Networking opportunities open to our members
When you become an RSC member, whether you are based in industry, education, or academia, you can join our subject communities and interest groups to connect with others who have a similar career or shared interests.
Our eight subject communities and seventy-one interest groups are open to all members and bring together members with similar scientific and professional interests spanning the breadth of the chemical sciences. Find out more about our communities below.
Find out how to start connecting
What are subject communities?
Our subject communities bring together members with similar scientific and professional interests, including from across our interest groups, to advance their subject areas. Members may be from different sectors, career stages, disciplines, and locations and the communities enable them to:
- gain overview of activities in the subject area including relevant activities run by our interest groups
- network and collaborate with other experts from across the subject area
- contribute their expertise to RSC programmes and policy work
Our subject communities collaborate with our interest groups and other disciplines to develop and deliver activities such as early career researcher symposia, showcases of the subject area, and to facilitate chemistry-based solutions to challenges in health, energy, and climate change.
Each subject community also awards prizes to individuals and teams to recognise excellence in the chemical sciences.
Subject community councils
Each subject community is led and represented by a community council, which provides expertise and advice and identifies opportunities related to their field. Our community councils act as advocates for their areas of science, input to our thought leadership and policy work and develop activities for their community.
Our subject community councils are formed of elected and appointed members representing the breadth and diversity of the subject community. There are opportunities for RSC members to get involved through elections each year.
What are interest groups?
These are our scientific networks focused on a specific area or application of the chemical sciences. They are run by a committee of volunteer RSC members (elected from members of the group) who work to support, promote and connect their network.
The committees organise activities such as multi-day conferences, workshops, and training events to cater for both RSC members and the wider scientific community.
Some interest groups run prizes to recognise significant contributions to the field as well as offering financial support to help their members attend events. These groups provide excellent opportunities to network with peers in your chosen field.
To find out about the awards, events, and any funding, please visit any of the interest group pages that are relevant to you from the links below.
How to join subject communities and interest groups
As an RSC member you can join as many subject communities as you wish and, depending on your membership category, up to five interest groups for no additional cost. Joining additional interest groups will cost £10 per group.
As a member of a subject community or interest group, you may receive communications so you can stay informed about major developments in your field such as funding, training, events, and activities alongside calls to contribute to RSC programmes and policy work.
You can select or remove subject communities and interest groups within your RSC membership account.
Please note that our divisions transitioned to subject communities as of our Annual General Meeting in July 2022. We are currently in the process of updating our webpages and during this time you may see the terms "division" and "subject community" being used.
Supporting our members in industry
Business Elements is a new information hub for members with industry leadership responsibilities or business management interests, covering the key cross-sector topics for chemistry-enabled businesses.
Here we highlight where the chemical sciences are at the heart of the big industry issues and tell you more about the ways we are informing debate. Business Elements is accessed through .
Members in industry are actively encouraged to join the subject community or interest groups corresponding to their discipline or area of interest.