Non-specialist teachers on course 

Dr Maria Pack has been appointed national project manager for The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)-GlaxoSmithKline(GSK) joint initiative aimed at raising the quality of chemistry teaching among non-specialist secondary school teachers in the UK (see Educ. Chem., 2006, 43(5), 119).  

The partnership has secured additional funding from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to the tune of £6.45k for the three-year programme. The first course for teachers will be held on 21-22 November at the Science Learning Centre West Midlands (based at Keele University). More information about the courses and venues as they become available can be found at the RSC link.  

Mauve website 

As part of its activities to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Sir William Perkin's discovery of the purple dyestuff mauveine, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has launched the Perkin anniversary website.  

SCI education award 

Education in Chemistry editorial board member Dr Dudley Shallcross is the recipient of the 2006 Society of the Chemical Industry (SCI) Science Education Award. 

Presented for the first time this year, the aim of this award is to recognise teachers who have made an 'outstanding contribution to science education which has helped to bring science alive and encourage young people to continue to study science'. 

Shallcross, reader in chemistry and outreach director at the University of Bristol's ChemLabS Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, will collect his award at the Society's awards event to be held at the Museum of London on 1 December.