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.

This Landing page is meant to sign you to different aspects of my career, both technical and educational mentorship, but also provides key publications relating to both arenas and podcast videos thereof. Moreover, I have also included a section on why we have a technician commitment and what motivated me to participate in this seminal career development initiative. 

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  

Sign posting to Different aspects of my career: The main menu headings

Below are details about the main headings at the top of the landing page, with links to respective menu headings by clicking on the images above each synopsis.

My Career at the Bench

A detailed synopsis of my scientific bench career, themed according to subject discipline. These themes are provided as drop down headings. Click on image to access heading.

Applicant Support Mentor

A detailed synopsis of my role as an ASM and engagement with the Technician Commitment and Professional Registration. Click on image to access heading.

Specialist Advisor NTDC

A detailed synopsis of my role as an ASM and engagement with the Technician Commitment and Professional Registration. Click on image to access heading.

Royal Society of Biology

A detailed synopsis of my technician commitment work with the RSB and also analogous work for the award of Chartered Biologist. Click on image to access heading. 

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

Why do we need a Technician Commitment and what is it?

The Technician Commitment is a response to declining career prospects for UK based technicians culminating in attrition without replacement. Unless this is addressed their could be a significant shortfall in numbers in all economic sectors, which might impact the economy by 2030. Consequently, policies, procedures and career track pathways have been developed on the back of this commitment to try and reverse this trend. 

 See my Lab Innovations webinars above and also an article  in Chemistry world below which takes a longitudinal look at declining prospects for technicians since I first entered the laboratory in the 1980's.  

The Need for a Technician Commitment

The YouTube video below is a personal synopsis of my own bench career and makes reference to changes in work conditions for UK Based techs since the 1990s and how the Technician Commitment is attempting to militate these changes.

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.

Describing Professional Registration: My personal Input

The video below is a detailed description of one pillar of the Technician Commitment, namely Science Council Professional Registration and my own advocacy and support for this scheme as an Applicant Support Mentor. 

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 

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