Young Scientists Display Winning Chemistry In Regional Final
23 January 2012
The winning team from Swanwick Hall School, with the University's Dr Alan Wilkinson
This was an outstanding performance as they completed the reaction five seconds faster than any of the other teams.
”Dr Alan Wilkinson, Senior Lecture in Analytical Chem
A Derbyshire school will be representing the Midlands in the finals of a national science competition, after impressing a panel of science judges at the University of Derby recently.
Pupils from Swanwick Hall School in Alfreton, Derbyshire, beat off seven other teams in the East Midlands' Regional Final of the Royal Society of Chemistry's (RSC) 'Top of the Bench Competition'.
The year nine, 10 and 11 pupils, Callum Irvine, Lydia Osborne, Molly Keal and Jake Bennett, displayed some serious scientific knowledge and practical skills in the 'Iodine Clock Reaction Challenge'. They completed the complex chemical reaction within one second of the target time of one minute.
Dr Alan Wilkinson, Senior Lecture in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Derby,who helped to organise the competition said: "This was an outstanding performance as they completed the reaction five seconds faster than any of the other teams. This performance landed them the cup."
"The atmosphere was electric as all the teams had to line up to demonstrate their winning solution to the challenge and each were carefully judged by a panel of expert judges," added Dr Wilkinson.
Teams of students from Leicester Grammar School, the Robert Smyth Academy (Market Harborough), the Dixie Grammar School (Nuneaton), Nottingham High School, Derby High School, the Long Eaton School and Stamford School, all made it through to the 'Top of the Bench' Regional Final, which took place on Saturday January 14 (2012).
RSC member, Sarah Hill from the National Space Centre, gave the students a demonstration of how to make a comet from household products, including a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
A second demonstration was performed by the University of Derby's Dr Wilkinson, who showed how it may be possible to detect life on other planets using luminescence, using the more earthly substance of tonic water.
The winning cup and certificates were presented to the pupils from Swanwick High School by the University's subject head for Biology and Forensics, Professor Paul Lynch. The team will go on to represent the Midlands in the national finals to be held in London later this spring.
