Prestigious competition fuels students' curiosity in chemistry
This month, lucky students from Oxford Spires Academy took part in Top of the Bench, a chemistry competition run by the Royal Society of Chemistry to inspire future generations of scientists.
Top of the Bench is designed to fuel students' curiosity in chemistry and the annual competition has now been running for over 20 years. Hundreds of participants have had the chance to view chemistry in a new light, and it is hoped that a love of science will have been sparked in them.
The day involved a series of practical chemistry activities held in a university laboratory at the University of Oxford. The students were given tasks where they had to separate various parts of a mixture, as well as identify mystery substances!
Those in attendance also had the chance to listen to a talk from Fiona Marston OBE PhD, the Chair and CEO of biochemical company Erebagen, who spoke about the importance of science and the different types of career path science can take you on.
Louise Cowley, Headteacher at Oxford Spires said:
“I am delighted that Oxford Spires students got the chance to take part in this long-running chemistry competition at the laboratory at the University of Oxford. I know they took a huge amount away from the day, and it was brilliant for them to hear from an inspiring scientific figure in the form of Dr Marston.
“At Oxford Spires we are always encouraging our students to push their boundaries and think about their future, and this event managed to combine both of these aims in one!”