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Our Outreach activities

We provide a variety of fun-filled scientific activities suitable for all ages. These hands-on lectures and demonstrations are aimed at everyone, regardless of scientific background, with an Educate and Entertain ethos.

Our department has widespread research interests that provide an excellent feeding ground for public engagement activities. Our aim is to translate our findings and make them accessible for the general public. 

  • Levelling Up: Aspire Higher

    Levelling Up: Aspire Higher is an academic and pastoral support programme, targeted at students who are aiming to pursue the study of chemistry at university (we also offer similar programmes in maths and physics).
    Chemistry equations written on a clear screen

  • Our outreach programme

    Details of our Outreach programme, open to everyone, regardless of scientific background.
    Young students smiling and wearing protective eye equipment

Levelling Up: Aspire Higher

Levelling Up: Aspire Higher is an academic and pastoral support programme, targeted at students who are aiming to pursue the study of chemistry at university (we also offer similar programmes in maths and physics).
Chemistry equations written on a clear screen

Our outreach programme

Details of our Outreach programme, open to everyone, regardless of scientific background.
Young students smiling and wearing protective eye equipment
More about our research and impact
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Light, Colour, Camera, Action

What do sweet wrappers, Pink Floyd, Darth Vader and fibre optic broadband have in common? Light! This is a fun, hands-on activity to ‘wow’ people about light and fluorescence. This nationally-renowned event has been run by Durham and the RSC for ten years now, with over 10,000 attendees to date.

NanoBattleBots: Defenders of mankind

Our ‘nanomachines’ are the ‘laser-guided missiles’ in humanity’s fight against cancer. They ‘burst’ cancer cells by drilling into them, leaving healthy cells alive. This precision-guided approach could be a versatile treatment for many types of cancer with minimal side-effects. This is a Royal Society Public Engagement funded project.

 

 

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Bubbles and Bilayers: Science at the interface

Take a dip into the science of bubbles with us to explore what makes bubbles work. With support from the Royal Society, we present the science of interfaces and bilayers in an accessible "hands on" way for all ages.

Shedding Light on Medieval Manuscripts

What can modern spectroscopy using light reveal form the past? Join Professor Andrew Beeby in his quest to unveil some fascinating unwritten hidden stories from the pages of ancient books and maps.  Learn about pigments and dyes used by the illustrators and track their journeys across the globe.

 

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Chemistry for Scouting and Guiding

Chemistry for Scouting and Guiding (ChemSG) is an outreach organisation founded by chemistry PhD students aimed at bringing fun, educational chemistry activities to Scouting and Guiding groups in County Durham.