‘The history of science, more than of any other activity, shows men and women of every nation contributing to the common pool of organised knowledge and providing the means for enhancing human welfare.’ – Ronald Nyholm, editorial in Education in Chemistry, vol. 1, issue 1.
50 years ago, the Royal Institute of Chemistry (RIC) announced a new quarterly magazine, with the aim of ‘improving the teaching of chemistry at all levels’. The RIC no longer exists (having merged with the Society for Analytical Chemistry and the Chemical and Faraday Societies to form the Royal Society of Chemistry) but the publication, Education in Chemistry or EiC, is still around to celebrate its golden anniversary.
Having spent the year in dusty archive rooms researching the history of the magazine, editor Karen J Ogilvie and assistant editor David Sait have emerged, blinking, back into the daylight, determined to celebrate in style. As well as planning a calendar of celebration events for those involved in the magazine, they’ve been busy rethinking their online home, and the refreshed and redesigned website launched on 12 November.
EiC still lives up to its original intentions, as a way of sharing ideas and discussion on the teaching of chemistry, as well as keeping educators up to date with news from the frontline of chemical research. Recent articles place the history of drug development alongside innovations in virtual experiment software that could enhance or replace traditional laboratory-based practical work. This balance fits perfectly with the aim set out by Ronald Nyholm in the editorial of the very first issue:
‘[Our task] is to present modern chemistry in ways that will stimulate teachers at various levels to improve their own presentation of the subject, and to record the experiences of those who have tried out new methods and new approaches.’
But sticking to their original principles doesn’t mean resisting change. EiC has developed over the years alongside the teaching profession, keeping pace with technology, policy and an ever-changing curriculum. They continue to support chemistry teachers both inside and outside the classroom, and with the announcement of a new strand looking at continuing professional development, hope to encourage chemistry teaching as a lifelong career.
So happy birthday EiC!
