On July 2014, the Clubs de Jeunes (Young Chemists’ Local Sections) from the Société Chimique de France (SCF, French Chemical Society) decided to work together to be stronger and more visible by creating the Réseau des Jeunes Chimistes de la SCF (RJ-SCF, French Young Chemists’ Network; see our previous article in ChemistryViews).
In the following, we will give a quick review on what the RJ-SCF is after two years of involvement.
Structuring the Network
The first year mainly concerned the structuring of the RJ-SCF, including the election of a national board, and the establishment of 15 Clubs de Jeunes with active boards in the 15 Local Sections of the SCF. By being organized throughout the country, the RJ-SCF now has a real action force.
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The Board of the RJ-SCF meets regularly. |
Communication
The logo of the RJ-SCF (pictured on the right) was proposed and chosen after the organization of a national competition. The RJ-SCF regularly communicates on social networks such as Facebook (> 550 “Likes”), LinkedIn (> 1100 members) and more recently Twitter (> 260 followers).
The RJ-SCF also has the opportunity to publish features and opinions in the membership magazine of the SCF, L’Actualité Chimique, in an editorial section called “The grain of salt of the network” (“Le grain de sel du réseau RJ-SCF”).
Collaborations
A collaboration with the CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) has helped to highlight the work of Ph.D. students in chemistry at the competition “Ma thèse en 180 secondes.” In 2016, the RJ-SCF is working with the Federation of Students in Chemical Engineering (FEIC) and with the National Federation of Students in Science (AFNEUS), to organize the entire network of young chemists throughout the country. The RJ-SCF is also starting a collaboration at an international level in the area of green chemistry with the Network of Early-Career Sustainable Scientists & Engineers (NESSE).
RJ-SCF and EYCN
One member of the RJ-SCF Board is involved in the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) as the French representative. Every year, this delegate attends the Delegate Assembly (DA) of EYCN to present RJ-SCF and meet delegates of all the other European Young Chemists’ Networks.
This year, the DA was an opportunity to ask European young chemists present there about their feelings on the RJ-SCF. We are happy to see that the RJ-SCF is also growing in European chemists’ minds.
A Great Growth of the Network
Since its creation in July 2014, the number of members in the RJ-SCF has increased by 25 %, representing approximately 40 % of all the members of the French Chemical Society. The network is becoming essential for chemists at the beginning of their studies or their careers.
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What’s Next?
To move forward and to meet the different expectations of young chemists, the RJ-SCF has launched working groups on priority themes for the board, in particular:
1) Attracting more members;
2) Organization of a national conference of the RJ-SCF;
3) Collaboration with industry;
4) Collaboration with academic institutions (CNRS, National Council of Universities).
These different working groups have goals to identify and need to set up clear targets with precise timing to obtain first results quickly. So this means the last year of mandature of the RJ-SCF board will be filled with many actions and projects!
More information about RJ-SCF is available on our website.
Dr. Camille Oger
Secretary of European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN), Representative of the RJ-SCF among EYCN
Dr. Gregory Chatel
President of the French Young Chemists’ Network (RJ-SCF)
