In 2011, current and former members of the School of Chemistry celebrate 50 years of teaching and research in the Chemistry Building on the Sandy Bay Campus.
To commemorate the occasion, The School of Chemistry hosted a free public symposium on Thursday 1st September 2011 held in the Chemistry Building on the Sandy Bay Campus. The symposium featured speakers from each decade for the past 50 years, along with a prelude from 1940-1960, detailing both past events and hopes for the future.
Delegates in attendance had the opportunity to hear entertaining and illuminating presentations from past heads of school, past and present academic staff and past students discussing a wide variety of memories from the last 50 years.
“Assoc Prof Greg Dicinoski, Head of the School of Chemistry, said “We’ve gone from strength to strength over the last 50 years. The school has even more to look forward to over the next half century.”
The symposium was attended by 175 UTAS alumni, staff and members of the community, who enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce with past colleagues and teaching staff.
In addition to the celebrations, the school unveiled a commissioned Educational Interactive Periodic Table, not only the first in Australia but also in the southern hemisphere. The Interactive Periodic Table, displaying all known elements, was officially opened on the day by Vice-Chancellor, Prof Peter Rathjen. In addition, the School of Chemistry announced the establishment of a 50th Anniversary Prize for the best PhD graduate determined over a 3 year rolling period.
The celebrations were made possible through generous contributions from the following sponsors: Dr Peter W Smith(Principal Benefactor); Bass Metals Ltd; Grey Innovation; Nyrstar Hobart; UTAS School of Chemistry; UTAS Executive; Dionex; Bruker; SGE Analytical Science; Tasmanian Alkaloids; Chem Supply Ptd Ltd; Merck Millipore; UTAS Central Science Laboratory; Analytical Services Tasmania; Thermo Fisher (Lomb Scientific); UTAS Foundation; UTAS Events & Protocol; Royal Australian Chemical Institute (Tasmanian Branch); Agilent; UTAS Faculty SET; Morilla-Moo Brew; Norske Skog Australasia; Rio Tinto Alcan; Tasmanian Principal Computers; eDAQ; Department of Economic Development; Grace Davison Discovery Sciences; John Morris Scientific; Perkin Elmer; Tas Scientific; Technolab.