Chemistry workshops engage 1,000+ students in northwest China

Last week more than 1,000 students and teachers attended hands-on chemistry workshops in Zhangye, a city in northwest China, during the country's first Science Popularization Month.

The workshops, called "Future Classroom: Stepping into the Fantastic World of Chemical Magic," were jointly hosted by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (ICCIC) and the Zhangye Municipal People's Government at two local schools.

Shen Beili, vice chairperson of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, speaks at a "Future Classroom" science workshop in Zhangye city, northwest China's Gansu province, Sept. 24, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

CSCLF Vice Chairperson Shen Beili described "Future Classroom" as an innovative platform designed to foster "new-era talents" through comprehensive moral, intellectual and physical education.

"We hope this special 'scientific gift' inspires every student to gain knowledge and become useful talents for the country," said Shen.

ICCIC Chairman Michael Crook emphasized the committee's commitment to carrying forward the cooperative spirit championed by its founders, including Rewi Alley. He said the committee would use international educational, technological and cultural exchanges to help children learn science and cultivate a scientific mindset and innovative spirit among Chinese youth.

Zhangye Deputy Party Secretary Chai Xiangqian praised the "Future Classroom" as a "farsighted and far-reaching public welfare cause" that offered the city's youth a "feast of science" by combining visual impact with intellectual stimulation.

British chemistry professor David G. Evans led the featured "Chemical Magic" sessions, conducting experiments for students of different ages. Evans, who has received the Chinese Government Friendship Award, serves as vice chairman of ICCIC and is director of the Beijing University of Chemical Technology's Science Popularization Center.

His lecture kicked off with a dramatic demonstration of "lighting fire with water," instantly grabbing the audience's attention. Throughout the session, Evans transformed complex chemical formulas into captivating visuals, even using test tubes like magic wands.

Before the main workshop, Ye Feifei, deputy director of the China Science and Technology Museum Exhibition Education Center, shared the life story of Zhang Cunhao, a distinguished physicist and chemist who spearheaded advances in China's scientific landscape and won China's highest state scientific award, presenting him as a role model for students.

Students responded enthusiastically to the hands-on demonstrations. "I didn't think chemistry class could be so much fun!" said Chen Yuyan, a student from Qingquan Primary School in Shandan county. Zhang Jingshuo, a student from Zhangye Middle School, said the greatest takeaway was not the experiments but "the process of using scientific thinking to propose, analyze and solve problems."

Chemistry teachers said the workshops inspired them to incorporate Evans's engaging, interactive teaching style into their own classrooms.