Organic growth for chemistry

The teaching of organic chemistry in schools across the UK is to benefit as a result of a donation to the Royal Society of Chemistry from Shire, a FTSE50 leading global biopharmaceutical company, with headquarters in the UK.

The donation will be used to help teachers deliver A-Level organic chemistry lessons with increased confidence and enthusiasm, leading to significant long-term benefits to UK industry, economy and society.

Shire is providing an unrestricted education donation of £250,000 over the coming five years, and has pledged to participate in teaching sessions and will grant teachers access to Shire sites for training.

In addition, Shire will be sponsoring an award for a group of top A-Level chemistry students in 2008, giving them the chance to travel to Boston, Massachusetts, the heartland of the biotech industry in the US.

The RSC will employ its educational expertise to deliver improvements in the understanding and teaching of organic chemistry, modernise the A-Level science curriculum, provide materials that teachers enjoy using and students understand and increase the awareness of science in the public domain.