UK chemistry reclaims lost ground

Chemistry in UK universities, battered by years of department mergers, underinvestment and falling student numbers, may finally be enjoying a revival. Educational initiatives, relaunched chemistry courses and renovated laboratories, together with a six-year high in chemistry student enrolment, are giving many academics reasons to be cheerful - though whether the trend can be sustained isn't yet clear. 

The subject's resurgence is particularly evident at Queen Mary, University of London. The college's chemistry department had been labelled as closed in 2003 when it was forced to stop accepting new undergraduates; two years later it merged with biology. But a reinstated pharmaceutical chemistry MSci course attracted over fifty students this year, and in 2007-08 will include a year in industry, while BScs in chemistry with biochemistry and chemistry with forensic science are launched this autumn. The renewal is supported by a £2.5m investment in two new fully equipped teaching labs, holding up to 180 students and housed in a brand new building. 

'You can stop putting Queen Mary in the list of closed chemistry departments,' said Adrian Dobbs, who moved to the college when Exeter's chemistry department closed in July 2005. Unlike Exeter, Dobbs points out, Queen Mary retained a core of determined research staff and chemistry students, tiding the subject over until its relaunch.  

Another chemistry department is being reborn from merged remains at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston. The laboratories teaching the chemistry required for forensic science will now also be employed for a new single honours chemistry degree, offered in September 2007, following demand from employers and students for more chemical content in courses. 

At both Queen Mary and Central Lancashire, chemistry is just beginning to wean itself off the departments it merged with several years ago, while still relying on biological and forensic cousins to provide support for new courses and facilities. At the University of Hertfordshire, similarly, a newly-created School of Pharmacy has justified a £2m investment in new chemistry labs, officially opened last year. They'll be shared to teach pharmacy and biochemistry, said Robert Slater, head of the school of Life Sciences.  

There's an air of optimism about established chemistry departments too. At Liverpool, student chemistry applications are up 17 per cent on last year; a total £17m has been invested in a large centre for materials discovery and refurbished teaching labs. Leeds University opened a £4m physical chemistry lab in October 2006, while the University of Newcastle is using £3.5m to build new chemistry teaching and research labs, ready for May this year.  

Perhaps the biggest investment in chemistry education has come at the University of Bristol, where an initial £4.5m grant via the Hefce CETL (centres of excellence in teaching and learning) programme has been boosted to an £18m investment in the 'ChemLabS' project, which promises to set new standards for laboratory-based learning of science. Four new teaching labs capable of accommodating 200 students at a time are part of the project, which will also educate local school pupils.  

Another outreach programme designed to enthuse students is Sheffield's new chemistry lab dedicated exclusively for school pupils' year-round use; it has taken its first bookings for May 2007. Some of its funding came from the RSC's 'Chemistry for our future' (CFOF) campaign, a two year pilot project awarded £3.6m by Hefce.  

It's too early to say whether such developments indicate a renaissance for UK chemistry, or just isolated pockets of spending, prepared with half an eye on the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. But amidst this hive of vitality, last year 3581 students signed up to chemistry degree courses, the highest intake since 1999.  

Explanations for this pleasing statistic vary, from the focus on outreach to the effect of nationwide publicity - partly driven by RSC campaigning - following threatened chemistry department closures.  

One persuasive argument points out that university top-up fees were introduced last year, meaning employability may weigh more heavily on students' minds.  

Back at Queen Mary, chemist Mike Watkinson feels the aim for the next few years is consolidation, justifying the university's investment in chemistry. The subject is still merged with biology - it would be some step to an independent chemistry department - but Queen Mary's example provides an encouraging model of what beleaguered departments can achieve. 

Richard Van Noorden