Purpose and scope

The RSC South Africa (South) Local Section is based in Cape Town and has close links with the Western Cape Section of the South African Chemical Institute (SACI). This collaborative relationship between the two societies aims to act in the best interests of all chemists in the region and avoid duplication of events and resources. Together, our societies play an important role in fostering an interest in chemistry and a sense of belonging to a professional community across the Western Cape. Our Local Section aims to support our members in the development of their careers in chemistry and promote a public interest in chemistry. The RSC South Africa (South) Local Section has a busy calendar of activities, most of which are highlighted below.

Activities

• Our Local Section hosts three prestigious, invited, biennial lectures which are open to the public and usually take place at the University of Cape Town (UCT). These are the PD Hahn Lecture and the Frank Warren Memorial Lecture, which renowned inorganic/analytical and organic chemists from around South Africa, respectively, are invited to deliver; and the RSC Physical Chemistry Lecture.
• The Local Section also supports the annual Jack Elsworth lecture-demonstration that takes place in collaboration with the UCT Department of Chemistry. Named in honour of the late academic of that name who developed a reputation for his exciting chemistry shows for schoolchildren, this annual event involves postgraduate students and academics performing chemistry experiments and demonstrations as part of a play or in sketches. Previous ‘shows’ have included The Wizard of O2 (Dorothy and her friends must defeat the greedy, polluting witch) and Harry Potter and the Molecule of Doom (in which the malevolent molecule turns out to be sugar!). Attendance is in the region of 200 to 250 kids of all ages, and the ice-creams are popular at the conclusion of the evening!
• Our Local Section supports the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists. This is a national annual event at which school learners present a science project on which they have worked for some months. Our Local Section typically provides judges and awards book prizes for the best projects in the chemistry sections.
• Social events that the Local Section co-sponsors include an inter-university quiz night and the IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast.
• On the academic side, the Local Section supports the annual Young Chemists’ Symposium, in which postgraduate students from all four academic institutions based in the Western Cape (UCT, Stellenbosch University, the University of the Western Cape and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology) present their research results, and the ‘New Chemists on the Block’ seminar, in which newly appointed staff introduce their research.
• The RSC-SACI Annual Dinner, which typically takes place in November, is a highlight of the year and an excellent opportunity for meeting and networking with colleagues and students from all four academic institutions based in the Western Cape. It is also an opportunity to present medals and other awards. Postgraduate students are strongly encouraged to attend, and usually comprise more than half of the diners.

Forthcoming events
View forthcoming events organised by the South Africa South Local Section.

Annual report
Please get in touch with the Networks Team if you would like to be sent a copy of last year's annual report for the South Africa South Local Section.

Committee

The committee members listed are responsible for designing programmes that will advance chemistry in the Local Section area, helping the RSC to meet its aims, engaging with and supporting our members.

We are always keen to welcome new members to the committee. When vacancies arise, we circulate a 'Call for committee', where an email is sent to all members of the group to make them aware of new opportunities to join the committee.

It is important to have diverse representation on committees to consider the needs of our membership. All RSC members are welcome to stand for committee positions when vacancies are advertised.

Glossary for Committee Positions

Acronym	Position
CHAIR	Chair
TREAS	Treasurer
SEC	Secretary
MEM	Member
MEMCO	Co-opted Member

Contact the Committee

For any queries about the local section, please contact the Committee Secretary using the contact form, accessible via the button below.

Email the Secretary

Contact us

Contact the Networks team with your queries.

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