What Does Paul Do in the IFSCC? A Short Explanation
Paul Cornwell (Director, Business Development)
IFSCC Congress, Perth, Australia, 28th September – 1st October, 2026
It’s usually true that you get out of life what you put into it. Many of our readers will recognize this through feeling great pride (or even relief!) when scientific endeavors come to fruition, for example successfully developing a product for launch, or stabilizing a particularly tricky formulation. However, this feeling doesn’t always originate from paid work. Professional (or even personal) activities can give the same satisfaction, and I’ve certainly felt this pride and sense of achievement through volunteering activities that I do for scientific societies. You always get much more out of volunteering than you put in; new friends, new experiences, and a feeling that you are, in a small way, making the world a bit better.
I’ve been an active member of the UK Society of Cosmetic Science (SCS) for many years now, deeply embedded in the organization of our Annual Conference. In fact, such have been my efforts that in 2025 I received the UK SCS ‘Contributor of the Year Award’ for all my work (you do get out what you put in!). I suspect that my involvement in the SCS Annual Conference was one of the main reasons behind the SCS Council deciding to offer me the UK ‘slot’ in the IFSCC (International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Science) Presidium in 2024 (again, you get out what you put in!). This is a post that I will hold for three years, representing the UK SCS. I am grateful, too, that TRI Princeton has always supported me in this, giving me time to attend the meetings.
So, what is the IFSCC and who are our members? At our recent SCS Annual Conference in Liverpool in July, Robert McPherson, then IFSCC Vice President, came to speak to all the attendees and asked: ‘Who was a member of the UK SCS?’…many hands went up…and then: ‘Who is a member of the IFSCC?’...only a small number of hands stayed up. This was, of course, a trick question from Rob: everyone who is a member of a national society is automatically a member of the IFSCC. The UK is by no means unique, as this is the response we have seen in all countries where we’ve asked that exact same question!
So, to be clear, the IFSCC is a ‘Federation’ of 48 national cosmetic societies around the world, representing over 16,000 cosmetic scientists. Doing things on a global scale means that the IFSCC can:
Organize a large-scale, high-quality international scientific congress every year (~1000–2000 attendees);
Administer an extensive scientific awards and grants programme;
Host an internationally acclaimed webinar series for cosmetic science;
Publish a global cosmetic science magazine;
Support national cosmetic societies, and individuals, in the quest to advance cosmetic science.
My job, as UK representative on the Presidium (the leadership team), is to act as Treasurer. While the IFSCC is a not-for-profit organization based in Switzerland, just like any other company or organization, it needs tight financial management and has both legal and tax obligations. Most of the hard work is done by the IFSCC Secretariat, but my role is to keep a close eye on things and to suggest improvements. I also sign-off all payments. I like to joke that I now have a Swiss bank account!
So, what happened at the IFSCC Congress in Perth last month? What have I been doing?
Presidium Meetings
The work of a Presidium member usually starts 3–4 days before a Congress, as we usually have 2 days of meetings and discussions before the Congress starts. In Perth, my jobs at this meeting were to present the financial report and to report on the activities of Working Groups that I am leading (one on financial sustainability and another one the long-term strategy of the IFSCC).
Benefactors’ Lunch
As people start arriving for the Congress, the Presidium have some duties to perform on the first day of the conference week, usually the Monday. The first of these is the Benefactors’ Lunch. The IFSCC have many Benefactors who all provide important financial backing, and the lunch is time specifically set-aside to recognize the generous support of these individuals and companies. This is a very pleasant occasion, where Presidium members catch-up with colleagues in supporting companies, and where companies are awarded medals and certificates as a thank-you. Lots of photos and smiles!
Council Meeting
Next on the list is the Council Meeting, which was also on the Monday. It is at this time of year, every year, that the Presidium must showcase what they are doing within their respective national member societies. In good democratic fashion, all the member societies can vote on proposals put forward by the Executive. All our proposals were passed!
Opening Ceremony
The last duty on the Monday is to ‘appear’ on stage at the Opening Ceremony in front of all the delegates and press. This year over 1250 people registered for the event, so it was a very full room. Obviously, our appearance was not the highlight of this event. The music, storytelling, and dancing provided by the local people was much more interesting and fun!
Chairing Scientific Sessions
Presidium members are needed to chair the podium sessions. This year parallel sessions ran in two rooms, over three days (Tuesday to Thursday)
Social and Networking Events
Of course, Congresses are not just about the science; they’re also about networking and making new friends across the world. This year the Australian organization team provided a networking event at a local beach club, in Perth. Much fun was had by all!
Gala Dinner & Scientific Awards
It is traditional for IFSCC Congresses to end with a Gala dinner – a lavish event, ideal for glamorous dressing and much photo taking. The main excitement of the night is the awarding of Best Podium and Poster prizes. The Praesidium are responsible for the judging of these awards, which comes with a lot of pressure!
Taking It Back
So, in the end, as I said at the beginning, you do get out of life what you put in. Working on the Praesidium involves lots of travel, hard work and extra responsibility, but it is also a great honor to represent the UK SCS, and TRI Princeton. I have met some wonderful people, enjoyed some great moments, and made connections I would have never had made otherwise. I strongly recommend that you find a way to get involved with your local member society and consider attending the next IFSCC Congress in Switzerland. You will get out of it, what you put into it!
