Outreach and Public Engagement

Welcome to our Outreach and Public Engagement webpage where you can find information on the various activities that the School of Chemistry undertakes and participates in to communicate and engage with the public on the work that we do, whether it is through written articles, public events or interactions with schools.

Public Engagement with Research

The School of Chemistry has an exciting and active programme of research that tackles some of the many challenges across the globe affecting our everyday lives, including healthcare, energy, the sustainability of resources, and the environment. Researchers within the School of Chemistry specialise in a diverse range of topics, from new developments in the fundamental science that underpin our understanding, to projects with direct application in our everyday lives. Some of our research programmes are showcased in the public engagement ChemBAM project, headed by Dr Zoe Schnepp. This is a growing online resource that uses current research themes to inspire future generations with the relevance of Chemistry in the wider world. ChemBAM was recognised in June 2020 with a national award from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Our activity forms part of the wider work undertaken by the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and colleagues from across the University in explaining why the research that we do matters. For information on upcoming events, ideas and opportunities in public engagement with research, visit the Think: Public Engagement with Research website.

Proforma for recording public engagement activity (staff and student password protected).

Services for Schools

The School of Chemistry is keen to provide a range of resources to support students and teachers involved in the study of Chemistry.

ChemBAM is a fantastic resource thank links University research and real-world chemistry to the National Curriculum.  There are exciting research-linked activities and experiments for all age groups from pre-school to A-level.  The ChemBAM team also runs projects to maximise accessibility of chemistry to undeserved audiences.  For example, the ChemBOX project works with disadvantaged schools and the ChemBAM-VI project is working with visually impaired pupils to develop accessible experiments.

Outreach activities for both teachers and students are available throughout the year, both within our department and at schools and other locations.

The College Outreach Department coordinates various events that are hosted within our department, including:

We also run many in-house activities:

West Midlands Chemistry Teachers' Centre (WMCTC)

We also partner with the West Midlands Chemistry Teachers' Centre (WMCTC). WMCTC organises a varied programme of CPD sessions for Chemistry teachers and events for students. No charge is made for any WMCTC events.

Contact details

For further information on our public engagement with research activities, including ChemBam, for more general enquiries and information about our Services to Schools programme, please contact the School of Chemistry Outreach and Engagement team or via the School of Chemistry contact us page. 

Find out more about the University of Birmingham's outreach activity and information for teachers.