University lays on colourful chemistry for the region’s schools
Posted on 18 April 2007
Two of the schools are travelling from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire to join in the fun. Each school will be represented by a team of four 11-13 year olds. The event is organised in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry.During the morning the teams will take part in a competitive, hands-on, practical activity, A Salty Tale in which they will use their analytical chemistry skills. In the afternoon, they will compete in the ‘University Challenge’, a practical activity chosen by the University, in which they will be required to use their knowledge of chemistry to create a range of coloured ‘paints’ using limited resources. This will be followed by an exciting demonstration lecture ‘Colourful chemistry’ by Dr Annie Hodgson.
The day will end with a prizegiving at which all participants will be given individual fun prizes and participation certificates, and the winning teams will be awarded cash prizes for their schools.
The Salters’ Festivals of Chemistry are an initiative of The Salters' Institute, whose aim is to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young. The Festival at the University of York is one of a series of fifty-five Festivals, which are taking place at Universities throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland between March and June 2007.
Notes to editors:
- The Festivals are one-day events for schools held at Universities throughout the UK and Ireland. The first series of Festivals was held in 1991. Festivals were then held in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000. Since 2000 Festivals have been held every year. In 2007 there will be a series of fifty-five Festivals between March and June. The aim of the Festivals is to make chemistry more exciting, more relevant and fun to students aged 11 to 13 years and to encourage schools to set up their own chemistry clubs.
- Competing schools are represented by a team of four students from years 7 or 8 (or equivalent in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). Cash prizes for the winning schools totalling £350 are awarded at each Festival and all participants receive fun prizes and certificates. During the last six years over 15,500 students have experienced the fun of practical chemistry through the Salters' Festivals of Chemistry.
- Since 1991 sponsorship in support of the Festivals has been raised from over one hundred companies. Many of the Festivals are also sponsored by local companies.
- The Salters’ Company is one of the Great Twelve City of London Livery Companies and was founded in 1394 for the mediaeval trade in salt.
- The Company’s activities today are centred on charitable and educational giving. The Salters’ Institute, established in 1918, and now the Flagship Charity of the Salters’ activities, aims to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young and to encourage careers in the teaching of chemistry and in the UK chemical and allied industries.The Institute’s three core activities are the Salters Chemistry Club and Salters’ Festivals of Chemistry for 11 to 14 year olds; Salters’ Chemistry Camps for those aged 15, in partnership with other scientific institutions, and Curriculum Development, undertaken at The University of York, including Twenty First Century Science and Salters Advanced Chemistry, Salters Horners Advanced Physics and Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology.
- The Department of Chemistry at the University of York has an excellent reputation for teaching and research. In the last Research Assessment Exercise the department was awarded a 5 rating. It is led by Royal Society of Chemistry prize-winners in all three branches of physical, organic and inorganic chemistry. It has 46 members of academic staff, more than 380 undergraduate students, 150 graduates and 90 research fellows. More information at www.york.ac.uk/depts/chem