Summer Schools

These residential 2-3 day events aim to enhance and raise the awareness of teachers to recent developments in chemical science and its applications, and to improve the quality of teaching and learning. 

They encompass a variety of activities:

• practical laboratory sessions
• industrial visits
• interactive seminars. 

Teachers also get a chance to discuss the curriculum and compare new approaches to chemistry teaching in schools, colleges and universities.

Comment from participant attending the 2008 Materials Summer School: "An excellent course, excellent value, great to meet other teachers, see and hear about what 'real' chemists and scientists are doing".

There will be a Materials Summer School in July 2010 in London which will include visits to:

• Queen Mary University of London - Biomaterials.  An introduction to materials science and a range of activities and demonstrations related to biomedical materials

• Imperial College London - Polymers/Nano Materials/Fuel Cells.  Practicals and seminars on energy technology, climate change, carbon emissions and demonstrations and nano technology

• London Metropolitan Polymer Centre - Polymer processing, testing and characterisation.  Gain first hand experience in operating processing equipment including injection moulding, extrusion, blow moulding, compression and vacuum forming machines.

• The V & A Museum and The National Gallery.  An opportunity to see behind the scenes and find out about the work of scientists in maintaining, renovating and preserving objects and art.