6th November 1997

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Chemistry is fun! That's the message that the University of Ulster and the Royal Society of Chemistry will be giving during their Chemistry Week events.

Chemistry affects everyone. Every day there are issues involving chemistry which we have to address. Which soap powder should we buy? What has been added to foods by way of preservatives, colouring, added vitamins? What was added to the soil during the growth our food such as fertilisers and pesticides? Are these additives necessary? Are they harmful? Does the addition of fluoride really prevent dental decay? Does fluoride have other harmful effects? In the modern world we all produce a vast amount of waste. What should we do with this material? Can we reuse any of it? Is it OK to burn it?

Some of these and many other issues are being addressed at meetings around Northern Ireland during Chemistry Week which is being organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

During the Week there will be lectures and debates, demonstrations, competitions and visits to industrial and University departments. There will be short conducted tours of the Biomedical and Environmental Sensor Technology (BEST) Centre which is part of the University at the Jordanstown campus. In Newtownabbey there will be demonstrations involving food, instruments, and a mini glucose sensor in the Abbey Centre (outside Dunne's Store) on Monday and Tuesday 17th and 18th November.

Dr Eggins, School of Applied Biological and Chemical Sciences at the University and one of the organizers said,

"After Chemistry Week, everyone should have a flavour of the importance of chemistry. The number of people taking up chemistry in Northern Ireland is very small, compared with the Republic of Ireland. There are five institutions in Dublin alone with thriving chemistry departments, as well as others in Cork. Galway, Limerick, Maynooth, Sligo and Carlow. Northern Ireland needs chemists for its industries and to keep track of environmental, agricultural and food issues. So go out and buy your chemistry sets! Take some chemistry courses."

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk