Royal Society Scientific Discussion Meeting proposal form

Scientific Discussion Meetings are two-day meetings held at the Royal Society in Carlton House Terrace, London. Meetings also come with the option to continue, for a further two days, at the Society’s residential venue, Chicheley Hall, in North Buckinghamshire.

Selection of scientific meetings will be carried out by the Royal SocietyHooke Committeein January and June each year. If you are unsure what information is required in any section, please refer to the proposal guidelines and notes for completing the form. The committee will score separately (1) the scientific quality of your proposal, and (2) the clarity, value and achievability of the meeting objectives.

Please refer the proposal FAQs before completing your proposal, and ensure that you provide all the information requested and that it is accurate and without spelling or typographical errors. Please note that forms must be submitted electronically in Word format. Please do not submit a pdf. Please send the completed form to the Hooke Committee secretariat at .

The deadline for submission of proposals is Friday 30 September 2016.

Submitted by

Title (e.g. Professor, Dr):
First Name:
Surname:
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Position:
Department:
Organisation:
Address (for correspondence):
Postcode:
Telephone Number:
Email:
Website (if appropriate):

1.  Title of proposed meeting

2.  60-word synopsis of proposed meeting

3.  Why is this an appropriate topic, what new or groundbreaking developments will be discussed and why are these timely? Please list five recent and relevant papers, patents or other relevant publications in the research areas relating to your meeting (500 words max)

4.  What fields are brought together in this meeting and what will the science community gain from this meeting? What are your meeting objectives? (500 words)

5.  Why is this meeting different from other meetings in this area? (200 words)

6.  What might be the wider-reaching social implications? (250 words)

7.  There is an expectation that all Discussion Meetings will be published in a dedicated issue in either Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society or Interface; however, discretion remains with the journal editors.

Why would this topic make a good dedicated journal issue? (200 words)


8. List of potential speakers

These are international meetings held in the UK. They provide an opportunity for speakers from the UK and the Rest of the World to discuss a focused area of science.

When compiling your programme, consider:

a)  The merit and suitability of the speakers. Some are expected to be of international standing, while others may be up-and-coming scientists judged relevant to the topic of the meeting.

b)  The balance of genders and geographical locations/institutions. Please provide a brief justification, if you are unable to achieve a minimum gender balance of 1 in 5 speakers, chairs and organisers.

c)  Where possible, proposers should seek to have agreement from all speakers to speak at the meeting before submitting a proposal. The Committee will look favourably on programmes of which 80% or more of the speakers have accepted to speak and supply a paper. Please provide a brief justification if you are unable to achieve this target.

The format below is suggested, however, it is not fixed and alternative options can be explored, providing there is a 9am start and 5pm finish on each day. There are some budgetary restrictions on the number of speakers for whom we can provide accommodation and travel contributions.

Day 1
Session 1 – Title:
Speaker / Organisation / Subject area/talk / Agreed to speak? / Agreed to supply a paper? / Gender and career stage (early, mid, senior)
Day 1
Session 2 – Title:
Speaker / Organisation / Subject area/talk / Agreed to speak? / Agreed to supply a paper? / Gender and career stage (early, mid, senior)
Poster session and drinks reception to conclude the first day:
Please state whether you wish to do this and how doing so would help your meeting objectives.
Day 2
Session 1 – Title:
Speaker / Organisation / Subject area/talk / Agreed to speak? / Agreed to supply a paper? / Gender and career stage (early, mid, senior)
Day 2
Session 2 – Title:
Speaker / Organisation / Subject area/talk / Agreed to speak? / Agreed to supply a paper? / Gender and career stage (early, mid, senior)
Summary of discussions and closing remarks
Outline how this will be achieved, e.g. summaries from the session chairs/organisers, closing speaker, etc.

9. Other organisers (these must all have agreed to act in this capacity)

Co-organiser 1:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Organisation:
Address:
Email:

Co-organiser 2:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Organisation:
Address:
Email:

Co-organiser 3:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Organisation:
Address:
Email:

Co-organiser 4:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Organisation:
Address:
Email:

10. The Royal Society will assist with the marketing of your scientific meetings as widely as possible. What channels will you be using to promote this meeting?

Please identify appropriate learned societies, university departments and groups to target and any relevant contact lists available to you.

Any other comments (500 words)

11. SUGGESTED REFEREES

These should be as independent as possible – i.e. not from the same department, nor have published/ collaborated together with the organisers in the last 5 years. Preferably one of these should also be a Fellow or Foreign Member of the Royal Society (FRS or ForMemRS) or equivalent. The Society may also identify and seek a report from an independent referee.

Referee 1:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Department:
Organisation:
Address:
Postcode:
Email:

Referee 2:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Department:
Organisation:
Address:
Postcode:
Email:

Referee 3:

Name (title [e.g. Professor, Dr], first name, surname):
Honours (e.g. FRS):
Department:
Organisation:
Address:
Postcode:
Email:
SATELLITE MEETING
Please complete this section to apply to follow your discussion meeting with a two-day Satellite Meeting at Chicheley Hall.
Discussion Meetings selected for the scientific programme in London may also be considered for the option of continuing with a Satellite Meeting at the Kavli Royal Society Centre at Chicheley Hall, Buckinghamshire. If approved, this residential meeting would take place on the two days immediately following your Discussion Meeting in London.
Satellite Meetings are an excellent opportunity for a more focussed follow-on to the broader meeting in London, and they may also afford an opportunity to consider relevant younger scientists as potential speakers. The format of these meetings is more flexible, and can include panel discussions, poster sessions and breakout sessions (subject to the availability of meeting rooms), as well as the more traditional meeting format.
Attendance at Satellite Meetings may be by application or by invitation only, but you should aim for a minimum of 60 participants.
If you would like to apply for a Satellite Meeting to accompany your meeting in London please supply the information below, including a justification for the continuation of the meeting. Consider what additional value it will bring to your field, and how it will differ in format and focus from the meeting in London.
Please note: if you do not complete this section of the form you will NOT be offered a Satellite Meeting. The offer of a Satellite Meeting remains at the discretion of the Hooke Committee and is not guaranteed.
1.  Title of proposed residential Satellite Meeting
2.  60-word synopsis of proposed meeting
3.  Attendees
The meeting is intended to be [open to applications] or [by invitation only]?
Please delete as appropriate.
Expected number of attendees:
4.  Please provide an outline programme, including session titles and list of proposed speakers including their affiliation, gender, career stage (early, mid, senior) and subject area

5. Preferred meeting date

Please suggest a choice of dates wherever possible. We will try our best to accommodate one of your preferences but cannot guarantee availability. Please note that the Royal Society does not hold Discussion Meetings in London over the summer months of July and August.

Discussion Meeting dates
Date / Please mark preference
November 2017
December 2017
January 2018
February 2018
March 2018

Please specify any months/dates to be avoided because of conflicting meeting(s):

Declaration / Please mark
The proposers confirm that the information given above is true and correct to the best of their knowledge. Where the proposal involves the use of animals I have read and confirm that they are in compliance with the Royal Society’s policy on the funding of research involving animals and the publication of the results of such research.


Marketing information

How did you find out about the call for proposals? Please be as specific as possible.

This question is for administration purposes only.

Please mark
Nature print advertisement
Nature e-alert email advertisement
Other advertisement – please state which
General email from the Royal Society
Personal email from Royal Society staff
From a Royal Society email newsletter
Flyer and letter from the Royal Society
Flyer picked up at the Royal Society
Flyer at your institution
Word of mouth/Recommendation
-  From institution
-  From a Fellow of the Society
-  From a past scientific meeting organiser
-  From a past Research Fellow International Scientific Seminar organiser
Other – please state which ......

9