UWI Chemistry Festival: SEA graduates “explore the wonderful world of chemistry”

UWI Chemistry Festival: SEA graduates “explore the wonderful world of chemistry”

St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. July 30, 2024 – Trinidad and Tobago’s national Secondary School Entrance Examination (SEA) focuses on three core subjects, with science often being neglected in the upper primary grades. The three months following the SEA, when students typically participate in a variety of activities, is an ideal opportunity to introduce chemistry and improve scientific literacy before they enter secondary school.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine campus seized the opportunity and partnered with the American Chemical Society (ACS) to host three Chemistry Festivals. The events took place on June 10 at St Joseph TML Primary School.^dayJune 18, 2024, El Dorado North Hindu Primary School^dayJune 20, 2024, St. Lucia Private School^day2024. The event, open to 150 SEA graduates from the three schools, aimed to highlight the value of chemistry in everyday life, foster an early interest in the subject, and inspire future science professionals through interactive activities. The Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Science and Technology organized the event under the guidance of lecturer Dr. Yomica Powder-George and researcher Dr. Faisal Mohammed.

theme “Beyond SEA: Exploring the World of Chemistry” Students enthusiastically explored the fascinating world of chemistry as scientists for a day. Donning lab coats, goggles and gloves, they moved from station to station, eagerly anticipating the stamp on their “chemistry passport” after completing seven experiments. Each hands-on activity covered basic chemistry concepts, using common everyday materials to engage participants, guided by trained volunteers from the Chemistry Department. These budding young chemists exercised their creativity by making slime of different colors, painting with acids and bases using universal indicators, and studying the separation of colors on coffee filters. They also learned about the absorbent properties of diapers, observed the change of state from solid to gas with a “dry ice bubble”, and engaged their senses with chemical reactions in self-inflating balloons. To the delight of the students, there were two additional experiments: a lava lamp and elephant toothpaste, which highlighted the concepts of density and catalysts, respectively. They were fascinated by the colors of glow sticks and the chemiluminescent reaction when activated.

At the end of each fun-filled day, each participating student received a gift bag filled with take-home chemistry souvenirs, including ACS Pocket Periodic Table Cards and ACS Celebrating Chemistry magazine. These resources highlight careers in chemistry and guide simple experiments that can be safely performed at home using everyday household materials. In addition, each school received ACS Periodic Table wall stickers and other educational materials, culminating in a very meaningful experiential learning event.

Feedback from students and educators on the event was very positive, with both expressing a strong desire for future experiences. “I learned so much about how chemistry is all around us. I can’t wait to learn more about chemistry in middle school.” exclaimed the participants. Teachers praised the festivals for their educational value and engaging format. “The students were fully engaged and enjoyed every minute. The knowledge imparted will definitely greatly stimulate students’ interest in STEM fields, especially chemistry, as they enter the secondary education system.” said Mrs. Waheeda Ali-Yatali, Grade 5 teacher at St. Joseph TML Primary School. Mr. Ashish Deonarine, Grade 5 teacher at El Dorado North Hindu Primary School echoed the same sentiments, adding that the Chemistry Festival was very well organized and structured, and the volunteers were well versed in teaching methods and teaching practices.

“It’s amazing! It’s great! It’s shocking!” This is what students and faculty said about the Chemistry Festival. “It really was a memorable experience for them.” Ms Pauline Newton, Principal of St. Lucia Private School, said she noticed the energy of the volunteers who encouraged the students to participate in the interactive experiments with excitement. “They enjoyed the discussions, gained new knowledge and, most importantly, experienced the daily life of a scientist, which opened many of their eyes to this fascinating world of exploration.”

“The Chemistry Festival was a huge success and it was great to see so many young students interested in chemistry,” said event organisers Dr Powder-George and Dr Mohammed. “We believe events like this are vital to sparking a passion for science at an early age, and the enthusiasm and curiosity we’ve seen is truly inspiring.” They stressed that such outreach programmes play a vital role in popularising science and preparing students for a variety of careers. Critical thinking and the innovative use of science and technology to solve problems are characteristics of the ideal Caribbean person as articulated by the CARICOM Heads of Government.

“We anticipate that introducing chemistry earlier than usual in the upper primary years will provide students with valuable skills of long-term value and produce a range of overall benefits.” They expressed their gratitude to ACS for their generous sponsorship and to all the volunteers and participating schools who contributed to the success of the Chemistry Festival. It is expected that these Chemistry Festivals will encourage future partnerships with corporate sponsors, UWI alumni and educational stakeholders to continue to be an annual event and reach more post-SEA students more broadly.

end

Notes to Editors

Photo Captions

Photo 1: Event organizers Dr. Yomica Powder-George (far right) and Dr. Faisal Mohammed (far left) pose with volunteers from the Department of Chemistry at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, holding their completed ACS Outreach Training Program certificates.

Photo 2: Pupils at St Joseph TML Primary School enjoy a science exploration.

Image 3: Students at North Indian Elementary School in El Dorado are studying the super absorbent ability of sodium polyacrylate in diapers.

Image 4: Students at Lucia’s private school are fascinated by the sublimation (dry ice) bubble experiment.

Image 5: Students at St. Lucia Private School prepare for the “Self-Inflating Balloon” experiment under the guidance of student volunteers Sarita Nagassar and Shannon Balkaran.

About the American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. The mission of ACS is to advance the broader enterprise of chemistry and its practitioners for the benefit of the planet and all its people. The Society is a leading global science education organization, providing chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books, and a weekly news periodical, Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, trusted, and read in the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division works with innovators worldwide to accelerate breakthroughs by organizing, connecting, and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

About the University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies has been a key force in all aspects of development in the Caribbean and has been at the heart of all efforts to improve the well-being of the people of the region for 75 years.

UWI began as University College London in Jamaica in 1948 with 33 medical students. Today, UWI is a global university of international renown with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona from Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Mountain in Barbados, The five islands of Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campusand A global center established in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The University of the West Indies offers more than 1000 Certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options exist Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it has access to the largest pool of intellectual and professional knowledge in the Caribbean, working to address critical issues in our region and around the world.

The University of the West Indies is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world by the most reputable ranking agencies. Times Higher Education). Since UWI first appeared in the Times Higher Education rankings in 2018, it has performed well across a number of categories, including the World University Rankings, the Golden Age University Rankings (50 to 80 years old), the Latin America Rankings and the Impact Rankings, which are noted for their response to the world’s greatest concerns, as outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including good health and well-being, gender equality and climate action.

to know more information www.uwi.edu