Welcome to our Faraday Discussions page
The Faraday Discussions are unique international discussion meetings that address current and emerging topics at the forefront of the physical sciences.
Accompanied by a journal volume recording the presented papers and ensuing discussion, they have frequently enabled substantial progress and collaboration across disciplines, with many Discussions becoming landmarks in their field.
Join us at a Discussion soon!
Did you know?
One of the first demonstrations of laser flash photolysis, an important technique for studying fast chemical reactions, was at a Faraday Discussion in 1950.
One of the first gatherings of researchers interested in organic electronics, a scientific field enabling the eventual development of modern electronics and display screens, took place at a Faraday Discussion in 1971.
The term single-entity electrochemistry was coined by a Faraday Discussion of the same name in 2016, with the meeting leading to the creation of an EU Horizon 2020 funded network.
What do people say about Faraday Discussions?
The essence of a Faraday Discussion is the opportunity to take part in deep discussions of research papers together with the authors and other world-leading experts in the field; a unique and stimulating experience.
I vividly remember chairing a Discussion where an early career researcher asked a phenomenally simple but brilliant question that totally disarmed a highly experienced and celebrated electrochemist. Those few seconds of silence and tension illustrate perfectly the magic of Faraday Discussions at their very best!
A winning format, one I would recommend strongly to others in the relevant fields. No wonder it has been going for over a hundred years; this clearly proves it works well. Best online meeting (for me) since the world turned digital.
I found the conference really enriching. The talks were fascinating to listen to and gave me a brief look at the frontiers of science. It gave me a lot to think about for my future and the direction I want to take my career.
Faraday Discussion FAQs
If you are unfamiliar with the Faraday Discussions format or would just like to know more about what makes them unique, you can read more in our Faraday Discussion FAQs.
For information on what to expect from a hybrid (in person and online) meeting, see our hybrid meeting FAQs.
Forthcoming discussions
Curious about our forthcoming Discussions? You can find specific information about individual Faraday Discussions and their themes on our events page.
Explore and register for forthcoming discussions2025
Atmospheric chemistry in cold environments Faraday Discussion
17 February 2025 - 19 February 2025, London, UK.
Structural and functional asymmetry of plasma membranes Faraday Discussion
23 April 2025 - 25 April 2025, London, UK.
Advances in supramolecular gels Faraday Discussion
30 April 2025 - 02 May 2025, Glasgow, UK.
Advanced imaging techniques in biomineralisation research Faraday Discussion
14 May 2025 - 16 May 2025, Edinburgh, UK.
Polymerisation and depolymerisation Faraday Discussion
08 September 2025 - 10 September 2025, Oxford, UK.
Frontiers in physical chemistry for lignin valorisation Faraday Discussion
10 September 2025 - 12 September 2025, London, UK.
High-entropy alloy nanostructures Faraday Discussion
24 September 2025 - 26 September 2025, London, UK.
Suggest a Discussion
If you have an idea for a topic and would be willing to act as the scientific committee chair, please get in touch with the Editorial Office here to discuss the requirements. Your proposal will be evaluated by the Faraday Standing Committee on Conferences (FSCC).
Further details on the process for submitting a proposal can be found in our Faraday Discussion FAQs.
Faraday Discussion publications
One of the many unique aspects of Faraday Discussions is that every presenter at the meeting also writes a paper on the same topic. These papers are all submitted to the journal in advance of the meeting and peer-reviewed, before being circulated to all delegates prior to the meeting. This approach means that all delegates will have read the articles before the meeting begins, leaving more time for open, detailed, and often spirited, discussion.
All of the published journal volumes from previous Discussion meetings can be found at the RSC publications website. These volumes include the research papers discussed at each meeting, written versions of both the Spiers Memorial Introductory Lecture and the Closing remarks, as well as a record of the discussion that took place. The final volume for each meeting is published approximately 4 months after the meeting takes place.
Most papers for upcoming Discussions are published as Just Accepted Articles as they are accepted and collated into ongoing themed collections, available on the journal website.
You can find more information about the Faraday Discussions journal on the Faraday Discussions journal page.