Chemistry as never seen before

Over 1,000 students from local Church schools recently witnessed chemistry presented in an intriguing way by two chemists from Bristol University who brilliantly combined theory with practice during a week-long 'Chemistry Outreach' in Malta.

Prof. Dudley Shallcross, director of Bristol ChemLabS Outreach and Tim Harrison, the first school teacher fellow at the centre, have travelled all over Europe, China and Singapore presenting their research and innovative ways to teach chemistry, and both have won awards for their public engagement.

During their visit to Malta the two chemists demonstrated various spectacular experiments using liquid nitrogen in freezing rubber tubing, inflating rubber gloves using sublimation of solid carbon dioxide and heat energy from hands, burning methanol vapour - an example of complete combustion - which is also used in drag racing.

Bristol University is a world class centre of excellence for chemistry research and teaching, and the two chemists also met geography and science teachers at an evening seminar to share their ideas on atmospheric chemistry, and promoted a week-long chemistry summer school, part of which will take place at Trinity College, Dublin.

The summer school is a lab-based experience aimed at sixth form students and prospective University students of pharmacy, chemistry, or biochemistry, that will open up their views of chemistry. Participants will undertake a wide range of different practicals each day.

For details on how to take part, e-mail: sumcampbristol@gmail.com