The Institute for Chemical Research hosted the 17th edition of Chemical Research for High School Students, an annual summer workshop that introduces participants to the depth and excitement of chemistry (and science in general) by enabling them to experience some aspects of advanced research.
With a great number of high school students from across the country in attendance despite the scorching weather, the morning program began with a lecture by Associate Professor Hikaru Takaya, a member of the Institute, entitled "Let's Take a Look at the Periodic Table". As the Associate Professor described in simple terms the processes by which elements and life-enabling molecules emerged in space, students listened with great concentration, taking notes and asking questions, displaying an attitude befitting the next generation of researchers.
In the afternoon, participants were divided into several groups, each of which was assigned to one of the demonstration sites prepared by nine laboratories. At these sites, students examined a supercomputer or some other large research instruments, listened to researchers describe the fields covered by their laboratories, and worked on chemical experiments and hands-on exercises. The activities included observing how a high-intensity laser beam could be dispersed into a rainbow by passing it through water, examining macromolecular crystals under a microscope, and learning how the process of crystallization determined the melting point of the resulting crystal. At each site, organizers observed that high school students in their white lab coats looked as mature and professional as graduate students, as they worked intensely on their experiments and exercises.
Participants listening to the lecture by Associate Professor Takaya
A participant hard at work on his experiment
