Fantastic Plastic - back by popular demand

这一备受尊敬和受欢迎的演讲是EPSRC原始拨款(GR/N67794/01)的产物。EPSRC还为2003/4和2004/5学年提供了进一步的资助。奇妙的塑料讲座探讨了聚合物及其形态和性质，以及从一次性尿布到燃料电池汽车和具有形状记忆功能的聚合物的最新应用。讨论了塑料垃圾对环境的影响，以及利用静电分离回收的最新想法和可生物降解聚合物的重要性。所有观众都会收到一支回收铅笔制成的铅笔，提醒他们记住讲座，并激励他们参与到更具创新性的材料研究和开发中来。讲座非常成功，以至于它被物理研究所采纳为2002/3学年著名的年度学校和学院讲座。它于2003年和2004年被邀请参加皇家学会，并于2005年参加切尔滕纳姆科学节。到目前为止，已有2万多名学生观看了讲座，其中大部分是10年级学生(14/15岁)，老师们一致积极回应，并邀请他们回到学校为下一年的10年级学生讲课。(请参阅所附部分学校的支持信)，现正寻求拨款，使其可在2005/6学年继续推行。

This highly respected and popular talk was the product of an original EPSRC grant (GR/N67794/01). Further EPSRC funding was granted for the academic years 2003/4 and 2004/5.The Fantastic Plastic talk explores polymers, their form and nature through to the most up to date applications from disposable nappies to fuel cell cars and polymers with a shape memory. The environmental impact of plastic waste is discussed with the latest ideas for separation for recycling using electrostatics and the importance of biodegradable polymers. All audience members are given a pencil made from a recycled pencil to remind them of the talk and to inspire them to get involved in the development of even more innovative materials research and developmentThe talk was so successful that it was adopted by the Institute of Physics as its prestigious annual Schools and Colleges Lecture for the academic year 2002/3. It was invited to the Royal Institution in 2003 and 2004 and to the Cheltenham Science Festival in 2005To date is has been seen by over 20,000 students, mainly Year 10 (age 14/15), with unanimously positive feedback from teachers and many invitations to return to schools to give the lecture to the next Year 10 cohort. (See letters of support from some of these schools, attached).Funding is now sought to allow it to continue throughout the academic year 2005/6.