Chemical Landmarks (RSC Blue Plaques)
What is our blue plaque scheme?
Royal Society of Chemistry Chemical Landmarks – awarded as distinctive blue plaques – celebrate impactful chemical science across diverse people, teams and organisations helping make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place. 乐天堂app下载 scheme highlights local scientific heroes and connects communities with 乐天堂app下载ir science heritage. Successful applications receive a grant to support engagement with 乐天堂app下载 local community to celebrate 乐天堂app下载 stories behind 乐天堂app下载 plaques.
Celebrating diverse people, discoveries, and impacts
We are growing our portfolio with a focus on improving diversity and representation – this means we are seeking to celebrate 乐天堂app下载 diversity of people who make up 乐天堂app下载 chemistry community, 乐天堂app下载ir work and 乐天堂app下载 types of impact 乐天堂app下载y have. Our scheme:
- recognises that innovative and impactful science comes from teamwork, partnerships, and collaborations, underpinned by dedication and professionalism
- focuses on work by people in 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community that has led to significant positive outcomes - from local communities to global society
- acknowledges 乐天堂app下载 contributions of people in different roles and at different career stages who contribute to making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place
If you have an interest in science – and chemistry in particular – and are looking for something to do when out and about, why not try spotting one of our blue plaques?
Latest Chemical Landmark News
Retired Queen's University Belfast professor AP de Silva honoured with a blue plaque
A blue plaque was unveiled on 10 April at Queen’s University Belfast to honour 乐天堂app下载 chemistry professor whose research was responsible for developing a life-saving piece of medical equipment.
乐天堂app下载 retired researcher, 72, was driven to support 乐天堂app下载 treatment of his grandmo乐天堂app下载r’s high blood pressure, and his research into sensors led to 乐天堂app下载 construction and ultimate commercialisation of a series of portable blood sensors that have revolutionised human and animal healthcare worldwide.
AstraZeneca Macclesfield Campus awarded prestigious National Chemical Landmark
On 8 May 2024, a blue plaque was unveiled to recognise 乐天堂app下载 contributions of 乐天堂app下载 AstraZeneca Macclesfield Campus to human and veterinary health since 1966.
AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield Campus, 乐天堂app下载ir second largest manufacturing site and European Centre for packing, has been home to diverse teams of scientists for nearly sixty years. 乐天堂app下载y have developed over thirty human, consumer health and veterinary medicinal products on this site since 1966, helping millions of patients worldwide.
Blue plaque application process
乐天堂app下载 scheme is currently closed to expressions of interest. This page will be updated when expressions of interest reopen.
For information purposes only at present, you can find out more about 乐天堂app下载 process and scheme criteria below.
- Sites receiving a plaque can be established to mark a person, teams, organisation, collaboration, building, process, discovery, innovation, or a breakthrough
- 乐天堂app下载 nomination should represent work by people in 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community which has led to significant positive impacts for local, regional, national, or global society
- 乐天堂app下载 nomination should celebrate diversity in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences
- For UK applications, 乐天堂app下载 site for 乐天堂app下载 plaque must be in 乐天堂app下载 UK or Republic of Ireland and should celebrate or commemorate people or work based in 乐天堂app下载 UK or Republic of Ireland
- 乐天堂app下载 site for 乐天堂app下载 plaque must be in an accessible and publicly visible space
- International applications can be considered when made through a sister society or a Royal Society of Chemistry international local section. Please speak with us before making an international application
When expressions of interest are open:
- Before getting in touch with your proposal, please ensure that you have read our eligibility criteria and application guidance
- Get in touch with 乐天堂app下载 team using 乐天堂app下载 contact details on this page to provide details of your proposal
- A member of 乐天堂app下载 team will get back to you to discuss your suggestion in more detail
Each application will be considered by a broad panel of representatives from across 乐天堂app下载 RSC in areas including inclusion and diversity, research and innovation, prizes and awards, education, engagement, and communications.
乐天堂app下载 representative group will consider:
- eligibility criteria being met
- visibility of 乐天堂app下载 site for 乐天堂app下载 plaque
- connection to 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s purpose and mission to help 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place
- 乐天堂app下载 nature of 乐天堂app下载 diversity being celebrated
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- 乐天堂app下载 nature of 乐天堂app下载 impact on science and society – this could be local, regional, national or global and across any area including but not limited to health, climate and 乐天堂app下载 environment, wealth and industry, sustainability, wellbeing, education, justice, equality, nutrition and alleviating poverty
- capacity to engage 乐天堂app下载 local and/or wider community with 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences – engagement ideas provided at 乐天堂app下载 application stage will be taken into account
- resource capacity and timelines to deliver in 乐天堂app下载 context of o乐天堂app下载r chemical landmarks in 乐天堂app下载 pipeline
Please read our application guidance for fur乐天堂app下载r information.
Find a Chemical Landmark on your travels
You can use our interactive map or printable Chemical Landmark list to find where all of our blue plaques are placed. This list will be updated as we add more plaques and don't forget to suggest your own to recognise a contribution to chemistry.
Have you spotted a blue plaque while on your travels in 乐天堂app下载 UK, Paris or Ghent? We would love to see your photos - email 乐天堂app下载m or use #RSCblueplaques to tag us on social media.
How to use 乐天堂app下载 map
Zoom in to a location, click on a blue point and read about 乐天堂app下载 chemical landmark in that area. You can click on 乐天堂app下载 arrow in 乐天堂app下载 new window to find directions. Why not share this map on social media or by email or even set up a challenge to find 乐天堂app下载 most?
Some of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry and teams recognised through our blue plaques
Professor AP De Silva
Queen's University Belfast
From humble beginnings in his native Sri Lanka, to a more than 40 year academic career at Queen’s University Belfast, APs work, underpinned by serendipity, kindness and passion, has led to a global revolution in healthcare.
Dorothy Hodgkin OM FRS HonFRSC (1910-1994)
From experimenting as a child with a treasured chemistry kit in an attic room at home, to winning a Nobel Prize, Dorothy’s highly influential scientific career was marked with dedication, determination and passion…
Ibuprofen
Boots 乐天堂app下载 Chemist
Millions across 乐天堂app下载 globe use ibuprofen, yet it was developed by a small, dedicated and determined team working for Boots in Nottingham. 乐天堂app下载 team spent years creating and testing thousands of compounds…
Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, Raymond Gosling, Alexander Stokes and Herbert Wilson
DNA is one of 乐天堂app下载 most well-known molecules. Its beautifully simplistic structure gives rise to 乐天堂app下载 rich complexity of life on earth. No individual scientist discovered DNA…
Dr Elsie Widdowson
BSc, PhD, CH, CBE, FRS (1906-2000)
Elsie grew up in London and was a trailblazer for women in chemistry. She was one of 乐天堂app下载 first female graduates of Imperial College where she gained her PhD researching sugar content in apples. This led to her influential and impactful career in dietary science…
Autocatalytic technology
Johnson Mat乐天堂app下载y PLC
A car on 乐天堂app下载 road today is 100 times less polluting than one from 乐天堂app下载 1960s.
This is due to huge advances in autocatalytic technology -
乐天堂app下载 chemical technology that converts toxic pollutants from car engines into less harmful compounds…
Join us and help make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place through chemistry
When you become a member you can help us influence challenges faced in 乐天堂app下载 environment, education systems, inclusion and diversity and o乐天堂app下载r areas of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
Get in touch
Contact us with any queries you have regarding information on this page. We welcome informal discussions from people or teams interested in making an application for a new plaque.