RSC PPT Template

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Write down the first words that come into your
head when you hear the word chemistry
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Perceptions of chemists
Old men White fuzzy hair White coats Goggles Boffi
n Boring Poorly paid Socially inept Go about with
sad people Lectures you rather than talks to
you Create environmental problems The mad
scientist image
Very intelligent young men women Involved in
high tech industry Well paid- Chemistry graduates
in the UK earn more than graduates from most
other disciplines. Employed in a wide range of
careers Key players in the drug industry Solving
environmental problems Tackle exciting modern day
issues Give exciting demonstration lectures with
flashes bangs Good communicators Great at
solving problems- highly numerate High level of
practical skills
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Young people and chemistry

• 11 year olds enthusiastic. Link chemistry to
  household chemicals, medicine and bombs
• 13 year olds- less enthusiastic. The theoretical
  side of science is boring!
• 15 year olds- big split of opinion most are
  significantly uninterested in science
• - subject is for brainy people and swots
• - most students cant see relevance to future
  careers other than doctor, pharmacist and
  veterinary science
• 17 year olds- science A levels are seen as
  difficult options.
• - students would only take chemistry as a
  prerequisite to their chosen career e.g.
  medicine
• - NOT because they want to study a degree in
  chemistry

Taken from Careers Material research 2000
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The First Year of the Next Generation
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1 Million Awarded

• 5 million pot, 42 bids
• 8 successful
• RSC led bid- 20 of total
• 941,446 (funded in full from HEFCE)
• Duration 1st August 2004 to 31st July 2006- now
  extended to Dec 2006

Target 5 of students go on to HE in chemistry
or chemistry-related subjects
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Objectives
To demonstrate the excitement of chemical
sciences as a subject and demonstrate good career
opportunities to students from disadvantaged
backgrounds and from schools colleges that are
underrepresented in higher education.
Initial regions

• East Midlands (EM)
• London (L)
• North West (NW)

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Achievements

• 10,000 students involved in activities
• 70 more likely to consider chemistry or the
  chemical sciences as a degree choice
• www.rsc.org/outreach
• Collaboration via operational group
• Over-subscribed activities, e.g.
• Spectroscopy days
• Murder in the laboratory
• Hands-On Hands Free
• Flash bang demo lectures

See newsletters, website and RSC News for updates
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Sharing good practice First National Conference
June 2005
Thanks for a useful conference! (the
curriculum) session was really good and we felt
the day had been a great success
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Demonstration lectures and Masterclasses
Everything was fine thanks, the pupils did enjoy
the day and I thought that the organisation was
very impressive. The explosions were the most
enjoyable part because it was interesting and
exciting and fun All of the demonstrations were
spectacular
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Analytical Chemistry for Schools
A very useful and informative day A real
insight to university (life) and careers in
chemistry we may be aspiring to in the future
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Spectroscopy Day
I didnt expect the machines to look like
that the demos were great
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Murder in the lab

• I can see the chemistry in CSI now
• really interesting
• The event was wicked- never thought chemistry
  could be so interesting
• I thought the activities were really useful for
  my course. The practical and the theory made the
  learning process much easier

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Hands free and Hands on
It was a great insight into new technology, I
found it informative and really interesting. It
was great to meet real chemists
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Magical Chemistry - an event for Primary School
student
My favourite experiment was when they froze a
beaker to a piece of wood. It was excellent and
because it is science it will be good for us at
school
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CRAC Chemistry Insight Plus
a really interesting break from normal
lessons.. I liked that we had to talk to the
other experts to get the bigger picture
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The Future

• National Roll-out
• Sustainability (continuing sources of funding
  etc.)
• Broadening the industrial base
• Traditional chemical companies
• Small biotech companies, SMEs etc.

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Project Partners
The RSC leads a consortium of
Universities Imperial College, London (L)
Kingston University (L) Liverpool John Moores
University (NW) Loughborough University
(EM) Manchester Metropolitan University
(NW) Nottingham Trent University (EM) The
University of Greenwich (L) The University of
Liverpool (NW) University College, London
(L) University of Leicester (EM) University of
Nottingham (EM) University of Manchester (NW)
Professional Body Royal Society of Chemistry

• Companies
• AstraZeneca
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Pfizer
• Sector Skills Councils
• Cogent
• SEMTA

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Contact details

• Kate Burrell- National Coordinator
• burrellk_at_rsc.org
• 0207 440 3330