Francesco Del Giudice

1. What motivated you to apply for Chartered Scientist (CSci) status?

Funnily enough, the first time I really considered becoming a Chartered Scientist was during my Chartered Engineer professional interview.

One of the assessors asked me whether I felt more like a Chartered Engineer or a Chartered Scientist. My honest answer was that I felt I was both. I had worked in academia for a number of years and a significant part of my work was focused on research, so the scientist identity was just as important to me as the engineer one.

After becoming a Chartered Engineer, I looked at the requirements for Chartered Scientist and realised that I could actually apply. I was part of the pilot scheme that was being run at the time, and I was fortunate enough to be successful.

2. What impact has gaining CSci had on your career?

To be honest, in the same way as some of my other professional registrations, becoming a Chartered Scientist hasn't directly helped me progress my career. That wasn't really why I applied in the first place.

For me, it was much more about my own professional development and CPD, and about having that recognition from my peers that I meet the standards expected of a professional scientist. I think that recognition is valuable in its own right.

I also think CSci is particularly relevant in academia. With the increasing emphasis on publications and the idea of "publish or perish", it can sometimes feel as though we have lost sight of what being a scientist actually means. For me, becoming Chartered Scientist was a way of recognising that broader professional identity.

3. What would you say to someone who is considering applying for CSci?

I'd say: do it! If you're already working towards it, the process itself makes you think about what is actually expected of you as a professional scientist and where you are in your own development. And if you're already working at that level, then applying can be a useful way of formalising and strengthening your professional development.

I think anyone who does scientific work should at least explore the possibility of becoming a Chartered Scientist. It's a way of getting recognition for the standards you work to and for the broader role you play as a scientist, beyond simply how many papers you publish.