Post by Arturo Tafa

An inspiring week at the UCL Chemistry Summer School This week, I had the opportunity to attend the Chemistry Summer School at University College London (UCL), where I experienced what studying chemistry at university is really like. Throughout the week, we were supported by Sam Cassidy (Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry, Inclusion Lead, Student Success Champion), along with PhD students Eva and Salman, whose guidance made a significant impact on our learning. We began by developing core laboratory skills in organic chemistry and analytical science. Our main project focused on identifying an unknown ester through hydrolysis, purification, and spectroscopy. We listed possible esters, performed base hydrolysis, recrystallised the product, ran IR spectroscopy, analysed key peaks, measured melting point, and compared our results with reference spectra. We summarised our workflow in a research poster titled Cracking the Ester Code. On the final day, we presented our poster to UCL undergraduates, lecturers, and PhD students. We explained our analytical reasoning step by step and justified how each piece of evidence supported our conclusion. Engaging with questions from academics gave us valuable experience in scientific communication and defending our methodology clearly and confidently. After analysing the IR spectrum, identifying functional groups, and validating with melting point data, we concluded that our unknown compound was methyl salicylate. This was supported by the ester C=O peak, the O–H stretch after hydrolysis, aromatic peaks in the fingerprint region, and a melting point matching literature values. We also carried out a hydrophobic particle experiment, observing how water droplets behaved on treated and untreated surfaces. This demonstrated how molecular structure and surface energy influence wettability, linking chemistry to materials science and biomedical applications. Later in the week, we synthesised the high‑temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO), prepared pellets for sintering, and observed superconductivity using liquid nitrogen, including the Meissner effect and flux pinning. This experience strengthened my interest in medicine. The analytical skills used throughout the week—interpreting data, identifying patterns, evaluating evidence, and drawing precise conclusions—mirror the reasoning used in clinical diagnostics. Whether analysing blood results, understanding drug mechanisms, or interpreting biochemical pathways, medicine relies on the same structured, evidence‑based thinking. Presenting our findings also reflected the communication skills essential in healthcare. I am grateful to Dr Sam Cassidy, Eva, Salman, and the entire UCL team for making the week so engaging and inspiring. #Chemistry #UCL #SummerSchool #OrganicChemistry #MaterialsScience #Superconductivity #Medicine #AnalyticalSkills #Research #Spectroscopy #Hydrophobicity