Insight launch helps grab headlines for SCI
Strategic chemistry-based science education into the 21st century
14 March, Belgrave Square, London
 The launch of the second Insight paper, ‘Strategic chemistry-based science education into the 21st century’, on 14 March 2006 at SCI International Headquarters in Belgrave Square, London, was attended by around 80 delegates, around half of which were non-members from peer organisations, academia and industry.
Three presentations, from Andrew Ladds, SCI chief executive, Jayshree Mistry, chair of the Insight working party and Ed Metcalfe, SCI council chairman and a member of the working party, took the audience through the concerns over chemistry education in the UK that had led to the publication and detailed the work of the group and the key recommendations made in the paper.
Research carried out throughout UK members of SCI in December 2005 prompted SCI to urge further action on science education to protect the future economic health of the country. Indeed, 94% of respondents in the survey believed that future UK economic health is in danger without action on chemistry and science education, while 86% of those who expressed a view agreed or strongly agreed that the UK is not educating sufficient chemists and other scientists. SCI members received a copy of the Insight paper and the results of the member survey along with issue 5 of Chemistry & Industry.
The launch was backed by a press launch which saw comment on science education from Andrew Ladds, SCI chief executive, and from the Insight working group appearing in titles including the Financial Times, The Guardian and on the BBC News website. The topic of science education was high on the news agenda during the Insight launch week following the announcement that Sussex University was to close its chemistry department.
Gerry Lawless, the former head of the university’s chemistry department who resigned over the news of the closure, was invited to address the launch delegates. He clearly reinforced and endorsed the messages contained in the Insight paper and joined SCI in the call for action on chemistry education in the UK.
- Members of the Insight working party were Jayshree Mistry (GlaxoSmithKline), chair; Ed Metcalfe,, Sandy Gray, Andrew Ladds, SCI chief executive, Mike Pitts, and Katherine Simpson and Mark Whitfield at SCI International Headquarters, London, who provided project back-up.
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