Dr Jane Roberts FRSC

Early in my career, in 1991, I was invited to attend a reception at Burlington House for a private visit by Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh where I represented the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory (HFL) to mark the 150th Anniversary of the RSC.

This was my first real exposure to the promotion of chemistry by the RSC and I was able to view stands from other chemistry-related organisations. Naturally, it was an incredible honour to have the opportunity to explain some of my research work to the Queen. From that time, I always held the RSC in high regard and attended RSC meetings during my career. Therefore, in 2014, when I saw a call for new committee members to join the local section committee, the time felt right to volunteer my services to help inspire others into chemistry.

A highlight for me whilst on the local section committee includes the opportunity to see the excitement of school children take part in chemistry activities in competitions or at science festivals.

Volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic added extra challenges. However, the shift to online meetings and online school competitions during the pandemic resulted in new ways of working in challenging circumstances and has equipped me, and many others, with new skills to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Managing volunteering commitments alongside a busy work life can certainly be a challenge but is definitely possible with some careful planning and time management. It's important to be realistic about how much time you can commit to volunteering and make sure you communicate this clearly to the RSC to ensure you can deliver on your commitments. As an organisation I’ve always found the RSC staff to be friendly, helpful and understanding of changes to workloads and this is a testament to their commitment to supporting their volunteers.

Volunteering with the RSC is a rewarding way to give back to the scientific community and can also provide opportunities for professional development and networking. There are many different ways to volunteer with the RSC and it’s important to find a role that is a good fit; whether it is outreach support for your local section or applying your chemistry experience to the Admissions committee or specialised interest groups.

I am excited to watch how chemistry will contribute to a sustainable future and I feel the RSC has an important role to play in inspiring youngsters to follow a career in a chemistry related science.