ON eNews
January 2021
Paying it Forward in 2021 Welcome to the first One Nucleus eNews of 2021 and Happy New Year to everyone. Like most people writing such an introduction, the first thoughts would be to start with a brief review of highlights from the previous year, whether highlights for the sector or of our own activities. Whilst there was plenty to celebrate and congratulate others for in terms of the sector’s achievements in such adversity and I am very proud of the One Nucleus team for adapting our activities quickly and effectively to deliver the member support, I will take subsequent opportunities to reflect on those highlights further in slower time when the dust has settled. In this brief welcome, I feel it more useful for our readers to look ahead to the coming year and how our activities will seek to learn lessons from the challenges of 2020. One phrase that I was not familiar with until a couple of months back was ‘paying it forward’ as a means of not repaying an act of kindness directly back to the originator, but to carry it forward to do a kind deed to someone else in need of support. Considering it further, then I see examples all around our sector. This sentiment I intend to adhere to personally and to run as a thread through One Nucleus activities where possible. Looking ahead, I am excited by plans for 2021 and beyond. Some of these will be described in more detail later in this issue, but you will see we have tried to learn from the enforced disruption and now seek to pay it forward where we can. Paying it forward came to my attention in response to seeking advice about how to enable and support early career students and researchers in developing their careers. We have increasingly worked with our network to support them in recruiting the best talent and create the best careers where possible. The challenges of Brexit, the pandemic effect, evolving R&D practices to require different skills and means demand for talent is huge. We need to thus enthuse new skills and talent to this exciting sector of ours. On March 30th – 31st we will deliver and online careers conference “Building Life Science Adventures”. No intention to be a jobs fair or lesson to students on ‘how to write a good cv’, but absolutely aimed at bringing early career scientists and life science employers together to discuss what works and what doesn’t for either side of the equation. No better way to pay it forward perhaps than to engage in sharing advice with and listening to the next generation of leaders. We will be seeking supporters of the event at a modest cost to enable us to deliver the event free of charge to those who can benefit most, but equally to inform and help our companies develop as employers of choice.