As you may be aware, FASC has had difficulties with their bank account in Ethiopia. Government regulations there made it impossible to move monies in/out of the country. Further, covid-19 has had a disruptive influence on chemistry in Africa and as lockdown restrictions are lifted FASC can now continue with its objectives/work. As of December 2021 the FASC executive, after consultation with the RSC, have opened a bank account in South Africa. The account will be administered, with help, using the SACI facilities. This will allow for accounts to be audited and for easy money transfers.
FASC is thus at last in a position to restart collecting annual fees. During the past year, we have introduced two new FASC membership categories – Individual and Young affiliate membership.
The fees for 2022 are:
Individual member: US $10
Young affiliate: US $5
Payments can be made to the account listed on the invoice emailed to you after registration.
Yours sincerely
Prof Neil Coville
FASC Past President
PS The next General Assembly will take place in Morocco in December 2022. This will be a mixed event (face-to-face and virtual) so that all members and member countries can participate.
Individual membership in FASC: This is allowed for any individual member of a Chemistry Society operating in Africa. Where no Society is operating in a country, the FASC Executive will evaluate the application.
Young affiliate member: Any students studying for a postgraduate degree in Chemistry or an allied area at an African University can become a Young affiliate member. A requirement is that they belong to a Chemical Society in Africa. Where no Society is operating in a country, the FASC Executive will evaluate the application.
What does FASC do?
- FASC currently produces the African Journal of Chemical Education (Editor: Dr Engida, Ethiopia; temechegne@faschem.org)
- FASC is coordinating the Atlantic Basin Conference (ABC) on Chemistry in Morocco (December 2022 (Chair: Prof Mamia el Rhazi, FASC President)
- FASC has a General Assembly every two years that rotates around the African continent. The next one will be held in collaboration with the ABC event (Organisers: Tunisia)
- FASC has a web site (currently being updated) to inform of all FASC activities
- FASC has recently produced a dedicated volume on chemical research, in Frontiers in Chemistry, to celebrate its 15th Anniversary.
- FASC is a member of IUPAC
- FASC produces a monthly newsletter
- FASC, with the financial support of the RSC supports young African chemists to attend conferences
- FASC members work closely with PACN
- FASC works with the RSC, ACS and IUPAC seeking support for African chemists
- FASC will be introducing web seminars for members
The future
- To become financially independent
- To grow the number of member countries
- To coordinate workshops/seminars within member countries
- To assist young African chemists in their careers
- To assist in the movement of researchers between African countries
- To provide a list of service providers for sample analysis in Africa