People

These are the people involved in Chemical Connection. Aren`t they nice!?

	Robin Andrews Although born in Northern Ireland, Robin has lived in Scotland most of his life. After having gone to primary school in Ardrishaig in Argyll, Robin then moved to Dalkeith where he attended Dalkeith High School. Robin left school and went to study chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. During his degree, Robin got the chance to do many interesting things such as performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, getting in involved in a fire festival and working for a year in Manchester. Once his degree was over, Robin realised that there was still lots of things that he wanted to find out about chemistry and that he want to do some research. So Robin did a PhD at Edinburgh looking at the growth of carbon nanotubes. Outside of work, Robin likes to sing and dance but not at the same time. He sings with a choir Rudsambee that performs music from all around the world and he dances at his Jive lessons. When not trying to interest people in science and chemistry, Robin likes to help put on plays in French.

	Paul Murray Paul was born in Deep River, Canada and brought up in Penicuik, about 10 miles south of Edinburgh. Paul`s education got off to a flying start at Eastfield and Cuiken Primary Schools and he discovered a love for Chemistry as a result of some inspirational teachers at Penicuik High School. He then undertook a B.Sc and then a Ph.D in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh before taking up one of the Chemical Connection posts. When he`s not driving round the country with a car full of science, Paul can be found playing and promoting traditional music in much the same way he promotes Chemistry (but with fewer lab coats). He is a keen fiddle player and singer and even likes a good dance! His favourite Chemical Connection experiment is the indigo carmine jar.

	Colin Pulham

	Lesley Yellowlees

	Elizabeth Stevenson Elizabeth returned to Higher education as a mature student in 1992 and studied part-time to obtain an Honours degree in chemistry from the Royal Society of Chemistry and then a PhD from University of Edinburgh in 1998 while working in the Department (now School) of Chemistry. Her interest in chemistry began at school when she found out that an element like carbon could exist in such diverse forms as soot, graphite and most importantly, diamond!!! She became involved in science communication through participating and organising SCI-FUN and science festival activities on behalf of the School of Chemistry and through organising events for the Royal Society of Chemistry. Public Engagement with Science and Schools’ Outreach is now officially part of her remit for the School of Chemistry together with undergraduate teaching. Her interests include dancing and plants and her favourite Chemical Connection experiment is the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with potassium permanganate aka the ‘four-foot-flame’!

	Sebastian the Magnetic Monkey Sebastian was adopted in 2005 from the National Trust Shop in Edinburgh. After a brief education at the School of hard knocks he was awarded an honorary Ph.D by The Universty of Life. He was employed by Chemical Connection as the chief navigator and car key finder. He is also occasionally responsible for driving after a particularly long day. Sebastian`s favourite hobbies are clinging on to Paul`s fiddle and hanging around the car dashboard of large, fast cars. He is especially fond of bananas laced with iron fillings and never turns down a good curry. Sebastian`s favourite Chemical Connection experiment is the Flame Colours.

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