Chemistry in Action

On the 29th February, myself and a group of higher chemistry students went to the Chemistry in Action lecture at the Emmanuel Centre in London. In this lecture we gained an insight into multiple fields of chemistry that we could go into in the future and their current ideas and innovations in solving problems with society, the environment and industry.

We learnt about the current progress in making batteries more sustainable by finding more environmentally friendly alternatives for their components while also trying to increase their effectiveness in supplying and storing energy.

In nuclear chemistry we were informed about the ways that nuclear waste can be recycled in order to decrease the amount of high level nuclear waste. Some fission products can be used in medicine to target metastatic cancer cells and in space exploration in the form of nuclear batteries. They debunked misconceptions and explained in detail how nuclear waste is disposed of and how rigorous safety regulations are, which definitely helped ease a lot of our fears about the disposal of nuclear waste affecting the environment.

Then there was a panel of Chemistry graduates who gave their experiences in university and career decisions. We could go into chemical engineering, with study years abroad, and write a PhD on a cell's chemical signals or work in industry in analytical chemistry and do an iterated Masters, or even do an apprenticeship and specialise in crystallisation of medicine. What connected all of their experiences together was a love and curiosity for chemistry.

Since important tests are coming soon, a professional chemistry marker explained and clarified the questions on the papers and helped us avoid common errors in regard to the command terms in the question. As usual, always read the question.

An “Accidental” Material Chemist explained how she became passionate about material chemistry through opportunities offered by university and international competitions, pushing science to its limits. She also wrote a PhD on creating a type of composite pellet that would be viable as a sustainable container of hydrogen to power cars, which involved lots of hands-on practical work and exploring different ratios of material to see new properties.

Finally, we learnt about the ways that synthetic chemistry can help diseases like snake bites in the tropics (a commonly disregarded illness). Current treatments include antivenoms which rely on knowing the species of snake for a specific medicine or having to deal with multiple horrible side effects from receiving many different antivenoms. Antivenoms are also really expensive, hard to synthesise and hard to transport due to their temperature requirements, so chemists have been trying to synthesise glycopolymers in order to replicate the properties of antivenoms in order to diagnose and treat snake bites while also increasing accessibility of healthcare to all people.

This was a fantastic learning experience which broadened our horizons with what we can do with the field of chemistry in the future.       

Adrianne Yu-Mason, Year 12

This was a fantastic introduction to British Science Week which commences on Friday 8th March, so please look out for more STEM events organised by the Science Department.

Mrs Moore, Head of Science

There are a huge number of extra-curricular clubs and competitions running throughout the year that fall within the umbrella of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths). Check out our timetable for a full breakdown.

They start next week and some sixth form activities only run for the autumn term so don’t delay!

Just turn up!

Ms Lusted, STEM Coordinator

Power Day 2 on the 24th November had a STEM theme.

For Years 9 and 10 this meant workshops run by ambassadors. Despite the threat of Covid, we managed to pull in a record number of ambassadors with two full year groups taking part for the first time.

Year 9 each completed three different workshops including food technology, engineering, product design, architecture, emergency medicine, police robotics and computer science. Sadly, the emergency medicine ambassador had her own medical emergency a few days before the event and broke her foot! This meant that she could not deliver the session in person but put together a virtual workshop instead. Although this meant a slightly different approach we all appreciate the efforts she went to!

For Year 10, seven engineers from a variety of specialisms joined them in completing a series of tasks and challenges throughout the day. We are extremely grateful to them all for giving up their time to come in and inspire our young people.

Every workshop meant an opportunity to work as a team, problem solve and think creatively, and also meet someone who really works in that field. As always our students impressed all our visitors with their attitudes, efforts and achievements. The ideas and creations from both year groups were amazing, and I couldn’t have been more proud!

"In engineering we were tasked to make a roller coaster out of various materials like cardboard boxes, paper cups and tape. For the first part of the session we were taught about different types of engineering and the process engineers go through to create. I think it would have been a little more interesting to learn more about the different jobs you can go into regarding engineering and the different subjects within it, as they were only touched on briefly. Making the roller coaster was very fun, and the presenter made sure to come around to each group and check how we were working. I think the group sizes (about four or five) worked very well as there were enough people so that there were lots of ideas, and it was enjoyable, but not too many that there was room for arguments, and it was very well planned and termed so that we could all understand.

I think a lot of people wanted to do cooking, so some were disappointed when they didn't get it. Obviously that can't be helped, but I wonder if there are ways to get more engaging subjects for people who aren't as academically focused on classic STEM subjects. I think a good example of this was the last minute product design workshop that replaced the medicinal chemistry one, but I think all the workshops did a good job of being accessible and engaging for all students.”

A happy student, Year 9

Click here to view the STEM Power Day 2 2021 photo album.

It has already been a busy start to the year for ‘STEM’ers at BGS.

Timetable of clubs

Increasing Diversity in STEM
We are all well aware of the stereotypes around what an ‘engineer’ looks like and the lack of diversity in some STEM careers. At BGS we are passionate about levelling the playing field and ensuring everyone has high aspirations and the opportunities to achieve them. There is an amazing program coming up, and I am pleased to help support our students in applying.

Young Women in STEM - female talent programme 
Female and non-binary students in Year 12 could get the opportunity to learn about the world of STEM through a series of group mentoring sessions, work experience and workshops. Plus meet the females leading top UK companies.

With the option to nominate only ten students and only 100 places available nationally, competition will be stiff, but I hope to be reporting the successful application of our students in the coming weeks.

Engineering Club - Special Event
Open to all years! ‘I’m an Engineer, Get me out of here’ SPACE edition!

When? Monday 18th October 3.15pm- 4.15pm Where? H2

We will be chatting live to real engineers who work in the field of space exploration and observation. Please email lusted_r@bexleygs.co.uk if you are interested in joining us for this event.

The Senior Society
The Senior Society has been researching and taking it in turns to present on topics of their own choosing and are looking at attending some online lectures.

You can join these lectures too using the link: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/attend/

The Senior Science Society is a group of Sixth Form students that gather together once a week to present and discuss a range of scientific topics. From next-gen fighter jets to new Covid treatments, it provides an opportunity for students to come together and engage with scientific news around the world, as science should not be limited to the classroom. Recently, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to deliver a presentation on Dementia and how cognitive stimulation in the workplace could lower the risks of developing the disease later on in life. The presentation allowed me to not only share new scientific knowledge with my peers, but also to start conversations about the validity of scientific experiments and what it means for a study to be “reliable”. If there is one thing I really enjoy about the Senior Science Society, it is definitely the discussions we have after presentations. Hearing the variety of viewpoints and passionate ideas that other students have is refreshing, and further amplifies my belief that learning science is about keeping in touch with the world around you and how it relates back to what you know.

Shannen Sarkodie, Year 13