Ten Years of Norman Lloyd Scholarships Celebrated

On the evening of Tuesday 10 September RSC Belgium held a special ‘Celebration of Chemistry’ event in the Brel Theatre at the British School of Brussels (BSB) to celebrate two of our initiatives that aim to support young people studying chemistry and to deepen their interest in the chemical sciences as a career.

The event was the prize giving event for our 2024 Chemistry Challenge initiative (see separate blog for the results and prize winners) for students in their penultimate year in high school and also marked ten years of our Norman Lloyd scholarships at Cardiff University. The scholarships are awarded to a first-year student studying chemistry at Cardiff.

After the prize awards ceremony for the 2024 Chemistry Challenge RSC Belgium, Chair Professor Bob Crichton described the Norman Lloyd Scholarships and how they came about.

The scholarships were established in 2014 in memory of Dr Norman Lloyd, who was one of RSC Belgium’s founding members and an active and enthusiastic supporter of the section’s activities. The scholarship fund was established following the immense generosity of Norman’s friends, family and colleagues at Dow Corning, where he was Director of Research for Europe until his retirement in 1992. 

In consultation with Norman’s family, it was decided to approach Cardiff University to establish the Dr Norman C. Lloyd Scholarships to provide an annual scholarship of £1,000 for an undergraduate student, in their first year of study and from a relatively deprived or underrepresented background, in the Cardiff School of Chemistry.

Bob outlined Norman’s illustrious career and his many valuable contributions to the section’s activities both scientific and social.

RSC Belgium secretary Tim Reynolds then presented the ten scholars that the fund had supported from 2014 to 2024 highlighting their appreciation of the scholarship’s support and its impact on their  experience at university and beyond.

Norman’s daughter Mitchko (pictured above with Bob, Norman’s widow Setsuko. and our speaker from Cardiff, Dr Tom Tatchell) responded on behalf of the family and thanked everyone who had contributed to the fund. She felt it had been a very fitting tribute to her father.

Chemistry at Cardiff

Our main speaker at the event was Dr Tom Tatchell who is Education & Students Manager at the School of Chemistry at Cardiff University and talked about the impact of the Scholarships at Cardiff.

Tom expanded his presentation to cover the general area of chemistry and education, the current chemical sciences job market, and the changing face of chemistry with respect to future trends such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) etc. He talked about studying chemistry, how it has changed from being very “bench” focussed to now needing other complementary skills like management, business and languages.

Earlier in the day Tom had visited St Johns International School in Waterloo to talk to students about careers in and further study of the chemical sciences.

After the talks, a drinks reception was held for all attendees.

The Future of the Chemical Sciences

On the evening of Thursday 23 May 2024 RSC Belgium was delighted to be welcome the President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Professor Gillian Reid, to Belgium to talk to us about her research and update us on RSC activities around the world. The talk took place at the British School of Brussels in Tervuren.

Gill’s talk was entitled ‘The Future of the Chemical Sciences’. Gill Reid is a long serving member of the chemical science community and a passionate advocate for our discipline. As she nears the end of her two-year tenure as RSC President she talked about the highlights from her time as President and the opportunities she sees for the future of the chemical sciences.

Gill said that one of the many great advantages of the RSC is that our 50,000 members worldwide represented the whole breadth of the chemical science community from teachers introducing children to chemistry for the first time, to chemists in industry and academia who are pushing forward the boundaries of our discipline. This means that the RSC gets a very broad picture of the trends and issues that are shaping the future of the chemical sciences.

Gill shared what the society sees as the key opportunities for the chemical sciences and our priorities in helping the community make the most of these. There is no doubt that chemistry is a powerful catalyst for change and the impact of our chemistry community is incredible: from developing medicines, vaccines and diagnostics when the world needs them most to keeping our food and water safe, clean and in good supply; creating revolutionary technologies and materials to generate and store clean energy and, most importantly, inspiring generations of young minds, helping them forge their paths to fulfilling careers and lives.

Gill's presentation sparked a lively question and answer session with conversations continuing into the networking reception after the talk.

YouTube Video

Gill's whistle-stop tour of some of the most important areas of RSC activity was recorded and can be found on our dedicated Youtube channel or as an embedded video below. Enjoy!

Gill's Biography

Gillian Reid is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and former Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Southampton. Her research involves coordination chemistry, inorganic semiconductors and metal fluoride scaffolds. In 2020, she was appointed the President-elect of the Royal Society of Chemistry, becoming President in 2022 for a two-year term.

Gill became interested in chemistry whilst at high school and studied the subject at the University of Edinburgh, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1986. She remained there for her doctoral research on macrocyclic complexes. After her PhD, and a two-year postdoctoral research position in Edinburgh, Reid moved to a lectureship in the University of Southampton.

She was promoted to Professor in 2006 and under her leadership, Southampton joined the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry. Reid leads molecular assembly and structure at the University. Her work in inorganic coordination chemistry has a particular focus on the design of macrocyclic ligands that involve chalcogen donor atoms. She makes use of non-aqueous electrodeposition to grow inorganic semiconductor alloys. Electrodeposition allows for bottom-up growth without the need for an ultra-high vacuum environment. She has also created molecular reagents that allow the synthesis of compounds for use in non-volatile memory, thermoelectric generators and two-dimensional materials.

Gill is a great believer in outreach activities and was co-founder of the Southampton Science and Engineering Day, which evolved into the Southampton Science and Engineering Festival. In 2010, Reid was made the Head of the Department of Chemistry Outreach Programme and in 2015, she co-led the Royal Society Summer Science exhibit ‘Taking Technology Smaller’, which introduced the public to electrochemistry as a means to build nanoscale electronic devices.

Ninth Norman Lloyd Scholar reports in!

Benjamin Condon (pictured below), the ninth recipient of a Dr Norman C. Lloyd Scholarship at Cardiff University has completed the first year of his MCheM degree in Chemistry at the university and he has submitted an end of year report. The Norman Lloyd Scholarship is given to a new student in the Cardiff School of Chemistry who is of high academic standing and resident in Wales. The tenth recipient of the Scholarship at Cardiff has also just been announced.

What degree are you undertaking and why did you choose the course here?

I am currently undertaking an undergraduate degree in chemistry. I chose the course as a pathway towards studying postgraduate medicine.

What is the best thing about studying at Cardiff and how have you found your experience so far?

The best thing about studying at Cardiff University is its vibrant academic community, fostering both intellectual growth and personal development. So far, I have had various practical learning opportunities and a supportive network of staff and peers to assist me in my journey. From internships to student societies, Cardiff has offered me a diverse range of experiences that that are preparing me for academic success.

What are your plans after you graduate?

Currently I am still aiming towards a career as a cardiothoracic surgeon.

What have you enjoyed most and what have you found most challenging?

I have found the academic content most challenging. Specifically organic chemistry which requires highly logical thinking. However, it has been extremely gratifying to apply the theoretical knowledge I learn in practical laboratory settings.

What do you do in your spare time/alongside your degree?

I am studying financial investing alongside my degree.

What difference has this scholarship made to you? Has it enabled you to achieve anything that you would not have been able to before?

The Dr Norman Lloyd Scholarship has been massively beneficial in supporting my university journey. It has eased financial burdens, allowing me to focus on my studies. It has enabled me to give up a part-time job, which I was working for a whole semester, which allowed me far more time to revise. I directly attribute some of my success in the first year to this scholarship and the support it has given me.

If you could say something to the donor who gave you this gift, what would it be?

I am so very grateful. Your generosity has lightened my financial load and empowered me to pursue my academic goals with focus and determination. Thank you for your commitment to helping students like me succeed.

We wish Benjamin every success for the future!

The scholarship

The Norman Lloyd scholarship was set up by RSC Belgium in collaboration with Norman’s family and Cardiff University in memory of our old friend and supporter Norman Lloyd. Norman was himself a student at an institution that is now part of the university. The funds raised provide an annual scholarship of £1,000 for an undergraduate student, usually in their first year of study, at the Cardiff School of Chemistry.

BSB win RSC Belgium's TOTB 2023

On Saturday 18 November, the 2023 RSC Belgium Top of the Bench (TOTB) regional heat was held at the British School of Brussels (BSB). Teams from BSB, the International School of Flanders (ISF) and St. Johns International School (St Johns) participated in the competition to represent Belgium at the UK final.

The TOTB heat 'kicked off' at 13h30. This year the contest was in three parts and was devised by RSC committee members Susan Schamp and Rita Woodward. The initial task was a group challenge involving a 30-minute written Chemistry Quiz involving creative thinking exercises. All group members worked together on this activity.

After a short break the main group practical activity took place. This was a 90-minute hands-on Chemistry Investigation.

Finally, after a longer break with some refreshments, the individual team members undertook a further 30-minute, multiple choice, age-appropriate written Chemistry Quiz. Each four-person TOTB team consists of two students from Year 9 (Grade 8), one student from Year 10 (Grade 9) and one student from Year 11 (Grade 10). The Year 9 students completed one quiz and the Year 10 and 11 students completed a second quiz.

Joining Rita and Susan in observing and judging the event were Olivier Schamp and RSC Belgium Chair Bob Crichton with section secretary, Tim Reynolds, also there to take the photos. Also present throughout the day were RSC committee member and Head of Chemistry at BSB, Jonathan Norris, RSC committee member and Head of Chemistry at St. Johns, Julie Tuppeny, and chemistry teacher Beatriz Rocha from ISF.

A close result

The competition was extremely keen and it was a very tight contest. In terms of determining the final winner of the event, the weightings for the three components were: Group Challenge – 20%, Practical Activity – 50%, and Multiple Choice – 30%.

After an extensive consultation by the judging panel, Team Baekeland from BSB were declared the winners and received the coveted Keith Price Cup (see below - the team are pictured with, from left to right, Rita Woodward, Susan Schamp, Bob Crichton and Olivier Schamp).

The Baekeland team will now represent the Belgium section at the UK National finals of TOTB that will be held on Saturday 16 March 2024 at Edinburgh Napier University. We wish them the best!

Our thanks as ever to Susan and Rita for developing the written and practical tasks for our Top of the Bench event and all the teams for their enthusiasm and hard work. Congratulations to the winners and everyone who took part.

The Magic of Miniature Molecular Machines

On the evening of Thursday 24 November RSC Belgium welcomed back Professor David Leigh from University of Manchester to talk about ‘Making the tiniest Machines’ with some extraordinary chemistry and also a few marvellous magic tricks! David is not only a skilled research leader and presenter but also a member of his local Magic Circle so we were treated to a highly informative and entertaining evening. The talk was hosted at the British School of Brussels in Tervuren and was also online.

According to the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Committee “We are at the dawn of a new industrial revolution of the twenty-first century, and the future will show how molecular machinery can become an integral part of our lives. The advances made have also led to the first steps towards creating truly programmable machines, and it can be envisaged that molecular robotics will be one of the next major scientific areas.”

In his highly entertaining talk David took us through much of the research that led to that statement and the award of the Chemistry Nobel Prize in 2016 to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa "for the design and synthesis of molecular machines". 

Molecular motion

In recent years, some of the first examples of synthetic molecular level machines and motors—all be they primitive by biological standards—have been developed. These molecules are often best designed to work through statistical mechanisms, rectifying random thermal motion through ratchet mechanisms in a manner reminiscent of Maxwell’s Demon. The first programmable systems have been introduced: the forerunners of a new technological era of molecular robotics.

Perhaps the best way to appreciate the technological potential of controlled molecular-level motion is to recognise that nanomotors and molecular-level machines lie at the heart of every significant biological process. Over billions of years of evolution Nature has not repeatedly chosen this solution for achieving complex task performance without good reason. In stark contrast to biology, none of mankind’s fantastic myriad of present day technologies exploit controlled molecular-level motion in any way at all: every catalyst, every material, every plastic, every pharmaceutical, every chemical reagent, all function exclusively through their static or equilibrium dynamic properties. When we learn how to build artificial structures that can control and exploit molecular level motion, and interface their effects directly with other molecular-level substructures and the outside world, it will potentially impact on every aspect of functional molecule and materials design. An improved understanding of physics and biology will surely follow.

You can find out much more about David’s research group and their work (including the recent ‘Tape reading rachet’ paper in Nature and numerous informative video) on their dedicated website. And you can also view a pdf version of David's presentation here.

Norman Lloyd Fundraiser 2022

RSC Belgium members and friends were treated to a sunny afternoon on Saturday 20 August to raise funds for our Dr. Norman Lloyd Scholarships at Cardiff University.

Our hosts for the afternoon were Rita and Peter Woodward and the venue was their beautiful garden in Duisberg.

Assisting with proceedings were are Nina (Nostra Nina Lions from D’Es) and Treeze (Treeze Lions from D’Es) - Rita and Peter's two pedigree Leonbergers. Leonbergers are rather large but very friendly canines, but if they decide to lean on you you know about it! 

Rita and Peter provided a sumptuous spread for their guests including drinks. Tim Reynolds brought along Timm's Pimm's and blackberry sherbet.

A tombola was held with some fine prizes and in total, including donations from people unable to attend, over 900 euros were raised for our Norman Lloyd scholarships.

The Scholarships

The Norman Lloyd scholarship was established by RSC Belgium in cooperation with Cardiff University in memory of our long-term friend and supporter Norman Lloyd.  The Dr Norman C. Lloyd Scholarship provides an annual scholarship of £1,000 for an undergraduate student, usually in their first year of study,  at the Cardiff School of Chemistry. So far eight undergraduates have been recipients of the award. Find out more here.

If you would like to make a donation to the Scholarship fund, you can transfer your contribution to the RSC Belgium ING account BE 91 3630 8144 4876 making sure to include the reference 'Norman Lloyd Scholarship Fund'.

Chemical recycling: Enabling plastic waste to become a valuable resource

On the evening of Thursday 31 March 2022 RSC Belgium members and friends enjoyed a highly informative talk on 'Chemical recycling: Enabling plastic waste to become a valuable resource' with Henk Pool from Cefic – the European Chemical Industries Association.

“Every year, Europeans generate 25 million tonnes of plastic waste, but less than 30% is collected for recycling” states the 2018 European Plastics Strategy. Henk showed us how EU regulation and chemical innovation is ensuring that recycling and reuse can minimise waste and build a circular economy for plastics in Europe.

EU initiatives

The EU Green Deal is at the heart of the EU’s ambitions of becoming a climate-neutral continent. To meet these ambitious European objectives, much more plastic waste needs to be collected, sorted and prepared for recycling and a broader range of markets need to be supplied with plastic products containing recycled content.

The European ambition to transition from a linear economy towards a sustainable circular economy calls for an array of complementary innovative recycling solutions and business models. Chemical recycling enables the production of chemicals including plastics from End-of-Life plastic waste streams that are currently incinerated, placed in landfill or exported.

Over the last decades, recycling of plastics has been mostly limited to plastic waste streams which were relatively easy to collect and recycle through mechanical recycling. For packaging this led to overall plastic recycling rate of 41%. Yet still today, a large part of plastic waste ends up in landfill or incineration.

Chemical innovation

To further increase plastic recycling, other and complementary recycling routes will be required to process plastics that are difficult to be handled in mechanical recycling processes. Chemical recycling can therefore fill a void in the plastics recycling loop, conserve valuable resources, and contribute to the creation of a low-carbon circular economy.

Chemical recycling technologies allow the use of plastic waste as feedstock for the chemical industry and replace fossil feedstock materials to produce new chemicals including plastics. Chemical recycling can upgrade the quality and produce secondary feedstock materials that are equivalent to virgin resources. Chemical recycling also has the potential to remove undesired additives and impurities allowing the use as recycled content in high-demanding applications such as food contact materials or medical applications.

During the webinar Henk clarified the different recycling options and routes for plastic waste; took us through the EU policy framework and its developments; and discussed the progress made and the need for further collaboration in technology development, value chain – market developments, and policy development to hit the EU’s ambitious targets.

More information

You can access the slides that Henk presented here and much more information on initiatives in this area can be found on Cefic’s Chemical Recycling Website.

The Beauty of Chemistry

On the evening of Thursday 21 October RSC Belgium members and friends were treated to a highly informative and inspiring webinar talk from regular Chemistry World columnist and author Dr Philip Ball on The Beauty of Chemistry.

Scientists often talk informally of “beauty” in ideas, experiments and theories - but what do they mean by it? Philip Ball’s recent book with Chinese science photographers Yan Liang and Wenting Zhu offers one answer. Entitled The Beauty of Chemistry, and published by MIT Press, it presents astonishing photos of chemical processes, many based on the videos Yan and Wenting made for their online Envisioning Chemistry project and exhibition in collaboration with the Chinese Chemical Society, which has received international acclaim.

The book has also received numerous plaudits. Alán Aspuru-Guzik, Professor of Chemistry and Computer Science at the University of Toronto said: “This book combines rich descriptions of chemical phenomena with stunning photography of them as they happen. As a child, I was drawn to chemistry by the wonders of precipitating powders, fizzy water, and other ever-present phenomena. The Beauty of Chemistry took me back to those times.” 

In the book and webinar talk Philip argued that chemistry excels in its sensual allure: its colours, textures, patterns, even smells, speak immediately to the senses and are often what draw chemists to study their subject. All the same, he argued, scientific notions of beauty are complicated and not always compatible with the way the word is used in art and aesthetics.

Chemistry is not just about microscopic atoms doing inscrutable things; it is the process that makes flowers and galaxies. We rely on it for bread-baking, vegetable-growing, and producing the materials of daily life. In stunning images and illuminating text, “The Beauty of Chemistry” captures chemistry as it unfolds. Using such techniques as microphotography, time-lapse photography, and infrared thermal imaging, The Beauty of Chemistry shows us how chemistry underpins the formation of snowflakes, the science of champagne, the colours of flowers, and other wonders of nature and technology. We see the marvellous configurations of chemical gardens; the amazing transformations of evaporation, distillation, and precipitation; heat made visible; and more.

Relive the beauty!

Phil's excellent talk was recorded and you can relive the lecture either below or via the new RSC Belgium YouTube channel.  Enjoy!

About the speaker

Philip Ball is a freelance science writer and author. He worked previously at Nature for over 20 years, first as an editor for physical sciences (for which his brief extended from biochemistry to quantum physics and materials science) and then as a Consultant Editor. His writings on science for the popular press have covered topical issues ranging from cosmology to the future of molecular biology.

Philip continues to write regularly for Nature. He has contributed to publications ranging from New Scientist to the New York Times, the Guardian, the Financial Times and New Statesman. He is a contributing editor of Prospect magazine (for which he writes a science blog), and also a columnist for Chemistry World, Nature Materials, and the Italian science magazine Sapere. He is a frequent TV and radio broadcaster, and is a presenter of "Science Stories" on BBC Radio 4. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, sits on the editorial board of Chemistry World and Interdiscipinary Science Reviews, and is a board member of the RESOLV network on solvation science at the Ruhr University of Bochum.

He has written many popular books on science and its intersections with the wider culture, including works on the nature of water, pattern formation in the natural world, colour in art, the science of social and political philosophy, the cognition of music, and physics in Nazi Germany.

His titles include The Self-Made Tapestry, Critical Mass, Bright Earth and Invisible. His latest book is The Modern Myths.

Philip has a BA in Chemistry from the University of Oxford and a PhD in Physics from the University of Bristol.

Chemistry in the Movies

On the evening of Thursday 23 September 2021 RSC Belgium members and friends were treated to an entertaining and informative talk from Dr. John O'Donoghue of Trinity College Dublin on 'Chemistry in the Movies'. The webinar was also the occasion for the announcement of the prize-winners in our 2021 Chemistry Challenge.

John's snappy talk took a scientific and filmographic look at how chemistry and chemists have been portrayed in the movies - the good, the bad and the ugly - using short clips and simplified graphics to talk about the subject in an engaging and light-hearted format. The movies chosen were based around a number of themes; problem solving, plot devices, chemical companies and people. 

John noted that the 2021 Ig Noble Prize for Chemistry had just been awarded on 9 September to a group of scientists who had analysed the air inside movie theatres to test whether the odours produced by an audience reliably indicate the levels of violence, sex, antisocial behaviour, drug use, and bad language in the movie the audience was watching. Remarkably they did manage to correlate a number of chemicals with different scene types!

Breaking Bad effect

One interesting issue that John explored was whether the TV series Breaking Bad (2008 - 2013) [Netflix, Prime] had an effect on how chemistry is on portrayed on screen? He concluded that it did have a positive effect in terms of showing more chemistry on screen and improving the quality of scientific explanation generally, but it may have also contributed to a new cliché for how chemical scientists are depicted on screen.

Details about where and how to access the movies discussed was also be provided (Netflix, YouTube, Apple etc - see below) and John hoped his talk gave participants the inspiration to start their our own chemistry movie marathon! 

The talk certainly inspired a good discussion with plenty of additional movie suggestions and we hear that some teachers will be looking to incorporate 'chemical movies' in to their lessons.

Movie list

The movies discussed in John's talk in various categories were:

Fictional bad (evil) pharmaceutical and chemical companies 

• Better Living through Chemistry (2014) [Apple, YouTube]
• Formula51 (2001) [Apple, YouTube]
• Erin Brockovich (2000) [Prime, Netflix, YouTube]
• Dark Waters (2019) [Prime, Apple, YouTube]
• Duplicity  (2009) [Prime, Apple, YouTube]
• The Fugitive (1993) [Apple, YouTube]
• Love and Other Drugs (2010) [Prime, Apple, YouTube]
• Mission Impossible 2 (2000) [Apple, YouTube]

Good chemistry for problem solving

• Apollo 13 (1995) [Netflix, Apple, YouTube]
• The Martian (2015) [Disney, Apple, YouTube]

Good chemists, bad chemistry… and Sean Connery

• Medicine man (1992) [Disney, Apple, YouTube]
• The Rock (1996) [Apple, YouTube]

Science teachers inspiring for Good

• Evolution (2001) [Apple, YouTube]
• October Sky (1999) [Prime, Apple, YouTube]

Superhero movies

• Ironman (2008)/ Ironman 2 (2010) [Disney, Apple, YouTube]
• Antman (2015) [Disney, Apple, YouTube] 

Children’s movies

• Wall-E (2008) [Disney, Apple, YouTube]
• Zootropolis (2016) [Disney, YouTube]

For all the films listed above, the link takes you to the IMDB listing for the movie, the year of release is in the normal brackets, and streaming service(s) where you can access the film are listed in the square brackets. Enjoy!

About John

Dr John O’Donoghue is the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Education Coordinator for Ireland supports trainee and established science teachers through continuous professional development (CPD) and new resources. He is based at the School of Chemistry in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) where he teaches chemistry to non-science students and coordinates the unique chemistry education and public engagement (EPE) course for PhD students. He has over 15 years of experience in science communication and in recognition of his achievements, he was greeted by the President of Ireland at the 2017 St. Patricks Day Honours event and was awarded the 2018 Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) “Outstanding Contribution to STEM Communication” National Award. 

We hope to welcome John over to Belgium during 2022 for a schools tour of his Spectroscopy in a Suitcase workshops.

Sustainable Solar Fuels

On the evening of Thursday 11 February 2021 Prof. James Durrant, of Imperial College London gave the section an online talk on 'The solar driven synthesis of sustainable fuels: photochemistry meets catalysis'.

In the webinar Prof Durrant talked about the increasing interest in the development of artificial photosynthetic systems for solar driven fuel synthesis. He started by discussing the challenge of the solar driven synthesis of sustainable fuels and chemistry, and its potential role in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. He then went on to review approaches to artificial photosynthesis, and the lessons which can be learnt from biological photosynthesis. 

Prof Durrant introduced his own particular research interest, the role of charge carrier dynamics in determining the efficiency of such systems, focusing on photocatalysts and photoelectrodes for water oxidation and reduction. His talk primarily focused on metal oxide materials, although he also covered organic polymer photocatalysts and hybrid molecular / inorganic systems for solar driven proton and CO2 reduction. Experimentally, these studies are based around transient absorption spectroscopy on timescales from femtoseconds to seconds, which are correlated with the results of photoelectrochemical analyses of device efficiency. These studies address the dynamics of charge separation and recombination, as well as the kinetics of water oxidation / reduction at semiconductor / liquid interfaces.

During the talk Prof Durrant addressed issues including the underlying photochemistry of oxides, the role of the space charge layers at electrochemical junctions in spatially separating charges, and the role of heterojunctions and catalysts layers in enhancing system efficiency. Particular consideration was placed on the mechanism of water oxidation / reduction, and the extent oxide surfaces function as heterogeneous catalysts for this reaction.

The presentation given by Prof Durrant can be accessed here and you can relive the entire event above or via our dedicated YouTube channel! Enjoy!

Chemical Bonding in the 21st Century

On Monday 28 May 2018 a full day symposium was organised by the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) in honour of  the visit to Brussels of Professor Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1981. The theme of the symposium is central in Hoffmann’s work: the Chemical Bond. 

The aim of the Symposium was twofold:in the morning session, the audience got an in-depth impression of Hoffmann’s work, ideas and vision on the chemical bond in a special two hours lecture with a pedagogical perspective from Prof Hoffmann. This was a veritable tour de force from the distinguished that was informative and entertaining in equal measure.

Matthias Bickelhaupt (VU Amsterdam), a former postdoc with Hoffmann, closes the morning session discussing “Chemical Bonding in Transition States”.

In the afternoon session, the context is different: six young but already renowned scientists from six Belgian universities highlighted their work, offering Roald Hoffmann and the audience an impression of the present status of Quantum and Theoretical Chemistry in Belgium.

The afternoon session included two contributions from RSC Belgium members: Jeremy Harvey of KULeuven who described his work on chemical bonds in dynamics and microscopy and Prof Benoit Champagne from the University of Namur who talked about his work on molecule, polymers and supramolecular assemblies.

Chemistry and Music: a Popular Combination!

On Thursday 19 April 2018 RSC Belgium members and friends were treated to an likely combination of Chemistry and Music at St Johns International School with Professor Adrian Dobbs of Greenwich University. This evening talk, chemistry demonstration and musical performance attracted a large and enthusiastic audience to the Music Room and its Grand Piano.

During the talk entitled 'Chemistry and Music: an unlikely combination?' Prof Adrian Dobbs, accompanied by Sophie Brewer, discussed the historic links between music and chemistry, including how chemistry has contributed to the manufacture of musical instruments and how many famous musicians have had links to chemistry and much more! Did you know that quintessential English composer Edward Elgar was a keen amateur chemist. Or that Russian compose Borodin was torn throughout his career between the professions of chemistry and music.

We learnt about the chemistry behind Stradivarius's violins and guitar strings and Adrian and Sophie performed a number of musical pieces with Adrian playing the piano and Sophie on flute and violin.

In addition Professor Dobbs recruited volunteers from the audience to participate in some demonstration chemistry including making your own polymers and simple electroplating. All using chemical substances commonly found in the home.

All in all the event proved that Chemistry and Music was a very interesting combination and was greatly appreciated by our audience.

Our Second Norman Lloyd Scholar completes Year

Rhodri Evans, the second recipient of the Dr Norman C. Lloyd Scholarship at Cardiff University, has just finished his first year at the university. Rhodri (pictured right), who hails from Caernarfon started his BSc degree in Chemistry at the end of September last year. At the end of his exams Rhodri was interviewed by Cardiff University’s Development and Alumni Relations office.

What degree are you undertaking and why did you choose the course here?
I am studying Chemistry simply because it gives a logical explanation to very complicated questions. I'm an individual who always likes searching for answers thus Chemistry seemed the obvious choice for me.

What’s the best thing about studying at Cardiff?
Clearly, the university itself is respected across the entire country, which alone is enough reasoning to be satisfied but I also love the city. It's such a welcoming place which makes studying here all the more better.

Do you have a particular career in mind after you graduate?
As I've only finished my first year, I don't want to tie myself down to a particular career path at this moment in time. There's a lot of different aspects of Chemistry I enjoy, from the physical aspect to biological applications, so any one of these routes would be an exciting career for me.

What’s was your favourite module during your first year of study?
As mentioned above, various aspects of Chemistry capture my imagination thus picking a favourite is very difficult. Having said that, the history behind Inorganic Chemistry and how different theories have been used over the years really makes me appreciate the importance of the degree.

Do you have any hobbies outside of studying?
As university life can get stressful at times, I do love taking my mind off things by doing any form of sports. A great passion of mine is football but since moving to Cardiff, I have been spending more time in the gym.

What difference has this scholarship made to you?
Without a doubt, the biggest impact that the scholarship has made is given me confident in my own abilities. I must admit, moving into a lecture room with nearly 200 students can be daunting at times thus I am thankful for the boost in confidence it gave me.

If you could say something to the donor who gave you this gift, what would it be?
From the bottom of my heart, I am truly grateful for the scholarship. It has enhanced my university experience and that is something I shall cherish.

We wish Rhodri all the best for the future and every success in his future studies at Cardiff.

The scholarship
The Norman Lloyd scholarship was set up by RSC Belgium in collaboration with Norman’s family and Cardiff University in memory of our old friend and supporter Norman Lloyd. Norman was himself a student at an institution that is now part of the university. The funds raised provide an annual scholarship of £1,000 for an undergraduate student, usually in their first year of study. The scholarship is given to new students to the Cardiff School of Chemistry who are of high academic standing and a resident of Wales. The next Norman C Lloyd scholar will be selected in October.

If you would like to donate to the Norman Lloyd scholarship fund follow this link and specify that you wish to donate to the Norman Lloyd Scholarship fund in the comments box.

St George's and the TOTB Dragon 2016

In November, St George’s School in Luxembourg City entered two teams into the RSC Belgium annual ‘Top of the Bench’ (TOTB) competition. This prestigious event is open to all schools in Belgium and Luxembourg region. 

The RSC Belgium ‘eliminator’ took place in unusual circumstances as the planned event in Brussels had to be cancelled at the very last minute (St. Georges were already on the bus from Luxembourg) due to a terrorist threat and the subsequent ‘security lock down’ of Brussels.

So instead of the 'face-to-face' event, each team was sent tests to complete and return to the section for marking. Team Hydrogen from St George's did really well and won the RSC Belgium regional heat! And as a result of this victory they received the Keith Price Cup and entry into the final of the TOTB competition representing RSC Belgium. The following is a short description of their experience at the RSC's main competition in the UK.

TOTB
The TOTB final was held at Loughborough University, in the UK on Saturday 16 April. It was jointly hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry and Loughborough University’s Chemistry department. In total 32 teams participated in the event, all of which had made it through their regional eliminator rounds to earn the right to compete against the best schools in the UK (and St George’s).

It was a great event, starting with an individual round – which was essentially a chemistry exam, followed by the main event which was a team round involving a series of very complicated chemistry investigations regarding batteries and energy (see above). To round off the day, students were invited to view interactive presentations from some of Loughborough University’s post-graduate chemistry students on the various research projects that they were working on. All the competing teams were used as a voting panel and asked to decide where they would like to see further funding utilised.

Despite the St. George's team not making it into the top six ranked places, this competition was an excellent opportunity for the students to challenge themselves and see the various avenues of research that university students are taking after studying chemistry.

This event certainly stretched their ability and provided a great insight into teamwork and working under pressure. Overall it was an enjoyable experience for all members involved, including the staff!

The St. George's team (pictured above) consisted of the following students: Ethan – Year 11 (Team Captain); Yi hua – Year 10; Alistair – Year 9; and Alexios – Year 9. The team were accompanied to Loughborough by their teachers Mr Stenton and Mrs Winter. Well done St. George's!

Conserving Historical Artefacts

The evening of 19 May 2016 saw RSC Belgium's last lecture before our normal break for the summer months with a good audience of RSC members and friends enjoying a talk on the 'Conservation of Historical Artefacts' from Dr. Rob Janaway of Bradford University. The venue for the talk was Rubens Hall at the British School of Brussels (BSB) and Dr Janaway explored the various scientific methods available to preserve and restore ancient artefacts retrieved from archaeological excavations around the world.

Rob Janaway explained the various processes that result in the differential decay and preservation of artefacts buried in the soil and also underwater. He then described how, once these materials have been excavated, the various scientific methods that are available to preserve and restore ancient artefacts retrieved from archaeological excavations around the world are used. His talk included case studies of both ancient artefacts and more recent material associated with World War 1 battlefields in Belgium.

Rob (pictured above) is Lecturer in Archaeological Sciences and has more than 35 years’ experience of Archaeology in both the field and the laboratory. He originally qualified in Archaeological Conservation and specialised in the relationship between materials degradation and their depositional environments.

He has worked on a range archaeological sites including, peat bogs, desert sites, and deep stratified urban deposits. He is a specialist on the taphonomy (the study of decaying organisms over time and how they may become fossilised) and has worked on material from cemeteries, crypts and mausoleums.

He has been involved in taphonomy and conservation of material studies for items from WWI sites in Flanders and he is deeply involved in research on the relationship between soil chemistry, land use and the survival of vulnerable metal artefacts from the medieval battlefield of Bosworth Field in Leicestershire. He has also worked on the analysis of textiles and clothing from the wreck of the Mary Rose - Henry the Eighth's flagship.

In addition to a traditional archaeological role he acts as a Forensic Archaeologist. He has worked on more than 25 criminal cases for a variety of British police forces in a variety of roles including excavator and taphonomy consultant and he has acted as an expert witness in court.

Jobs entertaining and interesting presentation led to some extended discussions after the talk.

The Antibiotics Crisis

On the evening of 20 April 2016 RSC Belgium members and friends welcomed Dr. Laura Bowater from the University of East Anglia's Medical School to the Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCL) campus in Woluwe Saint Lambert. Dr Bowater talked about a very hot topic: the growing resistance of bacteria to today’s antibiotics.

Laura's lecture looked at the latest research in this area and how this impending crisis in modern medical treatment may be averted. Laura took us through a potted history of antibiotics from the serendipitous discovery of Penicillin by Alexander Fleming (pictured below) in 1928. In 1941 the microbiologist Selman Waksman used the term ‘antibiotic’ for the first time to describe small molecules that inhibit the growth of microbes and can be used clinically to treat a plethora of bacterial and fungal infections. Between the 1940s and the 1960s was the so-called 'Golden Age of Drug Discovery' with many new and effective drugs being developed.

However as early as December 1945 Fleming had sounded a note of warning in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech saying: “It is not difficult to make microbes resistant to penicillin in the laboratory by exposing them to concentrations not sufficient to kill them […]. The time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops. Then there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant."

He was right. Over the last eighty years bacterial pathogens have developed resistance to almost all of the known antibiotics. Laura explained how bacteria carry the information required for antibiotic resistance in their DNA and some bacterial species are resistant to certain antibiotics as a direct result of their genetic make-up, metabolism and cellular structure, while other bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics through either spontaneous mutation in their DNA or directly acquiring resistance from DNA that is transferred from a resistant bacterium. 

Education is key

The more we use antibiotics the more resistant bacteria are becoming. It is less than a hundred years since Fleming ‘discovered’ Penicillin and our reliance on antibiotics to treat life-threatening infections and prevent post surgery infections is at grave risk if we continue to use them inappropriately and with such casual abandon. Antibiotic use in modern agricultural practice and animal husbandry has increased dramatically and an increase in antimicrobial resistance has followed. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses yet antibiotics continue to be prescribed for viral infections and in some countries it is easy to purchase antibiotics without a prescription.

And, unfortunately the Golden Age of antibiotic discovery is long gone; most commonly found antibiotics have been discovered and the discovery of a novel antimicrobial with a clinical impact is now rare. Pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to invest in a drug that is at best prescribed for a short period of time, and at worst kept on a shelf as a ‘reserve antibiotic’ to be used only when all other treatments have been exhausted and ineffective.

Laura believes that effective education, communication, and engagement lie at the heart of any solution to the antibiotics crisis. Thankfully this approach appears to be working on a global basis and resources are being invested to examine the challenges and present potential solutions to the crisis and financial and regulatory incentives are available to initiate research for new antibiotics.

Dr Laura Bowater (picture above right with RSC Belgium Chairman Tim Reynolds) is a Senior Lecturer at the Norwich Medical School in the University of East Anglia and is a Microbiologist with a research interest in the growing problem of Antibiotic Resistance and the role of education in addressing this global concern. 

Changing Perceptions of Chemistry

What do the general public and policy-makers think about when they think about chemistry and chemists? Chemistry and chemicals are essential to life and our modern society - everything is chemistry! But we often see consumer products that claim to be 'chemical-free' and it can seems like chemophobia is widespread in society. Public perceptions of Chemistry and Chemicals and how we talk about chemistry have been hot topics for many years. But what is the real picture? What do the public and policy-makers really think? And how can we best convey the excitement, potential and benefits of chemistry better?

To explore these questions further the RSC Belgium 2016 Café Chimique was entitled “Changing Perceptions of Chemistry and Chemicals”. The event took place on Thursday 4 February in the relaxed atmosphere of the Auderghem Cultural Centre main bar.

RSC Belgium Chairman Tim Reynolds (above left) moderated a panel of three speakers:

• Jon Edwards (above far right) who is Strategic Communications Manager for the Royal Society of Chemistry who outlined the main findings of the recent RSC survey on public attitudes to chemistry in the UK (#chemperceptions)
• Dr Anna Gergely (above centre left) who is Director EHS Regulatory at law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP. Anna talked about the regulatory environment in which chemistry has to operate and how policy-makers perceive chemistry and chemicals
• Nuno Bacherel (above centre right) who is Editor-in-Chief of the Your Formula website and is Communication Manager, Public Affairs at the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC). Nuno talked about the philosophy behind the Your Formula initiative and his work to change perceptions of chemistry and chemicals

Great debate
As usual the three panel speakers gave short presentations of around ten minutes each before launching into an audience-led debate. Seating was in a café-style format and the usual free bar and nibbles were available throughout the event and afterwards.

As ever there was a very lively debate that lasted well over an hour.

Jon Edwards outlined the main findings of the recent RSC survey on public attitudes to chemistry in the UK. The results showed that the UK public's perception of chemistry and chemicals is far more positive than professional chemists believe, although there is some confusion in the public mind about what a chemist is and what a chemist does. Overall it appears that there is an appetite for people to know more about chemistry; but this will entail a change of attitude for chemists and experts working in the sector. You can find Jon's presentation here (3.28 MB).

Concrete examples and factual data are the added value that scientists and chemists bring to the table when discussing regulatory issues, and this value needs to be positively and widely communicated, without fear, stated Dr Anna Gergely. You can find Anna's presentation here (454 kB).

Initiatives such as Your Formula, bring together people to discuss key sustainability topics, and look to change the public's perceptions. The Your Formula platform is a Cefic initiative where young scientists and researchers with an interest in sustainability share expertise and experience. The platform allows a different way of communicating chemistry and science, with contributors sharing personal activities and high interaction rates through social media explained Nuno. His main message was to: "Be Passionate, Keep it Simple and Make it Personal." Changing public perceptions of chemistry will be a long road, but progress appears to be happening!

More information
You can find all the results and further commentary on the RSC's public attitudes survey on the #chemperceptions pages of the RSC website.

First Norman Lloyd Scholar's First Class First Year

The first recipient of the Dr Norman C Lloyd scholarship established by RSC Belgium at Cardiff University has now finished her first year. And she has passed the year with flying colours!

Dale Lyons (right) received the scholarship for 2014/2015 to help her in the first year of a four year Chemistry with a year in industry (MChem) degree programme. She is looking forward to her year in industry which she hopes will help her to decide which career path to take after her studies. Dale's favourite module in year one has been Solid State Chemistry.

Dales says that receiving the scholarship "has made a massive difference.  I have been able to buy textbooks rather than wait for them to be available in the library which has helped a lot with revision. Having the scholarship has motivated me throughout the year to do well and eased some of the pressure in terms of worrying about money.  Thank you so much."

Clearly the support of the scholarship has been very useful and Dale has received a first-class honours for her first year of study at Cardiff. Well done Dale!

In the Autumn a new first year student will been selected to receive the 2015/2016 scholarship.

The scholarship

The Norman Lloyd scholarship was set up by RSC Belgium in collaboration with Norman’s family and the university in memory of our old friend and supporter Norman Lloyd. Norman was himself a student at an institution that is now part of the university. The funds raised provide an annual scholarship of £1,000 for an undergraduate student, usually in their first year of study, at the Cardiff School of Chemistry.

You can find out more about the Cardiff University scholarship here including how to donate to the fund.

Chemistry for the Future: Solvay Prize 2015

Solvay has announced the start of the search for its Chemistry of the Future prize for 2015. The prize is intended to endorse basic research and underline the essential role of chemistry, both as a science and an industry, in helping solve some of the most pressing issues the world is facing today. The Chemistry for the Future Solvay Prize rewards a major scientific discovery that could shape tomorrow’s chemistry and help human progress and celebrates the strong support for scientific research given by the founder of the Solvay Group, Ernest Solvay.

The €300,000 prize is awarded every two years. In 2013, the inaugural Chemistry for the Future Solvay Prize was presented to Professor Peter G. Schultz. The next Chemistry for the Future Solvay Prize will be awarded on 18 November, 2015 at Le Palais des Académies in Brussels, Belgium.

Professor Peter G. Schultz (above), professor at the Scripps Research Institute in California, and director of the California Institute for Biomedical Research, was awarded the first Chemistry for the Future Solvay Prize in 2013 for his multiple scientific contributions at the interface between chemistry and biology. In particular the exploitation of molecular diversity and the rational expansion of the genetic code of living organisms. His ground-breaking work has made an impact in many scientific fields, including biotechnology and medicine. It also has important implications for regenerative medicine, and the treatment of infectious disease, autoimmune disease and cancer.

Selection process
The selection process for the 2015 prize is two-stage process. First, independent nominators propose candidates whose achievements in the field of chemistry, including biochemistry, material sciences, soft matter, biophysics and chemical engineering, will shape the chemistry of the future. Then the international jury selects the winner of the Chemistry for the Future Solvay Prize from amongst the list of candidates.

The jury for 2015 will be led by Håkan Wennerström, Professor of theoretical and physical chemistry at the University of Lund, Sweden. He is a former chairman of the jury for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He is joined by the first winner Professor Peter Schultz, Paul Chaikin, Professor of Physics at the New York University, USA, specializing in solid state physics, in particular soft matter, and Christopher Dobson, John Humphrey Plummer Professor of Chemical and Structural Biology at the University of Cambridge.

Also on the jury is Gerhard Ertl, Professor emeritus at the Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-PlanckGesellschaft in Berlin, Germany, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his studies of chemical processes on solid surface, together with Jean-Marie Lehn, Professor at the Institut d’Etudes Avancées de l’Université de Strasbourg and Professor emeritus at the Collège de France in Paris. Lehn was an early innovator in the field of supramolecular chemistry and is a fellow winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Completing the jury are Patrick Maestro, member of the Académie des Technologies in France, Scientific Director of Solvay, and Paul Baekelmans, Science Adviser to the Solvay Group and Professor emeritus at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He chairs the Conseil National de Chimie of the Académie des Sciences de Belgique.

Find out more at the Solvay website and a flyer for the prize can be downloaded here.