Festival has the right chemistry

Pupils from Luton were among those who took part in a festival of chemistry.
Pupils at the Festival of ChemistryPupils at the Festival of Chemistry
Pupils at the Festival of Chemistry

They joined children from schools in Hatfield, Northampton, Potters Bar and Aylesbury to discover the wonders of chemistry at the Salters Festival of Chemistry, hosted by the School of Life Sciences at the University of Bedfordshire.

The students took part in practical activities, including the Who is the Prime Suspect? challenge, where they had to use their analytical chemistry skills to solve a crime through forensics.

Principal lecturer in biochemistry Dr Bushra Ahmed said: “We have been running this event for the past 12 years and it is always a success.

“The participating children are always very enthusiastic, excited and work diligently in the lab. It is an excellent opportunity for young children to do their own work independently.”

The university recently announced plans to build a £40m building devoted to teaching and research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects at its Luton campus.