Healthy Science Prize

The 2013 RSC Bill Bryson Prize Competition has just been announced. The prize is designed to recognise and encourage excellent science communication in schools and colleges. The prize is supported by well-known writer and commentator Bill Bryson (above) who is also involved with the judging process.And there is an international category – so entries from Belgium are welcome!

The competition is open to all students aged 5-18 with entries accepted in any format as long as they accurately communicate science appropriate for their chosen audience. Entries could be in the form of videos, podcasts, posters, or cartoons and poems. Use your imagination – your creative idea is the key to success in this competition!

This year the question posed by the RSC Bill Bryson Prize is: ‘How does science keep us healthy?’

Students aged 5–18 around the world will be thinking up creative answers to this question. Competition entries can be submitted in any format, from posters to puzzles to podcasts, as long as the content fits with the 2013 theme.

Closing date
This popular competition will be judged in three categories, primary school, secondary school and international, with both individual and group entries accepted. The closing date for entries is 31 March 2013.

The best entries from each category will receive a prize of £500 (~€625) for their school, and £100 (~€125) for the winning students to share. Bill Bryson will present UK winners with their prizes in the Houses of Parliament.

Visit the RSC website for more information and details of how to enter. A promotional poster for the competition can be downloaded here.

Chemistry Week 2013
The theme of the Bill Bryson Prize fits with the theme of this year’s Chemistry Week, which will take place between 16 and 23 November 2013. The overall theme is ‘Health’ covering topics such as Ageing, Hygiene, Lifestyle, Nutrition and Future Health.

More resources, more prizes

More news on new chemistry resources for teachers has come our way from European Schoolnet. The "Chemistry: all about you" project was developed by European Schoolnet on behalf of the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) and is aimed at secondary schools teachers.

"Chemistry: all about you" is a project to teach chemistry in a fun and innovative way. It includes an amazing video about chemistry in our life and a teachers' guidelines to plan and support lessons using the video developed by the EPCA. The Teachers' guidelines and the video are available in French, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Croatian and Hungarian in addition to English.


The “Chemistry: all about you” team are keen to receive any feedback on the project that you may have on the content and in particular the teachers' guidelines.

Bryson Prize
The RSC Bill Bryson Prize is designed to encourage and recognise clear science ommunication in schools and colleges. The prize is supported by well-known writer and commentator Bill Bryson (right) who is also involved with the judging process.

For 2012 the Bill Bryson Prize offers the chance to welcome the Olympics to the UK. To support this major event the 2012 competition theme will be "Science and Sport”, to celebrate the major role that science plays in supporting sport around the world.

The Prize is open to students aged 5-18 and entries can be submitted in all formats, from posters to power points to puzzles! The competition will be judged in three categories, primary school, secondary school and International (non-UK) school, with both individual and group entries accepted. The best entries from each category will receive a cash prize of £500 for their institution, and £100 for the winning students – so well worth it!

The closing date for entries is 31 March 2012 and more information including downloadable application forms can be found on the RSC website .