Budding chemists gather in St Andrews

Budding young chemists from all over Tayside and Fife will gather in St Andrews tonight (Tuesday 19th March) for the regional finals of a quiz set up by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

The Top of the Bench Competition, which will take place at the University of St Andrews’ School of Chemistry, has been designed to get pupils more interested and excited about the field of Chemistry.

The quiz, organised by the Tayside Local Section of the RSC, involves schools from all over Fife and Tayside. The regional final at St Andrews involves four schools from both regions: Beath High School, the High School of Dundee, Kinross High School and Madras College. The team members (four per team), aged between 12 and 17 years old, will be cheered along by their classmates and teachers at the event.

As well as a cash prize from the RSC and a trophy, the winning school will go through to the National Final, to be held in the Science Museum in London. The runners up will also be presented with prizes including books and t- shirts from the RSC.

Dr Nigel Botting, of the University’s School of Chemistry, is Chairman of the Tayside Local Section of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Organiser of the competition.

He said: “Chemistry is a subject faced with decreasing popularity in schools and this is one of the many events we are involved in which are aimed to get young people interested in Chemistry and see its relevance to their daily lives.”

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS:

TO ARRANGE PRESS ACCESS TO THE EVENT AND NOTIFICATION OF WINNING TEAM, PLEASE CALL DR NIGEL BOTTING DIRECT ON 01334 463856.

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews Contact Gayle Cook on 01334 467227, mobile 07900 050103, or email [email protected] Ref: top of the bench comp 190302 View the latest University news at http://www.st- andrews.ac.uk/extrel/press.htm