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Salters’ Chemistry Camps at the University of York

Salters’ Chemistry Camps at the University of York

Posted on 15 July 2014

Around 60 students from schools across the UK and Ireland will take part in a residential Salters’ Chemistry Camp for 15-year olds at the University of York.

Taking place from 21 to 23 July, the Camps will enable the students to participate in the fun of chemistry and motivate them to develop an awareness of, and a long-term interest in, the subject through an action-packed programme.

The Camps will take place at the new York Science Outreach Centre (YSOC) housed in the Department of Chemistry. Part of the University’s commitment to providing high quality science outreach, YSOC includes a dedicated laboratory space, together with an instrument/analysis laboratory and a preparation room.

During the Camps, each student will tackle a variety of new activities. They will explore the reasons why jellyfish glow in the dark in a ‘Cold Light’ activity and will determine the percentage of copper in an old 2p coin in the ‘Complex Chemistry’ task.

They will also investigate oscillating reactions, the principle of which is related to the process that gives tigers their stripes, and delve into the fascinating world of ‘Chemistry of Art’.

There will be a varied social programme for the campers including a fun quiz and a Science Trail.

The Salters’ Chemistry Camp at the University of York is sponsored by The Salters’ Institute; The Armourers and Brasiers’ Company; The Association for the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI); The Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York; Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE); Sigma Aldrich; The Royal Society, and The Royal Society of Chemistry.

More information on the Salters’ Chemistry Camps at www.chemistrycamps.co.uk

Further information:

The Camps are residential events held at six universities throughout the UK this year. The first Camps were held in 1998. The aim of the Camps is to develop both awareness of and a long-term interest in the subject through an action-packed week's programme which includes hands-on practical work in the university labs, together with lectures and a variety of social activities in the evenings.
Each Camp hosts 50 or 60 15-year olds from a variety of schools across the country. State schools can nominate up to four students and independent schools can nominate up to two students per Camp. The Camps are staffed by a University Host, a Lead Teacher and a team of five teachers. The students and teachers are accommodated in a University Hall of Residence. During the last 16 years approximately 9,000 students have experienced life at a Salters’ Chemistry Camp. Another 520 students will join this total in 2014.
The Salters’ Company is one of the Great Twelve City of London Livery Companies and was founded in 1394 for the medieval trade in salt. The Company’s activities today are centred on charitable and educational giving. The Salters' Institute, established in 1918, and now the Flagship Charity of the Salters' activities, aims to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences amongst the young and to encourage careers in the teaching of chemistry and in the UK chemical and allied industries.
More information on the York Science Outreach Centre is available at www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/outreach/outreach-centre.
More information on the University of York’s Department of Chemistry is available at www.york.ac.uk/chemistry