Bruxelles , 4 th October 2012

1. Bruxelles, 4th October 2012 Youth Group of the Italian Chemical Society (GG-SCI) -An overview on the activities- Massimiliano Lo Faro Chair of the Youth Group of the Italian Chemical Society Researcher of CNR-ITAE Institute, Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse, 5 – 98126 Messina Italy mailto: lofaro@itae.cnr.it

2. Outline • The International Contest (Trends) • The National Contest (Opportunities) • Contribution of “Young ItalianChemists” (Awards and Grants)

3. PROMOTING SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGE IN THE PACIFIC BASIN FOR A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Pacifichem 2010 was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, December 15 – 20, 2010 with a record number of 12,520 attendees, 163 Exhibitors, 235 symposia, and 13,268 abstracts.

4. About 13.000 abstracts in 235 Simposia • Core areas of chemistry: • Analytical, Inorganic, Macromolecular, Organic, Physical, Theoretical and Computational • Multi- and Cross-Disciplinary Areas of Chemistry: • Agrochemistry, Biological Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Materials and Nanotechnology • Challenges and Opportunities for Chemistry: • Alternate Energy Technology, Chemistry outreach to the Community, Health and Technology, Security.

6. Chemistry - The Creative Force • Molecular design more and more defined • Loosing the gap betweennatural and syntheticproducts • Supramolecularchemistry: beyond self-assembly (self-organization/dynamic-self-assembly) • BridgingChemistry with Biotechnology, Electronics, Material Science and Nanotechnology

7. opening of The Scientific Degrees Project Annually, the faculties of chemistry have a number of women student of about 35-40% more than men Source Almalaurea Source MIUR • The industrial chemistry has about twice male students than females • Number of graduates: about 107 per year (based on the interview) • Average grade:104.5/110 • University student who has passed all his exams within the prescribed period of time: 76% • Who works: 31% in 1 year • 65% in 3 year • 85% in 5 year Source MIUR Source Almalaurea

9. What about the GG-SCI • GGSCI is a non-profit-making organisation. • The Group aims to stimulate, promote and improve research activities of Younger Chemists. • Its duty is to carry out, spread and transfer of chemistry knowledgement (from didactic and scientific points-of-view) • The Young Chemists Italian Group (Gruppo Giovani della Società Chimica Italiana; GGSCI) has been instituted by 19/06/02 • The GGSCI is directed by the Chair and the Steering Committee. Each member is elected in representation of each Division of SCI (12). • The adhesion to GGSCI is free.

10. The GGSCI provides a focus for the interests of members aged 35 and under. It has an interdisciplinary character since the whole members has to be associated at least to one of the Divisions of SCI.

11. Milano Torino Bologna Roma Napoli Catania Hubs Local sections 12 divisions 19 territorial sections 3 logistic Hubs

12. Activities • Web site: information forum and networking (www.soc.chim.it) …..it is moving on a new platform • Spreading of chemical science and its importance in the modern society: GGSCI supports the Games of Chemistry into the secondary schools. • Mobility fellowships • Grants • Editorial – publishing points of view of Younger Chemists’ on important problems (La Chimica nella Scuola, La Chimica e l’Industria) • Internationalisation (by the Younger Chemists European Network).

13. European Young Chemist Award 2012 Selection of finalists The choice of the finalists has been a difficult task. About 50 candidates have been considered at top level. Some relevant sentences from the supporting letters: “She is a first rate organic chemist. She has a keen intellect”. “She is a leader and has already established herself as an outstanding researcher. Her work is characterized by its quality as well as its breadth”. “He was an exceptional talented young scientist”. “Besides his contributions to establish a industrial process his pioneering research resulted in a number of paper in top journals”. “He performed his research in a professional and highly independent manner and was highly capable of guiding young students during their research projects. His exceptional talent is further illustrated in the large number of projects and grants he was involved in”. “It is my firm opinion that he has the capabilities to soon become one of the leaders of the younger generation of chemists in Europe”.“He is one of the most promising young scientists of his generation world wide. I believe that he has the drive, creativity, and track record of accomplishment that suggest he is highly worthy of the European Young Investigator Award”. “He was one of the best associates that I have had in my career. He has extraordinary laboratory skills and he manages to obtain high quality data as a result of careful experimentation” “Unusually talented chemist who has obtained extraordinary good results in her career. First class chemist has talent and ambition”. “I recommend him in the strongest terms”. “Such deep and insightful investigations are refreshing and invigorating in my view, especially in times that tend to favor simple, phenomenological results”. “He has been the intellectual driver and forged all the necessary collaborations to address this complex problem” “He should be a compelling and deserving candidate of the European Young Chemist award”.“He is for sure one of the most outstanding and promising young researchers that I know in the field of molecular science. Despite being young, he has a lot of experience and high motivation. He is excellent in the lab extremely smart person. In all his papers one can really appreciated the scientific rigor and quality of his excellent work”. “Astonishing level of productivity, the work has very high caliber”. “My continued enthusiasm about working with him. He is a charming outgoing fellow”.“She was creative in the way she thought about her science”. To showcase and recognise the excellent research being carried out by young scientists working in the chemical sciences

14. A dramatic aspect that must be strongly emphasized is that unfortunately many chemical researchers are already abroad and many are leaving. It is not the fact that in some aspects appreciated that many young people turn to Europe with the programs such as Erasmus, Marie Curie or the Socrates; but rather they go away from Italy with no hope of return back due to the lack of prospects they have in this country. • Indicators on scientific excellence, that may be recognized easily, are the funding programs and awards such as the ERC starting grant, the PRIN and FIRB, the European Young Chemists Awards (EYCA) and the Levi prize.

15. Suggestions for the network • For scientists: • Prof Kassen (GYA) point out that the scientific community is wrong if they think that "science will be given a privileged voice on an issue.... From a politician's point of view, science is an interest group like any other.“ • For Industries: • In order to increase his wealth of knowledge, the Chemical Industries should engage more graduates and PhDs. • The chemical industries should promote courses in chemistry from secondary schools. • Financial support for ideas, also through the establishment of foundations. • Training of existing staff and growth of chemical knowledge and the risks involved in working in the chemical sector