Related links

New Zealand Institute of Chemistry which, among other activities, publishes ChemEd NZ and Chemistry in New Zealand.

CHEMICAL EDUCATION TRUST - Applications requested

Applications are invited from secondary school teachers (via the Head of Science) for grants from the NZIC Chemical Education Trust to promote the teaching of chemistry in their school. For the 2010 distribution, grants of around $500 are envisaged, but greater or lesser amounts can be applied for.

Closing date for applications: 1 August 2010

Applications must include full details of the item(s) for which funding is requested together with an up-to-date quotation, email contact and full postal address.

Send your application to:

Professor Andrew. Brodie,
NZIC Chemical Education Trust,
Institute of Fundamental Sciences,
Massey University,
Private Bag 11-222,
Palmerston North 4442.
Fax: 06 350 5682; e-mail: A.Brodie@massey.ac.nz

Applications that arrive after the closing date or do not include full details, as listed above, will not be considered.

Chemistry Film by J. Ollie Lucks

Below you can find an exclusive link to J. Ollie Lucks's film, Plato's Cave, submitted as a thesis at the University of Otago.

The film is about chemistry and how it is often perceived as something harmful rather than good. Merging real interviews with feature film aesthetics and stunning time-lapse photography, it centres around Beth Hannings, a chemist in her quest to receive research funding to investigate climate change solutions.

Plato's Cave recently won the Grand Prize in the global "Show us your Pixels" competition and will available for your viewing pleasure for a limited time only:

If you are interested in using this film for a public or school viewing, please contact me via J.OLLIE.LUCKS@gmail.com

Useful websites for chemistry teachers

  • Chemteach, which provides internal and external assessment resources, and teaching resources
  • BestChoice, an interactive chemistry learning website

Let's Talk Chemistry

Packer and Scott's manual on the basic language and vocabulary of chemistry, Let's Talk Chemistry, is now available on the web for all teachers and students who wish to use it.

Please bring this information to the attention of your students and teaching colleagues. Colleagues who are teaching NCEA chemistry classes but who have not majored in chemistry should find this a very helpful resource.