The Royal Society holds ten scientific discussion meetings each year at the Royal Society at Carlton House Terrace, London.
These meetings are intended to be pivotal events of lasting significance. They are a chance for leading and emerging scientists to examine current and future issues surrounding novel, dynamic, innovative and exciting areas of science, engineering and technology.
The conferences are held over two days and offer the opportunity to bring together a large number of scientists from different areas.
Delegates have the opportunity to listen to presentations from top experts in their fields and to participate in discussion sessions. The meetings are free to attend but pre-registration is required for all delegates.
Following a scientific discussion meeting, there is the option of a subsequent two-day satellite meeting for selected delegates at the Royal Society at Chicheley Hall, home of the Kavli Royal Society International Centre.
The scientific discussion meetings are subsequently published in a dedicated issue of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A or B.
Proposals for meetings
Any UK scientist or engineer is eligible to submit a proposal. If successful, you will be the scientific organiser of the meeting, and the Royal Society staff will handle all administration of the meeting, so you can focus on ensuring the quality of the science presented is of the highest possible calibre.
The next call for proposals open in March and closes in May. Selection is carried out by the Hooke Committee and results are announced in November.
You can see a list of past scientific meetings here. Please bear in mind that if a meeting has been held recently on a specific topic, we are only likely to run another in the near future if significant progress has been made in the area since the original meeting.
What does the scientific organiser do?
- Provides the scientific theme and develops the overall objectives of the meeting
- Selects and approaches speakers and chairs and briefs them on required scientific focus
- Acts as editor and referee for a volume of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, and ensures adherence to a strict publication schedule leading to publication within five to seven months of the meeting, where meeting is published
- Provides and advises routes for publicity
What does the Royal Society do?
Provides the venue, facilities and catering
Allocates an Events Officer to provide full administrative support to include: liaison with speakers regarding abstracts and travel arrangements; coordination of expense claims; preparation of all materials for meeting; on-site support
Contributes to travel and subsistence expenses for organisers, speakers and chairs
Where applicable, publishes a volume of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society dedicated to the meeting