Spectroscopy in a Suitcase

The SIAS programme has been suspended for the forseeable future

We would like to thank all schools who have booked and participated in the Spectroscopy in a Suitcase (SIAS) programme. In 2019/2020 we provided 390 workshops and kit loans at 308 schools and colleges, attended by approximately 7000 students, despite having to suspend our delivery in the middle of the school year due to Covid-19.

We recently carried out a full and thorough evaluation of the programme and its impact to ensure we are offering the best outreach to inspire your students and support your teaching. While the report showed many valuable aspects of the existing programme, it also confirmed that it is time for a fundamental re-appraisal and overhaul of our approach to this outreach activity.

Taking into consideration the programme review, combined with uncertainty around the safety of future school events due to Covid-19, we have decided not to continue with the SIAS programme in its present form. We will monitor the pandemic and its impact upon schools, reflect upon the evaluation findings and decide how best to redefine our outreach provision for young learners.

We are strongly committed to supporting schools in the UK and Ireland and encourage teachers to take advantage of our remote teaching support. As we develop our service, we will also be piloting new virtual engagement projects, which will be advertised on our website when we launch them.

We are open to new ideas and want to hear from you about the types of digital engagement you think would work best for your school/institution. Please get in touch with us at sias@rsc.org.

Updated July 2020