Editing Royal Institution (section)

==Current organisation==
[[File:Royal Institution of Great Britain.JPG|thumb|The exterior of the Royal Institution in 2011]]
Today the Royal Institution is committed to "diffusing science for the common purposes of life".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigb.org.uk/about/mission-and-vision|title=Our mission and vision|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> Membership is open to all, with no nomination procedure or academic requirements, on payment of an annual subscription.

The Institution's patrons and trustees include:
* Patron: [[Charles III]]
* President: [[Prince Edward, Duke of Kent|The Duke of Kent]]
* Honorary Vice-President: [[John Ritblat|Sir John Ritblat]]
* Chairman: [[Richard Catlow|Sir Richard Catlow]]
* Board of Trustees (current): Sophie Forgan, Simon Godwin, Kate Hamilton, Suze Kundu, Renato Lulia, [[Estelle Morris|the Baroness Morris of Yardley]], Vincent Nobel, Christopher Potter, Angela Seddon, Jack Stilgoe, Harriet Wallace, Allison Wollard<ref>[http://www.rigb.org/about/organisation Board of Trustees], Royal Institution, UK.</ref>

In December 2021, the Institution appointed [[Katherine Mathieson]] as Director.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 December 2021|title=Royal Institution announces new Director|url=https://www.rigb.org/explore-science/explore/blog/royal-institution-announces-new-director|access-date=2023-03-01|website=Royal Institution|language=en}}</ref> In July 2018, the institution announced a new five-year strategy<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.rigb.org/about/news/summer-2018/ri-launches-five-year-strategy|title=Royal Institution launches new five year strategy|website=Royal Institution, 10 July 2018}}</ref> running from October 2018 to September 2023. The strategy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigb.org/about/organisation/our-strategy|title=Our strategy|website=The Royal Institution|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref> which sets out to double the charity's size, involves "plans for new research, development of a new national science club and open forum public policy debates". One new venture will be a Research Centre for Science and Culture, working with other academic groups, this "will investigate historical and contemporary examples of the relationship between science and culture".

The institution's palatial home has been greatly enlarged and redeveloped since 1799, and is a Grade I [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE |num=1066521 |desc=21 Albemarle Street- Grade I |access-date=9 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1066520 |desc=20 Albemarle Street – Grade I |access-date=9 March 2012}}</ref> The structure's last refurbishment was a £22 million project completed in 2008, intended to create a "science salon" for the public. As well as the famous Lecture Theatre, the building contains several function rooms, modern research facilities and a public café. The trustees were considering selling the building in an effort to recoup the organisation's debts, which amounted to £7 million.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jha, Alok |url= https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jan/18/royal-institution-building-for-sale |title=Royal Institution puts historic Mayfair building up for sale |work=The Guardian |location= London |date=18 January 2013 |access-date=28 April 2014}}</ref> In 2013 The Ri received an anonymous donation of £4.4m<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/mar/19/royal-institution-rescued-donation|title=Royal Institution rescued by £4.4m donation|last1=Sample|first1=Ian|date=19 March 2013|last2=correspondent|first2=science|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=11 April 2016}}</ref> and as of January 2016, the Ri is now debt-free.

[[File:Royal Institution Lecture Theatre.jpg|thumb|The Royal Institution Lecture Theatre. Here [[Michael Faraday]] first demonstrated [[electromagnetism]].]]
The institution (which it now abbreviates as 'Ri', though third parties often prefer 'RI') has a substantial public science programme and science for schools programme, holding over one hundred events per year on a wide variety of topics. The [[Royal Institution Christmas Lectures|Christmas Lectures]] continue today as a series of three televised lectures aimed at children. The Friday Evening Discourses are monthly lectures given by eminent scientists, each limited to exactly one hour, a tradition started by Faraday. There is an annual members' ballot<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rigb.org.uk/christmas-lectures/christmas-lectures-tickets|title=CHRISTMAS LECTURES tickets {{!}} The Royal Institution: Science Lives Here|website=www.rigb.org.uk|access-date=11 April 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422123225/http://www.rigb.org.uk/christmas-lectures/christmas-lectures-tickets|archive-date=22 April 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> for tickets to the Christmas Lectures but all other events are open to the public. Discounts or free tickets are available to Ri Patrons and Members. Many other events and lectures are held both at Albemarle Street and at other venues around the country.

Scientific research headed by Professor Quentin Pankhurst<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/QuentinPankhurstAndRIFINAL|title=Professor Quentin Pankhurst to head the new Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory at the Royal Institution|website=www.ucl.ac.uk|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=8 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108094811/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/QuentinPankhurstAndRIFINAL|url-status=dead}}</ref> continues to be done under the auspices of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory (DFRL), and indeed this is considered to be one of the UK's most notable labs in nano-science.<ref>{{cite press release |title= Professor Quentin Pankhurst to head the new Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory at the Royal Institution |url= http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/QuentinPankhurstAndRIFINAL |publisher= University College London |date= 29 April 2008 |access-date= 15 February 2014 |archive-date= 8 January 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150108094811/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/QuentinPankhurstAndRIFINAL |url-status= dead }}</ref>

In May 2015, The Royal Institution was host to the historic unveiling of the Santara Computer, created by Dr Andrew Deonarine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/santarafnd|title=Santara Foundation|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref>

In November 2015 a new membership scheme was launched and Fellows of the Ri were abolished. The new scheme includes the categories Member, Under 26 and Ri Young Member.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigb.org/globals/join-support|title=Join and support|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> Adult Members have voting rights and use of '''MRi''' as post-nominal letters. A Patrons' scheme has also been introduced for the first time.

In December 2011 the Royal Institution launched the Ri Channel,<ref>[http://richannel.org Ri Channel] www.richannel.org</ref> a new website displaying science videos and archive content from the Royal Institution, including past [[Christmas Lectures]]. The Ri Channel was archived in late 2017 with all Ri videos except past Christmas Lectures being hosted on YouTube. Past Christmas Lectures are hosted on the Ri's website and in early 2018 the Ri began a to upload all past Christmas Lectures that were not already available on its website.

The Royal Institution has become a mixed tenancy office building that hosts conferences, weddings and events<ref>{{cite web|url=http://venue.rigb.org/|title=The Royal Institution - Venue Hire|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> in order to pay its bills. In 2015 it sold part of its historic collection of manuscripts to raise funds.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/21/royal-institution-to-sell-historic-treasures-to-rescue-finances|title=Royal Institution to sell science treasures to rescue finances|author=Richard Lea|work=The Guardian|date=21 October 2015 |access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34699008|title=Does the Royal Institution have a future?|work=BBC News|access-date=8 July 2016}}</ref> Since 2021, the researchers of the [[London Institute for Mathematical Sciences]] have been tenants on the second floor. They occupy rooms that were once the private living quarters of Michael Faraday, where they carry out their research in theoretical physics and mathematics.