RSC - Advancing the Chemical Sciences


Education

 

Derry


A warm welcome, and a warm lunch, awaited students at the first Chemistry at Work event held in Derry on March 30th 2006. The host venue was the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education and all of those attending were welcomed by Deputy Director Gerry McGuckin.

Over 250 students and their teachers from across the North West of Ireland attended during the day, which was organised by Tom Bradley, Hugh Keys and Terry McIvor of NWIFHE and Joe Nugent of the RSC.

Students were told in the introductory leaflet about the very good job prospects on the Island for chemistry graduates. They were then given presentations about how chemistry is used in the work place including:

  • Lycra manufacture by Dupont  
  • Derry air quality by Derry City Council  
  • chemistry and Liqueur production by St Brendan’s (no free samples though!)  
  • harnessing chemistry to treat water and sewage by  the water service  
  • the effects of pH on Salmonid species by the Loughs Agency  
  • using a flame photometer to measure salt levels in bread by NWIFHE.  

The event was covered by the local press (three newspapers) and was also filmed for national TV by RTE, to be shown later on Nationwide

All agreed the day was good value and it is hoped that this can become an annual event.