Laurence Dawkins-Hall B.Sc. (hons) CSci, CBiol, FIScT FRSB

In this web site, I have tried to summarise key moments in a 40 year career, encompassing both key achievements as a bench life scientist, but also my work within the arena of the Technician Commitment, to try and improve the lot of current technicians. These aspects are broken down and explained according to key themes delineated in the menu options above.

Areas of expertise

My work spans two key areas: hands-on technical laboratory experience in life sciences (30+ years) and technical education, focusing on professional registration and vocational accreditation (8 years).

Life sciences laboratory work

30+ years  of international experience in laboratory settings, contributing to vital scientific research, teaching and technical innovation in life sciences. 

Publications

I have garnered 40 publications as peer reviewed papers, text book materials and conference abstracts, culminating in 700 citations.

Life science Disciplines

During my years practicing bench life science I became proficient with techniques in In that time, I became proficient in techniques underpinning Molecular and cell Biology, protein biochemistry, drug discovery assays, parasitology, genomics and transcriptomics.

International purview

I have contributed to projects with international media coverage including BBC world service

Professional Registration 

Expert advice on how to prepare, submit, benefit from, and renew vocational accreditation with the Science Council Professional Registration. 

Mentoring

I have mentored in excess of 3000 Staff scientists & technicians in HE, FE, SE and industry in the context of Science Council Professional Registration 

Organisations

I have carried out my public discourse and private mentoring for Science Council Professional Registration in the context of different organisations, including the Science Council, IST, NTDC, Midlands Innovation, Lab Innovation and the RSB

Publications

I have written blogs and articles for Scientific magazines, describing the necessity for a Technician commitment; its impact and how to go about preparing for and submitting an application for Professional Registration

An Interview with Lab Innovations 

The interview transcription below was hosted by Lab Innovations and was about how the life sciences industry has changed during the course of my own career, beginning in the 1980s and what future developments could be significant going forward  

Talks & Professional Blogs

Since I became an active protagonist for  Science Council Professional Registration accreditation and the wider Technician Commitment (circa 2017-2025), I have provided a series of talks and pod casts describing current career challenges facing technicians in the UK in STEM and steps being taken to address these issues via the Technician Commitment.   

Career Talks

Talks about Technical careers & current challenges 

Lab Innovations talk

Another talk about career challenges

Podcast 

A pod cast about obtaining Professional Registration 

Registration workshop

Tips for completion of Registration Application

Publications

Below are a links to various forums like Google scholar, web of science and my other Weebly web site, referencing both my peer reviewed scientific publications and also my articles about the Technician Commitment in Technical Magazines like Laboratory World. In addition, I have provided a link to my Academia.edu profile which inter alia provides pdf down loads of  my scientific posters presnted at conference in a plethora of subject disciplines, e.g., Cardiovascular sciences, genomic sequencing and parasitology.

Scientific Publications

My peer reviewed Scientific publications

Scientific citations

Citations to Scientific papers: Google Scholar

Tech Com. publications

My publications about the Technician commitment

Conference posters

Scientific work presented in poster format at conferences

The Need for a Technician Commitment

The Technician Commitment is designed to address a current recruitment and retention crisis within the UK technical work force, elicited by poor pay, training, Career progression and general working conditions. This was not always the case, as detailed in an article, "Give Technicians the recognition they deserve".

Technician Commitment Architecture

The machinations of implementing the commitment is predicated on 4 pillars:

  1. Visibility.
  2. Recognition.
  3. Career Development.
  4. Sustainability.

Pillars 1 & 2 are about recognising Technicians for the work that they do, validating their actions via Professional training and awards, e.g., Professional Registration and institute support for achieving & attending conferences and training courses.

Pillars 3 & 4 are about not just facilitating CPD within current job families but affording clear paths to internal promotion and/or equiping technicians to improve their lot by preparing them and supporting them to obtain more senior positions outside.

STEM Technicians historically..

The piece below describes what has changed about technician job roles and prospects since I commenced my career in the 1980s and how terms and conditions in many respects have depreciated since the early 2000's and what needs (and is) being done to tackle this issue and the ensuing recruitment and retention crisis not prevalent amongst STEM techncians in the 21st Century.

The You tube video opposite is a personal synopsis of my own bench career and makes reference to this issue.

There are also recordings by me above, provided for Lab Innovations where I discuss this existential crisis in detail and the role of the Technician Commitment in mitigating causative factors. 

My Articles about the Need for a Technician Commitment

The following scientific publications highlight my Technician Commitment and the contribution of Professional Registration in particular. In addition, I have provided a pdf down load and depiction respectively of articles pertaining to the imperative for better organised and harmonised national technical training, showcased at the Lab Innovations show in 2024. 

The need for better and joined up Technical Training

In this short vignette, derived from the UK Government report, cf. "Upskilling a nation", I take a look at current training issues and ask if it presents  opportunities, as well as highlighting extant problem.

Blogs on the Technician Commitment

Below are links to Technician Commitment blogs I provided for Lab Innovations, explaining the significance of the commitment from my perspective and how professional registration can contribute to its aims 

My work with the Royal Society of Biology (RSB)

I have worked with the RSB in the context of Chartered Scientist (CSci) and Chartered Biologist (CBiol). In particular I have assessed for both registers and likewise trained new RSB assessors. As detailed in RSB materials from the main menu I have also designed and recorded an online course for the RSB web site which mentors prospective candidates in all aspects of applying for and thence retaining CBiol.

The Award of Chartered Biologist (CBiol)

In this section below I provide summative detail of my activities with the RSB. More detail can be found in the dedicated drop down menu at the top.

My Support for this RSB Life sciences vocational award, recapitulating SC Chartered Scientist (CSci) vocational award

Concurrent with my mentoring support for Science Council Professional Registration, I also offered analogous support for the Royal Society of Biology specific vocational award, "Chartered Biologist" (CBiol), which in many ways recapitulates "Chartered Scientist" (CSci) but is offered exclusively to scientists practicing in a life sciences discipline

Specifically, both Chartered Scientist & Chartered Biologist mandate practice @ and/or posession of a level #7 Masters degree with a minimum of five years commensurate post graduate experience experience, with approx two years of Supervisory and/or team leadership provision encapsulated within that time frame.

In addition, as CBiol is framed in a life sciences context and linked to the RSB, full member ship of the RSB (MRSB) is an application pre requisite (equivalent to three years post graduate practice in the field), with an additional 2 years of experience as MRSB.

In my own context, I:

  • Assessed Scripts for the RSB for the CBiol award.
  • Trained new assessors for the RSB.
  • Designed and delivered an on line and on demand course, describing all aspects of obtaining and retaining the award, the application pro forma and the benefits of CBiol.
  • I have also published articles, summarising these salient points. See the next session. 

See Home page "Chartered Biologist" for details.    

My articles & Courses describing the award of Chartered Biologist (CBiol)