After a brief hiatus last year, the Mid-Southern Counties Local Section is delighted to announce the return of the Family Lecture series in 2026, which will be held from 2.00 pm to 3.00pm on Saturday 31st January 2026, at the University of Southampton, in the lecture theatre of the Centenary Building (Building 100) and adjacent seminar rooms.
This year鈥檚 lecture is all about 鈥淗ow to see, hear and smell the structure of molecules鈥�, by Dr Matthew Partridge and Prof Jeremy Frey from the University of Southampton.
Join us for an exciting one-hour journey into the hidden world of molecules, structures we can鈥檛 see yet know so much about! Discover how chemists unravel the mysteries of molecular shape and bonding using clever techniques and creative thinking. Expect some surprising demonstrations along the way, including flying chocolates, musical aspirin, and even a touch of quantum chemistry.
After the lecture, families are invited to stay and enjoy a hands-on science games session, which will run in the seminar rooms from 3pm to 5pm. From quick five-minute challenges to strategy-based board games built around chemical compounds, there鈥檚 something for everyone to explore and enjoy!
This event is free for both RSC members and non-members to attend, and children are welcome at this event. To register, please use the link in the event attached. Please note that each child under 18 MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please also note that there are up to 250 places for the lecture itself, but fewer places available (around 120) for the follow-up games session. To ensure there is sufficient space and avoid disappointments on the day, please specifiy during booking whether you wish to attend the follow-up board games session in addition to the lecture.
If you have any further questions or require any further information about the event, please contact:
Matthew Partrige (Event Organizer) - M.C.Partridge@soton.ac.uk
Robert Bianchini (RSC MSCLS Secretary) 鈥� robert.h.bianchini@gmail.com
This year鈥檚 lecture is all about 鈥淗ow to see, hear and smell the structure of molecules鈥�, by Dr Matthew Partridge and Prof Jeremy Frey from the University of Southampton.
Join us for an exciting one-hour journey into the hidden world of molecules, structures we can鈥檛 see yet know so much about! Discover how chemists unravel the mysteries of molecular shape and bonding using clever techniques and creative thinking. Expect some surprising demonstrations along the way, including flying chocolates, musical aspirin, and even a touch of quantum chemistry.
After the lecture, families are invited to stay and enjoy a hands-on science games session, which will run in the seminar rooms from 3pm to 5pm. From quick five-minute challenges to strategy-based board games built around chemical compounds, there鈥檚 something for everyone to explore and enjoy!
This event is free for both RSC members and non-members to attend, and children are welcome at this event. To register, please use the link in the event attached. Please note that each child under 18 MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please also note that there are up to 250 places for the lecture itself, but fewer places available (around 120) for the follow-up games session. To ensure there is sufficient space and avoid disappointments on the day, please specifiy during booking whether you wish to attend the follow-up board games session in addition to the lecture.
If you have any further questions or require any further information about the event, please contact:
Matthew Partrige (Event Organizer) - M.C.Partridge@soton.ac.uk
Robert Bianchini (RSC MSCLS Secretary) 鈥� robert.h.bianchini@gmail.com
