join is not only written on paper; it is not just a magazine which you receive once a quarter. Personal interactions with people who wrote the articles helps as you will appreciate every single page you read because you know how hard people were working to write it. I had the opportunity to talk to these people, and they are not just names under articles. The most important thing I’ve learnt is that nothing is stopping me from being one of these people.

Become professionally registered

Have you been inspired by Sandra Psiuk? Find out how to apply to become a Registered Scientist (RSci) here.