#chemistryweek

I am a fan of science outreach and science communication even though I deal with science, more specifically Chemistry on a daily basis. So as soon as I heard about RSC Chemistry Week 2015 and the three public lectures they offer during the week, I jumped right in.

2015 is indeed a very special year, it is UNESCO’s International Year of Light. Earlier in August, I was involved in “Light for Life”, an event similar to this one, organised in conjunction with IYL2015.

As a result, this year’s public lectures revolved around the theme of “Light”. 

On Tuesday the 17th of November, was “Perkin’s Purple Planet and Me” by Dr Julie Hyde from Sheffield University.

In her lecture, she shared with us her love for Purple, covering bits of history about how Perkin discovered Mauveine with the help of purple-coloured-eye-catching props (picture below) and several chemical reactions. I’d say that her love for Purple is contagious! I can’t believe the next day, I went to work with a Purple Tee!

On Wednesday the 18th of November, was “Shedding a light on the Durham Gospels – a spectroscopic study of medieval pigment use” by Dr Kate Nicholson from Northumbria University. 

She has used a different approach in catching audiences’ attention: instead of using eye catching props or performing live experiments, she brought in her tools and gems, things that she’d used/seen in her study. I felt like we were on site with her as she told us her journey. It was an interesting experience to see how researchers would go back and dig out history to find links between the past and the present. 

Here’s some of the things we could lay our hands on:

1. Azurite

2. Bits of Manuscripts

3. Portable Spectrometer 

The little brother version of the actual portable spectrometer she’d used in her study

On Thursday the 19th of November (today), was “Colourful Chemistry” by Dr Peter Hoare & Anne Willis from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, respectively.

Today’s lecture was filled with COLOURS, loud BANGs and all sorts of interesting experiments! To the point where I was making notes! :P Glowsticks! haha

There’s always lots to learn from outreach/science communication experts like Dr Willis and Dr Hoare ;) I love the Chemical Sunset the most! It’s a pity that my smartphone camera wasn’t quick enough to capture the flames :( Here are some of the experiments captured in action.

Oh well, I enjoyed all three public lectures because they were all amazing!!

If you have missed some/all the public lectures above, fear not, you still have another chance to see this next one on “Redox Chemistry at Christmas”! Question is, is it better to give? or to receive? Will find out :)

If you follow the link above, chances are you might encounter an error due to third party extension. So just follow this link: CLICK ME! which will bring you directly to the registration page :) 

*Note that the 2.30pm lecture has been FULLY BOOKED.