Bristol ChemLabS Events 2008

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03 December: Bristol ChemLabS Management Board Meeting

26 September: Chemistry Outreach Presentation to the School of Chemistry

Dudley Shallcross and Tim Harrison gave a presentation on Outreach, including past, present and planned activities, to School of Chemistry students and staff including the Dean of Science Professor Guy Orpen. The presentation included a demonstration of interactive technology used in Outreach talks, outlining the benefits of the Outreach programme to the School of Chemistry and a lively Q & A session.

13 September: Bristol Doors Open Day

01 September: AS Chemistry Labskills released

03 July: Convocation Reunion Weekend

23 June: Dudley Shallcross Awarded RSC prize

13 June: Bristol ChemLabS Management Board Meeting

09 June: E-learning and Educational Technologies

September

Bristol ChemLabS Outreach Goes Global–16/09/08

The outreach work of Bristol ChemLabS took on a distinctly international tinge early this month.

From 08 to 10 September a group of Spanish science students from the Colegio de San Francisco de Paula in Santa Ángela de la Cruz, accompanied by their teacher César Prado Fdez, spent 3 days engaged in activities at Bristol ChemLabS. Doreen Mizzi and Chris Schembri from the Church Schools in Malta were also visiting Bristol ChemLabS to discuss an extension of the outreach activities already underway.

South African staff and postgraduate students from Rhodes University also visited the School of Chemistry 07 to 13 September to gather information about its outreach engagement activities. It is hoped that the fact-finding trip will help them further develop their own outreach programmes to employ in disadvantaged schools across South Africa's Eastern Cape. During the week the group observed a number of outreach activities, including a Primary Science Visit at St Annes' Junior School, Bristol, spectroscopy tours for Y13 chemistry students and the summer school for Spanish students. The party also visited Badminton School and the Science Learning Centre.

Photo of the Rhodes Party

Head of Rhodes' School of Chemistry, Professor Mike Davies-Coleman, who visited Bristol ChemLabS in July said: "The South African interest in this collaboration is such that chemical company Afrox has already agreed to support the project. I am hopeful that if we can sustain the momentum in the chemistry outreach collaboration between Rhodes and Bristol Universities, more major chemical companies will start to make a real difference by joining us in supporting science teaching in our local schools."

Article in the University News

June

Dudley Shallcross Awarded RSC prize - 23/06/08

Bristol ChemLabS Outreach Director Professor Dudley Shallcross has been awarded the RSC Tertiary Education Award for 2008. This is awarded to Dudley for his contributions to the promotion of the chemical sciences through outreach which have impacted on all ages from 4 to 85 both in the UK and overseas and, in particular, for work which addresses the school-university transition to include those with physical disability.

For details of the Bristol ChemLabS Outreach projects, please see

Primary Schools Outreach

Secondary Schools Outreach (CHeMneT)

Wider Community Outreach

Bristol ChemLabS Postgraduate Teaching Prizes - 18/06/08

Last year, we instituted a series of annual Bristol ChemLabS Postgraduate Teaching Prizes to recognise formally the highest quality delivery of tutoring and demonstrating. The winners of these awards are decided based on the advice of those directly involved in organising postgraduate teaching, and on information and feedback obtained from undergraduates via their course questionnaires and through the Staff/Student Liaison Committee.


Kerry Knox	Caroline Grainger	Jon Killen

The decision, as last year, was very difficult because the quality and commitment of the whole postgraduate cohort has been outstanding. Staff/Student Liaison Committee was especially effective in communicating the undergraduates' appreciation of the quality of their demonstrators and tutors and identifying those who had made a particular impact. Based on advice received, this year's Bristol ChemLabS Postgraduate Teaching Prizes (of £250 each) will go to Kerry Knox, Caroline Grainger and Jon Killen, who are each recognized for their exceptional contributions to tutoring and demonstrating.

May

New Dynamic Lab Manual for Schools–08/05/08

Bristol ChemLabS is partnering Learning Science Ltd to develop the first Dynamic Lab Manual (DLM) for schools and colleges. Aimed at supporting first year A-Level chemistry students across all exam board specifications, the new product, called AS Chemistry LabSkills, will be launched this summer for schools to begin using from September. AS Chemistry LabSkills has been in development since the start of the year and includes input from University of Bristol chemistry lecturers, school teachers, school teacher fellows and A-Level examiners.

"The DLM has transformed the practical chemistry class experience for undergraduates and staff at Bristol, the A-Level DLM will do the same for Post 16 Chemistry." Professor Dudley Shallcross, Bristol ChemLabS Outreach Director.

More information about LabSkills

More information about the DLM