Each month, we spotlight one of our volunteers to explore the work of our committees, the value they bring to the wider community and the benefits of getting involved.

As a member of the Grants Committee, Dr Sassan Hafizi helps support the Society’s grants activities. The Grants Committee oversees and awards funding for member research, travel and event sponsorship, evaluating applications to support molecular biosciences across various career stages. Through their expertise and experience, our volunteers play an important role in supporting the Society’s work and our wider molecular bioscience community.

We asked Sassan about his role on the Grants Committee and what he has gained from his experience.

As a Society member, you have had the opportunity to join a committee, but what inspired you to take that step? And how has the experience compared to what you imagined?

Having been a member of the Biochemical Society since my student days, I have always appreciated the Society's commitment to supporting researchers at all stages of their career. Joining the Grants Committee appealed to me because it offered an opportunity to contribute directly to that mission and to help ensure that members have access to valuable opportunities that can support their development.

The experience has been even more rewarding than I expected. I anticipated evaluating applications and helping make funding decisions, but the experience has also given me a deeper appreciation of the breadth of excellent science being conducted across our community. I also felt gratified to witness the tangible impact that relatively modest support such as ours can have on a researcher's career, for example through the reports from members returning from lab visits or conferences. It has been a privilege to, through this role, play a small part in enabling research, collaboration and professional development for molecular bioscientists.

Is there a particular moment or accomplishment from your committee role that made you feel proud and highlighted the value of being an active member?

What I find most rewarding is seeing how Society funding can truly make the difference to an individual member between being able to fulfil an important career objective or not. Reading applications from talented scientists and students and then learning how successful awards have helped them attend conferences or establish collaborations reinforces the importance of the Grants Committee's work. More generally, being involved in decisions that directly support the scientific community has highlighted the value of active membership. It is gratifying to know that our efforts help create opportunities for others, particularly researchers who may be at pivotal stages in their careers, especially in these challenging times when costs are at a record high and prevalence of funding seems to be at a record low.

Which skills or insights do you feel you've built because of the opportunities available to you as a member of the Society?

Serving on the Grants Committee has undoubtedly made me a stronger and more clear-eyed evaluator of quality across a diverse range of scientific projects, and in a fair and constructive way. What I particularly appreciate is that it has broadened my perspective beyond my own research area and provided valuable insight into emerging trends and opportunities across the molecular biosciences.

The role has also enhanced my decision-making, communication and collaborative working skills. Perhaps most importantly, it has reinforced the sense of belonging to a community and a wider scientific ecosystem. I have certainly benefited from my involvement with the Society in multiple ways, and it has only cemented my great appreciation of the role that learned societies play in nurturing talent, building communities and enabling scientific progress.

Discover more about our Grants Panel