Catalyst's Chemistry at Work Week
24 November 2022
Catalyst are delighted to announce the return of Catalyst’s Chemistry at Work Week in January 2023. They would love to give you the opportunity to promote your business whilst helping to inspire young scientists of the future! Please read on if you are interested.
Catalyst are inviting you to participate in ‘Chemistry at Work Week', which, as many of you will know is an exciting, four day event running from Tuesday 24th to Friday 27th January. The event provides an opportunity for representatives from your company to inspire teenagers from the North West about careers in the science industry, promote the benefits of being employed in this sector and help young people understand the relevance of science in their everyday lives. This is a fantastic opportunity for pupils in year 9 to discover the diverse range of career options available within science based industries.
Chemistry at Work Week attracts 360 pupils and teachers.
There is no cost to you for exhibiting and we can provide tables, electricity, projectors, water, whatever you need. We'll even provide you with a free sandwich lunch!
All we ask of you is that you promote your company and help enthuse youngsters through exciting displays and hands-on activities. You’ll need to bring an exhibition display stand, a 20 minute presentation and activity designed to engage the minds of our young visitors and volunteers to run the exhibit for each day you sign up to. Catalyst Education staff are more than happy to support you in putting together a presentation and relevant activity. This is an ideal opportunity for your staff to improve their science communication and public engagement skills.
How the day works
On the day our young people will be split into groups of 15. Each day we have the support of six companies presenting in different locations. Your company will be stationed on a “Stall” with 15 – 20 seats in front of the stall for your captive audience.
You will have 25 minutes to present an engaging interactive presentation that looks at who your company is and what they do, the science behind something that your company does, what your role is, what it is like to work at your company and an opportunity for the young people to ask any questions. An example of how this might run is as follows. This is not prescriptive, but might help you to see how it could be run.
0–5 minutes: Introductions – Who am I? Who do I work for? And what does my company do? (+ Photographs / models / equipment to handle)
5–10 minutes: What do I do for the company? (or what might a typical employee do?) particularly drawing on the relevant science (+ Photographs / models / equipment to handle)
10-20 minutes: Hands on activity relating to your business that will engage and excite children about working in the science world.
20-25 minutes Q/A
After each 25 minute cycle, students will move to a new location and new students will arrive. There will be 3 sessions before lunch, and 3 sessions after lunch.
By the end of the day you will have met 90 young people who will have been engaged and inspired by your presentation. You will go home content that you have had a positive impact on their future aspirations.
You can support us for one or more days depending on your availability.
Would you like to be involved?
So we hope that you have read this and would love to get involved by exhibiting at Chemistry at Work Week. If this is the case then please get in touch as soon as possible with your preferred dates.
You can email me at Lucinda@catalyst.org.uk or telephone to confirm on 0151 420 1121. Spaces and some resources will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
If you would like any further information then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best wishes,
Lucinda Lewis
Education Manager
Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum
Mersey Road
Widnes
Cheshire WA8 0DF
Telephone 0151 420 1121 www.catalyst.org.uk
