Bang goes the Theory - Southampton-style
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) called on Southampton's researchers and students when they wanted to enthuse children about science at a Bang Goes the Theory Live BBC TV roadshow.
Outreach specialist Ben Littlefield and his team invited curious members of the public to tell the difference between spearmint and caraway (enantiomers) as well as amazing them with dry ice, indicators and a few of chemistry's trademark bad smells.
The RSC asked Southampton's Chemistry Teaching Fellow Dr David Read if he could supply some eager volunteers to be part of the popular science event for three days in June at The Lighthouse in Poole. Designed for young people, Bang Goes the Theory brings science to life for viewers of all ages.
"It was great to meet people and explain what we do in chemistry," says Ben. "We found some of the most interesting questions came from five year old children - or people in their 70s."
Ben's team were Louise Karagiannidis (PhD student), Jennifer Clarke (PhD student from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton), Charlotte Mardle (PhD student), Chris Hinde (PhD student) and Sivan Van Aswegen (second year undergraduate).