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#RealTimeChem Ambassadors: Apply now!

Posted on by doctorgalactic

Introduction

Since 2012, chemists around the world have been connecting on Twitter using #RealTimeChem to tell the everyday story of their lives in chemistry. The number of tweets using #RealTimeChem has exceeded 70,000 during that time and it remains one of the most used hashtags by the ever growing community.

From its incpetion #RealTimeChem has be curated solely by me (@Doctor_Galactic), but times they are a changin’ and as the community has grown it has been necessary to look at ways for #RealTimeChem to evolve and grow with it. I have never tried to control the hashtag in any significant way, it has developed organically and is the sum of all the wonderful chemists who have tweeted over the years. So, it makes sense now to open the proverbial doors to the community and invite you to take part in #RealTimeChem’s future.

Hence, the launch today of the #RealTimeChem Ambassador program.

Program aims

The overall aim of the ambassador program is to promote and grow the #RealTimeChem community and providing a home for chemists on Twitter. This will be achieved by recruiting an inclusive and diverse range of chemists covering a whole range of chemistry subjects from across the entire world. It is envisaged that we will recruit up to 12 ambassadors with 2 from each continent (bar Antarctica).

Each ambassador will generate #RealTimeChem content based upon their everyday chemistry and experiences, but they will also find and promote chemistry within their local community and subject area by flagging it with the hashtag. Ambassadors will also be encouraged to engage with the community to generate discussions and build a supportive network.

Other opportunities for Ambassadors may include (but are not limited to):

  • running themed weeks where they will “take over” the @RealTimeChem feed.
  • chairing #RealTimeChem socials online.
  • promoting, running and taking part in #RealTimeChem Week events.

Interested? Here is how to apply.

If you would like to put yourself forward to be a #RealTimeChem Ambassador then please send your application via the following Google form:

https://forms.gle/H3TKW1MkAnbmSyp66

A note about expectations: Please note that this is NOT a paid position. There is no external funding for #RealTimeChem, although it does often work with partners on events. Ambassadors will not be expected to spend a set amount of time working on #RealTimeChem, only what they can spare in their free time.

If there are any questions about the program or applying please either DM via @RealTimeChem on Twitter or email realtimechem@gmail.com.

– Dr Jay and Laura S –

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Some musings and an official announcment…

Posted on by doctorgalactic

Hello everyone,

Sorry that there’s been yet another break in service here recently, suffice to say I’ve been busy with my new job as a publishing editor and it has left me precious little time for blogging….okay that’s a poor excuse, but I’m sticking to it! I do have a couple of further blogs up my sleeve, but there they may remain until I can get my brain to regugitate them.

Anyway, on to the good stuff, as some of you might have seen, #RealTimeChem was featured in Chemistry & Engineering news very recently and I’m super happy about how the article turned out. In fact, I’m pretty sure Carmen Drahl (@carmendrahl) captured the spirit of #realtimechem better than I ever have!

Here’s the spread in C&EN via Matthew Katcher, who incidently is totally worth following on twitter and is a participant in #Blogsyn, which is hopefully going to keep making waves.

I’ve done my best to keep my own hash tag ticking over and there’s been some really interesting and all round stuff to be found under #RealTimeChem, with a recent highlight being the “So God Made a Chemist” video by Vittorio Saggiomo and colleagues.

Another hash tag on twitter to draw your attention to is the recently created #chemclub (insert your own Fight Club joke here) by @_byronmiller, which you can find more information on via his blog but the basic idea is that “If you read a paper worth talking about, tweet a link and quick summary with the hashtag #chemclub.”

This is an excellent companion hash tag to #RealTimeChem, which I shall be supporting via @RealTimeChem whenever I get the chance.

So onto the official announcement you came here for:

*drum roll*

After some deliberation and looking at the results of the recent poll it has been decided that the next official event, “#RealTimeChem week” will take place the week starting Monday 22nd April 2013.

It's happening! More details to follow naturally, but it's happening!

It’s happening! More details to follow naturally, but it’s happening!

There you go. Please take this banner and spread the word. I’ll give out some more details very soon, with an FAQ as before with a few changes and whatnot. I’ll be working on promoting this (in my spare time) with various others over the next month and a bit, so hopefully the week will be a big success. I’ll likely be needing some help, so I’ll be in contact via twitter about this in due course, if you want to do something to help out then feel free to DM me.

Over and out for now.

–Doctor Galactic–