SCI offers scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers a range of options to share knowledge and experience with others across the UK and beyond.
SCI defines early career as:
Normally up to 10 years after completion of first degree or up to 10 years after starting a first position in business, science or engineering
SCI offers travel bursaries, scholarships and grants to Early Career Scientists to enable them to enhance their prospects by studying in another country or attending or presenting at conferences and events in the UK and overseas, including SCI member events.
Qualifying early career members (who have demonstrated commitment to SCI through length of membership and/or SCI activities) are given the opportunity to join the SCI Mentoring Programme to support their career and personal development.
A number of events are run by SCI's Regional and Technical Groups for Early Career Scientists. We also work with partner organisations that run events which may be of interest to you. 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.
You can also stay informed through our forums and social media or by signing up to our e-alerts.
SCI Ambassadors
The Membership Affairs Committee (MAC) working with the Early Careers Committee (ECC) has launched a new scheme whereby SCI volunteers will be asked to promote SCI and its activities through their university.
The SCI Ambassadors are:
- Natalie Cureton, University of Manchester
- Moni Gupta, Cambridge
- Giuliamonica Leonardi, UCL
- Steve T Meikle, University of Brighton
- Angelica Orsi, University of St Andrews
- Philip Sellars, University of Warwick
- Charles Perez-Storey, Cambridge University
- Lee Dingwall, Johnson Matthey plc
- Sam Miller, University of Nottingham
- Claire Rees, Mexichem
- Emma Shore, University of Liverpool
- Anand (Arnie) Patel, UCL
SCI Mentoring Programme
The SCI Mentoring Programme is a new Member Benefit which is designed to match early career members with a mentor who will help them to address specific goals or issues in their career. This new initiative, which is currently operating under a pilot scheme†, will be of real benefit to SCI Members – mentors and mentees alike – and will contribute to SCI’s strategic mission of supporting members’ careers through training, development and employment opportunities.
† The SCI Mentoring Programme is currently operating under a pilot scheme and is by invitation only. If you are interested in taking part once the full programme is in operation, please email mentoring@soci.org.
Events
- 10 Mar 4th National Retrosynthesis Competition, SCI, London, UK
- 29-31 Mar 34th SCI Process Development Symposium, Churchill College, Cambridge, UK
- 5 Apr Day of Science and Careers Scotland 2017, University of Edinburgh, UK
- 10 Apr Colloid Young Researchers' Meeting 2017, University of Sheffield, UK
- 26 Apr Day of Science and Careers London 2017, SCI< London, UK
- 24 May What Medicinal Chemists need to know about Biology, SCI, London, UK
- 25 May ADMET 2017, SCI, London, UK
- 7 Sep Epigenetics 2017, Eli Lilly, Windlesham, UK
Partner Events
- SCI Collaborative Partner Sense About Science runs four media workshops each year, coaching early career scientists and engineers on how to deal with the Media. More
Awards
Travel Bursaries
SCI offers travel bursaries of up to £1,500 which contribute towards the development of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers. Previous travel bursary winners have travelled the globe and have gained more than just financial support.- AJ Banks, Messel, Leverhulme and Richardson - apply be 31 October 2016
- Rideal - apply by 15 October 2016
College of Scholars
SCI has established its College of Scholars to help current Scholars make the most of the opportunities an SCI Scholarship provides, and to make past and present Scholars aware of SCI resources that may be of value to them in their current research and future career. Past and present Scholars are automatic members of the College of Scholars.
2016 Scholars
- Find out more about SCI's 2016 Scholars.
Travel Bursaries are offered twice per year to promising academic research workers to attend conferences and/or to visit relevant research institutions. Awards of up to £1,500 are available to support travel relating to the many and diverse areas of interest of SCI members.
Applications are currently closed and will reopen in the autumn. Please check back for updated information later in the year.
- SCI Awards Calendar. More
Get involved
- Are you thinking about joining an SCI committee or becoming more involved with your Group? Becoming an active volunteer will create and strengthen your skills in networking, event planning, leadership, team work, budgeting and marketing. More
Case studies
- We have a range of case studies available from early career members that will give you a taste of different career opportunities for chemists and other scientists. More
News
- Read all about the SCI College of Scholars Day, SCI, London, on 2 December 2015. More
- Find out about what happened at the Day of Science and Careers, Scotland on 31 May 2016. More
- Check out what the recipients of SCI travel bursaries and awards have been up to. More
Sense about Science
SCI Partner Organisation Sense About Science is running three Voice of Young Science workshops this September. The full day workshops are free and open to early career researchers and scientists in all sciences, engineering and medicine (PhD students, post-docs or equivalent in first job). More
Read about previous Sense about Science workshops. MoreNeed more news?
- Sign up to e-alerts
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