NEPIC Science Education Unit

SALTERS’ FESTIVAL OF CHEMISTRY

Date: Annually - March
Location: University of Durham, Queen’s Campus, Stockton
Key Stage: KS3 - Years 7 & 8
Maximum no of teams: 20
No. in a team: 4

The Salters' Festivals of Chemistry are an initiative of the Salters' Institute. Their objective is to help promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young.

The Festivals are one-day fun events held at universities throughout the UK and Ireland. They begin in late March and run through to mid June.

Salters' Festivals provide the opportunity for enthusiastic young students to spend a day in a university department and to take part in practical chemistry activities which are fun! Cash and prizes are awarded to the winning teams and all students receive participation certificates and fun prizes.

Around 64 students attend the one-day event hosted within the laboratories of the University of Durham's Queens Campus, Stockton-on-Tees.

The Salters’ organisation sets a investigation whose resolution requires the use of analytical chemistry. This will involve testing samples of known composition and matching results to those of unknown origin and chemical composition and then drawing conclusions from the results obtained. Schools enter teams of 4 students who are judged on their performance on aspect of Safety, Team Work and Solving the problem. Local science based companies

This is an opportunity to spend extended time in a large well-equipped laboratory applying and developing their knowledge of analytical chemistry. Judges for the event are supplied by local industry, which also gives the student the opportunity to speak with practicing chemist and chemical engineers.