The Chemistry Department is hosting its third National Chemistry Symposium this afternoon at the University of Malta.

The symposium, sponsored by four pharmaceutical companies – Actavis Ltd, Arrow Pharm (Malta) Ltd, Medichem Manufacturing (Malta) Ltd and Starpharma Ltd, is open to the general public. All those interested in chemistry, particularly chemistry graduates, people working in chemistry and students taking the subject at Sixth Form are encouraged to attend.

The programme includes various presentations by graduates of the department. They will be presenting the results of research work carried out under the supervision of academic members of staff in various areas of chemistry including analytical, environmental, inorganic, materials, organic and physical chemistry.

This year, two distinguished scientists, Professor Andrew Alderson from the University of Bolton, UK and Professor Michael Chetcuti from the Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France will be presenting a paper as keynote speakers.

Both professors have a very strong link with the department. Prof. Alderson is one of the main academic collaborators of the department’s Auxetics Research Group which studies unusual materials which get fatter when stretched while Prof. Chetcuti obtained his first degree from the Maltese University in 1976 (B.Sc. in chemistry and physics).

These speakers’ talks will surely capture the attention of Maltese chemists and aspiring chemists attending the symposium. The event is being held at 4pm at the Erin Serracino Inglott Hall, behind the university library.

For further information, including registration details, visit the symposium website http://home.um.edu.mt/ncs or email joseph.grima@um. edu.mt .