To celebrate the International Year of Chemistry (IYC) in 2011, Chem 13 News magazine, together with the University of Waterloo's Department of Chemistry and the Faculty of Science, encouraged chemistry educators and enthusiasts worldwide to adopt an element and artistically interpret that element. The elemental tiles were then placed into a poster mosaic of science and art entitled the Periodic Table Project. To access the interactive and accessible PDF version of the Periodic Table Project poster, please click the image above.
Thank you to all the teachers and students who participated in the collaborative Periodic Table Project. Students from all Canadian provinces and territories, 20 U.S. states, and 14 countries researched, created, and designed the elemental tiles.
Mobile app
See the amazing artwork for each elemental tile designed by chemistry students from around the world on the mobile app! The app includes the creative process behind each tile, along with basic atomic properties of the element. The app works to truly highlight the artistic expression of the Periodic Table Project.
Download the free Periodic Table Project mobile app for Apple devices!
Poster
We created a classroom-sized periodic table poster (36-inches by 27-inches), which we mailed out for free to all participants, as well as all high schools in Canada and Chem 13 News magazine readers. Our thanks goes to the University of Waterloo for making this mass mailout possible.
2013 new elements contest
The periodic table is a living model, so it came as no surprise when two more elements were added. In 2013, we ran an additional contest for the newest elements: flerovium (Fl) and livermorium (Lv). Read more about the winning tiles for the newly named elements.
2017 new elements contest
In 2017, Chem 13 News magazine ran a contest to design tiles for the four newly named elements: nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc), tennessine (Ts), and oganesson (Og). The contest received over 200 submissions from over 40 schools. Read more about the winning tiles for the four new elements.
Wall mural
In April 2012, a 25-foot by 18-foot wall mural of the final Periodic Table Project was installed at the Earth Sciences Museum at the University of Waterloo.
We wish to thank 3M Canada for providing the materials and the installation of the wall mural.
Project contributors
Thank you to the University of Waterloo's Department of Chemistry for their continued support of Chem 13 News magazine throughout the project. Thank you also to Lew Brubacher, Kathy Jackson, and John Honek for their help and advice.
Thank you to all the project sponsors: 3M Canada (London, Ontario), Office of Research (University of Waterloo), and Chemical Institute of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario).
A special thank you to Kent Neilsen, 3M Canada, for taking the time to contact his first University of Waterloo co-op student, Jean Hein, regarding the International Year of Chemistry (IYC), and initiating the relationship between 3M Canada and the University of Waterloo.