If you’re new to outreach and interested in engaging with different audiences about chemistry, taking those first steps can sometimes be a bit daunting. We’ve come up with some top tips and resources to help get you started.
Chemistry Week
Showcasing the Periodic Table
18 - 24 November 2019
Chemistry Week is an annual celebration of the chemical sciences, and is centred around our members sharing their passion with public and school audiences. It is an opportunity to organise events and activities that connect chemistry with local people and communities to:
- promote a positive image of chemistry and sciences
- demonstrate to people within the local community how chemistry is relevant and present in everyday life.
The theme for 2019 is 'Showcasing the Periodic Table', inspired by the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT) and we want to invite our members to design and deliver events to celebrate this with their local community. We are looking to support creative, diverse and innovative engagement opportunities for local audiences providing chemistry connections with audiences that may not have access to science outreach activities.
For more information on available funding please go to our Outreach Fund page.
Throughout 2019 we are also offering other grants to support IYPT activity, for more information please go to our dedicated IYPT pages. There is also our general Outreach Fund which can support larger and/or wider activity.
Chemical Landmarks
The Chemical Landmark Scheme is a Royal Society of Chemistry initiative recognising sites where the chemical sciences have made a significant contribution to health, wealth, or quality of life.
Our distinctive blue plaques are publicly visible, giving everyone an insight into chemistry's relevance to everyday lives.
Chemical Landmarks are awarded to recognise sites of chemical discovery or development.
Nominated sites should meet both the following criteria.
- Historical significance: The site has seen a development in the chemical sciences that has made a significant contribution to the health, wealth or quality of life of the nation.
- Public visibility: The Chemical Landmark plaque should be mounted in as publicly visible a space as possible, giving those without a background in the chemical sciences an insight into its significance in their everyday lives.
Up to £2,000 is available from the Royal Society of Chemistry to celebrate a successful award. This grant is intended to be spent on event management (venue, set-up, reception, etc) and publicity.
A maximum of four Chemical Landmark plaques are awarded each year. To date, over 50 plaques have been awarded, including four international landmarks.
We are currently reviewing the application process for Chemical Landmarks and so we are not accepting applications at this time.
If you’re new to outreach and interested in engaging with different audiences about chemistry, taking those first steps can sometimes be a bit daunting. We’ve come up with some top tips and resources to help get you started.
Start a conversation…
Whether you are based in industry, academia or education it always helps to talk to someone who has done this before. We have a regional network of Education Coordinators that can offer advice and are just a click or a phone call away.
Alternatively, many organisations also have people and departments that can help. Teams that you may already be familiar with include Knowledge Transfer, Marketing and Communication, Volunteering, Widening participation and public engagement.
Join an existing network or scheme
Many online mailing lists and forums exist to encourage people to discuss and share public engagement experiences. Psci-Com and Big-Chat are active mailing lists that offer the opportunity to share best practice, promote upcoming events and discuss science communication topics of the moment.
The NCCPE Public Engagement Network is dedicated to those based in higher education and provides support for both staff and students to develop their public engagement work.
Start small and give it a go
The biggest hurdle to trying something new is often just finding the right way to get started, so the key to success is sometimes to start small. We have lots of opportunities for everyone to get involved, both face-to-face and online.
Other ways to get started include:
- Writing a science blog
- Volunteering in a local science centre
- Participating in a science festival
Our Local Sections organise and participate in a huge variety of activities aimed at both school and public audiences and may have opportunities to get involved. Get in touch with the Local Section chair for your area to find out more.
Activities
Part of the excitement and fun of engaging different audiences with the chemical science is the reaction of the audience to hands-on activities and demonstrations. If you’re stuck for ideas visit our outreach collection on Learn Chemistry. Here you can find anything from kitchen chemistry to the latest global experiment.
Organise your own event
If you’ve participated in a few activities you may be ready to have a go at organising an event yourself.
Before you start, these are the questions that you should ask yourself:
- What are the aims of your activity? Why are you doing it?
- Who is your audience? Why should they care?
- What are you planning to do?
- How will you evaluate it? How will you know it was a success?
If you think you know the answer then a good place to start to find more information is Plan it on the NCCPE website.
Outreach engagement
- Tel:
- + 44 (0) 1223 438392 or + 44 (0) 1223 432209
- Email:
- Send us an email