Cardiff University hosts Royal Society of Chemistry’s Top of the Bench national final

We were delighted to welcome young chemists and their teachers from 28 schools across the UK and Belgium for the 2025 Top of the Bench national final.

Orchestrated by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), the Top of the Bench event saw 112 students in teams of four investigate the "blue bottle" experiment, where a colourless solution dramatically turns blue on shaking, and explore the variables that control its fascinating changes in colour in a practical examination.

We extend our congratulations to the team from Winchester College, who emerged as the overall winners, and commend all the participating teams for their hard work and excellence. Special congratulations go to Bailey and Olivia of Armfield Academy, who shared The Jacqui Clee Award for their exceptional teamwork, staying organised and working in a calm manner to contribute to their team’s excellent performance.

Cat Miedziak, a technician in Cardiff University’s School of Chemistry, said, ‘It was lovely to see so many keen students enjoying being in the labs – the atmosphere was lively and fun, though still competitive!’

Professor Deborah Kays, Head of School of Chemistry at Cardiff University, said, "We were delighted to welcome these bright young minds to Cardiff University. Hosting the Top of the Bench final allows us to highlight our commitment to fostering the next generation of chemists and provides a valuable opportunity for students to experience practical science in a university setting. The combined efforts of our technical staff and postgraduate demonstrators were essential to the success of the practical session."

The day concluded with an engaging presentation on chemistry careers by Dr. Alison Paul (Cardiff University) and Ross Christodoulou (RSC). Ross began by highlighting the RSC's 'A Future in Chemistry' website, providing valuable resources for aspiring chemists. Alison then discussed the diverse career pathways that a chemistry background can lead to, emphasising the broad applicability of chemical knowledge and skills. Ross rounded things off with a couple of lively and highly interactive games, before the final competition results were announced.

This hands-on experience was possible thanks to the invaluable support of our dedicated chemistry and biosciences laboratory technicians. Eight chemistry postgraduate demonstrators supported the students and ensured a smooth, engaging, and fun practical session for all.

This event was a fantastic opportunity to showcase Cardiff University and inspire the next generation of chemists. We look forward to hosting similar events in the future!