Volunteering with our education coordinators
Enthusiastic volunteers at York Festival of Ideas Picture: 漏 浪花直播
175 minutes for chemistry
Our regional education coordinators oversee many activities relating to education support, networks and outreach activities within their designated region of the UK. Here鈥檚 a snapshot of just some of the things they鈥檝e been up to.
Education coordinators work with volunteers from our community to bring chemistry to a variety of audiences in their area, from school visits to engaging the public at local festivals. They offer training and support to members that want to get involved with chemistry outreach and are a fantastic source of information and opportunities in regional public engagement. Throughout our 175th anniversary, they have organised a wealth of activities for people to spend their 175 minutes for chemistry, and have posted some wonderful pictures on Twitter using .
鈥楽cience out of the Lab鈥�
Dr Joanna Buckley, Education Coordinator for North East England, tells us how her team of volunteers brought some 鈥榮cience busking鈥� to the streets of York.
During the half-term holidays on 3 and 4 June, local 浪花直播 members participated in an interactive science event on a busy shopping street in the heart of York. The 鈥楽cience out of the Lab鈥� tent gave visitors an unexpected insight into science as they went about their shopping.
The members showcased some 鈥榚dible experiments鈥� to over 2500 people. The science busking, inside the tent and on the street, allowed a diverse cross-section of the public to explore the chemistry behind some of their favourite sweet treats.
The event received fantastic feedback from all concerned and the members involved were wonderful advocates for chemistry. Their enthusiasm and passion was infectious and they truly helped to inspire future generations of chemists.
Big Bang Fair East
Chris Carter, a and recently retired environmental chemist, volunteered to help out on our stand at the Big Bang Fair East event at Newmarket Racecourse. He tells us why he chose to give his 175 minutes for chemistry bringing our Global Experiment to students and teachers.
With over 40 years鈥� experience in the application of chemical and other scientific principles to the management of waste and environmental protection, I have had the chance to work on significant, challenging and sensitive projects in the UK and overseas. Having worked in both the public and private sectors for utility companies, regulators, public protection bodies, engineering consultants and project management companies, I have recently retired and can now spend more time enthusing young people about STEM. I have enjoyed and taken part in a number of RSC events in the past, including presentations in Burlington House, London, training and CPD activities at Thomas Graham House, Cambridge, and local section events in Norfolk and Suffolk.
School students had the chance to try experiments and chat to STEM Ambassadors at the Big Bang Fair East Picture: 漏 浪花直播
As a STEM ambassador, I responded to a request for volunteers from my local education coordinator on the STEMNET website, to help out at Big Bang Fair East. As the location was close by, it was a 浪花直播 coordinated event and it was the first 'chemistry' request I鈥檝e seen on STEMNET in Norfolk and Suffolk to date, I offered my services.
Students from all over the East of England were able to try some of the experiments in , the 浪花直播's Global Experiment this year. They also had the chance to talk to STEM ambassadors about useful contacts, career and membership options, and explore the wider fair and other opportunities in science subjects. Smiley faces that were only visible under UV light and invisible when coated in proprietary sunblock cream, as well as the magic sand, were popular experiments.
I was invited to include the time I spent at the Big Bang Fair as part of the RSC鈥檚 175th anniversary celebrations and this event seemed to be a good representation of the ethos and intentions of the RSC鈥檚 celebrations. I was pleased to be able to reflect this by volunteering and taking part in the Global Experiment.
My 175 minutes were spent with enthusiastic, curious and knowledgeable students and teachers. I particularly enjoyed the looks of stunned amazement on the faces of most, if not all, the visitors to the stand when pouring water onto 'magic sand' and watching the water refuse to soak in!
During conversations with students as they experimented they were able to explain what they were seeing, the potential for practical uses of such phenomena, and to offer some explanations as to why it happened. Whilst they may never have dreamed of expressing themselves as follows, individuals seemed to have clear ideas about scientific and analytical processes, the reporting of empirical observations and the development of hypotheses to explain them.
Spring Fling
Sean Thurston, Education Coordinator, tells us about running a stall at Norfolk Showground 鈥楽pring Fling鈥�, with the help of some keen members.
The 浪花直播's stall at Norfolk Spring Fling was voted 'Best Educational Stall' Picture: 漏 浪花直播
One of the best things about being an education coordinator for the 浪花直播 is the opportunity to meet some really enthusiastic members. I was lucky enough to organise an event with such a group at the Norfolk Showground 鈥楽pring Fling鈥� (a young person鈥檚 County Show) in April. With the focus of the Spring Fling being education, it seemed a perfect opportunity for members to have a go at some science communication and meet some specialists in the area.
I certainly wasn鈥檛 disappointed with the response to my call for volunteers, eventually taking along nine members and three specialist science communicators (ranging from a science teacher to a Marie Curie Fellow from the Sainsbury Laboratory who loves to write about bananas鈥�) to run our hands-on stall.
The day itself was busy 鈥� we saw at least 500 visitors at our stall throughout the day. Activities included identifying spices by the smell of their essential oil, and secret message writing with turmeric (a brilliant, if messy activity).
The afternoon ended on a high as we were voted the 鈥楤est Educational Stall鈥� out of 60+ exhibitors at the event. None of this would have been possible without the enthusiasm of the members who took part, so thank you to Adam, Amanda, Ashley, Awais, Laura, Lisa, Simon, Sue and Stephen for making my day, and that of 500 young people!
The sun CAN shine at a barbecue鈥�
Our Republic of Ireland local section hosted a very well-attended, first-ever members networking BBQ, held in mid-May in the Odean bar in Dublin 鈥� and the sun was out for the entire evening!
It was organised by the ROI Local section secretary Grainne Hargaden and education coordinator John O鈥橠onoghue. They welcomed 64 Irish 浪花直播 members, from teachers, academia, industry and research, for a social get together to share ideas and meet new people.
Picture: 漏 浪花直播/ROI Local Section
On the night attendees also participated in the 2016 Global Experiment Mission: Starlight, with materials provided for everyone to try it out for their #Time4Chem.
They signed up members who were interested in participating in outreach events on behalf of the 浪花直播, and explained the #Time4Chem hashtag.
Science communicators from all walks of life also attended to chat and network with our members.
John O鈥橠onoghue, who is based in Dublin, told RSC News: 鈥淚t was fantastic to see so many people at the first event of this type that we鈥檝e held. We really want to build our community throughout Ireland and this has given us a great boost鈥�.
He adds: 鈥淲e hope this event inspired our members to volunteer their #Time4Chem at more outreach events that we have coming up soon. We鈥檙e currently recruiting members who wish to join us at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore this September to showcase the Global Experiment and Spectroscopy in a Suitcase at the Science Foundation Ireland tent.鈥�
If you鈥檙e interested in volunteering your #Time4Chem in Ireland for any upcoming event, please contact John.
Further information
If you鈥檙e interested in giving your 175 minutes for chemistry at outreach activities in your area, contact your local for details of how you can get involved in any upcoming events.