Category: Around Campus

Posted on Around Campus, Events, News, Outreach

Science Challenge Awards 2026

On Saturday, 20th June, the RCSU held the Awards Ceremony for its annual Science Challenge. The RCSA was there to support.

The RCSU Science Challenge is an annual competition, designed to give young scientists the opportunity to develop the skills to talk about science in a way that is engaging and fun to people who don’t necessarily have a science background.

Originally founded and funded by the RCSA, the Science Challenge asks entrants to produce a short piece of science communication in answer to a question set by one of the four guest judges, and serves as a cornerstone of outreach and engagement with both current and prospective students of Imperial College.

This year’s theme was The Butterfly Effect – Exploring how small changes can lead to big impacts in science
and society.

Our very own Jenni Munroe, lept at the chance to represent the RCSA as our judge for this year’s competition.… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, Events, Sport

Transport: Sparkes & Semmence Cups 2026

Sparkes and Semmence Cups will be contested this coming weekend, on Sunday June 14th, from 14:00 at Harlington (Sipson Lane, Harlington, Hayes UB3 5EH).

Most of you will make your own way there, but there are other options.

There is the Sparks & Semmence ONE WAY Coach Ticket from Prince Consort Road departing at 13:00

Here is the link to book coach tickets (at £3, which us the lowest amount the booking system would allow) should anyone want them:
https://www-s.imperialcollegeunion.org/shop/product/1497-/
Additionally, Jez and Clem are making the trip from campus to Harlington. It’s a slower gentler journey and plenty of spaces are available. Check availability with with Jack Swires, the RSM Motor Club Captain, and book your place with him. Departure is 11:00 from the Motor Club garages.

To quickly recap the event: The RCS, C&G and RSM rugby teams will go head-to-head in the Sparkes Cup’s 2026 match!

Interleaved between those matches, the RCS, C&G and RSM netball teams will also compete head-to-head (for only the third time) for the recently founded Semmence Cup.… Read more...

Posted on Annual Dinner, Around Campus, Events, Member Benefits, News, Outreach

Summer Dinner 6th June – Tickets Released

Sales of tickets for the dinner have got off to a strong and enthusiastic start with a third of the available tickets sold in the first few hours. So don’t delay, purchase your tickets promptly by clicking on this link……

When ordering, bypass a shortcoming of Imperial Union’s new on-line shop by following this top tip: When placing your order, pop your first name AND your email address into the ‘First name’ field. (And yes, go on to repeat your email address in the ‘Email’ field.) Honestly! It’s not a wind-up…. it really does help!

As our President, Mike Munroe, explained: We have secured an amazing venue for the RCSU/ RCSA Summer Dinner this year and our plan is to hold it at the London Postal Museum WC1. This iconic and award winning independent museum tells the 500 year story of British postal communications with interesting exhibits and displays. Our sumptuous dinner will be located in the atmospheric museum with access to the exhibits and displays.… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, Events, Jezebel, News, Sport

Sparkes & Semmence Cups 2026

On Sunday June 14th Imperial’s inter-college rugby competition continues. Once again the RCS, C&G and RSM rugby teams are preparing to go head-to-head in the Sparkes Cup’s 2026 match!

Interleaved between those matches, the RCS, C&G and RSM netball teams will also compete head-to-head (for only the third time) for the recently founded Semmence Cup.

And our Netball team will be playing, for the first time in their new kit, as provided by your RCSA.

The location is once more our traditional sporting home of Harlington (Sipson Lane, Harlington, Hayes UB3 5EH).

As in previous years, the RCSA, the CGCA and the RSMA are sponsoring this events making food and drink available……..all free of charge.

And Jezebel and the RCS Motor Club will be there too, supporting our teams and offering another point of interest for RCSA members.

The date of 14th June 2026 is getting closer, so pop it in your diary with kick-off at 14:00.… Read more...

Posted on Annual Dinner, Around Campus, Events, Member Benefits, News

Summer Dinner: A Letter from our President

The RCS Summer Dinner, Great Exhibition Road Festival & RCSA Magazine

Dear RCS Students, Staff and Alumni,

First of all Happy Easter and hope you and your families have a great Easter break.

I am happy to share some exciting news about upcoming RCSA events so please get your diaries and calendars at the ready!

Stop Press!! We have just secured an amazing venue for the RCSU/ RCSA Summer Dinner this year and our plan is to hold it at the London Postal Museum WC1. This iconic and award winning independent museum tells the 500 year story of British postal communications with interesting exhibits and displays. Our sumptuous dinner will be located in the atmospheric museum with access to the exhibits and displays. It should be a really unique and enjoyable experience. The dinner will be held on the evening of Saturday 6th June which is during the Great Exhibition Road Festival (GERF) weekend making this a great weekend for alumni to spend in London!… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, News, Sport

New team, “Dog D”, win SKADL

The new team, Dog D, playing out of the Brewdog pub in Clarkenwell, stormed to the top of the South Kensington Academic Darts League (SKADL) and stayed there all season.

They came away as worthy winners of the RCSA Purse for the Winter 2025-2026 season.

The ORCS, the “Old Royal College of Science” darts team, captained by Duncan Robertson, came second in the league despite drawing their home fixture, and winning their away fixture against against the top team.

The Arrows team, born from an amalgam of the Union Bar team, the Southside Bar team, and the Holland Club team, and captained by Gerry Donohoe, came in at fifth place.

Our ‘RCSA Double Elevens‘ team came in at sixth, their highest position since their formation, and a great credit to Captain Oscar Farrell, Vice-Captain Jack Swires and rest of the team with special mention for Dave De Winter and Paolo Chung.… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, Careers, Events, News

RCSA and RCSU double up on careers’ panels as jobs market gets tougher!

Following the successful pilot of a BioChem Soc careers’ panel organised jointly by the RCSA and RCSU in 2025, January saw a doubling up of panels to help RCS students cope with the current, tough jobs market.

RCSU VP Education Jacob Eyre working with the RCSA team of Mike Munroe and Sylvia Watson had organised two panels this year. One for the Physical Sciences held on January 20th and one for the Life Sciences held a week later on the 27th.

Using the successful panel format from last year, the RCSA had assembled two excellent groups of alumni volunteers to share their career journeys and answer questions with RCS student audiences covering first years all the way up to post grads.

Both events were lively, with students keen to get insight into how to get the best possible career opportunities at a time when competition for jobs is stiff. In total the panels had over 250 students in attendance reflecting the high interest and excellent marketing by the RCSU team.… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, News, Outreach

RCSU Science Challenge 2026

The Royal College of Science Union’s annual science communication competition, the RCSU Science Challenge, is always of interest to our members, and all the more so for those of us with school-age children or otherwise involved with schools. So we are delighted to give you early information about this year’s competition.

The RCS Union opened the competition on Monday 15th December 2025 and it has a submission deadline of Sunday 15th February 2026 at 17.00. If any of your kids decide to get involved this coming year, we wish them the best of luck.

(And, as soon as the date and location of the Awards Ceremony for the 2026 RCSU Science Challenge is settled, we’ll pass on the details here.)

Hard at work are RCSU President, Jack Swires, Chair of the Science Challenge, Aadhavan Balachandran, Deputy Science Challenge Chair, Shama Sasikumar and the rest of the organising team, along with our very own Jenni Munroe.… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, Events, News, RCSA Trust

Exploration Board Report Back Evening

The Exploration Board ‘Report Back Evening’ is a wonderful opportunity for our student expedition members to showcase their achievements. They will share with us their experiences from expeditions that took place during 2024 and 2025. Many of those students will, of course, have benefitted from your generosity via the RCSA Trust which financially supports these expeditions. There will be tales to tell, alongside some wonderful images, so we would be delighted if you were to join us on:

Wednesday 3rd December, 18.00-20.00
Royal School of Mines, Room 1.47,
South Kensington Campus,
London SW7 5HF

The presentations will be followed by an informal reception held at Eastside Bar, in Princes Gardens.

If you can, please let Ellie know, by Monday 1st December that you are able to attend by emailing e.rimmer@imperial.ac.uk or by telephoning +44 (0)20 7594 2416, along with any access requirements.

But if you can’t confirm, turn up unannounced. Room 1.47 is large, we’ll be sure to squeeze you in, and we’ll be very happy to see you.… Read more...

Posted on Around Campus, Events

Remembrance – Tuesday 11th November 2025 at Imperial College

A two minute silence to remember those killed in the First and Second World Wars, and in more contemporary conflicts.

This short act of remembrance and personal reflection will be dedicated to members of the College killed during the two world wars.

The event will begin with a short introduction at 10.55 including information from the College Archives. At 11am there will be a two minute silence.

A British Legion wreath will be laid in honour of those mentioned by name on the College memorials. A wreath to remember our fallen scientists will be placed at the newly restored RCS Memorial. Flowers will also be laid to remember those killed in more recent conflicts.

The event will conclude with a short piece played by musicians from the Blyth Music Centre.

The event has been prepared by Andrew Willson, the College Chaplain and Anne Barrett the College Archivist & Corporate Records Manager.… Read more...