"Rare Earth Elements Project" Royal Society "Horizon Prize 2023"

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has awarded its prestigious 2023 Horizon Prize for Education to the Rare Earth Elements Project, an interdisciplinary initiative led by the Science History Institute. This groundbreaking project brings together chemistry, history, and fine art to illuminate the complex societal impacts of rare earth element production.

Launched in 2018, the Rare Earth Elements Project explores the environmental, geopolitical, and technological dimensions of the 17 rare earth metals essential to modern life—from smartphones and electric vehicles to clean energy systems. Through a rich blend of museum exhibits, podcasts, curriculum modules, and public programming, the initiative engages diverse audiences in understanding the science and ethics behind rare earth extraction and trade.

The project’s outputs include:

• Podcast episodes and videos explaining rare earth chemistry and global supply chains

• Museum displays featuring objects like iPhones and drones with neodymium magnets

• A high school curriculum module using role-play to simulate international trade negotiations

• Artistic collaborations that visualize the politics and environmental costs of rare earth mining

Roger Turner, curator at the Science History Institute and project lead, emphasized the value of interdisciplinary collaboration: “It was great to have engineers and chemists explain the science in accessible ways, a cultural geographer with a keen sense of spatial politics, and artists who communicated all this in compelling ways”.

The RSC’s Horizon Prize for Education recognizes exceptional contributions to chemistry education, particularly those that broaden public understanding and foster innovative teaching. By integrating science with storytelling and visual art, the Rare Earth Elements Project exemplifies how chemistry can be taught through the lens of society, ethics, and global systems.