People

Organising Committee

Matthew Smith, MChem, MRSC, Head of Chemistry, St Paul's School

Bob Worley, MSc, BSc, PGCE, FRSC, Senior Advisor, CLEAPSS

Magda Polec, MSc, MRSC, Chemistry Adviser, CLEAPSS

Robert Campbell, BSc, MA, CSciTeach, FHEA, Senior Lecturer in Science Education, St Mary's University

Dr David Paterson, MChem, MEd, DPhil, PGCE, CSciTeach, MCCT, FRSC, Chemistry Teacher and Assistant Head (Student Progress), Aldenham School

Fiona Roberts, BSc RSciTech, Senior Science Technician, The Morley Academy

Maureen Wade, BSc, RSciTech, MRSB, MIScT, Lead Technician, The Victory Academy

Nasko Stamenov, BSc, MSc, Chemistry Teacher, National High School of Science and Mathematics, Bulgaria

Chris Lloyd, BSc, Head of Advisory Service, SSERC

Andy Brunning, BSc, PGCE, MRSC, Lead Subject Adviser for Chemistry, OCR

Matthew Smith is the Head of Chemistry at St Paul's School. He has been teaching chemistry for 17 years and, inspired by attending one of Bob Worley's microcale chemistry courses, has been working to implement the microscale approach to practical work at scale at St Paul's. He has given talks sharing the microscale message to audiences in the UK, USA, Thailand and Singapore.

Bob Worley won the 2021 Royal Society of Chemistry Prize for Excellence in Secondary Education, was the 2019 winner of the RSC online poster prize with the “Halo” poster and, with David Paterson, wrote “Understanding chemistry through microscale practical work”.

He has been fortunate to meet chemists from around the world from both school and university backgrounds who share the goal of explaining chemistry through safe, sustainable and easily accessible observations and measurements on a small scale.

Magda Polec is a Senior Chemistry Adviser at CLEAPSS. She received a poster prize on Small-Scale Chemistry as a Path to Safe and Sustainable Science Education at the 2024 International Conference on Chemistry Education in Thailand. She also co-delivers the CLEAPSS reduced and microscale chemistry course with Bob, helping to promote the benefits of microscale approaches.

Rob Campbell is a senior lecturer in science education at St Mary’s University Twickenham. Rob is particularly interested in how using microscale supports trainee teachers' use of practical work in their teaching.

Fiona Roberts has 16 years experience as a science technician and is currently Senior Science Technician at The Morley Academy, Leeds, where she has introduced many microscale practicals.

A recipient of the Salters Technician Award in 2023, and a speaker at the 12th ISMC, Fiona has a special interest in supporting students with SEND to access practical work through microscale techniques.

Maureen Wade has been a technician in industry, research, higher and school education since 1981 and is currently the lead technician at The Victory Academy, Chatham. She is the recipient of Salters Award 2019, STEM Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award 2023 and the RSC Excellence in Secondary & Further Education Award 2024 with a particular interest in microscale chemistry , sustainability, and outreach.

Nasko Stamenov is a chemistry teacher at the National High School for Science and Mathematics and a PhD candidate in chemistry education at Sofia University in Bulgaria. He is working on optimising Bulgaria's chemistry curriculum and to help implement the microscale approach in schools throughout his country.

Chris Lloyd has over 20 years' teaching experience, mostly chemistry, in England, Scotland and Kenya. He moved sideways and started working for Scottish Schools Education Research Centre in 2010, first as a chemistry advisor, running hands-on CPD for chemistry teachers and technicians, and is now in charge of the SSERC Health and Safety advisory service.

International Speakers

Professor
Jorge Ibanez

Professor Ibanez has been a professor at Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico, since 1985.

He is the author of 13 books, 152 papers, two patents, 10 national and two international awards and has been a visiting lecturer on five continents.

His passion for inspiring young students in chemistry via MaSSTs has inspired university academics in many other countries.

Professor
Supawan Tantayanon

Professor Supawan Tantayanon is a professor at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

She is a distinguished chemist and educator, renowned for her contributions to science education and innovative research in chemistry. She has dedicated her career to advancing chemical education and promoting sustainable practices.

Her commitment to mentorship and capacity-building initiatives continues to inspire and empower the next generation of scientists and educators.

Keynote speakers

Professor
Andrea Sella

Andrea Sella is Professor of Chemistry at University College London. His varied research interests include inorganic synthesis, the history of chemical apparatus and the sustainability of chemical research laboratories. When not appearing on television he is heavily involved in first-year undergraduate teaching at the university and leads citizen science projects to investigate London’s air quality with local primary schools.

Dr Anna Kirkham

Anna Kirkham is Senior Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry at the University of Lancashire. Her research interest include analytical forensic chemistry, inorganic chemistry and the use of technology in learning. She also has a deep interest in education, chemistry outreach and the transition from further education to higher education.

Practicals must have a purpose, but they don’t always have a right answer. Professor Sella will draw on his experiences creating home-use chemistry kits for undergraduates, engaging primary school children in air pollution research and teaching students to use the data they collect to solve real world problems.

Dr Kirkham will show how accurate, reliable practical techniques – often on the microscale – are an indispensable part of the forensic scientist’s toolkit and how some of those techniques can also be an indispensable part of the educator’s toolkit.

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