Page 12 - Periodic Issue 02

Rainbows, Rapid Expansion

and Renaissance Art

SuperCool Show’ under T-Rex at The Natural History
Museum as part of ‘Wow How’ for the Oxfordshire Science
Festival. This was a huge success with a finale of eating
liquid nitrogen ice cream under a spectacular thundercloud
that demonstrates rapid expansion as the the liquid nitrogen
evaporates, condensing the water vapour in the air.

We collaborate with several departments and museums to
provide a variety of exciting and stimulating events. Most
recently we worked in partnership with The Ashmolean
Museum, The Ruskin School of Art, The Museum of History
of Science and Balliol College to introduce a 2-day Chemistry
and Art course; Pigments and Perspective, for Yr9 students
from schools with little or no history of sending students to
Oxford. Students had the opportunity to prepare verdigris
and malachite and use these along with other pigments to
create their own paintings. They also looked at perspective
by modelling organic molecules and through iconic pictures
including The Hunt in the Forest by Paolo di Dono. “The
pupils thoroughly enjoyed the activities and also the magic of
Chemistry Outreach Oxford University. The chance to see first-hand a university
has established a laboratory and carry out experiments having a practical
diverse programme of outcome has inspired the pupils to think more seriously about
activities which aims to science as a choice for university.” Teacher Highlands School
raise aspirations and
inspire students about We are committed to delivering high quality outreach to
Chemistry by providing inspire a future generation of scientists and are constantly
fun, educational events. We engage with approximately adapting and enriching our programme of events. Future
2,000 students over the course of an academic year and plans include our aim to set up a Chemistry Teachers
recent highlights have involved rainbows, thunderclouds and Network which we envisage as an opportunity to share
Renaissance art. ideas and inform teachers of current research, and to further
develop our Alchemist programme.
The Rainbow Workshop has been developed in the
Department to take out to schools by our student
ambassadors, The Alchemists. School students investigate
the density of liquids by constructing a rainbow of solutions
in a test tube using sugar, water and food dye.

The Alchemist programme invites Oxford chemists to train as
volunteers to deliver a range of workshops to students from
primary age to sixth form through school visits and public More information on the wealth of activities and resources
engagement events. “Absolutely fantastic, please thank them we offer can be found on our website http://outreach.
(The Alchemists) very much for coming down here. The chem.ox.ac.uk/ and you can follow us on
students loved it.” Teacher Reigate Grammar
facebook.com/OutreachChemistryDepartmentOxf
Along with workshops we also run Departmental tours, talks,
residential courses and our ever popular demonstration @ChemOutreachOxf
lectures. This year the team were invited to deliver ‘The

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Periodic The Magazine of the Department of Chemistry