Green chemistry education for nontraditional students

CHED 23

Evan S. Beach, evan.beach@yale.edu, Nicolas Eghbali, nicolas.eghbali@yale.edu, Toby J. Sommer, toby.sommer@yale.edu, Julie B. Zimmerman, julie.zimmerman@yale.edu, and Paul T. Anastas, paul.anastas@yale.edu. Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University, 225 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511
Preparing the next generation of green chemists depends not only on training undergraduate and graduate chemistry majors, but also reaching out to those who may have little chemistry training, including businesspeople and workers in the chemical industry as well as non-scientists. A major focus of the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale University is to develop new programs and materials for students who do not have a typical chemistry background, but who nevertheless have a stake in the future of Green Chemistry. Among the Center's initiatives are Green Chemistry courses that introduce sustainability issues to undergraduate non-science majors. Outreach includes a program to “train trainers” to raise awareness of Green Chemistry among chemical industry workers. Increased cooperation between scientists and non-scientists will create a better environment for advancing the sustainability research agenda.