Over 40 budding young scientists will be discovering the fun of chemistry at the Salters’ Festival of Chemistry being held today [Thursday 27 March] at Bristol University’s School of Chemistry.

Students from 12 schools in the region will be taking part in the event, with each school represented by a team of four 11- to 13-year-olds. The day will enable the students to explore chemistry and tackle a variety of new activities. 

During the morning the teams will take part in a competitive, hands-on, practical activity entitled, ‘Mystery at Salty Towers’ in which they will use their analytical chemistry skills. In the afternoon, they will compete in the ‘University Challenge’, a practical activity, in which they will be required to use their measurement, observational and team working skills.

This will be followed by a fun lecture demonstration by Tim Harrison, Bristol University, Senior Teaching Fellow, involving aspects of atmospheric chemistry. The practical activities will take place in the School of Chemistry’s state-of-the-art teaching laboratories.

The day will end with a prize-giving event at which all participants will be given individual prizes and participation certificates, with the winning teams awarded cash prizes for their schools.

The Salters' Festivals of Chemistry are an initiative of The Salters' Institute, whose aim is to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young.

The Festival at the University of Bristol is in partnership with The Royal Society of Chemistry and is also sponsored by Bristol ChemLabS, England’s only Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning purely in Chemistry. 

The School of Chemistry at Bristol University is one of only ten national Chemistry departments rated as excellent in teaching and is one of six rated at 5* for research. The School of Chemistry has just under 200 students reading a Chemistry degree in the first year alone and around 200 students researching for a PhD.