IYC Challenge Booklet - Royal Society of Chemistry

International Year of Chemistry
Challenge Competition
www.rsc.org

The United Nations declared 2011 as the ‘International Year of Chemistry’
(IYC), and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and its members used this
opportunity to promote the global importance of chemistry.
When the year of extraordinary activities came to end, Immediate-Past-
President David Phillips challenged RSC members to use this momentum
and to create a lasting legacy to the IYC by using £1,000 grants to promote
chemistry to the widest possible audience. The most original project with
the highest impact was to receive continuation funds of £10,000.
By the end of 2012, more than 80 member groups took part in the
competition, hosting numerous creative and impactful activities and
events that inspired teachers, students, scientists and the public alike.
Choosing a single winner among so many fantastic activities
proved almost impossible. So RSC President Lesley Yellowlees and
Chief Executive Robert Parker awarded three £10,000 prizes.
We’ve captured these three projects as well some of the other
remarkable activities that our members organised as part of the IYC
challenge competition throughout 2012 in this special publication.
Thank you and congratulations to everyone who took part – together we
have succeeded in championing the chemical sciences far beyond the IYC.
For more information on all projects, visit http://rsc.li/iyc-2012

Making the most of the Olympic fever gripping the UK in 2012, the Analytical Division South East Region
sponsored Chemical Pentathlon, an outreach activity for year 9 students that was developed at the University of Reading.
Thirteen teams from eleven local schools had the chance to compete in five fun chemistry-related events, including
making a gold medal out of a copper coin by dipping it in sodium zincate solution and
timing an iodine clock reaction to the 800m world record.
250 school children were given the chance to visit the crazy changes show.
The Liverpool Local Section worked with the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes to put
on an interactive show that explained the states of matter.
As part of the show, the participants also learnt how to make
foam, slime and oversized candles.

The Environmental Chemistry Group supported researchers from
Leicester University to develop outreach materials that
bring atmospheric chemistry to life
in schools and at local science exhibits. With standalone information and
instructions, the ‘Atmospheric pollution monitoring kit’ can be used
by teachers and students to make meterological measurements,
assess water quality and much more.
Approximately 30 teams from various schools
showcased models, presentations and charts on ways to
treat and conserve water
at the Deccan Local Section’s science fair on
water chemistry and management.

Supported by the British Carbon Group,
NanoteC is one of Europe’s longest running
carbon nanoscience conferences.
It brings together anyone with an interest
in the world of carbon fullerenes,
nanotubes, graphene and more, in a
friendly, informal setting
since 1998, and its success continued in 2012.
Visual demonstrations, colourful experiments and
a few explosions
created enthusiasm for chemistry among 1,700
primary school children in the Bristol area.
The Bristol and District Local Section awarded
their £1,000 grant to Bristol ChemLabS
to inspire children
with their ‘Gases in the air’
assembly.

The Central Yorkshire Local Section challenged local pupils to find out more
about scientists – both past and present – from the region and to use their research to design a
chemistry-themed Christmas card. Revealing what inspired her choice,
competition winner Natasha Pickard said: “John Ernest Walker interests me because he is unknown to
most people and in the science world he’s seen as a superstar.”
The other winner, Alexandra Shipley, explained her choice by saying: “I have chosen to feature
Joseph Priestley because of his involvement with two of the most essential things in my life…
oxygen […and…] the rubber eraser.
To bring the discoveries together with Christmas I have taken a copy of his image to create a
Santa rubbing out the H’s from ‘Ho Ho Ho!’ to leave ‘O O O!’”
The festival of chemistry, organised
by the Chennai Local Section, consisted of a series of
events that highlighted the importance of chemistry
in everyday life. Higher secondary school chemistry
students had the chance to learn more about
career opportunities
and to take part in chemistry
demonstrations and quizzes.

The University of Surrey Perovskite project combines solid state chemistry with
crafts to generate a giant knit and crochet model of the
common mineral perovskite. The Solid State Chemistry Group supported this
project to bring together scientists and non-scientists to
share experiences and knowledge
to create a permanent model that is set for completion
in September 2013.
Seven local schools took part in the annual
Top of the Bench competition heats
run by the Mid-Wales Local Section.
Additionally, they were challenged to take part in a
crystal competition, which involved
preparing a set of crystals and a presentation
to be judged on the day.
As part of a joint initiative with the RSC Pan Africa Chemistry Network (PACN),
Crawford Scientific Ltd. and Thermo Scientific Ltd., the Separation Science Group provided
complete kit boxes for demonstrating simple column chromatography
for school children in Africa as well as a web-based resource for teachers.

Migrant school children in Beijing received a rare chance to study science thanks
to the Beijing Local Section. Together with the Migrant School’s Foundation (MCF), the Local Section set up a practical chemistry
programme – with demonstrations and hands-on experiments
for final-year primary students – that can be taken into migrant schools.
The project has already made a great impact and was announced as one of
the IYC challenge competition winners at the General Assembly 2012.

The Speciality Chemicals Sector created the third project to be awarded
an additional £10,000 funding.
Their project, Zinc – Hunting for minerals, enables schools to visit and
explore a line of mineralisation in limestone running through North Wales.
Through a hand-on ‘zinc hunt’, children can find out more about
minerals, metals and chemistry,
and a booklet provides background information on things such as the
history of North Wales lead-zinc mining,
the chemistry of zinc and its uses.
The Historical Group and Chemical Information and Computer Applications Group
joined forces to fund a project that could enthuse and excite
and have long-term impact. Together with the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in
Widnes they developed ORIGINS, one of the IYC challenge competition’s winning projects.
New interactive computer simulations allow visitors
to explore the birth of the lighter elements in stars, and
workshops for schools
during the week and for families at the weekends allow children
and adults to learn more about
atoms and elements.

The Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Sector (BMCS) organised
the first RSC-BMCS Agriscience Chemical Biology postgraduate symposium.
Held at Imperial College London, the symposium provided postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers with an
opportunity to learn more about the exciting research going on in this field and to network.
The RSC representative in Qatar
organised a competition to
promote green chemistry in five local schools.
Following seminars and presentations on green chemistry, the students
were able to test their new knowledge in a quiz.
Wishing to set up a project with lasting benefits
for the chemical sciences,
the Birmingham and West Midlands Local Section established a
chemistry outreach centre at Winterbourne House and
Garden near the University of Birmingham. This includes a basic laboratory
that can be used for public workshops and demonstrations focused on food
and gardening and a chemistry trail that shows
that chemistry surrounds us.

The West India Local Section held a very successful two-day symposium
in Nagpur that attracted eminent speakers and guests.
Students had the chance to showcase their research at
poster sessions and delegates could
find out more about the RSC
from event organiser Dr Gopalan.
Sri Lanka suffered from a civil war for over 25 years, which severely affected its population, environment and economy.
In addition, the tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake caused destruction in the North and East of
the country. This is why the Sri Lanka Local Section decided to use their IYC grant to help rebuild the education sector
and to popularise chemistry as a core science at secondary school level.

All IYC challenge competition activities
Analytical Division East Anglia Region
Analytical Division North East Region
Analytical Division North West Region
Analytical Division Northern Ireland Region
Analytical Division Scotland Region
Analytical Division South East Region
Analytical Division Western Region
Applied Catalysis Group
Applied Materials Chemistry Group
Atomic Spectroscopy Group
Automation and Analytical Management Group (AAMG)
Beijing Local Section
Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Sector (BMCS)
Biotechnology Group
Birmingham and West Midlands Local Section
Bristol and District Local Section
British Carbon Group
Carbohydrate Group
Central Yorkshire Local Section
Chemical Education Research Group
Chemical Information and Computer Applications
Group
Chemical Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Group
Chennai Local Section
Deccan Local Section
Downland Local Section
East Anglia Local Section
Chemistry Masterclass: Synthesis and spectroscopy
TLC for GCSE Chemistry: Comparing fresh versus frozen spinach
Streamwatch project: These kits have been developed to allow anyone to carry out simple scientific tests on bodies of water
Purchasing 12 conductance meters and digital thermometers to extend the events available to local schools
Faces of Chemistry video (in collaboration with the RSC Education Team)
Chemical Pentathlon at the University of Reading
Mid-Cornwall Schools Chemistry Conferences
Careers Day: A celebration of catalysis and training day: Applied industrial catalysis
Sponsoring teacher training for primary school children: Advances and frontiers in chemical spectroscopy with neutrons
A series of short video tutorials covering aspects of atomic spectroscopy
Nanosensor technologies for monitoring: Materials and methods
A rare chance to study science: Practical chemistry for migrant children
1st RSC-BMCS Agriscience Chemical Biology postgraduate symposium
Chromatography demonstrations for primary schools
Outreach laboratory project: Winterbourne Gardens
Primary schools’ mini tour of Bristol ChemLabS
NanoteC conference
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2013: The complex life of sugars
Schools challenge: Yorkshire chemists; a challenge sent to all schools in West Yorkshire
Describing Practice in Chemistry Teaching (DePiCT): Researching excellent paedagogic practice in chemistry
ORIGINS; a permanent addition to the Catalyst programme, an exhibition looking at the birth of the elements
Postgraduate symposium on nanotechnology
Festival of chemistry for local senior secondary school
Science fair on water chemistry and management for school children and ladies’ evening on science and health
Charterhouse IYC day, Sussex chemistry conference and lecture on periodic table
Chemistry with cabbage

East India Local Section A series of lectures at Jadavpur University and Sitananda College and a lecture for school students in the Calcutta area
East Midlands Local Section Younger Members symposium 2012
East Midlands Local Section Younger Members Younger Members symposium 2012
Education Division South East Region Chemistry photography competition
Electrochemistry Group Two competitions for pupils: Draw a cartoon to illustrate an electrochemistry and design a power source using household items
Energy Sector Early-career energy symposium
Environmental Chemistry Group Atmospheric field measurement outreach materials
Essex Local Section Primary school science practical DVD for Essex primary schools
Formulation Science & Technology Group Formulation resource pack: Making formulation fun!
Historical Chemistry Group ORIGINS; a permanent addition to the Catalyst programme, an exhibition looking at the birth of the chemical elements
Huddersfield Local Section Photography competition and transport for schools to the christmas lecture in Central Yorkshire
Industrial Physical Chemistry Group Chemistry for tomorrow’s world symposium
Inorganic Biochemistry Group Supporting young investigators and keynote speakers at two events
International Network of Environmental Forensics Environmental CSI
Lancaster and District Local Section RSC chemistry enhancement day
Law Group How chemistry assists law enforcement
Liverpool Local Section Flash, bangs and wallops: demonstration for primary school children
Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry Group MASC2012: Annual Interest Group meeting
Management Group Providing an FT-IR spectrometer for the outreach laboratory in the School of Chemistry, Newcastle University
Marketing Group Providing an FT-IR spectrometer for the outreach laboratory in the School of Chemistry, Newcastle University
Mid-Anglia Local Section Big Bang Eastern Chemistry Prize at Duxford & Cambridge Hands On Science (CHaOS) events
Mid-Scotland Local Section Primary school outreach: members who are retired teachers visit local primary schools to run practical chemistry sessions
Mid-Southern Counties Local Section Chemistry and industry evening event
Mid-Wales Local Section Top of the Bench competition
Molecular Spectroscopy Group The Island Chemist project: chemical sample analysis promoting synthesis and analytical science to pupils and teachers
Mossbauer Spectroscopy Group Travel grants for international conferences to represent the UK research community
Newcastle & North East Coast Local Section Regional roadshow
NMR Discussion Group Opportunities for early-career researchers: Symposium
North India Local Section Green chemistry networking in India

North Staffordshire Local Section
North Wales Local Section
Northern Ireland Local Section
Nucleic Acids Group
Particle Characterisation Group
Peninsula Local Section
Protein & Peptide Science Group
Qatar Representative
Republic of Ireland Local Section
Separation Science Group
Shanghai Local Section
Solid State Chemistry Group
Solid Surfaces Group
South Africa (North) Local Section
South Wales West Local Section
Southumbria Local Section
Speciality Chemicals Sector
Chemistry and green science teacher network
Forensics and fireworks: a schools event and a public event
All Ireland symposium: celebrating chemistry and fostering new links and collaborations across the region
Riboregulation conference, Shanghai
Chemical origami: build your own crystal
Chemistry-based outreach activities for local schools: Spectroscopy in a suitcase
PPSG early-career researcher meeting
Popularising green chemistry
All Ireland symposium: celebrating chemistry and fostering new links and collaborations across the region
Experimental chromatography for Africa: kits for ten schools
Two chemistry presentation competitions, one for schools and one for undergraduates
The Perovskite project
The impact of surface science
Training district education officials in the new science curriculum
IYC baseball caps for contestants in the Local Section Chemistry Olympiad
SciFest 2012: Astrosphere
Spectroscopy and Dynamics Group Chasing nimbus and gold dust 3
Sri Lanka Local Section
Surface Reactivity & Catalysis (SURCAT) Group
Tayside Local Section
Teesside Local Section
Teesside Local Section Younger Members
Theoretical Chemistry Group
Thermal Methods Group
Toxicology Group
West India Local Section
Zinc – Hunting for minerals: a chemistry project for primary schools
Facilitation and popularisation of chemistry in the war- and tsunami-affected districts in Sri Lanka
Postgraduate meeting
Continuing the Chemistry Map of Scotland project
Training teachers in giving demonstrations
Chemistry calendar composed of photographs and images by Local Section members
Travel grants for 2013 meeting
Sponsorship of a summer project for an undergraduate student in UCL School of Pharmacy, supplemented by the
group’s funds
Faces of Chemistry video (in collaboration with the RSC Education Team)
Nagpur symposium; hosted between two educational institutions over two days with 16 eminent speakers

There is more
to come…
Following the overwhelming success of the
IYC challenge competition, the Royal Society
of Chemistry decided to continue providing
special funds for inspirational projects.
Member groups can apply for £1,000 grants
to promote the chemical sciences, and each
year up to five prizes of £10,000 pounds will
be awarded to the projects deemed to have
the greatest potential.
More information on how to apply for the
IYC legacy grants and application forms can
be found at http://rsc.li/iyc-legacy

051343
Royal Society of Chemistry
Email: www.rsc.org
Registered charity number: 207890
© Royal Society of Chemistry 2013
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