Outreach talks

To compliment your curriculum activities, we are offering 20-45 minute talks to be delivered by our academics in person (at your school) or online. These talks are based on the teaching and research that is currently taking place within our Department. They are a great opportunity for your students to:

• gain an insight into the experience of studying chemistry
• take part in an enrichment opportunity to understand how chemistry goes beyond the classroom
• be aware of current research within chemistry

Example talks include:

• Your Future with Chemistry: The Impactful World of Chemistry and Careers
• The Importance of Energy in Our World: A Chemistry Perspective
• Powering the Future with Solar Cells
• Sending Chemical Spies into a Medical World
• Expediting Drug Discovery with Metal Catalysis

View our full list of outreach talks to find out more.

Elements of Success: Building Confidence in Chemistry

We are excited to be delivering our project ‘Elements of Success: Building Confidence in Chemistry’ again in summer term 2026, in partnership with Victrex. The project was previously funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry and is aimed at Year 12 students from widening participation backgrounds who have a keen interest in chemistry.

This pioneering project is designed to raise aspirations, boost confidence, and showcase the value of studying chemistry at higher education level. Students will visit the Lancaster University campus three times during the summer term (May–June 2026), taking part in laboratory activities, careers sessions, and research skills workshops.

The project was inspired by findings from the Chemistry for All report by the Royal Society of Chemistry, which highlighted key barriers to participation in post-16 chemistry education. These include the perception that chemistry is too difficult, a lack of relatable role models, and limited awareness of chemistry-related career pathways.

As part of the programme, students will work towards producing a research poster based on their laboratory investigations, which they will present during a celebration event at the end of the project.

Victrex, a long-standing supporter of STEM learning in disadvantaged communities, plays an important role in the project by delivering lab sessions and employability workshops. These sessions help students understand the real-world applications of chemistry and the wide range of future opportunities it can unlock.

Ultimately, the project represents a key part of Lancaster’s commitment to widening participation and addressing inequalities in access to science education.

Register your interest for the programme by emailing stemengagement@lancaster.ac.uk.

Elements of success

Royal Society of Chemistry School's' Analyst Competition Announcement

We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting the regional heat of the School's Analyst Competition on 29th April 2026.

The Schools’ Analyst Competition 2026, organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund, is open to teams of three students (year 12). Participating schools can host their own preliminary heats in well-equipped labs, using supplied reagents, samples, and safety documents. Teams are challenged to apply a variety of analytical chemistry methods — such as titrations, spectroscopy, chromatography and more — to tackle both familiar and novel problems. Top school teams receive recognition and certificates; they may advance to regional rounds, where further prizes (like voucher awards) are available. The competition offers participants a rich, hands-on experience to build technical skills, promote teamwork, and stimulate interest in analytical science.

If you would like your students to take part, contact us. We will be hosting the regional heat and can host 40 students in total and you can have as many teams of three as you wish. Spaces are limited so if you would like to compete, please get in touch as soon as possible.

Find out about Schools' Analyst Competition 2026 and email us chemistry@lancaster.ac.uk to register your interest and participation in one of our laboratory spaces.

Teacher Support - Enhancing Chemistry Teaching Through University Collaboration

Opportunities for high-quality, subject-specific teacher development in chemistry are currently limited. At the same time, schools are increasingly seeking real-world STEM applications to inspire students. Teachers we have spoken to this year are particularly keen on practical, hands-on activities they can bring back to the classroom. This day has been developed with those needs in mind and offers:

• Access to advanced instrumentation (NMR and infrared spectroscopy), rarely available in schools but part of the A-Level syllabus.
• A chance to refresh and extend subject knowledge through a multi-step synthesis (Lidocaine) and analysis of products using cutting-edge techniques.
• Participation in a curriculum mapping exercise, aligning A-Level Chemistry content with our first-year undergraduate teaching, ensuring smoother transitions for students.
• High-quality classroom resources and teaching data that you can take back immediately to your students.

We see this as more than a development opportunity: it is a partnership. By working closely with teachers in our region, we aim to strengthen the pipeline of students into STEM, highlight authentic applications of chemistry, and ensure Lancaster Chemistry continues to be a visible and supportive leader in science education.

We are running our first teacher development day on 18^th December 2025. Spaces are now fully booked, but if you would like to register your interest for further events or be placed on the waitlist, please get in touch with us by emailing chemistry@lancaster.ac.uk.