Salters’ Festival of Chemistry

Wednesday 4 May 2011

During the morning the teams will take part in a competitive, hands-on, practical activity, 'The Salters’ Challenge' - 'There’s been a Murder!' in which they will use their analytical chemistry skills to deduce the identity of the killer from chemical evidence. In the afternoon, they will compete in the 'University Challenge', a practical activity chosen by the University, in which they will be required to create a chemical magic show using a range of chemical processes to impress the judges. This will be followed by a practical lecture, by Dr Carol Lynam and Dr Daniel Driscoll involving a range of small explosions, things that glow in the dark and a number of surprising uses for balloons. The day will end with a Prizegiving at which all participants will be given individual fun prizes and participation certificates and the winning teams will be awarded prizes for their schools.

The Salters' Festivals of Chemistry are an initiative of The Salters' Institute, whose aim is to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young. The Festival at the University of Surrey is one of a series of fifty-three Festivals which are taking place at universities throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland between March and June 2011.

The Institute is delighted that the Royal Society of Chemistry is again working in partnership with it for the Festivals this year.

Editors' Notes

1.The Festivals are one-day events for schools held at Universities throughout the UK and Ireland. The first series of Festivals was held in 1991. Festivals were then held in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000. Since 2000 Festivals have been held every year. In 2011 there will be a series of 53 Festivals being hosted by 40 universities between March and June. The aim of the Festivals is to make chemistry more exciting, more relevant and fun to students aged 11 to 13 years and to encourage schools to set up their own chemistry clubs.

2.Competing schools are represented by a team of four students from years 7 or 8 (or equivalent in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). Prizes for the winning schools are awarded at each Festival and all participants receive fun prizes and certificates. During the last ten years, over 24,400 students have experienced the fun of practical chemistry through the Salters' Festivals of Chemistry.

3.Since 1991 sponsorship support of the Festivals has been raised from over one hundred companies. Many of the Festivals are also sponsored by local companies.

4.The Salters’ Company is one of the Great Twelve City of London Livery Companies and was founded in 1394 for the medieval trade in salt. The Company’s activities today are centred on charitable and educational giving. The Salters' Institute, established in 1918, and now the Flagship Charity of the Salters' Company, aims to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young and to encourage careers in the teaching of chemistry and in the UK chemical and allied industries.

5.The Institute’s three core activities are the Salters' Festivals of Chemistry for 11 to 13 year olds; Salters' Chemistry Camps for those aged 15, in partnership with other scientific institutions, and Curriculum Development, undertaken at The University of York, including Twenty First Century Science and Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology, Salters Advanced Chemistry and Salters Horners Advanced Physics.

Media Enquiries

Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 689191, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk