Friday 18th October, 1pm, in W313
Chemistry Seminar: Dr Ian Gass ” A radical approach in molecular magnetism”
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Author Archives: Alison Willows
Bright Spark Symposium 2019
The university is hosting this year’s Royal Society of Chemistry Bright Spark Symposium. Run by the RSC Analytical Science Network this free event is designed to provide a low-pressure, friendly platform for early career analytical scientists to present their work to like-minded individuals and provide networking opportunities. The day will include a number of talks from our bright sparks as well as a poster session. All aspects of analytical science welcome! Spaces are free but limited.
Graduation 2019
Last week we celebrated with this year’s graduates at their ceremony at the Brighton Centre. It is always a wonderful day seeing our students graduate and take all that hard work and determination forward in their lives. We wish you the very best for the future and hope you all keep in touch and come back to visit us. Join our LinkedIn alumni group and subscribe to this blog to keep up-to-date.
This year we also have some staff leaving. Course leader for Pharmaceutical & Chemical Sciences and organic chemistry lead Dr Gerry Gallacher has retired this summer. We are fortunate he will return in an honorary position for research and to help more students with projects at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Course leader and organic chemist Dr Gerry Gallacher receiving his retirement gifts
Our Head of School Professor David Timson is also retiring soon and was honoured at the ceremony by students and staff in the school and wider community for his service and commitment to the school with a standing ovation.
Before the ceremony we had a celebration event for the school where we award prizes to the graduates and have a little fizz and nibbles inviting their families and friends along to share their achievements. This year’s Chemistry winners were:
RSC Downland Prize for the best chemistry project – Luke Hawkins
Chemistry Division prizes for highest achiever on the course:
- MChem – Brad Clarke
- BSc(hons) Chemistry – Pippa Veal
- BSc(hons) Pharmaceutical & Chemical Sciences – Jake Rigby
Alumni Prize (Chemistry) for Services to the School – Hayder Morsel
Pictured from left to right: Pippa Veal, Luke Hawkins, Brad Clarke, Jake Rigby
Salters’ Institute Festival of Chemistry
Today chemistry@brighton welcomes 21 schools from Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London for the Salters’ Institute Festival of Chemistry. Teams of year 7 and 8 children undertake two practical challenges one set by Salters and one by the university with the opportunity to compete for prizes along the way. chemistry@brighton staff are involved in judging, technical assistance, chemistry quiz and the teacher programme for the day. This is an annual event which we host each year enabling students to gain practical experience in our laboratories whilst having fun competing against other schools in the South East.
PASS needs you!
We’re recruiting for next year’s PASS leaders. It’s a great confidence booster and good way to meet the new first years, looks great on your CV and makes sure you remember all of that stuff you did in the first year. Email Dr Willows by end of May to register your interest.
Project month
May is project month for chemistry@brighton students in their 3rd and 4th years. Third year students hand their projects in just after Easter for binding and marking before their vivas next week. The MChem fourth years have submitted their scientific articles and are busy printing posters ready for their assessment day of vivas and poster session. Both third and fourth year projects here are full research tasks, and we often publish scientific papers with undergraduates as co-authors. It really sets them up for further research and improves their project management skills. These were some third years submitting a day early, great organisation skills guys! They don’t look too bleary eyed!
Graduate opportunities advertised
We’ve received information on some graduate opportunities coming up so have put them on our jobs page. Ensure you subscribe to the blog and check back regularly to see updates on vacancies we’ve been passed.
If you have a job or studentship you’d like to advertise then please contact us at chemistry@brighton.ac.uk
Day conference for A level students
School Transition & Experience Programme – Unlocking Potential
As part of the STEP UP initiative we are holding a day conference for A level students on the 3rd April. Participants will:
- get hands on experience of some of our larger analytical instruments,
- refresh their study skills,
- learn about applying to universities through UCAS,
- hear from current students about what it is like to study chemistry and ask them questions,
- experience a taster lecture on nerve agents
The day should be useful and fun with practical activities investigating contamination in the (fictional) Huxley vineyard’s latest batch of wine. Sussex-based schools in the University of Brighton Compact scheme should receive notification about the event. You can find out more and book here or visit our Step Up information page.
Big Visit in the labs
Today, whilst our own students are taking their semester 1 exams, we are welcoming local schoolchildren in years 11-13 as part of the Big Visit widening participation event. These visitors will be doing some microscale chemistry in our laboratories looking at visual changes in reactions, as well as experiencing other STEM subjects on campus.
STEP UP
This month has seen the launch of a new widening participation initiative by chemistry@brighton. STEP UP has been designed to inspire students at 16-18 level and work with their teachers to provide opportunities for those students who show promise but are perhaps not so good at the traditional exam. Working with local schools in Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex our aim is to show that chemistry@brighton is a real possibility for them. We have activities lined up to supplement their current studies including a lab experience day, taster lectures, study skills and work experience. Teachers are able to highlight to us students who have potential to succeed but for whatever reason might not see that result at A level. Working with the teachers we can then offer preferential admission to select students.
School Transition & Experience Programme – Unlocking Potential
