Finding inspiration in science isn’t always easy.

That’s why out-of-school activities and projects are so important when we’re trying to inspire a future generation of chemists, biologists, physicians, IT professionals, and researchers (among others).

On May 13, British School of Sofia (BSS) students visited the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Sofia. Hosting its open house day, the university welcomed students from various Sofia schools in its labs, providing a glimpse into the power of chemistry and its multiple applications within the realm of pharmacology.

As a part of the experience, students raced to visit as many labs as feasible within the timeframe, receiving an award for a prolific experience. Each participant in the open house day received a stamp booklet, getting a better idea about the labs that could be visited. Upon each completed visit, the student received a sticker that would count towards a prize at the end of the day. 

BSS students were divided into several teams, each one visiting labs under the guidance of a Sofia University chemistry and pharmacology student.

Together, we saw how potent extracts are created from plants and used in the pharmaceutical industry. We used powerful microscopes to peek into a hidden world and saw rare elements that aren’t readily available in school labs. We did chemical reactions and utilised some state-of-the-art equipment to witness some of the processes used to make medicines and cosmetics.

Not only did we observe a lot of the scientific amazingness going on in each of the labs, we also actively partook in experiments and the multiple steps required to complete intricate processes and get the desired results.