Chapters Build the Future
Dear Members,
Modern-day science is by its very nature collaborative. Biomedical research illustrates this point, as it embraces the chemical, biological, engineering, medical, and physical sciences. Such multidisciplinary research knows no international boundaries. Participation in the collaboration should not be constrained by race, religion, or gender, and rather like time, it waits for no one. It has long been recognised that scientific research can provide remarkable opportunities for social mobility.
At the centre of such collaborative activity is the sharing of information that informs, trains, and educates others in recent developments in current research. Within the CRS, chapters play a key role in fostering the advancement of our science across the globe. They provide a valuable network for scientists in our field to hear the latest breakthroughs in science and recent innovations in technology outside the CRS Annual Meeting & Exposition. For many young scientists just starting out on their careers, the local chapter is the first face-to-face interaction with the CRS and is one of their first chances to present their work at a scientific meeting.
The CRS Board recognises this importance of the role of chapters and has approved funding for the Australian, Canadian, Germany, India, Israeli, Italy, New Zealand, Nordic, Taiwan, and United Kingdom and Ireland (UKICRS) Chapters to host local meetings that will be held throughout the year. Funding was also provided to student chapters in Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey, U.S.A., to support their activities. There is so much to admire about the commitment and drive of the local volunteer leaders in running a successful chapter. I was involved with a great group of people in setting up the UKICRS Chapter, and I know that so much hard work goes into making their meetings a success.
In February, I was fortunate to see two such meetings at first hand. I attended the 12th International Symposium of the CRS Indian Chapter, held in a beautiful location at the J. W. Marriott Hotel in Juhu Beach, Mumbai, whose organisation was led by Dr. Amarjit Singh and Professor K. K. Singh (chairpersons of the Organising Committee and the Scientific Committee, respectively). It was my first time to India, and I must admit to being completely seduced by the wonderful vibrancy of Mumbai. With an attendance of over 250 scientists from across India, it was a superbly run two-day meeting with a blend of invited talks, excellent interactive poster sessions, and social events. Many of the attendees were young Ph.D. and postdoctoral scientists. I was very impressed by their passion for their work and their robust defence of their posters!
I travelled straight on to the joint workshop of the Australian and New Zealand Chapters at the University of Otago on New Zealand’s beautiful South Island. Dunedin is rich in history, with some great coffee shops and a superb art gallery, but as a University town of just over a hundred thousand, it was quite a contrast to the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. The workshop was followed by the Formulation and Delivery of Bioactives conference organized by Dr Arlene McDowell and Prof. Thomas Rades and held in the impressive Otago Museum. One of our past CRS presidents, Randy Mrsny, gave a superb plenary lecture.
There was one remarkable event at both meetings that deserves special mention and commendation—a competition for the best poster. The prize? Funding toward the cost of attending the CRS Annual Meeting & Exposition. Preshita Desai and Medha Patel won the first and second prizes, respectively, at the Mumbai meeting, and Miriam Haaser won Best Presentation at the Otago meeting, with Sara Hanning as runner-up. Congratulations to these very talented young scientists!
This is a wonderful gesture by the chapters concerned. It will provide those students with a great opportunity to meet and befriend other young scientists from across the world. It will also allow them to see leading scientists at the top of their game present their pioneering research. I would encourage the young scientists to go up and introduce themselves to our invited speakers to talk about their work. You see, it’s my view that collaborative research is really at the heart of our science, and I am grateful to the chapters for promoting that ethos and for giving their young scientists an opportunity that they hopefully will exploit and remember for the rest of their lives.
Martyn C. Davies
University of Nottingham
Nottingham, United Kingdom