Wider Community Events 2008
02 December 'Chemistry for the Terrified', Public Lecture
Dr John Kilcoyne and Jeff Teasdale from the University of Sunderland gave a public performance of their very popular lecture demonstration to an audience of 50 made up of all ages of interested chemists, from young children to their grandparents. This event was supported by the Bristol and District branch of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
19 November: Workshop and Public Lecture on Chemistry Outreach, Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia
06 November: Royal Society of Chemistry Family Evening
Dudley Shallcross and Tim Harrison presented 'A Pollutant's Tale' to a mixed age group audience of 45 at the School of Chemistry.
09 October: SEAs Training for Postgraduate Chemists
An afternoon session was be led by Ed White from SETPOINT Gloucestershire aided by Tim Harrison.
More information about the Science and Engineering Ambassadors (SEAs) Programme
27 September: Alumni Family Chemistry Day
22 September: Climate Change Workshop, National Science Learning Centre, York
Dudley Shallcross and Tim Harrison presented a version of 'A Pollutant's Tale' during the week-long international conference 'Climate change: influencing future citizens'. The event was sponsored by the British Council.
The countries participating were: China, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Afghanistan, Japan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Nepal, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, South Africa, Armenia, Estonia, Hungary, Libya, Zimbabwe, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, USA, Portugal and Bulgaria.
13 September: Bristol Doors Open Day 2008
For the second year in a row, the School of Chemistry took part in the yearly Bristol-wide day when many of the city's significant contemporary and historic buildings open their doors to the general public. Volunteer staff led by David Smith gave 330 members of the public tours of the department, including the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories. Visitors were also told about the Bristol ChemLabS project and were shown the Dynamic Laboratory Manual (DLM).
05–11 July: VIP Summer School
This was the 4th Summer School for visually impaired students in the School of Chemistry.
29 May: Dudley Shallcross' Inaugural Lecture - 'A Pollutant's Tale'
Dudley Shallcross, who is Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry as well as Outreach Director, gave his Inaugural Lecture, 'A Pollutant's Tale' in the School of Chemistry.
The lecture was introduced by Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Selby Knox and discussed the Earth’s atmosphere, how pollutants are removed from it and the influence man is having on it, along with a brief and humorous history of Dudley's journey to the Professoriat.
Tim Harrison and the Shallcross family helped with the demonstrations involving liquid nitrogen, oxygen foam, dry ice and a few explosions in this highly unusual and entertaining Inaugural Lecture, which was organised by the University's General Office and delighted a large and diverse audience.
02 May: Science and Engineering Ambassadors (SEA) Training Session for Postgraduate Scientists
Tim Harrison and Mr Ed White of SetPoint Gloucestershire trained one set of Chemistry PGs and one of Science Faculty PGs.
Outreach through the Bristol ChemLabS project works with primary and secondary schools as well as with the 'wider community'. This work is increasing significantly. To support many activities we require the assistance of postgraduate chemists at various times throughout the year. This training is needed if you are to take part in this rewarding work.
Click here for information about the SEAs Programme
16 April: 'Teaching Practical Chemistry', Broadmead, Bristol
Dr David Smith delivered a talk about Bristol ChemLabS at Broadmead Baptist Church, Union Street, Bristol. This event is organised by the University's Centre for Public Engagement.
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27 March: Workshops for Visually Impaired Adults
Two 2-hour workshops for 20 visually impaired adults and their sighted guides were hosted at the RNIB centre at Bedminster.
photo by fishyfish_arcade
In the morning the students investigated why jelly wobbles. This workshop compared the structure of stretchy solids such as jelly with solids such as salt. Students first investigated the properties of a range of materials and then used molecular models investigate both types of solid.
In the afternoon workshop, 'Flushed Away', the students experimented with various ways of separating complex mixtures and then applied these ideas to understand how the human kidney works and what can go wrong with it.
The event was sponsored by the National Science Learning Centre, NIACE and Add-venture in Learning.
08 March: 'Beautiful Science Debate', Bucharest, Romania
Dudley Shallcross took part in the first Romanian British Council-sponsored 'Beautiful Science Debate". The debate centred around whether the changes in climate in recent times are natural or due to human activity. The debate was recorded and will be shown in Romania in the coming weeks.
20 February: 'Why Does Jelly Wobble?' Workshop for Visually Impaired Adults
This workshop led by Dudley Shallcross used jelly babies, rubber bands, sugar cubes, cocktail sticks and jelly cubes. The groups explored why some solid materials are stretchy and some are rigid.
Claire Wickham, an expert in communication with adults VIPs, said, 'many thanks for today [...] lots of positive feedback. Made me realise how far we have come since the early days when the workshops (before your time) were very lecture-based and non-interactive with the occasional raised diagram.'
The workshop will be repeated at the Bristol RNIB on 27 March along with a workshop called 'Flushed Away' concerning the kidneys.