Staff profile
Mr Peter Hollamby
Additional Information
Graduated 1969, University of Wales with degree in Industrial Chemistry. In 2005, Peter retired as Head of Chemistry from St. Cyres School, Penarth having taught for 31 years.
During his teaching career, Peter has been involved with a number of extra curricular activities, many of which involved students and teachers from schools throughout Europe. Projects centred on environmental chemistry supported by ICT to underpin communication between schools.
Peter has spoken in the University of Barcelona and in Granada on “Setting up European Projects” and in the University of Stockholm. Some of Peter’s students have appeared in the BBC 2 TV programme “Planet Europe”. Peter’s students have taken part in an Olympiad in Russia and more recently, a group visited Romania.
Peter was awarded a General Teaching Council for Wales Scholarship and a Gatsby Teacher fellowship in 2003 to research e-learning.
Towards the end of his teaching career, Peter was awarded a RSC School Education Award for “Excellence in Chemistry Teaching and promoting Chemistry to Young People”
Since his retirement Peter has been involved with teacher training and curriculum development, working with the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Science Enhancement Programme. He has produced a number of teaching and learning materials and has just completed a book "Chemistry Jigsaws". Peter has been working part-time in the School of Chemistry since 2006.
Current areas of interest:
Promotion of chemistry to young people and the general public. Peter has appeared on Radio Wales a number of times trying to make chemistry less mystifying and more interesting.
Curriculum support for A level chemistry. This is exemplified by the popular and successful "Uncovering Chemistry Secrets" project, co written with Prof. Peter Edwards and delivered every year to approximately 350 A level chemistry students. The project is targeted directly at A2 organic chemistry and students are able to enjoy close-up, an experience and explanation of IR and NMR spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography. The approach is to use interesting and relevant examples of chemistry involving the extraction, purification and identification of natural substances which impart smell and taste in a selection of common plants.
Bridging the gap between school and university. Peter is developing support and advice for first year undergraduates which draws upon their school experiences and helps them to ease in to the changes in approach that they might find challenging during the first semester in university. In addition, Peter is looking at some newer approaches to curriculum support involving e-learning.
Teacher training and school support. Peter is talking closely to teachers and developing training and resources for hard pressed school teachers. The inaugural conference for Welsh Chemistry Teachers took place in June 2006 and the second is planned for 2008.