Based in Queen Square, the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI) is a charity dedicated to ‘the promotion and advancement, for the public benefit, of science, literature and art in the City of Bath’. Its vision is to become a world-class destination, inspiring people to learn about Bath and beyond.
Supported by a small team of employees and a much larger group of volunteers, BRLSI offers a vibrant programme of talks and exhibitions over the year. It organises over 120 talks focusing on the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, and draws on its extensive museum collection of fossils and geological, ethnographical, and natural history specimens (c.150,000 objects) to mount an annual exhibition; it also hosts frequent external exhibitions of art, design, etc.
The last two years have obviously been very challenging but BRLSI has demonstrated remarkable tenacity and adaptability: its programme of talks continued in online form and it secured external funding to revamp its website and digital marketing, to place four of its most treasured items on permanent display, and to develop a digital app of BRLSI-related walks around Bath.
BRLSI is looking for two members of academic or professional services staff from the University of Bath (nominated by the University Senate) to join its Board from 1 August 2022, for a three-year term in the first instance. The Board meets six times a year, and Directors are encouraged to participate in other aspects of the Institution’s activities as a volunteer. There is an induction programme for new Directors. The current Chair is Professor Ian Gadd from Bath Spa University.
Staff at any stage in their career are welcome to apply. The Board particularly encourages applications from people who have personal experience of disability, women, and people of BAME heritage who are currently under-represented. In addition, any of the following areas of expertise, interest or experience would be welcome:
- Sciences
- Languages and/or international relations
- Cultural heritage and museums
- Budget management and/or accountancy
- Digital humanities and/or computing
Originally founded in 1824, BRLSI was re-established in 1993. It currently has about 700 members, many of whom act as volunteers, and is governed by a Board of Directors who provide oversight and strategic direction. Its plans to embark on a new strategic direction were thwarted by the pandemic but the current Board is once again looking to the longer-term future, and to the fulfillment of its mission to share knowledge and stimulate exploration of science, literature and the arts, enriching the quality of life for Bath residents and visitors. Plans are already underway for the 2024 bicentenary and the Board is exploring ways of sustaining and strengthening the Institution for a new century as well as collaborating more closely with other local organisations, including the two universities.
Directors appointed by the University of Bath have the opportunity to strengthen the partnership with the Institution as well as to contribute to the Institution’s goals of becoming more inclusive, engaging with different communities, and developing more diverse and meaningful public engagement and educational outreach activities.
Directors are volunteers and receive no remuneration for their role, although reasonable expenses can be claimed for travelling on Institutional business. Directors are not required to be paid-up members of the BRLSI. Please note that the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution is an unincorporated charity with a corporate trustee; this is a company limited by guarantee, and is governed by a Board of Directors. As a Director, your details will need to be registered at Companies House. The Company has insurance limiting Directors’ individual liability to £1.
For more information about BRLSI please visit https://brlsi.org. The current Board, along with the Institution’s annual report and accounts, is available at https://www.brlsi.org/about-us/governance-our-board/
Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact either of the current University of Bath Directors (Professor Jonathan Dawes, Department of Mathematical Sciences, jhpd20@bath.ac.uk and Dr Daniela De Angeli, Department of Computer Science, dada21@bath.ac.uk) or the Chair of the Board, Professor Ian Gadd (chair@brlsi.org), for an informal chat about the role. Professor Gadd can also supply a short information pack about the Institution.
The advert can be found here.
The deadline is 24 June 2022. To apply, please send a CV and covering letter to Suzanne Maxwell – s.j.maxwell@bath.ac.uk. Please note that interviews will be taking place via Teams on Wednesday 29 June.