Academic appointed to prestigious Heads of Chemistry UK Standing Committee

A leading chemistry expert from Kingston University has been appointed to a prestigious role within the Heads of Chemistry UK (HCUK) to represent the interests of the field in chemical education, scholarship and research in more than 70 chemistry departments across UK universities.

Head of Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Baljit Thatti is one of just 13 elected to the HCUK Standing Committee. The Committee typically meets twice a year to discuss matters of chemistry policy, sustainability within research, recruitment practices, funding and equality, diversity and inclusion within the field.

The Committee also works closely with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) on policy engagement and updates and calls for evidence. Of the 13 present committee members, who serve up to two terms of three years each, Professor Thatti is the only one from a post-92 university. Representation from post-92 institutes is something she has long championed.

“I have been part of a group of post-92 university heads of department, actively encouraging change to make sure there is a greater diversity of the committee’s membership, so broader views right across higher education are heard and represented. This is a really positive step to contributing to a diverse society,” she said.

In addition to making the chemical industry a more inclusive and level playing field, Professor Thatti aims to work with the RSC to identify what skills the chemical sectors need. These can then be integrated into teaching programmes across the country and with government on policy to ensure there is a continuous pipeline of students enrolling on chemistry courses.

“Being in this role will give me a powerful voice to hopefully impact the importance that chemistry deserves, and to ensure we increase the number of students wanting to study chemistry as well as improving staff wellbeing across the sector,” she said.

This new role adds to Professor Thatti’s growing list of positions to support the sector. She is also member of the RSC’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee, Chair of the Location Section Committee and Chair of the Admissions Committee, as well as member of the Professional Standards Board.

• Find out more about studying chemistry at Kingston University.