WMCTC PROGRAMME FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 TO JULY 2012

Date	Title
Tuesday 27 September 2011	AUTUMN MEETING FOR TEACHERS OF CHEMISTRY AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING	Details
Tuesday 11 October 2011	SMACK, CRACK, SPEED AND WEED – A FORENSIC CHEMIST’S TALE	Details
Tuesday 18 October 2011	A HEALTHY, WEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE WORLD	Details
Tuesday 15 November 2011	A LITTLE LIGHT RELIEF	Details
Tuesday 6 December 2011	CHEMICAL MAGIC	Details
Tuesday 10 January 2012	ADVANCED LEVEL REVISION: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY MECHANISMS	Details
Tuesday 28 February 2012	ORGANIC CHEMISTRY: FROM DRUG DISCOVERY TO NANOTECHNOLOGY NEW	Details
Tuesday 13 March 2012	CHEMICAL QUIZ: THE FINALS Please apply by 31 October 2011	Details
Tuesday 20 March 2012	CHEMICAL ENGINEERING OF CHOCOLATE CRÈME EGGS	Details
Wednesday 27 June 2012	AN INDUSTRIAL VISIT TO A CHEMICAL PLANT: ROBINSON BROTHERS LTD., WEST BROMWICH NOW FULL	Details
Thursday 28 June 2012	PRETTY, PRETTY, BANG, BANG!! THE CHEMISTRY OF FIREWORKS AND EXPLOSIVES NOW FULL	Details

Tuesday 27 September 2011 starting at 7.00 pm. (Teachers’ CPD Meeting) Venue: King Edward VI High School for Girls (B15 2UB) “AUTUMN MEETING FOR ALL TEACHERS OF CHEMISTRY” In conjunction with the Royal Society of Chemistry Education Division Midland Region. Another opportunity for you to meet like-minded teachers of Chemistry, renew existing contacts and meet new friends. Find out how teachers in other schools and colleges are responding to the current changes in the science curriculum and assessment procedures. You are not alone! Share your thoughts and ideas. Come and gain some insights into how others teach Chemistry, perhaps find out about interesting practical work and how to teach those tricky topics – even mole calculations are easy when you know how! Feel the enthusiasm! And no social gathering is complete without sustenance – be reassured, refreshments will be provided. Perhaps you would like to make a positive contribution to the continuing development of Chemical Education in the Midlands Region? If so, you may wish to join the WMCTC Committee as one of the teacher representatives. NQT or experienced teacher – your input will be very welcome and much appreciated. Please let us know. The WMCTC Annual General Meeting takes place during the evening and the agenda includes the election of teacher representatives to serve on the Committee – an excellent CPD opportunity. A Certificate of Attendance will be available for your Portfolio. There is no Registration Fee If you would like to come to this Meeting, please email the Chair (Jill Oldfield: j.oldfield@kingedhs.bham.sch.uk giving your name, school/college address and telephone number (work and home/mobile) and preferred email address. TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 11 October 2011 starting at 7.00 pm. (Sixth Form Meeting) Haworth 101 “SMACK, CRACK, SPEED AND WEED - A FORENSIC CHEMIST’S TALE” By popular request, essential information for scientifically literate students. And you thought that you knew it all! Try not to miss this one! Dr Mike Griffin, Metropolitan Police Laboratory Drugs Division (Retired). Sixth Form Lecture Demonstration. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 18 October 2011 starting at 7.00 pm. (Sixth Form Meeting) Haworth 101 “A HEALTHY, WEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE WORLD” The world stands at a crossroads. What route to the future should we take? The road to the sustainable city beckons, but what effect will this have on chemistry, which appears so dependent on fossil fuel resources? Its products are part of everyday living, and without them we could regress to the world of earlier generations when lives were blighted by disease, famines, dirt and pain. In fact the industries based on chemistry – the chemical, agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries – could be sustainable and not only benefit those in the developed world but could be shared by everyone on this planet and for generations to come. This talk will deal with things we regard as essential to a developed lifestyle and which depend on chemistry, namely food, water, fuel, heating, drugs and plastics, as well as other areas where its role is less obvious, such as city living and sport. Dr John Emsley, University of Cambridge and popular science writer. Sixth Form Lecture. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed ChemNet Members are invited to a Reception after the talk. TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 15 November 2011 starting at 7.00 pm. (Sixth Form Meeting) Haworth 101 “A LITTLE LIGHT RELIEF” Light, particularly sunlight, has always occupied a mystical power over all civilisations and is commonly held to bestow good health upon recipients of its rays. That there is both truth and fallacy in such beliefs will be demonstrated in this lecture which deals with the science of photo-medicine. The subject encompasses effects of light on the skin; diagnostic uses of light and therapeutic aspects. We will concentrate on the latter, but not before a brief consideration of harmful effects of solar radiation. Therapeutic uses include treatment of skin complaints such as psoriasis, treatment of neo-natal jaundice, and photo-inactivation of viral, bacterial and fungal infections. The laser has revolutionised some aspects of medicine, and laser applications discussed will include laser surgery using infrared and ultraviolet lasers and the use of lasers plus chemical sensitisers to destroy tumours selectively (photodynamic therapy). The topic is illustrated with many demonstrations, and gives an overview of the subject from the point of view of a chemist. Professor David Phillips OBE, Imperial College London and President of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 6 December 2011 at 7.00 pm. (Sixth Form Meeting) Haworth 101 “CHEMICAL MAGIC” By popular request, their majestic maestros masterfully maximise mysteriously many moving memorable magical momentous magnificant masquerades metaphorically. Dr Ray Plevey & Mrs Rosemary Plevey, School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham. Sixth Form Lecture Demonstration. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 10 January 2012 starting at 7.00 pm.(Sixth Form Revision Meeting) Haworth 101 “ADVANCED LEVEL REVISION: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY MECHANISMS” More fun getting to grips with this aspect of Chemistry for your Advanced Level Students. Dr Graham Curtis, a very experienced Senior Examiner, will lead the meeting. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 28 February 2012 starting at 7.00 pm. (Sixth Form Meeting) Haworth 101 “ ORGANIC CHEMISTRY: FROM DRUG DISCOVERY TO NANOTECHNOLOGY” Exciting cutting edge chemistry. Synthetic organic chemistry, the processes involved in drug discovery and the importance of nanotechnology are discussed, and the hype and myth placed into context. Dr Andrew Sutherland, School of Chemical Engineering & Applied Science, Aston University. Sixth Form Lecture. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed. TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 13 March 2012 starting at 6.15 pm. (Year 10 and Year 11) “CHEMICAL QUIZ: THE FINALS” Venue: School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham: Haworth 101 Once more, let battle commence. The last eight teams test their knowledge and understanding of Chemistry to be the West Midlands Representatives in the National Top of the Bench Challenge. Co-ordinated by Dr John Crossley ( j.crossley987@btinternet.com ) Preliminary Rounds take place in January and February 2012. TOP of PAGE

Tuesday 20 March 2012 starting at 7.00 pm. (Sixth Form Meeting) “CHEMICAL ENGINEERING OF CHOCOLATE CRÈME EGGS” Venue: School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham: Haworth 101 The secrets of the crème egg revealed. Chocoholics beware – is this the time to diet and watch the calories? Let others indulge? Professor Peter Fryer, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham. Sixth Form Lecture. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed. TOP of PAGE

Wednesday 27 June 2012 from 10.00 until 12.00 (Teachers’ CPD Meeting) “AN INDUSTRIAL VISIT TO A CHEMICAL PLANT: ROBINSON BROTHERS LTD., WEST BROMWICH” This is the opportunity for you to visit a Chemical Plant. Of particular interest to teachers of Chemistry at GCSE, Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level who want to know more about chemistry in the workplace. Robinson Brothers are a speciality chemicals manufacturer using batch processing equipment from 1 to 3 m3 vessels. They produce drug and food related precursors and products mainly, but will produce any high-value product in small quantity. The West Bromwich plant has in excess of 50 reactors and they can be using 20+ different reaction mechanisms at any one time. The vessels are mainly glass-lined steel and are equipped with very large Quickfit glassware, just like large laboratory equipment. You can see the vessels and get close to the components, unlike most chemical production plants. The range of reactions is huge, from Friedel-Crafts to high pressure hydrogenation. Robinsons are accredited by the United States Food and Drug Administration, a very strict quality system, as well as numerous other international bodies. Coordinated by Dr Gary Leeke, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham. To register your interest, please contact Gary Leeke: g.a.leeke@bham.ac.uk as soon as possible but no later than 31 May 2012. Please give your name, school/college address, telephone number and preferred email address. TOP of PAGE

Thursday 28 June 2012 starting at 1.30 pm. (Year 9 and Year 10) Venue: Great Hall Aston University “ PRETTY, PRETTY, BANG, BANG!! THE CHEMISTRY OF FIREWORKS AND EXPLOSIVES” Exciting Chemistry to delight and fascinate the young audience of future Chemists. Professor Jacqueline Akhavan, Cranfield University. Year 9 & 10 Lecture Demonstration. Tickets needed. Ticket Application Form must be completed Please download the Ticket Application Form for this event here TOP of PAGE