Is chemistry education sustainable?

CHED 55

Mary M. Kirchhoff, m_kirchhoff@acs.org, American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
As sustainability gains prominence on a global level, the need to educate students about this issue and related topics, such as green chemistry, becomes increasingly important. Professional societies and scientific organizations cite the need to incorporate environmental awareness and ethics into the curriculum, yet green chemistry and sustainability are topics that are largely absent across the education spectrum. While individual efforts can have a significant impact on the local level, a more concerted approach is necessary to effect systemic change. Changes in textbooks and assessment tools, along with enhanced faculty training, are needed to ensure that green chemistry becomes part of the mainstream rather than simply a sidebar. This presentation will look at the current state of green chemistry education, examine barriers to the integration of these concepts into the curriculum, and consider strategies for effecting change.