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Sparks fly at University of Sussex chemistry camp


* 5 July 2004 *

Sparks fly at University of Sussex chemistry camp

Fifty students from schools across the UK will discover how to harvest their own DNA at a residential chemistry camp at the University of Sussex (July 6-9).

The 15-year-olds will also learn how to produce pure banana oil (without using bananas), investigate chemical clock reactions and discover the science behind putty and slime.

The camp, run and organised by Salters', one of London's oldest livery companies, will enable the students to participate in the fun of chemistry and motivate them to develop both awareness of and a long-term interest in the subject through an action-packed week's programme.

The course will be supervised by the University's head of chemistry, Professor Norman Billingham, who says: "This is a fantastic way to get young people enthusiastic about chemistry.  And of course, Sussex is a great inspiration to budding scientists, with two of our members of staff - Professor Sir Harry Kroto and Sir John Cornforth - having received the Nobel Prize for chemistry."

In addition, students will be able to see chemistry applied in industry by visiting the GlaxoSmithKline site.

The Salters' Company now holds chemistry residential camps for 15-year-olds at eight universities around the country. They are staffed by a university host, a lead teacher and a team of five teachers.

The Salters' Chemistry Camp at The University of Sussex is sponsored by: -

The Association for the British Pharmaceutical Industry; Bio-Rad Laboratories Ltd; Institution of Chemical Engineers; The Royal Society; The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Society of Chemical Industry.




* Notes for editors *

University of Sussex Press officers Jacqui Bealing or  Maggie Clune, 01273 678888, J.A.Bealing@sussex.ac.uk, M.T. Clune@sussex.ac.uk

The Salters' Company press officer Lesley Grout
Tel: 020 7628 5962 ext 260
Fax: 020 7638 3679
E-mail: publicity@salters.co.uk
Website: www.chemistrycamps.co.uk




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