18-18 Chem Admissions news.qxp_Chem news 16/02/2018 16:11 Page 3 Chemistry Admissions February 2018 NEWSLETTER York Chemistry 2nd in Guardian League Table Outstanding Chemistry at York moved to 2nd place in The Guardian University League Table 2017 NSS Results 2018. The Guardian scored departments for satisfaction with teaching, the course and feedback, student-to-staff ratio, spend per student, average entry tariff, value added and career prospects after six months of leaving the course. Out of 53 chemistry departments, York was ranked in an outstanding 2nd place, up two places from last year. York gained high scores across all areas with an overall score of 96.6% and 87.1% for feedback satisfaction; the highest of all of With an overall student satisfaction rating of 95% and departments. outstanding other results in the National Student Survey, This completed a successful hat-trick of York has confirmed its reputation as one of the very best top 4 places for Chemistry at York in the 3 places to study chemistry in the UK. major University League Tables, retaining Amongst its research-intensive Russell reflect how we challenge our students to our 4th position in both the 2018 Group competitor departments, York demonstrate and apply their knowledge of University League Table published by The Chemistry achieved first place in a chemistry in a wide range of different ways Times and the 2018 Complete University remarkable 7 of the 9 sections of the and the way in which we enable student Guide (since the publishing of league survey – leading the way in Teaching on my learning as part of a supportive community, tables in The Complete University Guide, Course (94%), Learning Opportunities with a strong emphasis on small group York Chemistry has never left the top 10). (91%), Assessment and Feedback (80%), tutorial teaching and teamwork. With the recent re-accreditation of all our Academic Support (89%), Organisation and undergraduate programmes by the Royal Management (91%), Learning Resources Head of Department, Society of Chemistry and the introduction (96%) and Learning Community (89%). Professor Duncan Bruce said: of two new pathways in the next These very pleasing NSS results academic year, the Department is well Alongside previously recognised areas reflect the strength of placed to build on this success, and aims of teaching excellence, the Department Departmental teaching across the to continue improving both research and was particularly delighted to come first in board and the unique York atmosphere teaching in the coming year. the Russell Group in the new NSS in which our academic staff work hard to categories of Learning Opportunities and encourage all students to achieve their Learning Community. We believe these true potential. Leading national education conference held in the Department of Chemistry The Variety in Chemistry Education and Physics Higher Education Conference (ViCEPHEC) is the leading national conference for chemistry and physics education at tertiary level in the UK. This year the conference was held at York between 23 and 25 August. Delegates ranged from academic staff at universities to schoolteachers, outreach officers, laboratory specialists, technicians, students, industrialists and publishers. The event, attended by over 175 delegates, provided opportunities to share best practice within the disciplines of chemistry and physics by discussing cutting edge educational research and practice. Professor John Holman gave a thought-provoking plenary lecture in which he explored the transition made by students (and himself) between school and university chemistry education. 18-18 Chem Admissions news.qxp_Chem news 16/02/2018 16:11 Page 4 Chemistry@York February 2018 eeDc feed Chemical back Innovation This MOOC was one of the best Landmark free online course, I've followed so far. It helped me to refresh so much of the eeDc, demystifies everyday chemistry I learnt during my apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory organic chemistry assistant years ago. My daughters, who P are still at primary school enjoyed the Exploring Everyday Chemistry (eeDc), a pioneer University of e kitchen experiments a lot. Thank you York MOOC (massive open online course), delivered by the s very much for this excellent course. FutureLearn platform, attracted learners from over 100 d countries. n h w G w More than 9000 learners from well over Learner feedback was extremely positive The practicals were fun and the 100 countries signed up for a first ever (see left-hand column for examples), course was really interesting and University of York MOOC, called Exploring including on the choice of topics, the insightful. Thank you York for Everyday Chemistry. The courses ran in presentation style and learning resources. this MOOC and I look forward to January and July, and comprised four weeks applying to your university next year. of learning with 85 individual learning The course development was led by steps, including more than 30 videos and Professor Andy Parsons, assisted by screencasts. It highlighted a range of undergraduate chemistry students starting chemistry-based topics relating to our with Katie Martinelli and James everyday lives – from perfumes to Titterington who helped develop the antibiotics, brewing and sport, with an project and facilitate the first running, then emphasis on the important role of organic Caitlin Evans, Craig Hardy and Josie chemistry. Aspects of recent research from Rogers for the second running, including the Department of Chemistry were compiling some weekly videos (the course included, together with examples of our has attracted over 5000 postings). undergraduate teaching materials. Activities included experimenting ‘in the kitchen’ with hands-on projects ranging from extracting a plant fragrance, to testing the activity of spices against microbes – Ian Barr, from the Centre for Lifelong learners could share their results using tools Learning, who is coordinating MOOC such as Padlet and twitter (@eedcAndy, activity at the University of York, wrote: #FLchemistry). The course was designed to be of particular use to sixth-formers Feedback from FutureLearn has interested in developing independent been highly complimentary – the learning skills to help the transition to course has been deemed to be university – marketing of the course to over ‘excellent’ following Quality Assurance, 100 schools and colleges was supported by Following the success of the first run, a and the trailer created to promote the the University’s Widening Participation team slightly revised version of the course will course has been used as an exemplar by with a range of publicity created for feeder start on 2 July 2018 (to register your FutureLearn when meeting potential schools and colleges. Indeed, this interest: https://www.york.ac.uk/study/moocs/). new European partners in how to create admissions season, a number of our UCAS engaging content. It’s been a genuine applicants have mentioned MOOCs, For details of the course content you might pleasure to work with Andy and the including Exploring Everyday Chemistry, in like to see our promotional video: team and share in their enthusiasm their personal statements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDsJ8yrPEk4 for both chemistry and delivering a first-class learner experience. www.york.ac.uk/Chemistry 18-18 Chem Admissions news.qxp_Chem news 16/02/2018 16:11 Page 5 Chemistry@York February 2018 3D structure of enzyme opens path to new drug design in brain disease Researchers at York and Simon Fraser University, Canada, have revealed the 3D structure of an enzyme that could provide a crucial step forward in treating neurodegenerative diseases. Previous work from these research teams investigated a class of diseases called tauopathies, which occur when Sun, sea and electrochemistry tau proteins spontaneously group together in the brain. It is often associated with Alzheimer’s and York researchers have found a new way of other neurodegenerative diseases. Research has Molecules in the body safely trapping the greenhouse gas, shown that the tau protein can be modified by a more visible in new carbon dioxide, as a solid mineral, sugar, natural to the body, called O-GlcNAc. This detection system dawsonite. The process, developed by sugar can stabilise the protein to block it from York researchers have developed a Professor Michael North and Dr Alison clumping together and may thereby prevent technique that will enhance the Parkin, uses scrap metal, seawater and disease. The human enzyme O-GlcNAc-hydrolase, performance of magnetic electricity from solar panels, and is highly however, is responsible for the removal of this resonance imaging (MRI) in scalable. Some 850 million tonnes of carbon crucial sugar from the protein, making it a prime identifying disease. MRI and dioxide per year could be captured using target in preventing the progression of tau-related Nuclear Magnetic Resonance nothing more than the dream summer dementias. In order to understand how this (NMR) are two of the most holiday combination of sun and sea, along clumping of tau could be prevented or reduced by important techniques used in with some scrap metal and electricity. increasing O-GlcNAc, scientists at York investigated identifying simple molecules and the structure of the human enzyme to reveal how it complex materials and provide is organised to function in this way. valuable information about how they behave. Applications in the diagnosis of a range of diseases, Green Chemistry from cancerous tumours to heart wins H2020 Funding disease, are particularly important. Our Green Chemistry Centre of Research These technologies work by Excellence (GCCE) has been awarded detecting the magnetic dipoles of three-year Horizon 2020 funding as Highlights nuclei, but in a typical hospital part of a multidisciplinary and multi- scanner, they effectively only detect actor collaborative Research and one molecule in every 200,000. Innovation Action (RIA) coordinated by This makes it difficult in medical Unitelma Sapienza University, Italy. The Large spiroclip research grant diagnostics to see the full picture project STAR-ProBio aims to promote a Dr Will Unsworth and Professor Richard Taylor of what is happening in the body.