Salters'

Festival of Chemistry

University of Limerick

2006

Each year the Department of Chemistry at U.L. presents the Salters Festival of Chemistry. The festival is a one-day event aimed at promoting the appreciation of chemistry at second level schools. It offers students the opportunity to experience a full day in a university laboratory performing practical chemistry activities which are fun.

Saturday, May 13^th 2006 saw students, all in first year at second level, and their science teachers from 6 schools converge on the University of Limerick for the 6^th Festival of Chemistry at U.L.  In all there were 10 teams competing in the two challenges.

In the morning the Salters’ Challenge required the teams to test for the non-metal part in salts, followed by a test to separate out the different components of ink, known as Paper Chromatography. Together their results unlocked the “Mystery at Salty Towers”.

After a break for lunch they were back in the lab for the University Challenge. Students were asked to mix solutions of Sodium Thiosulphate and Hydrochloric Acid so that a colour change occurred in a set time, e.g. 1 minute. This rate of reaction could be altered by the students changing concentration, temperature, agitation etc.

It was great to see 40 young chemists at work in the laboratory, working as teams to solve chemical problems. For many of them it was their first time in a university and a third level laboratory.

The judges for the day were Dr. Teresa Curtain and Ms. Marie Walsh.

After this session the students were enthralled by a “chemical magic show” presented by James Ring.

Then the moment of truth arrived!

Audrey, representing the Salter’s Institute in London (sponsors of the Festival of Chemistry in the UK and Ireland www.saltersinstitute.co.uk) awarded prizes to the winning teams.

Salters’ Challenge               1^st     Scoil Pol (team 2)

                             2^nd   St. Pauls’ Oughterard

                                     3^rd    St. Patricks Shannon

University Challenge        1^st     Castletroy College (team 1)

                                     2^nd   St. Josephs’ Navan (team 1)

                                     3^rd    Laurel Hill Secondary(team 2)

All schools went away with a ‘goodie’ bag for each team, with some novelty items to keep their interest in chemistry alive.

The day was organised at U.L. by Dr. Peter Childs and Ms. Marie Walsh, and the technician on the day was Ms. Siobhah Murphy.

The participating schools and students were;

ScoilPol I                        ScoilPol II                       

Deirdre Ryan                 Padraig O’Connor

Jennifer Halpin              Michelle O’Neill

Aoife Weeks                    Pauline Frewen

Joanne Kiely                  Lydia Clery

Castletroy College I            Castletroy College 11

Roisin Cunningham            Francis Lee                             

Eve Digpal                        Ciara Murray

Rebecca Sheehan               Eoin O’Donoghue

Donna Kearns                  Maria Farusheva

St Paul’s Oughterard

Ciara Murray

Amy Connolly

Alison Moloney

Helen Barrett

Laurel Hill Secondary I         Laurel Hill Secondary II

Sarah McNamara                 Emma Malone

Julie Byrnes                          Eimear Danagher

Jennifer Curtin                     Neasa Carroll

Christine Carroll                  Derval McAuley

St Patrick’s Comprehensive:

Jennifer Haugh

Michaela Monaghan

Ultan o’Connell

Shannen Minter

St Joseph’s Navan I             St Joseph’s Navan II 

Leanne O’Donnell               Aoibheann Geraghty

Bernadette Mulvany          Katie Lally

Niamh Kilduff                   Odunola Sowunmi

Niamh Conlon                   Niamh Pomeroy

Last Modified   7th June 2006         Email: WebeditorCES@ul.ie