Incorporation of green chemistry into the undergraduate curriculum at public four-year colleges

CHED 463

Margaret E. Kerr, mkerr@worcester.edu, Department of Chemistry, Worcester State College, 486 Chandler Street, Worcester, MA 01602
Worcester State College, a public undergraduate institution in Massachusetts, has incorporated green chemistry into the curriculum over the previous three years. Changes have been made to the organic laboratory sequence, the general-organic-biochemistry laboratory course and undergraduate research. Future work will include the development of an upper-level integrated laboratory course that will incorporate green chemistry. Since green chemistry is a principle-based approach rather than discipline specific, it works well at different levels of the curriculum. Green chemistry is a powerful curriculum reform tool because it allows for a variety of different approaches. An overview of some of the successes and challenges associated with making curriculum changes at a regional four-year college will include discussion of student recruitment, undergraduate research, institutional support, balancing heavy teaching loads, professional development and networking opportunities.