Nothing’s better than sweet science, and this year the BYU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is celebrating National Chemistry Week’s theme “The Sweet Side of Chemistry—Candy,” October 19–25.
This national theme is what the weeklong activities, organized by the Central Utah Chapter of the American Chemical Society, will be modeled after. The society will host a series of short presentations about confection and candy making on October 23 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in W140 BNSN.
Magic shows will take place Monday through Friday in W111 and W112 of the Benson Building (BNSN). Monday’s show will start at 5:30 p.m. and shows will start every day for the rest of the week at 6:30 p.m. The shows will be focused on getting kids (and those of us young at heart) interested in chemistry. Since seating is limited, tickets are required and can be reserved here.
Ice cream made from liquid nitrogen will be served before and after the magic shows, and Y-Chem will also be serving ice cream from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday in the west wing of the Benson Building.
Children of all ages will have the opportunity to be a chemist for a day at the hands-on chemistry workshop that will take place at the Provo City Library on October 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
For those who would like to see more than just the changing colors and explosions of the magic shows, there will also be poster presentations in the Benson Building lobby highlighting research from each of the chemistry labs here at BYU as well as a few labs from UVU, on October 24 with a reception after from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition, Dr. Alezandra Navrotsky, a renowned materials chemist from the University of California, Davis, will be giving a lecture about her professional journey as a woman scientist. The lecture for general audiences is titled, “A Career in Thermodynamics, Then, Now, and in the Future,” and will be held October 22 in W140 BNSN. She will also be giving a scientific lecture titled, “Energetics of Porous Materials and Confinement,” on October 21 in W140 BNSN. Both lectures will begin at 4:00 p.m.