Royal Society of Chemistry
ANNUAL RSC GROUP REPORT FOR 2011
RSC Groups are asked to complete this form and return it to:
Interest Group - interestgroups@rsc.org
Local Sections – networks@rsc.org
or
Dr Fiona McMillan
Royal Society of Chemistry
Thomas Graham House
Science Park
Milton Road
Cambridge
CB4 0WF
GROUP NAME
Submitted by
Signed (may be signed
electronically)
Date
Thames Valley Local Section
Dr John Oversby (Secretary)
John Oversby
11 February 2012
Please list below the dates of your proposed AGM and Committee Meetings for 2012 (where
applicable).
Annual General Meeting 2012 (if being held)
Date: 20th March (provisional)
Venue: Reading University Chemistry Department Provisional)
Proposed Committee Meetings Dates 2012:
Dates are decided on a meeting by meeting basis, therefore none can be proposed.
The next meeting will be arranged at the AGM
FINAL ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2011
Please attach a copy of the financial report you have sent to the RSC Finance
Department
Deadline for receipt of Financial Accounts by RSC Finance Dept: 14th February 2012
Deadline for receipt of Annual Report by Fiona McMillan: 20th February 2012
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ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN IN 2011 - Events
Please attach any meeting reports, newsletters or other reports which are relevant
Please report below on activities undertaken by the Group in the past year. If you have more detailed
information about any particularly successful events, or advice for other Groups please use a separate
sheet. For more events continue as necessary.
http://www.rsc.org/Membership/Networking/LocalSections/ThamesValley/TVPreviousEvents2011.asp
Annual Guest Evening 2011 - Colin Dexter OBE (6th May 2011)
The 2011 Annual Guest Evening was held at Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Blount's
Court, Sonning Common, Reading. Following drinks on arrival, our guest speaker Colin Dexter
OBE (the award winning crime novelist) regaled us with amusing anecdotes about Inspector
Morse, and it was clear that quite a few present were admirers of that series of novels. This
relaxed evening even included a crossword with the winner being rewarded with a signed book
from Colin. Following this entertaining talk, a hot buffet was provided.
Society of Biology and RSC Annual Joint Lecture (12th May 2011)
This year's joint lecture with the Society of Biology was kindly given by Dr Lisa
Methven, Lecturer in Food and Sensory Science, University of Reading. This
enjoyable and enlightening talk was titled 'Do we eat what we sense? Can our
perception of food affect our health?', and was held at the University of Reading.
Sponsored Seminar - Prof. Adrian Mulholland (16th May 2011)
Prof. Adrian Mulholland (University of Bristol) presented a talk titled
'Computational Enzymology: Modelling Biological Catalysts'. The seminar was
organised by the Oxford University Biochemical Society, and sponsored by the
RSC Thames Valley Local Section. This enjoyable talk was well attended by 2530 attendees at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford.
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The Phil Smith Trophy - Prize Giving (18th-21st July 2011)
This year's competition to win The Phil Smith Trophy was 'Molecule Model Madness'. For
more details of the competition and to view the entries, please navigate to 'The Phil Smith
Trophy' page. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place students each won their own professional model set and
certificate. 1st place also received The Phil Smith Trophy, and a large class sized model set
(supplied through Cochranes of Oxford Ltd).
Left: 1st place winners - Joanne and Helen (science teacher: Dr. Esther Garcia-Rodriguez),
pictured with their headteacher Jonathan Dennett (Fitzharrys School, Abingdon). Right: 2nd
place winners - Chloe, Sharon, Rebecca, Liane; 3rd place winners - Jenna and Amy (science
club coordinator: Lynn Nickerson); pictured with their headteacher (Didcot Girls' School,
Didcot).
Highclere Castle Visit (28th July 2011)
A sell-out event with fifty one section members and guests visiting Highclere Castle on a sunny
July day. We started with a tour of the Castle rooms then descended into the cellars to see the
Tutankhamun Exhibition. The room guides were very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot about
the history of the building, its occupants and Lord Carnarvon's involvement with Howard Carter
and the 'Tut' discoveries and excavation. The Castle is also the setting for the 'Downton Abbey'
TV series and so followers of the series were able to see rooms used in the filming including
the bedroom where the Turkish ambassador died! The fine weather meant that we could take
lunch outside and tour the gardens. The event was enjoyed by all and subsequently the organiser
was pleased to receive a number of congratulatory emails!
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Evening Boat Trip (9th September 2011)
An enjoyable evening boat trip held with members from Chiltern & Middlesex local section.
Four hours were spent cruising the River Thames, with a buffet, dancing and even some nice
weather!
Annual Dinner 2011 (23rd September 2011)
This year’s annual dinner was held at St. John's College at the University of Oxford. The
evening included a tour of the College led by Dr Angela Russell (RCUK Fellow in Medicinal
Chemistry, CRL, Oxford), which was followed by a drinks reception and three course
meal. After dinner was our guest speaker - Professor Malcolm L. H. Green (Professor of
Inorganic Chemistry, ICL, Oxford).
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Chemistry in the Gardens (October to December 2011)
For the International Year of Chemistry, the Oxford Botanic Gardens were host to chemistry
related exhibits, workshops and posters relating to plants, including how compounds from plants
can be found in everyday live - such as in medicines. This grand event was opened by the Lord
Mayor of Oxford, Elise Benjamin; the Chairman of Chemistry at the University of Oxford, Prof.
Tim Softley; and the Director of the University of Oxford Botanic Gardens, Timothy Walker.
Mixer Meeting - Holiday Inn, Oxford (27th September 2011)
*** centrally organised by HQ ***
A mixer meeting was held for members at the Holiday Inn in Oxford, which included an
'industry hour' where speakers talked about their careers in industry, to increase awareness of
local companies to local members as well as consultations.
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CCFE Tour (19th October 2011)
CCFE, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, is based in Culham 6 miles south of Oxford. CCFE
is the one of the world's leading fusion research labs, and is the UK's national laboratory for
fusion research. The UK fusion programme is centred around the MAST (Mega Amp Spherical
Tokamak) experiment; in addition the site also hosts JET (Joint European Torus). 10 RSC
members attended this free evening tour along with 7 other groups - for information on attending
one of the future tours, please visit the link below. The 3 hour evening included a welcome tea
& coffee, a short lecture on fusion energy, and two 1 hour tours of the JET and MAST
experiments.
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Pretty Pretty Bang Bang (8th December 2011)
Professor Jacqueline Akhavan (Cranfield University) gave a fantastic lecture with live firework
demonstatrations at the University of Reading's Great Hall. Over 120 people of all ages enjoyed
the lecture, which was preceded by mince pies and fizzy drinks.
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Science for Smarties (15th December 2011)
John Schollar (University of Reading) gave an enjoyable lecture on chocolate (with practical
parts!). The event was organised and held at Science Oxford, for over 50 people of all ages.
Retired members’ lunches arranged by Dr John White
The Rose Revived, Newbridge, 6 July 2011 (subsequently cancelled)
Longbridge Mill, Sherfield on Loddon, 3 August 2011
Old Anchor Inn, Abingdon, 25 August 2011.
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ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN IN 2011 – Awards and Bursaries
Please list any awards or bursaries presented by your committee in 2011 and indicate any
which will be open for nomination/application in 2012.
SCIENTIFIC MEETING SCHEDULE 2012
Please report below on activities proposed for 2012. For more events continue as necessary
Event Name
Events in 2012 are under discussion or arrangement. Details will appear on the Thames
valley Web site, as is normal. See below.
Comments
Other information/comments:
For Newsletters and Committee Meeting Minutes please visit:
http://www.rsc.org/Membership/Networking/LocalSections/ThamesValley/TVDownloads.asp
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RSC Group Committee Membership
(this information will be used to update the RSC membership database and your RSC Group web page
where appropriate)
Position
Name
Chair
Dr Ellen Norman
(Chair)
Secretary
Dr John Oversby
(Secretary)
Treasurer
Committee Expertise
(e.g. sensor
technology, food
science, Education,
European legislation)
Investigative analytical
chemistry
Chemical education,
teacher education,
climate change
education, history and
philosophy I science
teaching
Dr Dominic Ehrismann
(Treasurer)
Dr Bryan Pierce
(Honorary President)
2010 – 2012
[March 1992]
2010 (Indeterminate)
Mr David Knox
(Vice Chairman, Younger Members Rep)
spectroscopy,
nuclear, materials
ageing.
2010 – 2012
[2008 as Younger
Member Rep until
present]
Dr John White
(Immediate Past Chair)
synthetic and physical
organic chemistry
2010 – 2012
2010-2012
[2010]
2010-2012
[2010]
2010-2012
[2010]
2010-2012
[2010]
Dr Tuan Ly
Mrs Rameya Arulanantham
Dr Victoria Smith
Dr David Matkin
(Benevolent Fund Rep)
2010-2012
Dr Kevin Langley
2010-2012
[2010]
Dr Pauline Gavan
Research Scientist:
Crystallisation,
Ultrasonic and
Analytical Chemistry
2010-2012
[2010]
Dr Aldo Guiducci
2010-2012
Ms Louise Audoire
2010-2012
Dr Michael Jenkins
Co-opted
members and
their affiliation
[Date first joined the
committee]
2010 – 2012
[2008]
2010 – 2012
Dr Caroline Foulkes
Ordinary
Members
Dates elected to
committee position
(20xx – 20xx)
Forensic Scientist for
37 years, specialising
of late in chemical
trace evidence
2011-13
[1996]
Prof. Russel Egdell
(Oxford University)
Dr Ghulam Shabir
(Oxford Brookes University)
Prof Graham Richards
(ex-officio)
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