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Chemistry Admissions February 2019 NEWSLETTER Outstanding League Table Results for 2019

The Department of Chemistry was placed 3rd in both the latest ‘Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide’ and ‘The Guardian University Guide’.

¬ The Times and Sunday Times league Department receives 97% table is derived from official data from the Research Excellence Framework overall satisfaction in 2018 NSS 2014, the Higher Education Statistics Chemistry at York confirms its place at the top of the Russell Agency and this year’s National Student Group in the 2018 National Student Survey (NSS) results. Survey, and also takes into account factors such as graduate prospects and This year the Department received 97% in ¬ Teaching on my course (94%) social inclusion. the ‘Overall Satisfaction’ category, an even ¬ Learning opportunities (94%) higher result than 2017. The Department was placed first in eight out of the nine ¬ Organisation and Management (95%) areas within the Russell Group, including ¬ Learning Resources (93%) ‘Overall Satisfaction’, ‘Teaching on my course’ and ‘Learning Community’. ¬ Learning Community (90%) We were delighted to achieve over 90% ¬ Overall Satisfaction (97%) satisfaction in six of the areas:

¬ Published annually, the Guardian’s University Guide ranks 121 UK The Gold Standard universities by undergraduate degree The Department of Importantly, the policies subjects according to satisfaction with Chemistry has been developed as part of the course, teaching and feedback; student featured by The Royal Athena SWAN initiative to staff ratio spend per student; entry Society of Chemistry in an benefit all staff members. tariff; career after six months of leaving article promoting initiatives As Dr Caroline Dessent, the course; degree results compared to to support diversity in the Chair of the Departmental entry qualifications; and continuation workplace. The Athena SWAN gold Equality and Diversity Committee, points of first year students. award, held by the Department since out in the article: 2007, recognises our commitment These rankings round off a brilliant year to advancing the careers of women This has been really important in for the department, making the top six in in higher education and research. keeping the support of all of the all three major UK league tables. The article discusses specific initiatives department’s staff over the last including family-friendly working, a decade and has led to inclusivity, which flexible working guarantee, a part-time goes far beyond the original remit of working assurance, pay gap analysis and Athena SWAN and aims to provide a unconscious bias awareness, and gives welcoming environment, which actively examples of how the environment within supports all members of the department, the Department has been transformed. irrespective of gender, sexuality, disability, ethnicity or background. 13-19 Chem Admissions news.qxp_Chem news 14/02/2019 17:52 Page 4

Chemistry@York February 2019 Drilling down into final year research opportunities Our staff talk about our final year projects – how they are organised and what is involved

BSc Chemical MChem MChem MChem Communication Year Abroad Year in Industry Year in York N Projects R We support students in Our recruitment process Our research projects are m Our BSc research projects various ways both prior to, for year 4 placements 'real world', open-ended c give our students the and during, placements at starts in the Summer Term and as tailor-made and f opportunity to do an a university abroad. of year 2. A handbook is individualised as possible. l original piece of work, Students in years 1 and 2 issued containing details By the end of year 3, many covering a wide spectrum are invited to attend of at least thirty regular students will have clear, of different types of information sessions at placement companies. informed ideas about their research, from the the start of each academic Students research these research interests/future synthesis of novel year. This gives an overview companies to find out the plans, and we offer and compounds, to designing of the programme and sort of chemistry they do support a wide range of new analytical methods, to what students need to and their location projects supervised by completely non-lab-based do to prepare. Students (companies are based academic staff. projects. interested in spending a throughout the UK and year in a country where some in western Europe). We start the process with One option for our final English is not the first At the end of the Summer an introduction session, year BSc chemistry language are encouraged Term students select their early in Spring of year 3. students who are to take part in language 8 favourite companies and Students then explore considering a career such courses via the LFA register their interest in opportunities for projects as teaching, is to (Languages for All) the scheme. by talking with academic undertake a Chemical programme. The staff. If students have Communication project in Department covers the After the summer exams suggestions of their own, place of a more traditional fees for these courses for we organise CV writing we are usually able to lab-based research project. students enrolled on the and interview sessions so accommodate these. At There are two styles of MChem(Abroad) scheme. that students can brush up the end of the Spring project to choose from. on these skills. Over the Term, students submit four One is school-based, in At the end of year 2, vacation, students prepare project choices, in order of which a student spends a students submit their CVs/supporting letters for preference. Typically, we minimum of ten days preferences for the their chosen companies assign at least 90% of across two terms in a local different destinations/ and submit these at the projects according to first secondary school, research topics. The start of year 3. The or second preferences. observing and helping MChem(Abroad) Department attaches a When oversubscription with (mainly) chemistry coordinator works with reference from the College issues arise, the module and other science lessons. students during year 3 to tutor, then forwards this coordinator brokers the The second style of project organise nominations for information to the best possible alternatives involves designing and placements. The focus is companies, who hopefully between students and running an outreach event on finding placements offer our students academic staff, but we for visiting school groups. and research projects that interviews, starting in never assign projects that The activities that the fit with students’ interests. October. New companies did not feature on the participants take part in Although some usually become available students' project choices. are based on areas of destinations can be throughout the year. chemistry research at the oversubscribed, the Assignments are usually University of York. Department uses a It is a competitive process completed around the transparent/fair system and we cannot guarantee middle of the Summer The chemical to make decisions on every student will secure a Term, when the module communication projects nominations. It is usually placement (students will coordinator shares all have been running for 13 possible to secure always have the choices and final years, and several of our placements for most opportunity to complete assignments to ensure former students are now students interested in the their MChem degree at maximum transparency. teacher mentors for our programme at one of the York if they change their Students are asked to current cohort. If a student destinations they are keen mind or if they don't contact their project is considering teaching, to visit. secure a placement) – on supervisor(s) to discuss the this is an excellent way for saying this, we typically latest developments/plans, them to dip their toe in The coordinator offers place around 50 students and collect reading for the the water to see if this is support to students per year. summer, to prepare for a the career for them. preparing to spend year 4 smooth start in the next C abroad, with assistance Dr Brian Grievson academic year. S Dr Annie Hodgson from our Centre for Global n Programmes. Dr Angelika Sebald d c Dr John Slattery th de

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Chemistry@York February 2019

Making artificial metalloenzyme assembly reversible A new anchoring strategy enables a synthetic catalyst to be bound strongly, yet reversibly, to a protein scaffold, thereby developing an artificial metalloenzyme that benefits from recyclable components. Artificial metalloenzymes combine a reactive synthetic metal catalyst with a highly selective and biocompatible protein scaffold. In this way, they can combine the beneficial features of both – performing synthetic reactions with new levels of selectivity. In New hope for cold cure their latest research, the research team of Professor Anne Duhme-Klair and Professor Researchers have lab-tested a Keith Wilson has developed a new reversible approach to combining these components. molecule that can combat the common cold virus by preventing it from hijacking human cells. Early lab-based tests with human cells have shown the molecule’s ability to completely block multiple strains of cold virus, and the team hope to move to animal and then human York student trials. The common cold is caused by contributes to Science paper on a family of viruses with hundreds of Research variants, making it nearly impossible anti-cancer drug biosynthesis to become immune to or vaccinate Highlights During his final year, Khoa Chungstudent,, an was MChem against all of them. On top of that, (Industry) undergraduate the viruses evolve rapidly, meaning involved in a project at the John Innes Centre, they can quickly gain resistance to Alpine ice shows iodine increase which is published in Science magazine. The drugs. For these reasons, most cold Analysis of Alpine ice by scientists at York, project aimed to understand the biosynthesis of remedies rely on treating the Université Grenoble Alpes and the Desert vinblastine, a potent but rare anti-cancer drug. symptoms of the infection – such as Research Institute shows that iodine Found in the leaves of Madagascar periwinkle, runny nose, sore throat and fever – concentration began to increase after the Second it is a potent inhibitor of cell division and is rather than tackling the virus itself. World War following the increase in motor used against various cancers. However, it takes However, a new molecule, vehicles and electricity generation. Nitrogen oxide approximately 500 kilograms of dried leaves to developed by a research team emissions from vehicles and power plants since produce just 1 gram of the active drug. The including Professor Tony the 1950s increase surface ozone, and this reacts team used modern genome sequencing Wilkinson and Dr Jim Brannigan with chemicals in seawater to release more iodine techniques to identify the key missing enzymes targets N-myristoyltransferase into the atmosphere, which partially, but not that build vinblastine precursor molecules (NMT), a protein in human cells. completely, destroys some of these harmful gases. catharansine and tabersonine. These precursors can be modified further to ultimately give vinblastine itself. New method provides insight into disease Researchers in Chemistry and Biology at York have developed a breakthrough new protein chemistry technique that will help further research into the deadly tropical disease Leishmaniasis, which claims up to 50,000 lives a year. The ultra-mild ‘bioconjugation’ method enables the attachment of small molecules to delicate biological machinery, including a protein from the surface of the Leishmania parasite, which is essential for infection. Taking inspiration from the well-known classical organic synthetic “cross aldol” reaction first studied in 1881, and its modern reinvention in the presence of small molecule organocatalysts, the team designed a potent ‘protein cross-aldol’ reaction capable of modifying proteins in minutes at neutral pH.

New insights into insulin physiology and insect- Green chemistry solvent transmitted diseases selection guide success An international research team, led by A solvent selection guide developed in Professor Marek Brzozowski from our collaboration with York’s Green Chemistry York Structural Biology Laboratory (GCCE) has been Centre of Excellence (YSBL), has fully characterised the insulin adopted by the American binding protein from the fruit fly. This Traces of opiates (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute. The ACS provides new insight into human found in ancient vessel Green Chemistry Institute, a world-leader physiology and potential new routes to Researchers at York and the British Museum in green chemistry education, will use interfere with insect-transmitted diseases have discovered traces of opiates preserved this freely available guide as their such as malaria and yellow fever. The inside a distinctive vessel dating back to the recommended method of selecting more insulin binding protein helps to control Late Bronze Age. Using instruments in our environmentally friendly solvents. The animal physiology, including both insects Centre of Excellence in Mass guide ranks solvents according to safety, and humans, and the pathways of Spectrometry, Dr Rachel Smith developed the health and environmental criteria, to give insulin-based hormonal signalling are new analytical method as part of her PhD a clear assessment of the environmental- highly conserved between species. So degree. This is the first time that reliable friendliness of both traditional and more fully understanding a key component in chemical evidence has been produced to link modern solvents. The guide was developed this pathway, the insulin binding protein, the opium poppy with a base-ring juglet, as part of the CHEM21 project by scientists is of vital relevance in both insect and despite many previous attempts. from Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, the human physiology. GCCE and Charnwood Technical Consulting Ltd. 13-19 Chem Admissions news.qxp_Chem news 14/02/2019 17:52 Page 6

Chemistry@York February 2019 Inspirational New Dr Annie Hodgson 2018 Research National Teaching Receives Vice- Award Winners

Fellow Chancellor’s Professor Lucy Carpenter Professor Teaching Award The Wolfson Foundation Andrew and the Royal Society The award, which recognises excellence in Parsons has Royal Society Wolfson teaching and learning support, will be been awarded Research Merit Award conferred at one of the summer degree a prestigious ceremonies. Dr Annie Hodgson is the Schools National Liaison and Outreach Officer in the Teaching Professor James Clark Department of Chemistry, and the Fellowship by the Royal Society of Chemistry Coordinator of the year 1 Skills for Chemists Higher Education core module. She is the departmental Study Academy in recognition Skills Officer and Editor of Chemistry Review, of his inspirational and innovative a Hodder Education magazine for A-level approaches to teaching. Professor Gideon Davies Chemistry Royal Society of Chemistry The National Teaching Fellowships are students. She Haworth Memorial awarded on an annual basis by the Higher hosts the Lectureship Education Academy. The National Teaching Salters’ Festival Fellowship (NTF) scheme celebrates and of Chemistry recognises individuals who have made an and visits Professor Simon Duckett outstanding impact on student outcomes and schools Royal Society of Chemistry the teaching profession in higher education. country-wide The awards have been running since 2000, to give with up to 55 individuals from across the workshops whole Higher Education sector being and her Professor John Goodby recognised each year. On gaining the award, exciting The International fellows play an ongoing role in enhancing ‘Colourful Liquid Crystal Society teaching and learning within their institution, Chemistry’ Chemistry Review is a full colour Pierre Gilles de Gennes the HE sector and further afield. lecture. magazine for post-16 chemists. ILCS Prize

Revamping Year 1 Practical Chemistry Dr Will Unsworth Our year 1 practical chemistry module aims to introduce and develop the essential practical Royal Society of Chemistry laboratory skills that students need in order to be competent chemists and, in 2017-18, we made some major revisions. We know that many students have little laboratory experience upon arrival, so the focus of the first few weeks is entirely on lab familiarisation and basic skills, with extensive support from demonstrators. The students’ learning is also supported with lectures on the theory behind how the practical techniques work, and with online material (notes, images, videos) providing detailed guidance on how to perform the techniques. For example, changes in the Autumn Term mean that the first few weeks have a very high demonstrator:student ratio and focus on laboratory familiarisation and safe working. Students’ work is continually evaluated by demonstrators, with lots of support and verbal feedback on how best to improve their techniques; no formal assessment is attempted, to minimise stress and allow students to focus on learning. In later weeks, the experiments build in complexity by combining the operations from earlier experiments, encouraging growing confidence. Exercises are allocated a generous amount of time in the lab, to allow for repetition, practice and improvement. There is no formal assessment – students are encouraged to develop their understanding of techniques by reading and Shortlisted for discussing with demonstrators. In the last week of term, students are assessed on their skills with regard to setting up experimental apparatus. Anyone who is not at the required Most Innovative standard is allocated extra support and intensively-demonstrated extra practice Teacher of the sessions, before being reassessed in the Spring Term – multiple times, if required, Year until they pass. Our professional standard teaching laboratories (opened 2014) Dr Glenn Hurst was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education (THE) ‘Most Innovative Teacher of the Year’ award based on his work using social media in new ways to enhance student engagement, understanding and communication. The Times Higher Education Awards are widely recognised as the Oscars of the higher education sector, attracting hundreds of entries that exemplify the talent, dedication and innovation of individuals and teams across all aspects of university life. www.york.ac.uk/Chemistry 13-19 Chem Admissions news.qxp_Chem news 14/02/2019 17:52 Page 1

Chemistry Admissions Feb 2019

The winning molecular model from a UCAS pre-offer visit day – some lovely visitor feedback including One of our second-year Feeling the chill! ; the frosting is “The afternoon was very well undergraduate reactions organised, and both staff and from a dry ice/acetone bath, which maintains a current students were temperature of –78 °C. enthusiastic and friendly.”

Nicholas McGregor, a Postdoctoral Research Associate supervised by Professor Gideon Davies, has crystallised these two different enzymes involved in the breakdown of plant biomass. They are stable at up to 90°C!

A stunning medicinal display from one of our learners on our free online Many congratulations to our FutureLearn course. undergraduate admissions colleagues on their richly deserved award for ‘outstanding Our 2018 chemis- support to teaching’. tree displayed in our teaching laboratories Recognition to a small team (this year the indigo dye for all their hard work and decoration was made dedication to excellence over in-house by third-year a number of years. prestigious student Alex Bytheway. . Our MChem student Alice McEllin won a Salters’ Institute Graduate Award One way Alice demonstrated industrial awareness for the award was by participating in a major project as part of the Boeing/Royal Aeronautical Society “Build a Plane” challenge.

Our national molecular Congratulations to fourth-year MChem Our 6 new spectrophotometers and PCs modelling chemistry student Andrew Stratton, awarded our arrived in time for the start of term: inaugural MChem competition for school and 6th £21k worth of new Instruments from form students. First prize includes Communicator of the Year a total £40k investment bespoke glass-blown art and an (McCOY) Prize by Dr Julia Sarju. for our in new equipment expenses-paid visit to Chemistry at York. undergraduate teaching labs this year.

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Chemistry Admissions Feb 2019 Useful Links: York Student Student Finance visit us www.york.ac.uk/students/finance/ brings Chemistry www.gov.uk/browse/education/student-finance/ Outreach to 2019 University Open Days The University’s Student Financial The University will be Support Unit will be able to help Twitter holding Open Days on with any student financial queries Third-year student, Alex Fri 28 June, Sun 30 June, that you may have. Bytheway, suggested Sat 14 September, and the idea for running a Sun 15 September. Student Societies Chemistry Outreach For further details including booking: www.yusu.org/opportunities/societies/societies-a-z competition to www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/visits/open York University Students’ Union (YUSU) #RealTimeChem -days/ offers an array of societies covering curator/organiser Jason a huge range of activites ranging from We have organised a number of talks in the Woolford, in response to the Juggling Society to award-winning Chemistry Department during the day and a call for ideas. Jason, a media societies. you will also have the opportunity to tour Royal Society of our teaching laboratory. Members of the Chemistry Senior Editor, Student Sports Clubs Chemistry admissions team and current who tweets as @Doctor_Galactic, accepted www.yusu.org/opportunities/sport/clubs-a-z undergraduate Chemistry students will also the idea and asked Alex to be one of the Enjoy more than 60 different sports clubs. be on hand. judges during the week. #RealTimeChem week was a seven-day event where chemists Our Open Days in 2018 were extremely well University Library worldwide tweet about their chemistry as attended and we received some excellent www.york.ac.uk/library/ they are doing it, connecting with other feedback from visiting students and their The Library has recently been chemists around the world. The best tweets parents. transformed with a £20 million in categories, including #ChemSelfie, were investment and is open 24 hours a day, published in C&EN Magazine and received I thought the chemistry 7 days a week, 362 days a year. an award. department was amazing. They sent me information prior to the Chemistry Review open day explaining all the events that www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/schools/chemrev/ Nova Prize would happen on the day. There was a Chemistry Review, a magazine for really good variety of activities that let post-16 chemists, is commissioned nominee you get a great feel for the department. and edited at York. Final year MChem student Excellent mini lecture in organic Melissa Davie has been Departmental video links chemistry by enthusiastic lecturer nominated for the inaugural Nova Prize in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOuk9wlnfJI – if every lecturer is like that, Chemistry. This nomination recognises ... to show how our Reach Out Chemistry it will be fantastic. Melissa as a female student who has made York (ROCy) project aims to engage with outstanding early-career contributions to prospective Chemistry undergraduates. STEM. Reflecting her talent, Melissa was awarded funding from The Wellcome Trust to support a summer project in the research lab of Dr Martin Fascione, in which she https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBm2fxSVpXc focussed on modifying biomolecules. Her ... for a short clip about our new teaching final year MChem project is an industrial laboratory, with its 80 two-person fume r placement at the John Innes Centre in hoods, dedicated instrument rooms, Norwich, where she is working on natural and an adjacent social area with a product biosynthesis. During her degree, computer suite. Melissa has been involved in science outreach/communication. She helped Best chemistry lab tour I have been present the ‘Antibiotic Hunters’ stand at the on from Open Days visited so far. An Norwich Science Festival, talking to members engaging 1st year student told us all of the public about the vital need for new about how she had found the first year. antibiotics. She is also running a ‘Women in Chemistry department was impressive STEM’ stand in Norwich for Year 11 pupils, and engaging, I can see why they are to help inspire the next generation of great Find out about the latest news in the ranked so highly every year. female scientists. department using twitter: http://twitter.com/chemistryatyork

Snapshots Admissions Enquiries please contact: Telephone: +44 (0) 1904 322545 Email: [email protected]

Prizewinning kitchen experiments from learners on Website: our free online Chemistry course, Exploring Everyday www.york.ac.uk/chemistry Chemistry, hosted on the FutureLearn platform. Our Chemistry Graduation celebrations last July The next course, which is designed to aid the transition – an amazing 94% of our MChem students achieved from school/college to university, starts on 1 July (to sign a first (1st) or upper second (2:1) class degree. up see: www.futurelearn.com/courses/everyday-chemistry)