On Monday 5 July, our Year 13 Chemistry class got to experience the Ernest Rutherford building, the new science building at the University of Canterbury, to enhance their learning of the topic of Spectroscopy.

On arrival the students were given a lecture style presentation, with Q and A, by one of the university lecturers. They were then given the opportunity to see the hi-tech Spectroscopy equipment (costing upwards of a million dollars) to see what is needed to conduct large-scale practical applications of the topic. 

Finally, the students spent 2 hours synthesizing crystals in state of the art laboratories and using equipment and methods which high school students rarely get the chance to use. 

It was an incredibly productive and engaging day, leaving the students buzzing about potential future pathways into science.