INEOS lecture provides inspiration
November 2009
Students from six local high schools recently attended the inaugural annual INEOS lecture held in the site's exhibition centre in partnership with Global Science. Timed to coincide with the Royal Society of Chemistry's Chemistry Week, the event was a mixture of lectures and hands-on workshops designed to inspire and enthuse the S5/6 pupils.
The event was opened by three guest speakers, all at the leading edge of science and technology innovation. Professor Colin Pulham of Edinburgh University, spoke about the research work he and his colleagues were involved in that included manipulating molecules using very high pressures to change their properties, whilst Ian Little, research and development manager at INEOS Bio caught the audience's attention with a presentation about the business' bio ethanol 'from waste' process. And with a warning of 'Don't try this at home!', Gary Whittington, of Global Web Ltd gave real life examples of scientific and technological applications that only a few years ago would have been seen as science fiction, including a home-made levitation device demonstrated in his own kitchen!
Following the lecture, the students were then able to take part in four interactive and stimulating workshops. Hosted in the site's restaurant, one group examined the role of the senses in the evaluation of foods and in particular the latest sensory tests employed for food analysis including taste! They built an awareness of the factors that influence choice and the decisions made by sensory evaluation panellists when devising new dishes. For another group of students the task was to take information about nuclear energy and then to think about the pros and cons of generating electricity from this energy source. The INEOS-led workshop allowed the students to operate their very own chemical plant using a computer-based simulator and the fourth workshop had the pupils contemplating the science of 'colour' in what was a very 'illuminating' session.
David East, communications manager said, "The event was all about enthusing the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators to continue their studies beyond school, whether in further and higher education or in the workplace. The lecturers and workshop providers all commented on how successful they felt this inaugural event had been. The thought-provoking and topical themes showed students that innovative and ground-breaking research and development was taking place right now in the UK and that they could contribute to tomorrow's innovations."
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