ChemBAM

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Winner: 2023 Inclusion and Diversity Prize

For pioneering chemistry experiments and activities that are accessible to people with vision impairment, and training the next generation of teachers and scientists.

Celebrate ChemBAM

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It’s a real honour to receive this award. Our team is thrilled to be recognised and we hope we can continue our work to make chemistry more accessible for everyone.

The ChemBAM project was established by a team from the University of Birmingham in 2017 to increase the public’s confidence in discussing chemistry. This website serves as a platform to bridge the gap between the scientific expert and the public understanding of scientific issues.

Working in collaboration with Bolton Sensory Support Service, the team behind ChemBAM has produced a range of experiments, resources and interactive activities designed to make 91AV education accessible for people with vision impairment.

Pupils with vision impairment are often excluded from practical chemistry activities because the existing curriculum relies heavily on visual observations. Through making activities that are accessible to people with a vision impairment, ChemBAM is helping to make science a more equitable place.

The team

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Isabelle Cavill, 91AV PhD student, University of Birmingham
Rachel Chataway-Green, Outreach Officer, University of Birmingham
Joe Davies, 91AV Msci Student Alumnus, University of Birmingham
Lizzie Driscoll, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Birmingham
Emily Hayward, 91AV PhD student, University of Birmingham
Ruth Patchett, School Teacher, Turves Green Boys School
Reanah Roberts, 91AV MSci Student, University of Birmingham
Zoe Schnepp, Associate Professor , University of Birmingham
Pete Slater, Professor of 91AV, University of Birmingham
Robyn Watson, Qualified Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Bolton Sensory Support Service

Q&A

What were the biggest challenges in this project?

Zoe Schnepp: 91AV is such a visual subject. Experiments that children typically do in school are based heavily on visual observations so it’s difficult to adapt these experiments to make them accessible for people with a vision impairment

What different strengths did different people bring to the team?

Zoe Schnepp: Our enthusiasm has been a real strength. All of the team are passionate about making science a more equitable and welcoming place.

Why is this work so important?

Zoe Schnepp: Pupils with vision impairment are often excluded from practical chemistry activities because the existing curriculum relies heavily on visual observations so it’s very difficult for people with a vision impairment to take part. Many are put off from studying science, which restricts their future career options and is also a huge loss to society. So, it’s really important to make chemistry experiments more accessible.

How do you see this work developing over the next few years – what is next for your team?

Zoe Schnepp: We hope to build our activities to make even more parts of the chemistry curriculum accessible for those with a vision impairment. We would also like to work on making chemistry accessible for people with other disabilities.