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03.04.12
Science Council answers call to develop the technician workforce in the UK

A report published by the Technician Council indicates an alarming skills gap between the current number of technicians in the UK and the 450,000 that will be needed by 2020 to underpin a growing innovation economy and the report calls on government, public sector employers, industry leaders and professional bodies. The Science Council has answered the call by establishing a new professional register for science technicians, finally embracing technicians within the professional science community.  Workforce research published in September showed that 20% of the UK workforce – some 5.8million people – are now employed in science based roles in the UK economy and that this is expected tot increase to 7.1m in 2030: of this work force, about one-third are non-graduates working with science skills in a variety of ways and many of these will be highly skilled technicians. The full press release can be seen here.

08.02.12
New CSci registrations October - December 2011

Congratulations to all the Chartered Scientists who achieved registration in the last quarter of 2011. New registrations are on the rise and it is excellent to have more and more scientists demonstrating the highest levels of competence and professionalism.

A full list of Chartered Scientists registered in Q4' 2011 can be found here.

08.02.12
Institute of Measurement and Control become Licensed Body

 

We are pleased to announce that the Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC) has become our 25th Licensed Body. 

`The Institute of Measurement and Control is committed to promoting professional excellence at all levels in the automation, instrumentation, control and related industries.  In keeping with this, individual members are welcome to apply for membership of the Institute and, in doing so, to seek professional qualifications of international standing. Companies are invited to join the Institute’s Companion Company Scheme and, by sharing in a long-standing hallmark of quality and integrity, so enhance their business profiles. Key InstMC services, principally concerned with the exchange of knowledge and innovation in measurement and control, include publications on relevant technical and specialist subjects, a technical on-line library and conferences and symposia.` 

The InstMC's Chief Executive and Secretary, Peter Martindale commented "‘InstMC welcomes the opportunity to become directly involved with the UK’s professional science community."

Increasing the number of licensed professional bodies is fundamental to ensure the highest levels of professionalism and competence across the scientific community. With the Mineralogical Society and the Association of Neurophysiological Scientists soon to begin awarding CSci, and interest in obtaining a licence shown from the Society of Biology, it is pleasing that more and more professional bodies are contributing to the expansion of the CSci register.

 

02.12.11
New CSci Registrations July - September 2011

We are pleased to annouced that we had almost 200 new registrations between July and September this year. You can find the list of newly registered CScis here.

We would like to congratulate all those who have achieved CSci this quarter and have demonstrated that they are achieving the highest levels of professionalism and competence in science. 

29.11.11
NDA RWMD becomes first Science Council approved employer

The Science Council’s pilot employer CPD approval scheme has announced its first approved employer. 

The Radioactive Waste Management Directorate of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has become the first employer to have its professional development scheme approved as part of the Science Council’s pilot employer CPD approval scheme.

The pilot scheme launched by the Science Council in partnership with its licensed professional bodies recognises good practice in employer learning and development schemes.  Many professional bodies already accredit the graduate training schemes of large employers, but historically little attention has been paid to the support and development of scientists beyond the point of registration, a trend which the pilot scheme aims to reverse.

The introduction of clear CPD standards for scientists has prompted a greater focus on their ongoing development and the Science Council scheme recognises those employers that provide a supportive framework for their staff to engage in CPD.

David Arthur, Head of Member Services at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, and a member of the review panel which visited the RWMD, explains:

“it was clear to me that NDA have a very well run scheme relating to CPD, which shows a commitment to staff development and to work with professional bodies to demonstrate ongoing proof of professional competence.”  

The RWMD was delighted to have been the first employer to achieve the Science Council approval.  Bruce McKirdy, Managing Director of RWMD said:

“In our work it is essential that we maintain high levels of professional expertise and we are committed to the continuing professional development of our team. I welcomed the opportunity to take part in the Science Council’s pilot employer CPD approval scheme and am delighted that we are the first to achieve Science Council approval under the new scheme.

Diana Garnham, CEO of the Science Council adds: 

“I welcome the Radio Active Waste Management Directorate of NDA commitment and recognition of the value of CPD and the benefit for individuals in being a Chartered Scientist. The commitment of employers to the continuous professional development of their workforce is fundamental to the professional practice of science so I am delighted that our first partner employer is from such an important area of the economy where science knowledge and professionalism are so vital.“ 

Employers can find out more about the approval scheme by contacting Ali Orr, Deputy Registrar.

The Science Council is an umbrella organisation for learned societies and professional bodies across science and its applications and works to advance science for public benefit. The Science Council supports the professional practice of science at all levels and promotes the profession through the Chartered Scientist designation. 

 

03.11.11
LinkedIn group replaces registrants' area

Earlier this year, we carried out a survey asking registrants what more the Science Council can do for them. We received over 1000 responses to the survey and what was made clear, was that to increase the value CSci, we needed to establish greater communication not only between the Science Council and Chartered Scientists, but also between the registrants themselves.

Due to the lack of use of the current `Registrants Area` on the CSci website, it was felt that registrants may appreciate a forum with a more accessible and usable interface. Therefore, we have created a LinkedIn group, which we will hope will allow you to better utilise the unique position of being able interact with chartered professionals from across the breadth of science.

The group will serve to provide information about CSci, the Science Council and its related bodies; however, its primary function is to provide you with a forum to network with other registrants. We encourage you to develop your own discussions and forums organically and to use the group as a tool to question and comment on pressing issues within your discipline and across science.

If you wish to join the group, please click here to sign up. If you have any questions about LinkedIn or any further comments about the group, please get in contact with the Registration Executive.

 

21.10.11
IBMS offers CPD online

The Institute of Biomedical Science is pleased to report an increase in the number of people accessing it's online CPD portfolio. The tool enables members to update and keep a track of their CPD records and also to use reflective practice as part of the process. All CPD registered members of the Institute, including our Chartered Scientists have free access to the system by logging in to the members' area.

As Steve Johnson, Senior CPD Officer says "We are pleased with how the online tool is being used by members. We know that CPD is vital for the profession, and the Institute is glad to be able to offer a way to make recording CPD easier. There are further developments to the system in the pipeline, we want to continually enhance what we  offer for the benefit of our members".

26.08.11
CPD and Benefit guidance

The Science Council has produced guidance to help registrants in meeting standards 3 and 4 on CPD and benefit. This guidance is available to download here.

28.11.10
IOP resigns as a Licensed Body

The Science Council was disappointed to receive notice from the Institute of Physics (IOP) of its intention to resign as a Licensed Body after the mandatory 12 month notice period now that the Chartered Scientist designation is well-established with around 15,000 Registrants through 20 Licensed Bodies across a the breadth of science and its applications.

Chartered Scientists registered through the Institute of Physics have a full 12 months from the cessation of the IOP licence to transfer their registration: assuming that the IOP does resign its licence (which it has not yet formally done) Registrants will have until December 2011 to transfer to another Licensed Body.  Registrants can transfer simply to any other Licensed Body of which they are an individual member: see the list of relevant contacts within Licensed Bodies.  Organisations with a strong overlapping interest and many members in common with IOP include the British Computer Society, the Energy Institute, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

The Science Council is aware that it may not be possible for all IOP Registrants to readily transfer their status to another Licensed Body.  It is committed to ensuring that all professional scientists, including physicists, have a route to achieving and maintaining CSci status and that all IOP Registrants wishing to maintain their status on the register are able to do so.  We are developing new mechanisms for routes for awarding CSci, and we will post developments and further information on the website. 

If you have any concerns about how your CSci status is affected or would like to be kept updated, please let us know by contacting either Diana Garnham or Ali Orr.

Contact:

Diana Garnham, Chief Executive and Registrar

Email Diana

Tel: 020 7922 7884 

Ali Orr, Deputy Registrar

Email Ali

Tel: 020 7922 7878

 

 

26.11.10
Andrew Wadge and Stephen Holgate gain CSci status

Professor Stephen Holgate, Chair of the Science Council Science in Health Group, and Dr Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, have become Chartered Scientists.

Dr Wadge is Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, having previously worked for the Agency on issues including toxicology of food chemicals, allergy and food intolerance, and food additives.  Speaking after being awarded Chartered Scientist through the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Dr Wadge commented that he sees CSci as “a way of demonstrating that I am committed to using and communicating science to a high standard in the way that I approach my work as Chief Scientist today; that science for me remains robust, relevant and alive in how I work”.

Professor Holgate is an eminent scientist specialising in the immunological and inflammatory mechanisms of asthma.  As well as being Medical Research Council Professor of Immunopharmacology and Honorary Consultant Physician at Southampton University Hospital Trust, he is well known to the Science Council having chaired its Science in Health Group since 2005.  He achieved CSci through the Institute of Biomedical Science.  Professor Holgate is the first leading clinician to gain CSci status.

Since its inception in 2004, the Chartered Scientist designation has been awarded to over 15,000 people working across all fields of science.

Read Andrew Wadge's CSci profile here

FSA Chief's Scientist's blog (external site)

Professor Holgate's University of Southampton staff profile (external site)