About the International Year of Chemistry
The International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC 2011) was a worldwide celebration of the achievements of chemistry and its contributions to the well-being of humankind. It had the theme “Chemistry—our life, our future.”
The goals of IYC2011 were to increase the public appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs, encouraging interest in chemistry among young people, and generating enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry.
The year 2011 was chosen as the International Year of Chemistry because it marked the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize awarded to Madame Marie Curie. It was also the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies.
It had a distinctly New Zealand connection as it was the centenary of the publication of Ernest Lord Rutherford’s Nobel Prize winning paper describing the discovery of the atomic nucleus.
The Royal Society of New Zealand teamed up with the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry to create a hub for kiwi’s to stay connected with events and competitions www.yearofchemistry.org.nz
More information about activities worldwide was at the IYC2011 website.
The Big Picture
Launch of the Year of Chemistry at the Michael Fowler Centre featuring the Merino Gold Fashion Show and a tale from Sir Richard Friend- Director of the famous Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University. More details
The Art of Nanotech
Exploring the invisible world of nanotechnology An exhibition of extraordinary images from the MacDiarmid Institute collection. More details
The Art of Science
Opening to the public on 31 March 2011, this exhibition will showcase the Royal Society of New Zealand’s collection of painted portraits.More details
Marie Curie Lecture Series
Throughout 2011 and located around New Zealand. Female chemists will be reflecting on how chemistry affects and improves our lives and our society. The series will be launched with a talk by Professor Margaret Brimble, 2007 L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Laureate. More details
Science Meets Art: Investigating Pigments in Art and Archeology
The 2011 Royal Society of New Zealand Distinguished Speaker is Professor Robin Clark, an internationally recognised chemist. This series will highlight the use of Raman Spectrometry to assess structure and composition of materials. More details
