IChemE Matters – March 2024

Launching initiatives

Nigel Hirst, IChemE president

SPRING is in the air in the UK and we have certainly a spring in our step at IChemE following the launch of our new global digital community, IChemE Connect. Please do have a look around the platform when you receive your email invite. No matter where you live, you’ll be able to sign up to IChemE Connect and join in conversations (or start them), opt into groups that interest you, ask questions, request support, share news and experiences, and exchange views. You can choose to check in daily, weekly, or when you spot an interesting discussion on the regular digests – and I am sure there will be many of those!

Nominations for the Board of Trustees and Congress open on 12 March, so now’s the time to consider helping to set the strategic direction for IChemE.

Visit www.icheme.org/elections to watch an insightful webinar featuring Jonathan Seville, past president of IChemE and chair of the succession
planning committee, discussing the benefits of becoming a Trustee or Congress member.

A thought-provoking summary of the 2023 IChemE Employment Survey is outlined in this edition of TCE (see p20) and I am pleased to announce that we will also be launching a new salary calculator in March.

We recently revealed our new Volunteer Handbook to volunteers. This comprehensive and invaluable guide will help our volunteers excel in their roles and gain the maximum benefit from being a volunteer. Without their dedicated support we would not be able to continue to deliver our diverse range of products and services to the wider membership, which I am extremely grateful to them for.

In respect to developing a spirit of greater collaboration, I was delighted to welcome the important and timely next stage of the global alliance between IChemE and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) to support the production and use of hydrogen.

A series of webinars starting in Q2 of 2024 will feature contributions from both AIChE and IChemE, and an annual conference series, beginning in 2025, will focus on the technical and process aspects of hydrogen. IChemE’s Hazards 34 conference (5-7 November 2024, Manchester, UK) will also strongly focus on the safety aspects of hydrogen applications, so please make sure it is in your diary.

Lastly, entries for the world’s most prestigious chemical engineering awards have now opened, so think about which of your excellent projects and people deserve to have their outstanding work recognised at the IChemE Global Awards. It is free to enter, and the awards evening is always a fabulous night out.

I always welcome any feedback, and value any input or ideas you would like to share. You can contact me at president@icheme.org

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Tracey Donaldson

Publications editor

Did you know that IChemE creates and publishes a wide range of chemical and process engineering books in partnership with Elsevier? Our series has over 75 titles covering key chemical engineering, process engineering and related subjects, written by leading experts in their fields, and including seminal works such as Coulson and Richardson’s Chemical Engineering and Lees’ Loss Prevention in the Process Industries.

We are looking for new authors who can work with us in expanding our book series. By partnering with IChemE/Elsevier, you will work with a dedicated team who will support you in the publishing process from the initial proposal through the writing, editing, and production process. Our books are available electronically in a range of formats, as well as print editions, and are marketed globally to reach the widest possible audience.

We are open to receiving new book proposals, whether you are a potential author or simply want to suggest relevant topics for new books if you see a gap in the market.

To discuss your ideas further, please contact us at membersupport@icheme.org

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IChemE Connect: engage, collaborate, and network

Dianne Watson, IChemE online community manager

IN RESPONSE to member demand, and the vision of our president Nigel Hirst, your dedicated online member community is now live and waiting for you to join the conversation.

IChemE Connect is your space to connect with each other and discuss topics relating to the profession, membership, and the Institution.
As your online community manager, I’m here to encourage engagement, stimulate discussion, and support you throughout your interactions with IChemE Connect. It is open to all members of IChemE and will evolve to become a hub of knowledge and networking for all members.
Featuring easy account activation, you can build your own network of contacts, create, follow, and contribute to discussions, and track your engagement with the engagement leaderboard. 

We will gradually introduce dedicated communities to IChemE Connect for all member groups and special interest groups, so make sure your preferences are up to date on MyIChemE so that you’ll be notified when your groups are ready. In the meantime, do join in the conversation on the All Member Open Forum – reply to a post, ask a question, or start a new discussion. This is your community, and we want it to be a vibrant, thriving environment for all of our members.

Our early adopters have already engaged in some enlightening discussions on topics including Cultivating efficiency and clean solutions in chemical engineering; CPD, the why and the what; Attracting (young) people to a career as a chemical engineer; and Your experiences as a chemical engineer: what are the most interesting places you’ve visited as part of your career? The final thread is one we hope will run and run, motivating early career and student members to continue pursuing a career in chemical engineering. Our founding members have already shared some fascinating stories of their own and we would love to hear yours.

You will have received an email inviting you to join IChemE Connect. Please follow the link in that message or go to connect.icheme.org and select “activate your profile” to join the conversation.