In the synthesis of cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr 3 ) perovskite quantum dots, with an electronic absorption and emission band around 510 nm, and perovskite magic-sized clusters (PMSCs), with an electronic absorption and emission band around 430 nm, another distinct absorption and emission around 400 nm is often observed. While many would attribute this band to small perovskite particles, here we show strong evidence that this band is a result of the formation of lead bromide molecular clusters (PbBr 2 MCs) passivated with ligands, which do not contain the A component of the ABX 3 perovskite structure. This evidence comes from a systematic comparative study of the reaction products with and without the A component under otherwise identical experimental conditions. The results support that the near 400 nm band originates from ligand-passivated PbBr 2 MCs. This observation seems to be quite general and is significant in understanding the nature of the reaction products in the synthesis of metal halide perovskite nanostructures.

An integrated laboratory experience using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a nanoporous and crystalline extended solid material composed of metal cations and organic linkers, was developed and adopted for upper-division, major-level chemistry and biochemistry students. In this laboratory, students were guided through the facile solvothermal synthesis of four MOFs: UiO-66, UiO-66-NH2, ZIF-8, and ZIF-67. Characterization, specifically powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) were used to evaluate the crystallinity, morphology, and composition of the MOFs, respectively. Students then investigated the effects of measurement conditions (MOF dosage, MOF surface charge, and charge density of dye counterions) on the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions using the synthesized MOFs. Through the utilization of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV–vis spectroscopy, students confirmed the binding of dyes and quantified the amounts of dye removed from solution. Students found that all four porous and crystalline MOFs removed acid orange 7 and malachite green from water, but ZIF-67 exhibited the highest adsorption capacity of 30 mg of acid orange 7 per gram of ZIF-67 at a dosage of 5 mg. This laboratory experience allows students to apply and connect concepts found in general, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry while simultaneously getting introduced to various instrumentation and lab techniques within a growing field in materials chemistry. Exposure to this field can help stimulate student interest, expose them to sustainability problems and potential solutions, and implement strategies to help solve these challenges.

This report summarises the outcome of a pilot study to investigate the recruitment of ethnic minority students to speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and dietetics courses. The study also sought to identify factors contributing to the low representation of these students on the named courses through interviews and questionnaires to careers advisors, school students and course admissions tutors. Recommendations for changes in practice are made.

In recent years, speech and language therapists have recognised the importance of clinical supervision. Rose (1991) suggested that ‘the type of supervision received as a student is very necessary, but our experience of it good or bad, may colour our views on receiving supervision post‐qualification’. Increasing student numbers and increased responsibilities and demands for time on clinicians in the field has made it even more essential that the period of clinical placement should provide a quality learning experience for the student and a postive experience for the clinician. Students involved in clinical practice often carry with them a high level of anxiety related to their expectations about the experience they are about to undergo. Clinicians, too, have expectations of students in the clinic. Knowledge of what will happen and what will be expected of one leads to a feeling of control and thus a reduce of the anxiety (Stengelhofen, 1993). A clearer understanding of what is expected and what can realistically be provided in the clinical setting will enable tutors in educational establishments to plan clinical placements and make relevant curriculum changes. Final‐year students and their potential supervising clinicians were asked to provide an anonymous unstructured description of their expectations regarding the placement. Clinicians were asked to consider what they might expect from the student in relation to the students' personal qualities, the ability to relate to others and clinical management issues. Similarly, students were asked to put down what they might expect of themselves, their clinician and their placement. These descriptions were then examined, leading to an identification of constructs and a measure of the frequency of their occurrence. Comparison of the information from students and from clinicians was made. Based on these findings, post‐experience questionnaires were designed to establish the degree to which the expectations had been met. A preliminary examination of the data suggests that students and clinicians have very different expectations. Specific learning goals were identified as a priority by many of the students, whereas clinicians placed a heavy emphasis on professional behaviour. The post‐experience questionnaires have been designed to compare the students' and clinicians' perceptions of the experience with the degree to which they feel their expectations have been met. The outcome of this research will be to provide a framework for students and clinicans to discuss their expectations of each other. This should enable them to negotiate appropriate aims and establish a clear contract for the period of placements (Hawkins & Shohet, 1989). It should also provide information to tutors in educational establishments which can be utilised in planning and development relevant to the reality of current speech and language therapy practice (Eastwood, 1995).