“UoB Chemistry is pleased to support, host and contribute to WMCTC’s annual schools’ programme to fuel curiosity and excitement about chemistry!”
Click here for the official WMCTC web site
Competitions...
Click event headings below for further information:
- 06 Dec 2022 – 2023 RSC Top of the Bench
- 14 Mar 2023 – 2023 WMCTC Chemistry Quiz
About ...
We are glad to announce that the WMCTC lectures for this year will be back at the University of Birmingham. The lectures will be held in the Haworth Lecture Theatre and will start at 7.00pm. All lectures are held on Tuesdays. The format gives 6th form students a better insight into life at university: having lectures in a university setting with real academics delivering the lectures; being able to see students and university facilities (both academic and non-academic) in everyday use. The lectures are ticketed. They are free, the tickets allow us to make sure that we do not exceed the seating in the lecture theatre; the tickets are also used for a ‘door prize’ given at the end of the lecture.
To apply for tickets contact the WMCTC Chair
Location
Sixth Form Lectures
04 Oct 2022 - Colourful Chemistry – Dr Peter Hoare, University of Newcastle
Tuesday 4th October 2022 |
Colourful Chemistry – Dr Peter Hoare, University of Newcastle |
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Light is fundamental to life on our planet and the IYL aimed to showcase not only this but how scientists are developing new and more efficient ways of harnessing the energy from sunlight in a sustainable way for the benefit of mankind. Similarly, our perception and recognition of colours are also fundamental to both our survival and our enjoyment of modern life. This lecture will explore some processes in chemistry which either produce or use light energy under three themes of “reactions”, “combustion” and “rates” with lots of colourful and sometimes dramatic demonstrations – with the occasional whoosh and even a bang! |
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18 Oct 2022 - Nuclear Energy and Chemistry - Dr Mark Read, Nuclear Waste Services and University of Birmingham
Tuesday 18th October 2022 |
Nuclear Energy and Chemistry – Dr Mark Read, Nuclear Waste Services and University of Birmingham |
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Dr Mark Read will give an overview of Electricity Generation from Nuclear Energy and the fundamental links with the University of Birmingham’s Physics Department. A brief history of the UK Nuclear Industry will lead to the current climate and thoughts for the future as the UK Government commits to reducing CO2 emissions 80% by 2050 whilst electrifying our transportation! This lecture will also explore the important role that chemistry has to play throughout the nuclear fuel cycle, from purifying UO2 and fabricating fuel pellets to reprocessing, recycling spent fuel and the safe immobilisation of High Level Waste. The second part will show how computational chemistry is employed to simulate the nuclear fuel crystal lattice and how the fuel performance and ageing effects may be predicted. So for those that thought that Nuclear Energy was only in the realm of Physics and Engineering – Dr Read is here to dispel those and other myths! |
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08 Nov 2022 - Chirality, Smells, Drugs and Chemistry - Dr Simon Cotton, University of Birmingham
Tuesday 8th November 2022 |
Chirality, Smells, Drugs and Chemistry – Dr Simon Cotton, University of Birmingham |
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Many carbon compounds contain a chiral carbon. This leads to the existence of two “mirror-image” forms (enantiomers) of the same compound. Chemically they are identical, but they may behave differently in the human body, most tragically in the case of the sedative thalidomide. One form of thalidomide leads to birth the defects of babies with defective limbs when administered to pregnant women; the other form does not. This talk will examine examples of how the presence of a chiral carbon may affect the properties of a drug. The difference smells of the two isomers of carvone are also familiar to A-Level students; we will look at how the brain processes the information that comes from the receptors in the nose, and examine a number of cases where enantiomers have different smells, including the true story of the isomers of limonene. |
06 Dec 2022 - Christmas Lecture Mark Read (University of Birmingham) and Steve O'Malley (King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys)
Tuesday 6th December 2022 |
Christmas Lecture Mark Read (University of Birmingham) and Steve O’Malley (King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys) |
| A festive Christmas (chemistry) lecture will be given jointly by Mark Read and Steve O’Malley, ending the term with some festive themed chemistry. |
31 Jan 2023 - Fireworks – Dr Tom Smith, Managing Director, CarnDu Limited
Tuesday 31st January 2023 |
Fireworks – Dr Tom Smith, Managing Director, CarnDu Limited |
| “Remember, Remember the 5th of November ….” A pyrotechnical extravaganza of colour, light and sound, bangs, whistles, explosions and sparks. |
21 Mar 2023 - A-level Revision Session (Electrochemistry) – Dr Peter Hoare, University of Newcastle
Tuesday 4th October 2022 |
21 Mar 2023 – A-level Revision Session (Electrochemistry) – Dr Peter Hoare, University of Newcastle |
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Recordings of previous lectures ...
22 Sep 2020 |
Prof. Andrew Dove, University of Birmingham“A Sustainable Future with Plastic” |
Click to view |
22 Sep 2020 |
Elizabeth Driscoll, University of Birmingham.“Battery Research” |
Click to view |
29 Sep 2020 |
Dr John Snaith, University of Birmingham“Discovering New Medicines: The Role Of The Chemist” |
Click to view |
03 Nov 2020 |
Professor Richard Tuckett, University of Birmingham“The Climate Emergency:
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Click to view |
17 Nov 2020 |
Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff (University of Nottingham)“The Elements Of Chemistry” |
Click to view |
01 Dec 2020 |
Dr Tom Smith, CarnDu Limited“Fireworks” |
Click to view |
19 Jan 2021 |
Prof. Julie MacPherson, University of Warwick“The Wonders of Element 6 Carbon” |
Click to view |
02 Feb 2021 |
Dr Mark S. D. Read, National Nuclear Laboratory“Nuclear Energy: Modelling the Chemistry” |
Click to view |
09 Mar 2021 |
Dr Maryjane Tremayne, University of Birmingham“A-Level Revision: Mathematics In Sixth Form Chemistry: Building Confidence” |
Click to view |
23 Mar 2021 |
Dr Peter Hoare, Newcastle University“Advanced Level Revision: Transition Metal Chemistry And Aqueous Ions” |
Click to view |
25 May 2021 |
Dr Adrian Wright, Senior Admissions Tutor, School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham.“University Applications – Writing Personal Statements and Preparing For Interviews” |
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15 June 2021 |
Drs Maria Velasco, Mike Batham and Rob Janes. The Open University“Magic Molecules: The Magic of Oxygen” |
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22 June 2021 |
Dr Adrian Wright, Senior Admissions Tutor, School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham.“University Applications – Writing Personal Statements and Preparing For Interviews” |
Click to view |
28 Sep 2021 |
Bob Worley, Chemistry Adviser with CLEAPSS“Microscale Chemistry Practical Work For The New Normal: “Madam! Sir! Your Experiment Is Served!”
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Click to view |
19 Oct 2021 |
Professor Rachel O’Reilly, University of Birmingham“Redesigning the World of Plastics” |
Click to view |
09 Nov 2021 |
Professor Stephen T. Liddle, Head of Inorganic Chemistry and Co-Director of the Centre for Radiochemistry Research at the University of Manchester“Uranium: The Bogeyman of the Periodic Table: A Case of Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde” |
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23 Nov 2021 |
Dr Simon Cotton, University of Birmingham“Drugs in Sport” |
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07 Dec 2021 |
Dr Ray Plevey and Mrs Rosemary Plevey, University of Birmingham“Chemical Magic” |
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18 Jan 2022 |
Dr June McCombie, University of Nottingham“Astrochemistry – The Chemical Cosmos” |
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15 Mar 2022 |
Professor Peter Fryer, University of Birmingham“Chemical Engineering of Chocolate” |
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22 Mar 2022 |
Dr Peter Hoare, Newcastle University“A Level Revision: Transition Metals and Associated Topics” |
Click to view |