Department of Chemistry course timetable
June 2020
| Tue 9 |
Chemistry plays a very crucial role in tackling 21st century global challenges. From climate change mitigation to discovering therapeutic strategies for human health and driving sustainable energy production and usage - we are faced with many challenges for which chemical sciences has been providing and will continue to provide many plausible solutions. Much of the research involved in developing these initiatives requires a huge drive towards interdisciplinary research networks. As such, this course has been developed with some of our colleagues from across the Chemistry Department who are working on exciting and emerging areas with this multidisciplinary focus. This course will introduce how chemistry can be used as a tool to solve these challenges. First session will include the introduction. Each lecture following this will focus on a different branch, area or concept of chemistry covering the fundamental chemistry and background of how it works, any advances to date and the applications towards tackling these global challenges. The first session is compulsory, plus choose optional sessions you wish to attend when you make your booking.
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| Thu 18 |
Chemistry: Intercultural Awareness
Finished
Have you ever struggled with styles of communication of others (peers, lecturers, supervisors, staff), wondered why some people seem to use more formal language, or be more direct than others? Culture plays a big part in how we communicate, and adjusting to the cultural communication norms means more than learning a foreign language. In Cambridge's diverse and multicultural environment, we constantly communicate with people whose cultural communication norms differ from ours, whether you are a native English speaker from the United Kingdom, a native English speaker from elsewhere in the world, or have learnt English as a foreign language. In order to avoid misunderstanding, or worse still, conflict, brought on by variations in communication styles we need to learn to make allowances for the cultural differences in how people communicate. To better understand cross-cultural complexity and increase your awareness of cultural identities, come to a session on intercultural communication to increase your cultural awareness and give you a better understanding of how culture may affect your everyday communication. Please book via Zoom - https://tinyurl.com/ydca6lp9 |
August 2020
| Tue 4 |
This compulsory session introduces Research Data Management (RDM) to Chemistry PhD students. It is highly interactive and utilises practical activities throughout. Key topics covered are:
There is also an optional virtual drop-in session on Zoom available if you want to discuss anything raised in the course with the trainer, please book Session 2 if you want to attend. |
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This compulsory course will equip you with the skills required to manage the research information you will need to gather throughout your graduate course, as well as the publications you will produce yourself. It will also help you enhance your online research profile and measure the impact of research.
There is also an optional virtual drop-in session on Zoom available if you want to discuss anything raised in the course with the trainer, please book Session 2 if you want to attend. |
September 2020
| Wed 2 |
An opportunity for third year Chemistry students making an oral presentation during Showcase Week 2020 to practise their presentation and receive feedback from peers and Dr Yolande Cordeaux, Knowledge Transfer Facilitator. Please note an additional can be offered if the initial session is oversubscribed. |
| Tue 8 |
This compulsory course will equip you with the skills required to manage the research information you will need to gather throughout your graduate course, as well as the publications you will produce yourself. It will also help you enhance your online research profile and measure the impact of research.
There is also an optional virtual drop-in session on Zoom available if you want to discuss anything raised in the course with the trainer, please book Session 2 if you want to attend. |
| Thu 10 |
This compulsory session introduces Research Data Management (RDM) to Chemistry PhD students. It is highly interactive and utilises practical activities throughout. Key topics covered are:
There is also an optional virtual drop-in session on Zoom available if you want to discuss anything raised in the course with the trainer, please book Session 2 if you want to attend. |
| Wed 30 |
A thorough awareness of issues relating to research ethics and research integrity are essential to producing excellent research. This session will provide an introduction to the ethical responsibilities of researchers at the University, publication ethics and research integrity. This session will be accessed online. Instructions will be sent once your book your place. |
October 2020
| Thu 1 |
The Departmental Advanced Safety Training covers basic induction training in how to work safely, including emergency arrangements for fire and evacuation, first aid and incidents including flood and gas leak. By attending, you are made aware of the Department’s Health and Safety Policy and your responsibilities under health and safety law. You will be introduced to the process required to prepare a risk assessment with standard operating procedure (SOP) or method statement, how to select the correct type of protective equipment (PPE) and why it needs to be worn, and reminded of the importance of good house keeping for reducing the likelihood of there being an incident. The hazards associated with display screen equipment (DSE) and manual handling are identified and the need to control them by a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk is explained. Electrical safety and the requirement for annual Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is made clear.
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Advanced induction training for experimentalists introduces some of the department’s special chemical hazards including explosives, hydrogen fluoride and cyanide, and restricted chemicals, and illustrates the consequences of incorrect waste disposal. Experimentalists are made aware of the biological hazards in the department and how these are controlled with a suitable risk assessment, safety cabinets and the need for the appropriate inactivation method to be applied. Attendees are alerted to the hazards and damage caused by non-ionising radiation, glassware and sharps, oil baths and lifting equipment. The induction concludes by directing the experimentalist to compulsory University-provided specialist training courses, the requirement for fire awareness training and sources of Health and Safety information.
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| Tue 6 |
Part of Induction Week |
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This course will cover safe storage and use of cryogens, safe use and stores of compressed gas, and aspects of oxygen depletion with respect to the above.
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| Wed 7 |
Chemistry: IS1 Library Orientation
Finished
This compulsory session is intended to welcome new graduate students to the Department of Chemistry Library service in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The session will briefly cover how the physical library space can be used and, most importantly, give you practical information on how you can access the wide range of electronic resources available to you remotely. It will also cover the services available to you from other Cambridge libraries. This session is intended to set you up so you can start to do your research as efficiently and effectively as possible.
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| Wed 14 |
This session is compulsory for all experimentalists to attend and will provide useful information regarding analytical facilities at this Department including NMR, Mass Spectrometry, X-ray Crystallography, Microanalysis and Electron Microscopy. Short descriptions will be given of all available instruments, as well as explain the procedures for preparing/submitting samples for the analysis will also be discussed. Once you book on to this course, you will receive a link to preregister for this course on Zoom. |
| Tue 20 |
This training will consist of two sessions, introducing you to use of both Water's MS software and MassLynx and Bruker and Thermo's MS software: MALDI and Orbitrap. Once you book on the course you will receive a link to preregister on Zoom. |
| Tue 27 |
This course will provide an idea of what kind of scientific problems can be solved by solid state NMR. It will cover how NMR can be used to study molecular structure, nanostructure and dynamics in the solid state, including heterogeneous solids, such as polymers, MOFs, energy-storage and biological materials This course will build on a basic working knowledge of solution-state NMR for 1H and 13C, i.e. undergraduate level NMR. In order to highlight the utility of this technique, some materials based research using solid state NMR will also be covered. This session will be delivered via Zoom. |
November 2020
| Mon 16 |
Chemistry: CT7 X-Ray Crystallography
CANCELLED
These lectures will introduce the basics of crystallography and diffraction, assuming no prior knowledge. The aim is to provide an overview that will inspire and serve as a basis for researchers to use the Department’s single-crystal and/or powder X-ray diffraction facilities or to appreciate more effectively results obtained through the Department’s crystallographic services. The final lecture will be devoted to searching and visualising crystallographic data using the Cambridge Structural Database system. |
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Chemistry: FS13 LaTex
Finished
This hands-on course teaches the basics of Latex including syntax, lists, maths equations, basic chemical equations, tables, graphical figures and internal and external referencing. We also learn how to link documents to help manage large projects. The course manual is presented in the style of a thesis and since you also receive the source code you also receive a template for a thesis. Once booked you will receive a link to both sessions via Zoom. |
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| Tue 17 |
Chemistry: FS13 LaTex
Finished
This hands-on course teaches the basics of Latex including syntax, lists, maths equations, basic chemical equations, tables, graphical figures and internal and external referencing. We also learn how to link documents to help manage large projects. The course manual is presented in the style of a thesis and since you also receive the source code you also receive a template for a thesis. Once booked you will receive a link to both sessions via Zoom. |
| Wed 18 |
Chemistry: CT7 X-Ray Crystallography
CANCELLED
These lectures will introduce the basics of crystallography and diffraction, assuming no prior knowledge. The aim is to provide an overview that will inspire and serve as a basis for researchers to use the Department’s single-crystal and/or powder X-ray diffraction facilities or to appreciate more effectively results obtained through the Department’s crystallographic services. The final lecture will be devoted to searching and visualising crystallographic data using the Cambridge Structural Database system. |
| Fri 20 |
Chemistry: CT7 X-Ray Crystallography
CANCELLED
These lectures will introduce the basics of crystallography and diffraction, assuming no prior knowledge. The aim is to provide an overview that will inspire and serve as a basis for researchers to use the Department’s single-crystal and/or powder X-ray diffraction facilities or to appreciate more effectively results obtained through the Department’s crystallographic services. The final lecture will be devoted to searching and visualising crystallographic data using the Cambridge Structural Database system. |