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ELECTRIFYING DISCOVERIES: Using Particle Accelerators for research in air pollution, radiobiology and electronic chips that go into space!

By Maree Stuart posted 5 days ago
D ATE: Tuesday 18 June ATTENDANCE: In Person or Streamed Live online for those unable to attend in person REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/electrifying-discoveries-in-persononline-tickets-883790349727 This free event is an annual collaboration between the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP), Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) and the Royal Society NSW (RSNSW), and the Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation (ANSTO). Further details in the attached flyer! Get up to speed with the amazing technology and research at The Centre for Accelerator Science (CAS) at ANSTO. With four powerful ...

Apply Now: 2024 RACI National Awards - Celebrating Excellence in Chemistry!

By Hannah McCarthy posted 8 days ago
Announcing the 2024 RACI National Awards: Celebrating Excellence in Chemistry! We are thrilled to kick off the 2024 Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) National Awards! These prestigious awards recognise outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of chemistry across Australia. Whether you're an early-career researcher or a seasoned professional, we invite you to showcase your accomplishments and be part of this esteemed recognition. The RACI National Awards are more than just accolades; they represent the dedication, passion, and innovation driving the future of chemistry in Australia. We encourage all eligible individuals ...

Stay Connected: Introducing the MyRACI Community Mobile App!

By Hannah McCarthy posted 9 days ago
Hi RACI members! Are you ready to take your MyRACI Community experience to the next level? We've got some exciting news for you - introducing the ' Connected Communities ' mobile app! Now, you can access the vibrant MyRACI Community right at your fingertips, anytime, anywhere. Let's dive into how you can get started and make the most out of this convenient tool. Step 1: Visit Your App Store First things first, grab your mobile device and head over to your preferred App Store. Whether you're an Android user or an Apple aficionado, you'll find the 'Connected Community' app waiting for you. Step 2: Search and Download Once you're in the App ...

Periodical - CEOs Message

By Shenal Basnayake posted 13 days ago
Dear Member, Another busy month has come and almost gone by for the RACI National team. I am pleased to let you know that we are nearing completion of our new website and launch of our My RACI online community. The website is constructed to provide as much information as possible about the RACI, our members, and what we do. The website is looking great, and I hope will be a useful resource for you and those outside. The website is feature packed and I am particularly pleased to see the new Member Resources section that will provide you with answers to the most asked questions. The website will also link directly to the My RACI online community which ...

Periodical - Presidents Message

By Palli Thordarson posted 13 days ago
RACI signs of greening After an unusually wet and warm El Nino summer, we in the more southern parts of Australia are well and truly in autumn with winter on the horizon (although for someone born in Iceland “winter” in Australia isn’t quite what people from the artic regions experience). Those of you that read my articles know that I am fond of using weather metaphors and that previously I have discussed the unsettled weather that the RACI has been dealing with more or less since the pandemic started. But now I feel confident to say that calmer weather is ahead. The work that our staff has been doing on restructuring our operations - including ...

Melbourne University cuts statement

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here 6/4/2021 Statement in response to the article in the Age on 3 April 2021 “Melbourne Uni cuts threaten to make us the ‘bogans of the Pacific’ The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is deeply concerned about the proposed cuts to teaching positions and technical staff positions in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne. These follow fundingcrisis driven staff losses in Chemistry and other Sciences at the Australian National University and other institutions including Murdoch University. Chemistry is a central STEM field and is vital both to the future of the University of Melbourne and to Australia as a nation. ...

Murdoch statement [12/2020]

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here 8 December 2020 The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is disappointed in the proposed changes in STEM degrees and urges Murdoch University to reconsider these changes. The RACI strongly objects to the proposal by Murdoch University to: discontinue degrees in several STEM courses including the Bachelor of Science with a Major in Chemistry, which is a degree with a current RACI accreditation. promote separation of research and teaching in Australian universities. High quality STEM degrees are critical for the future of Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capabilities and a close interconnection between ...

Submission to ERA and EI assessment review [10/2020]

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here RACI commentary on the call for public consultation on the review of the ERA and EI assessment Executive Summary It is the view of the RACI that the ERA and EI schemes are used by the Government solely as a means to demonstrate the effect of their commitment to supporting University research and how this is leading to “well above world standard” performance; without the Government actually providing a sufficient level of genuine support that is needed to deliver such achievements in real terms. Who we are The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), has been serving the profession of chemistry ...

PFAS submission to national statement [7/2020]

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here 7th July 2020 Ms Nicola Powell Director PFAS Taskforce and Minamata Convention Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment GPO Box 858 Canberra City ACT 2601, Australia email: PFASTaskforce@environment.gov.au Dear Ms Powell, Subject: PFAS Taskforce Consultation Response to Questions Thank you for the opportunity for the Royal Australian Chemical Institute to participate in the Australian Government consultation on the National PFAS Position Statement (the Position Statement). Who is the Royal Australian Chemical Institute? The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is ...

Climate change policy

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here Policy Statement Climate Change Policy Chemists have a key role to play in protecting and remediating our environment. The chemical industry has a role to play in securing our future through environmental protection, and chemical research has the potential to positively impact on our environment in areas of agriculture, renewable energy, smart/green materials and environmental monitoring. The RACI agrees with the vast body of research evidence that shows increasing levels of infraredabsorbing (‘greenhouse’) gases including, but not limited to, CO2, CH4, N2O and SF6 from anthropogenic activity are leading to ...

Chemical weapons statement

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here Policy Statement Chemical Weapons Statement Chemical weapons statement (June 2017) The RACI condemns the use of any form of chemical weapon and calls on all countries and states to abide by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ Chemical Weapons Convention. The RACI endorses those entities in the international community who bring justice those responsible for any form of chemical warfare or terrorism.

Possible consequences of changes to government's university degree funding

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here Policy Statement Possible consequences of changes to government's university degree funding 23 June 2020 The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) commends the Australian Government’s focus on encouraging students to undertake University courses that can accelerate Australia’s post Covid-19 recovery. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) university qualifications will provide key enabling skills to deliver these outcomes. Chemistry is an enabling science that underpins a large number of work-ready qualifications as well as being a qualification and career in its own right. Chemistry, like ...

Concerns about new ARC “no preprint rule”

By Jenny Pham posted 21 days ago
Download Full Document Here 24 August 2021 Professor Sue Thomas Chief Executive Officer Australian Research Council Via email: ceo@arc.gov.au Dear Professor Thomas, The Australian Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics communities express grave concern about a recent change to Australian Research Council (ARC) rules to forbid reference to preprints anywhere in a grant application. We are particularly concerned about the impact on early career researchers whose ARC fellowship applications have recently been ruled ineligible because of a violation of this new rule. We are not aware of any consultation with our scientific ...

NSW Branch April Newsletter

By Maree Stuart posted 21 days ago
NSW Newsletter, April 2024 President’s Note Hello everyone! I hope by the time you read this the additional calories of Easter/ Eid / Passover have magically disappeared and you’re looking forward to the slightly cooler weather. March and April have seen lots of great activities in the Branch. · On 22 March, we enjoyed the Frontiers of Science Forum, co-hosted by RACI, AIP, NSW Teachers’ Guild of NSW and the Royal Society of NSW. You can see the recordings of presentations by heading to the report below . · The Pharmaceutical Science Group held an event on PIC/s Code of GMP updates that was by all accounts ...

Contact Information

By Hannah McCarthy posted 08-04-2024
Hi everyone, As a reminder, you can contact our teams via the following emails: CEO ( Shenal Basnayake) - ceo@raci.org.au Finance (Samantha Telepe) - finance@raci.org.au Communications (Jenny Pham) - communications@raci.org.au Membership (Peter Gostelow) - member@raci.org.au Awards (Sian Pilling, Robyn Lewis & Melissa Johnson) - awards@raci.org.au Events (Sian Pilling, Robyn, Lewis & Melissa Johnson) - events@raci.org.au Education & Outreach (myself & Claire Salmon) - education@raci.org.au Careers & Mentoring (Franca Dimoulas) - careers@raci.org.au You can also send us a message directly via the ...

Artificial intelligence and chemistry

By Jenny Pham posted 05-04-2024
This article is in Chemistry in Australia magazine - Issue December 2023 - February 2024 Author: Ian Maxwell My thoughts on AI start with an article by a former Australian chief scientist. After throwing out a few examples for the potential uses of AI technologies (e.g. designing powerful chemical toxins, replacing actors with their likenesses without their consent, perpetrating undetectable scams, spreading misinformation during elections and building autonomous weapons), the author moved right on to the subject of how to ‘regulate’ AI technology. Why is this style of critique so popular? Possibly it is because humans have evolved to resist change, ...

How microbial interactions shape the flavour of cheese

By Jenny Pham posted 04-04-2024
This article is in Chemistry in Australia magazine - Issue March 2024 Author: Chrats Melkonian & Ahmad A. Zeidan Microbes play a pivotal role in the food industry. Their metabolic activity through fermentation underlies the production of a large part of our diet, from fermented beverages like wine, beer and kombucha to fermented dairy products such as kefir, yoghurt and cheese. Cheese fermentation involves complex interactions among several microbial species. Alongside traditional and modern cheesemaking processes, the wide diversity of microbes used in cheese fermentation results in a rich global cheese platter, placing cheese among the top foods ...

RACI Teacher Advisory Group - Shaping the Future of Education with RACI

By Hannah McCarthy posted 26-03-2024
Dear Committee Members, I am pleased to inform you that we have successfully established the RACI Teacher Advisory Group. Comprising current educators, this dedicated team will collaborate closely with our Education & Outreach team, led by myself and @Claire Salmon . Together, they will provide invaluable guidance and feedback on national resources, initiatives, and programs. Our aim is to harness the expertise of this exceptional group of teachers to ensure that our endeavours yield tangible benefits for both students and educators. By addressing existing gaps and needs within the educational landscape, we aspire to deliver resources and programs ...

March 2024 NSW Newsletter

By Maree Stuart posted 08-03-2024
NSW Newsletter, March 2024 Presidents Note A little late…..but better late than never! Hello, my fellow NSW Chemists! It’s been a relatively quiet start to 2024, at least to the outside world. But on the inside, we’ve all been planning for what will be an engaging and fun filled new year! As some of you might have noticed from National Office communications, we no longer have a designated Branch Coordinator. There are instead functional roles supporting us in our interactions with RACI. Please take a look at the section on contacts below so you know how to get in touch with the right people. We already have some terrific events ...

Welcome Committees

By Shenal Basnayake posted 08-03-2024
Hi all and welcome to what is Australia's largest online community for the chemical sciences. Whilst we are planning a full launch to all members to coincide with the launch of the new RACI website, we hope those already part of this community enjoys exploring and using My RACI. As the name suggest, it is your RACI and the more you engage, the more I am sure you will get back. Thank you as always to all our members for your continued support. My thanks to Hannah and the rest of the RACI National team for the tremendous amount of work that has gone into bringing this to fruition. Cheers