unity

Science Department
Pupil
VOICE
Adventures in
Molecular Science
On Tuesday 30 June, three of our current AS Level Chemistry students
attended AIMS: Adventures in Molecular Science. This one day course,
at the Department of Chemistry at UCL, was designed as a taster day for
the University Chemistry experience, including lectures / workshops and
laboratory work. They also listened to discussions on the merits of studying
chemistry at university, future careers for chemists and a chance to ask
current undergraduates about their experiences.
Following a brief outline of the day, students listened to two
undergraduate lectures about the chemical ‘Origins of Life’ and how
to harvest ‘Solar Energy from Organic Molecules’. Afterwards, the UCL
admissions tutor gave an enlightening lecture on applying and studying
for a chemistry degree and the broad range of occupations open to
chemistry graduates.
After lunch, students made their way to the undergraduate laboratories
where they were invited to make an organic compound using the laboratory’s
equipment to then analyse their product. The students used the practical
skills they have gained at school to make the organic compound.
Miss A Ansah, Science Teacher
Sixth Form Science
Strange Ice
In May our sixth form students
attended a lively chemistry
demonstration lecture at
Emanuel School given by
Professor Andrea Sella who
shared his fascination and love
of ice. Ice is so familiar that we
take it for granted but it is a
material that is so strange that
it breaks almost every rule in
our text books.
Professor Sella of University
College London is a synthetic chemist and his Strange Ice demonstration
celebrated the centenary of X-ray diffraction. He captivated the whole audience
and our students in particular who impressed him so much that he emailed me
the next day to compliment them.
Mr C Rees, Assistant Headteacher
Professor Sella wrote:
“At the end of the talk your students asked an impressive
number of important and very intelligent questions. I was
deeply impressed by them and I would be grateful if you
would pass on my regards and thanks for attending my
talk and for contributing so much to the discussion at the
end. I wish them all the best in their studies.”
wcsch.com
Dead on Time
Year 8 pupils got the fantastic opportunity to take part in the Foundation
Schools Science Challenge at Queen Anne’s School in Reading. Pupils
were given a taste of real-life forensics together with the opportunity
to solve a mysterious death. Pupils needed to apply their best problem
solving skills as they uncovered twists, turns and shock revelations in a
dramatic film-like mystery. They learnt techniques from the beginnings
of forensic science such as analysing finger prints right through to DNA
fingerprinting in order to reach a conclusion that fits the evidence and find
out who committed the crime.
Miss A Ansah, Science Teacher
Jordan Yaheya 8k shares his experience:
“The science trip to Reading was fantastic. We
learnt all kinds of new things like DNA taking,
finger-printing and also identifying what our own
prints look like. I especially liked the fact that we
were able to do DNA testing. It was technically
challenging and the pressure of having the whole
team relying on you not to make any mistakes
was intense. Overall, it was a great day out and I
would definitely go again!”
Science Careers
Engineering a Career
Year 10 and Year 12 students attended a talk from Yasmin Ali, a chemical
engineer who works at eON. She spoke candidly of her occupation and
research in oil and gas exploration. With supplies of oil and gas quickly being
depleted, energy companies are looking for innovative ways to efficiently extract
oil and gas from the Earth. That means the next generation of scientists and
engineers need to invent new technology to solve today’s problems. Yasmin
talked of the future development of 3D printers to reduce the storage of spare
parts on remote oil rigs among other research goals. She also shared how
chemical engineering is a great subject to study at degree level as engineers
are in the top three of graduate earners. Plus, engineering is a great profession
to pursue if you are interested in branching into investment banking later in
your career as you are equipped with the analytical and problem-solving skills
that the finance sector look for in candidates. Altogether it was an informative
and useful talk.
Miss A Ansah, Science Teacher
Westminster City School Newsletter 11