About the Future Chemistry Hub

Hosted by the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Southampton, the Hub explored the theme “From Bench to AI: The Bright World of Sustainable Reactions”. 

Hands-on activities, talks, demonstrations, tours and art showed how chemistry and chemical engineering are helping to address real-world challenges.

Visitors explored interactive exhibits, met researchers working across a wide range of disciplines and discovered how chemistry and chemical engineering connect to everyday life, innovation and future careers.  

A cyanotype exhibition, developed in collaboration with artist Eileen White, provided a creative link between chemistry, light, materials and scientific discovery.   

Activity highlights

Across the hub we had 19 hands-on activities that visitors could take part in and one virtual activity.  

Activities included:

  • Searching for hidden microplastics in a coral reef model
  • Making glowing and ion-exchange slime
  • Using spectroscopy to identify unknown samples
  • Exploring AI, data and digital tools in scientific research
  • Watching radiation tracks appear in a cloud chamber
  • Discovering crystal structures, advanced materials and sustainable technologies
  • Learning how light and photonics are used to understand the molecular world  
     

Check out some of our activity pages

Talks highlights

Visitors attended short, career-focused talks from chemists, chemical engineers, researchers and industry professionals.  

The "Journeys into (and through) Chemistry and Chemical Engineering" programme featured speakers from academia, industry, professional bodies and science communication, who shared their experiences and insights with festival visitors.

Speakers included:

  • Angela Jein (Shimadzu) 
  • Maddie Woodward (Astral Systems) 
  • Freya McGhee (Comedian and children's author) 
  • Gill Reid (University of Southampton) 
  • Ollie Folayan (Institution of Chemical Engineers) 
  • Gianfranco Aresta (Ionoptika) 
  • Dave Mansell (Definition IP) 
  • Martin Grossel (University of Southampton) 
  • Gisoo Pasha Moghaddam (AstraZeneca) 
  • Mansoor D'lavari (University of Southampton) 
  • Guanjie He (UCL) 
  • Claire Adjiman (Imperial College London) 
  • David Rees 
  • Markus Kraft (University of Cambridge) 
  • Goda Stasytyte (UCR Group)

Together, these talks highlighted the breadth of careers and opportunities in chemistry and chemical engineering, spanning research and innovation, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, science communication and leadership. 

A presenter stands at the front of a lecture theatre speaking to an audience at the Future Chemistry Hub talks.
Freya McGhee, chemistry stand-up comedian and author, presents a chemistry-themed talk to a Future Chemistry Hub audience. 

 

Whole school event

More than 120 staff and students from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering helped welcome visitors, run activities, deliver tours and talks, and support the event across both days. Their enthusiasm and expertise made the Hub possible.

Future Legacy

The Hub’s activities will continue to develop beyond the festival. They will be adapted for school outreach, local science festivals and events further afield, helping new audiences explore modern chemistry and chemical engineering.

If you’d like to be part of this work, or have one of our activities visit your school or community, visit our Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Outreach page or email: ChemistryOutreach@soton.ac.uk

Acknowledgements

Thank you to everyone who visited, volunteered or supported the Future Chemistry Hub, and to our sponsors:

We’d also like to thank the support of all the additional volunteers from GCU, Southampton and STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.