The Royal Society n°1

 

Scientists newsletter

New review of the science of the reproduction number and growth rate of COVID-19 A new review from the Royal Society’s SET-C (Science in Emergencies Tasking: COVID-19) group examines all aspects of the reproduction number (R) and growth rate (r) of the COVID-19 epidemic in the UK from the data sources to its use in policy formulation.  The report highlights the need to greatly improve the collection and management of high-quality data in the UK and highlights the level of uncertainty given the limitations of current data. Read more

Heritable genome editing not ready to be tried safely in humans A new report by an international commission of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society has warned against using human embryos whose genomes have been edited to create a pregnancy until it is established that precise genomic changes can be made reliably without introducing undesired changes. The report considers potential benefits, harms, and uncertainties associated with genome editing technologies and calls for extensive national and international dialogue before any country decides whether to permit clinical use of heritable human genome editing. Read more

Scientific meetings Our programme of scientific meetings has moved online. Organised by leaders in their field, the meetings offer a unique opportunity for scientists at any stage of their scientific career to get involved in the conversation. We are pleased to announce that the following online discussion meetings. A cracking approach to inventing tough new materials: fracture stranger than friction In the 100 years since Griffith’s ground-breaking Theory of Fracture establishing the energy criterion for cracking of materials, there have been great advances in Fracture Mechanics. This online discussion meeting on 19 October will reflect on recent observations in the field plus interesting new theories, as well as discussing how to invent tough new materials. Please visit the meeting webpage to view the programme details. Attending this online event is free, but advance registration is essential. Please register as soon as possible due to the limited number of places. Register now

Understanding the endosomal network in neurodegeneration Abnormalities in the endosomal network are a signature feature of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and numerous other neurological disorders. In bringing together world leading researchers from a range of disciplines, this online discussion meeting on 9 – 12 November seeks to discuss the latest advances in this rapidly moving field and foster collaborative efforts to enhance the rate of discovery. Please visit the meeting webpage to view the programme details. Attending this online event is free, but advance registration is essential. Please register as soon as possible due to the limited number of places. Register now

APEX Awards now open APEX supports outstanding interdisciplinary research which is unlikely to be supported through conventional funding programmes and provides substantial funding of up to £100,000, plus the cost of a teaching replacement. Applicants also have the exciting opportunity to apply for an additional £10,000 to support public engagement activities related to their research. View scheme notes (PDF) Register now Closing date: Thursday 29 October 2020, 3pm

Re-launch of the Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship The Wolfson Fellowship has been relaunched with an even greater focus on attracting outstanding research leaders from overseas. In addition to the longer-term five-year Wolfson Fellowship funding of up to £300,000, a new Wolfson Visiting Fellowship offers international leading senior researchers a flexible sabbatical of up to one-year full time or two years part time. The Wolfson Visiting Fellowships will be invaluable in attracting international research leaders and building lasting relationships with global research institutions. Applications open on 23 September.  Read more

Industry Fellowship  Our Industry Fellowships seek to enhance knowledge transfer in science and technology between industry and academia in the UK, by funding researchers to move between the two. The scheme covers the basic salary of the Industry Fellow and a contribution towards research costs over two years full-time or four years part-time. View the scheme notes (PDF) Apply now Closing date: Tuesday 6 October 2020, 3pm

International Exchanges Our International Exchanges are for scientists based in the UK who want to stimulate collaborations with leading scientists overseas through either a one-off visit or bilateral travel. If you intend to collaborate with partners in China, Japan or Taiwan, your proposal can also be considered for the Cost Share Programme, which gives you the opportunity to apply for double the award value (up to £24,000 in total). Apply now Closing date: Thursday 24 September 2020, 3pm

Short Industry Fellowships Our Short Industry Fellowships enable more dynamic partnerships between academia and industry in shorter time periods. Collaborations between scientists and early-stage companies are particularly encouraged and secondments can be between three and six months full time, or up to 12 months part time. View the scheme notes (PDF) Read more Deadline: Tuesday 3 November 2020, 3pm

Peer Review Week It's Peer Review Week next week and the theme of this year's event is 'trust'. Here at the Royal Society, we understand that trust in the scientific process is crucial to inspiring trust in science. We also recognise that rigorous peer review and editorial processes are vital for the publication of high-quality research. Our six steps from submission to publication infographic is a quick, easy and transparent guide to the various stages of our publishing process, so you can see exactly what happens when you trust us with publishing your paper. Find out more We have many activities planned during Peer Review Week. Follow Royal Society Publishing on Twitter to ensure that you don't miss out.