The Quiz, the Classroom, and the Community: Charles Fogliani’s Journey 

Charles Fogliani FRACI CChem has spent a remarkable career advancing chemistry education in Australia and across the region. From school students to university classrooms, from chemistry quizzes to international workshops, his work has helped make chemistry more visible, more practical, and more accessible.

“Chemistry is for everybody,” Charles says, and that belief has guided much of his professional life. His contributions span teaching, curriculum development, community outreach, and the promotion of chemistry through the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Charles developed and taught Environmental Chemistry courses at Mitchell College of Advanced Education and Charles Sturt University. He also chaired the committee that developed the Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing), later becoming co-ordinator of the Applied Science subjects in the nursing course. He went on to develop the Bachelor of Health Science (Complementary Medicine) and Master of Health Science (Complementary Medicine), serving as course co-ordinator for both.

His commitment to education extended well beyond the classroom. As a member of the NSW Board of Senior School Studies Science Syllabus Council and the 2-unit General Science Syllabus and Examination Committee, Charles contributed to New South Wales Higher School Certificate Chemistry. He also organised seminars for high school science students and teachers from the Central West of NSW, giving them enriching experiences in chemistry and introducing many to the tertiary education environment.

Building chemistry outreach 

One of Charles’s most lasting contributions has been his work with the RACI Chemical Education Division and National Chemistry Week. As Secretary, then Chairperson, he worked to implement innovations that helped revitalise the Division. He organised the National Conference at Mitchell College of Advanced Education in 1981, assisted with the conference at Gippsland in 1979, and supported the Chemical Education Division’s participation at 7NC in Canberra in 1982. 

He was also joint editor of the first 14 volumes of Chemeda, the newsletter that later evolved into the Australian Journal of Education in Chemistry. In parallel, he helped create joint sessions across multiple RACI divisions and secured UNESCO support so Professor Kornhauser could attend the Mitchell conference. 

Charles’s most widely recognised work is his leadership of the Australian National Chemistry Quiz. What began as a modest activity grew into a major international program, reaching students across Australia and many neighbouring countries. He introduced the quiz into Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Zealand, Malaysia, Western Samoa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brunei, India, England, Switzerland and Hong Kong. 

“The primary aim of ANCQ is to promote the study of chemistry in schools,” Charles has said. “It provides an experience to students that is stimulating and enjoyable.” He also saw the quiz as a way to support teachers and reveal student strengths that might otherwise go unrecognised. 

The Australian National Chemistry Week became the platform from which many of these outreach activities grew, providing a national focus for engaging students, teachers and the wider community with chemistry. From this base, the Australian National Chemistry Quiz and the Australian Chemistry Resource Book developed into major educational initiatives. 

Over time, the ANCQ, now the International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ), has reached more than 2.5 million participants and distributed more than 1 million periodic tables, with about 850,000 certificates of merit and around 20,500 plaques awarded to students. Nineteen volumes of the Australian Chemistry Resource Book were produced, offering demonstrations, industrial applications and other classroom-ready material for teachers. The quiz and resource book have also been featured in CSIRO publications and other outlets, highlighting their role in promoting chemistry education. 

The success of the ANCQ led to the establishment of the RACI ANCQ Scholarship through a $20,000 donation to the Charles Sturt University Foundation, recognising the support provided by Charles Sturt University to National Chemistry Week and the quiz. The ANCQ website and web-based resources followed, and over time, further funds were accumulated and consolidated into RACI funds, underscoring the lasting institutional impact of these activities. 

Recognition and legacy

Charles’s work has been recognised with numerous honours, including the Medal of Chemical Education from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, the inaugural Federation of Asian Chemical Societies Award for Distinguished Contribution to Advancement in Chemical Education, and appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia for services to education, particularly chemistry education. He also received the Leighton Memorial Medal, one of RACI’s highest honours. 

His impact has been felt not only in Australia but across the Asian region through workshops on low-cost chemical instrumentation, the development of locally produced teaching equipment, and support for chemistry education in schools and universities. He helped establish the Chemical and Scientific Aid Centre at Charles Sturt University and worked on initiatives designed to make chemistry teaching more practical and more relevant. 

For Charles, the thread running through it all has been simple: chemistry should be understandable, useful and shared. Through teaching, leadership and service, he has spent decades making that idea real. 

Acknowledgement 

Charles acknowledges the many people who have supported and assisted him throughout his journey in chemistry education, including colleagues, teachers, students, RACI members, international collaborators, friends and family. Their encouragement, commitment and shared belief in the value of chemistry education have contributed to the success of these initiatives. 

Share your story with the RACI community 

Do you have a career, project or journey in chemistry that could inspire others? We invite RACI members and Fellows to submit short articles for our Member Spotlight series. 

Submit your story here: http://raci.org.au/share-your-story

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