Page 17 - Periodic Issue 04

students with key practical skills, enabling them to focus Team. Our outreach programme offers a wide range of
on the science rather than learning new skills in later fun and challenging practical activities that are enjoyed by
more complex experiments. New experiments will bring thousands of visiting students from hundreds of schools.
the course up to date and make it more directly relevant We are very proud of our work to support teachers in
to industry and other sectors, enhancing the skills and raising aspirations and inspiring the next generation
employability of all of our graduates. The new laboratories of chemists. The new labs will provide more space and
represent an exciting opportunity for Oxford Chemistry equipment that will enable us to enhance our outreach
to lead the way in providing the best possible teaching in programme. We look forward to providing school students
practical chemistry. with even better opportunities to develop and enrich their
practical skills and to continue to share our enjoyment of
State-of-the-art equipment will be available in the labs, and the ever-evolving world of practical chemistry.
through the generosity of the Department’s supporters,
new bench top NMR has already arrived. Teaching If you are interested in learning more or in working
Laboratory Manager Dr Malcolm Stewart said with us we would love to hear from you. To mark the
centenary of the Dyson Perrins Laboratory, we offer the
“This is a great start and I’m opportunity for alumni and friends to celebrate 100 years

delighted – sample analysis will of undergraduate teaching by dedicating one of the bespoke
be much quicker and easier for fume hoods in the new laboratories. You can dedicate
your fume hood with a gift of £1,916. All gifts, however
our students, and these machines large or small, are very much appreciated and will make a

bring opportunities to extend our valuable contribution to the future of practical chemistry
at Oxford. We also have a number of other opportunities
outreach work to schools in new available, including industry partnership, and sponsorship
and exciting ways.” and naming opportunities. If you are interested in learning
more, or wish to work with us to shape the future of
In addition to housing our undergraduate practical course, chemistry teaching and research please do get in touch
our new laboratories will also be used extensively by with Susan Davis, Alumni Relations and Communications
Oxford Chemistry’s dedicated and experienced Outreach Officer. alumni@chem.ox.ac.uk

War Horse Discovery

Excavations at the teaching labs site revealed some interesting
material for archaeologists. It was known that the area might have
remains from the Civil War period (1642-51), so the area was
carefully examined before work began. The investigation revealed a
large infilled ditch, and a row of deep pits that appear to be ‘pitfalls’
– man trap pits dug as defences against invaders. One of the pits
contained the remains of a horse. Archaeologists estimate that the
animal was over 4 years old, and between 14.5- 15.2 hands tall.
The photograph shows one of the horse’s legs, complete with shoe.
The finds are a useful addition to a growing body of knowledge
about Oxford during the Civil War, when the city was a Royalist
stronghold, while London remained the centre of parliamentarian
government.

17
Periodic
The Magazine of the Department of Chemistry