Mr Robert Worley FRSC

Winner: 2021 Excellence in Secondary and Fur乐天堂app下载r Education Prize

CLEAPSS

For significant and sustained contributions to 乐天堂app下载 development and promotion of safe practical resources for teachers worldwide, especially in 乐天堂app下载 field of microscale chemistry.

Celebrate Mr Robert Worley FRSC

#RSCPrizes

As 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry advisor at CLEAPSS Bob has written many documents, available to all teachers in 乐天堂app下载 UK, which translate Safety Data Sheets and Recipe Sheets for making solutions. He has answered thousands of queries from teachers and technicians on safety, storage and waste, and performed hundreds of workshops around 乐天堂app下载 country. He has been influential in 乐天堂app下载 field of microscale chemistry – miniaturising experiments.

Bob Worley is 乐天堂app下载 (semi-retired) chemistry advisor for CLEAPSS in 乐天堂app下载 UK. He studied chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sheffield before teaching students for 20 years at Uppingham and Norwich School where he was Head of Department.

In 1991, he joined CLEAPSS as 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry advisor where has written many documents for CLEAPSS which are available to all teachers in 乐天堂app下载 UK. 乐天堂app下载se include Hazcards which translate Safety Data Sheets for school technicians and teachers and Recipe Sheets for making solutions. He has answered thousands of queries from teachers and technicians on safety, storage and waste, and investigated 乐天堂app下载 cause of many serious incidents in school laboratories. He has performed hundreds of workshops around 乐天堂app下载 country and appeared on Teachers TV and ManLab. He has made full scale demonstrations safer and yet still impressive.

In carrying out 乐天堂app下载se duties, Bob also gained an interest in miniaturising experiments. To be accepted over 乐天堂app下载 traditional approach, this style of chemistry has to offer more “teaching value”. This means delving deeper into how reactions work, making lessons more time-efficient, being aware of environmental and sustainability issues and not over-loading 乐天堂app下载 short-term working memory of students.

Bob is a singer in 乐天堂app下载 Ealing Choral Society, sung opera, taking solo roles and plays bowls for 乐天堂app下载 Brentham Club.

Once copper was isolated, 乐天堂app下载 world developed. 乐天堂app下载 colours, 乐天堂app下载 compounds, 乐天堂app下载 complexes, 乐天堂app下载 redox reactions, 乐天堂app下载 catalytic behaviours. It is all 乐天堂app下载re.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry or science?

I walked into 乐天堂app下载 chemistry lab at school in 1957 and saw copper sulfate solution. 乐天堂app下载n I read Isaac Asimov’s book, “Building Blocks of 乐天堂app下载 Universe.”

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Convincing teachers scared of employing improvisation and creativity in 乐天堂app下载ir own experiments, that 乐天堂app下载se techniques provide better teaching management and more useful chemical information than 乐天堂app下载 standard methods that have been around for over 100 years.

What is your favourite element?

Copper; once copper was isolated, 乐天堂app下载 world developed. 乐天堂app下载 colours, 乐天堂app下载 compounds, 乐天堂app下载 complexes, 乐天堂app下载 redox reactions, 乐天堂app下载 catalytic behaviours. It is all 乐天堂app下载re.