After a brief hiatus last year, the Mid-Southern Counties Local Section is delighted to announce the return of the Family Lecture series in 2026, which will be held from 2.00 pm to 3.00pm on Saturday 31st January 2026, at the University of Southampton, in the lecture theatre of the Centenary Building (Building 100) and adjacent seminar rooms.
This year’s lecture is all about “How to see, hear and smell the structure of moleculesâ€, by Dr Matthew Partrige from the University of Southampton.
Join us for an exciting one-hour journey into the hidden world of molecules, structures we can’t see yet know so much about! Discover how chemists unravel the mysteries of molecular shape and bonding using clever techniques and creative thinking. Expect some surprising demonstrations along the way, including flying chocolates, musical aspirin, and even a touch of quantum chemistry.
After the lecture, families are invited to stay and enjoy a hands-on science games session, which will run in the seminar rooms from 3pm to 5pm. From quick five-minute challenges to strategy-based board games built around chemical compounds, there’s something for everyone to explore and enjoy!
To register, please use the link in the event attached. Please note that there are up to 250 places for the lecture itself, but fewer places available (around 120) for the follow-up games session. To ensure there is sufficient space and avoid disappointments on the day, please specifiy during booking whether you wish to attend the follow-up board games session in addition to the lecture.
If you have any further questions or require any further information about the event, please contact:
Matthew Partrige (Event Organizer) - M.C.Partridge@soton.ac.uk
Robert Bianchini (RSC MSCLS Secretary) – robert.h.bianchini@gmail.com
This year’s lecture is all about “How to see, hear and smell the structure of moleculesâ€, by Dr Matthew Partrige from the University of Southampton.
Join us for an exciting one-hour journey into the hidden world of molecules, structures we can’t see yet know so much about! Discover how chemists unravel the mysteries of molecular shape and bonding using clever techniques and creative thinking. Expect some surprising demonstrations along the way, including flying chocolates, musical aspirin, and even a touch of quantum chemistry.
After the lecture, families are invited to stay and enjoy a hands-on science games session, which will run in the seminar rooms from 3pm to 5pm. From quick five-minute challenges to strategy-based board games built around chemical compounds, there’s something for everyone to explore and enjoy!
To register, please use the link in the event attached. Please note that there are up to 250 places for the lecture itself, but fewer places available (around 120) for the follow-up games session. To ensure there is sufficient space and avoid disappointments on the day, please specifiy during booking whether you wish to attend the follow-up board games session in addition to the lecture.
If you have any further questions or require any further information about the event, please contact:
Matthew Partrige (Event Organizer) - M.C.Partridge@soton.ac.uk
Robert Bianchini (RSC MSCLS Secretary) – robert.h.bianchini@gmail.com