Chemistry taster day
Join this taster day and use organic chemistry to synthesise the active ingredient as well as characterise your finished product using a variety of advanced analytical techniques.
Be a chemistry student for the day: synthesising and analysing aspirin
Aspirin is one of the most widely sold medicines in history, used to treat pain and even prevent heart attacks. This taster day at the University of Sheffield gives A Level chemists an opportunity to see what it's like to study chemistry at University.
In the morning you'll be working in the chemistry lab, undertaking practical work to synthesise aspirin. You'll be working with one of our staff members and some of our current students, using equipment and facilities not usually available in schools and colleges. You'll prepare your own aspirin sample using a number of key chemistry techniques including reflux synthesis using quick fit apparatus, separation by vacuum filtration and recrystallisation to purify your product.
After lunch you'll work with some of our dedicated analytical services staff members to characterise your aspirin samples, using infrared (IR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Following this there will be a chance for you to find out what being a science student at the University of Sheffield is like in a Q&A session with some of our current undergraduate students.
Contact us
For informal enquiries please email tasterdays@sheffield.ac.uk
FAQs
Have a question about an in-person taster day? You can find all of our frequently asked questions on our main page.
Visit us
Discover what sets Sheffield apart at our undergraduate open days on Saturday 21 June and Saturday 5 July 2025.