CHEMISTRY: Making a difference to the world

STUDENTS at RGS have been celebrating how chemistry is at the heart of making a difference to the world.

To mark National Chemistry Week, with a theme of 'shaping the future', younger students enjoyed a wide range of hands-on experiments, highlighting how the subject plays a crucial role in modern life, including reducing our carbon footprint, improving nutrition and creating sustainable materials.

Their experiments included making samples of pure iron and testing it using magnets, creating 'pink jellyfish' from alginate beads and indicators, performing flame tests and creating 'rainbow fizz' and mirrors.

Upper school students attended several talks by RGS staff who shared their research from their PhD and master's degree projects.

Subjects covered included Dr Mulligan (chemistry technician) - The chemistry of lithography (Dr Mulligan); nanoparticles in drug delivery and nanotherapeutics in treating heart disease (Dr Cassell and Dr Piggott) and synthetic lipids in the treatment of cancer (Mr Shortman).

RGS head of chemistry Mr Shortman said: "National Chemistry Week across the UK is an exciting and vibrant celebration of the wonders of chemistry, aimed at inspiring students and raising awareness about the important role that chemistry plays in everyday life.

"This event sees schools across the UK engage in a wide variety of hands-on activities, experiments, demonstrations, and interactive lessons designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding of the subject."