Through Green Chemistry Connections, a series of virtual gatherings of the green chemistry community, Beyond Benign aims to foster networking and resource sharing, to encourage and support the teaching of green chemistry, and to demonstrate the multitude of ways green chemistry can be implemented.

During the 2021-22 school year, Beyond Benign was proud to host its second year of Green Chemistry Connections, supported by Washington State Department of Ecology. Gathering the global green chemistry community in a bi-monthly virtual setting, Green Chemistry Connections webinars feature presentations centered around the GCC Student Learning Objectives — Green Chemistry theory, toxicology, laboratory skills, and application of Green Chemistry education — followed by small-group discussions with networking and resource sharing.

Each event includes up to four speakers — faculty, industry practitioners, and students — who are actively practicing Green Chemistry in their courses and/or laboratories. In alignment with our Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Respect initiatives, we spotlighted speakers from a variety of backgrounds, representing various types of universities from all around the world to demonstrate the multitude of ways green chemistry can be implemented. Of our 15 speakers, 40% were from the Black, Indiginous, People of Color (BIPOC) community, 80% were women, and 30% were women of color. We are thankful to our 15 speakers, listed below, who shared the work they’re doing at their institutions to further green chemistry education and practice.

The goal for the Green Chemistry Connection series is to foster networking and resource sharing to encourage and support the teaching of green chemistry. Throughout the series, we witnessed wonderful connections being made, with over 150 faculty, students and industry professionals attending and more than one-third attending two or more sessions. During the “BYOR – Bring your own resource” segment, 37 resources were shared among the community.

Ready to join the next event to connect with your peers? We’d love you to join us! We are kicking off the 2022-23 Series with a presentation by ChemForward on Sep 21, 2022. Register here for the series.

Want to learn more about our 2021-22 events? Log onto the Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Connections site to watch the speaker presentations and discover what resources were shared.

Supporting the advancement of Black and Indigenous scientists is a critical part of creating the future of green chemistry and sustainable science. To work toward that goal, through support from the Lemelson Foundation, Beyond Benign recently teamed up with the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists & Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) and Society for Science to host the Pathways to Sustainable Invention Speaker Series, a five-part webinar series designed to elevate the stories of inventors (including student inventors) from diverse backgrounds.

Through bimonthly webinars featuring a multi-generational panel of inventors sharing their experiences, the Pathways to Sustainable Invention series aimed to inspire youth to engage and invent for a sustainable future. Dr. T. Gregory Tucker, Ph.D., is a scientist, educator, entrepreneur and inventor who works at the University of Louisville. He helped design the event and was a panelist on the webinar topic, “Black Inventors Pathways to Patents.”

In this Q&A, Dr. Tucker shares some of his favorite takeaways from the series, and why he is so passionate about inspiring the scientists of tomorrow.

Why are green chemistry and sustainable invention so important right now?

In today’s world, science profoundly affects us all. Chemistry is important to understand, even for people without a technical or science background, because of the power we see it deliver in our everyday lives, through electronics, devices, even electric vehicles (EVs).

Many people associate chemistry with vague high school memories of the periodic table, but chemistry and science innovation are relevant to all of our daily lives and the future of our planet. In today’s world where more and more devices are being produced, used by customers, then discarded, it’s more important than ever to understand and demand sustainable sources and efficient recycling methods. That’s why we need to enable our next generation of scientists to explore and develop innovative methods.

How did you become interested in science?

Growing up I was always interested in being an applied scientist. I was inspired by learning about the work of other scientists—such as Nikola Tesla harnessing the power of alternating current electricity in my hometown, which led me to pursue research in electrochemical devices, or Lewis Latimer contributing to the invention of a new filament to improve the light bulb (fun fact: both scientists worked with Thomas Edison). More recently, I was inspired by meeting the inventor of the blue LED, Nobel Laureate Dr. Shuji Nakamura. His work is incredibly impactful as we use LEDs in nearly all flat screen displays today.

Why was the Pathways to Sustainable Invention series important?

There was a pandemic of racial inequality and lack of resources in certain communities well before the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID pandemic further compounded these issues to a critical point of social unrest. I considered this series a way to address this in my (our) own capacity as educators.

Through the series, we aimed to empower younger BIPOC by sharing the professional journeys, personal experiences, and unique techniques the panelists have used to achieve success as Black professionals, inventors, and entrepreneurs. Designed for a diverse audience of young people, the series highlighted a variety of topics on the cutting edge of technology, along with the possibilities and practical steps of starting a business. The virtual platform offered accessibility, inclusivity, and convenience, which enabled panelists from across the world to share their valuable messages, ideas, innovations, and sustainable projects.

What made you want to be involved?

As a scientist, I feel a call of duty to help cultivate the next generation of scientists. It’s becoming more apparent that a good number of jobs in the near future will involve some kind of fundamental chemical know-how — such as for battery packs replacing gasoline, polymers of various plastics substituting in for metals, and considering how potentially hazardous byproducts are affecting the air and environments of our local communities. These jobs and skills are critical for our world, as we collectively watch the acidification of the ocean and an increase in the greenhouse gasses causing global warming.

What were some of your favorite aspects of the series?

I truly appreciated — and I know the audience did, too — the perspectives offered through the multigenerational approach. Each session included three panelists, who ranged from early career such as high schoolers, mid-career such as recent college grads, and late career folks sharing their years of wisdom. For me personally, it was incredible to hear the forward-thinking and heartfelt stories from the youngest panelists about their research tackling some of the biggest global concerns. For example, one younger person shared their work on a digital app to ensure enough clean water. Behind the scenes, I enjoyed lending assistance to prepare some of our presenters to effectively convey their gifts in the virtual environment.

What advice or encouragement might you give to a young Black person interested in getting involved with STEM?

Well, a great starting point is to listen to the recording of the Pathways to Sustainable Invention series, which touches on a wide variety of topics — from tech apps to aerial drones, coding to cosmetics, solar energy to food science. Next, research the topics the panelists discussed that sparked your interest and get immersed immediately. Look up the companies where these people work and the organizations they’re members of, such as NOBCChE, Beyond Benign, and Society for Science. They all have chemistry-related programs you can join and start actively participating in right away.

By Nimrat Obhi, Jonathon Moir, Amy Cannon & Natalie J. O’Neil

The group of Green Chemistry educators from the GC education session.

Upon returning from our first in-person conference since 2019, we were (understandably) exhausted. It was so exciting and energizing to see colleagues and friends whom we had either never met, or hadn’t had a chance to see in-person in a very long time. In fact, even our U.S. and Canadian Beyond Benign team members met for the first time in-person! We were all thrilled to be in the same place, at the same time – a rare opportunity to connect around a topic that we all hold dear to our hearts, green chemistry.

We have been going to the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference for years (Amy in particular). It seemed to be different this time around. Perhaps it was the distance between our last in-person conference – or, perhaps it was the youthful, invigorating energy from the numerous students and post-docs that we met. But, it did seem different. The open discussions of using green chemistry to address diversity, equity and inclusion, along with the themes of systems thinking and solving sustainability challenges through green chemistry resonated deeply with us, and with many of the attendees.

It was exciting to see new, emerging leaders in the green chemistry community. To kick off the conference, Dr. Adelina Voutchkova was welcomed as the new of Director of Sustainable Development and the Green Chemistry Institute at the ACS. As a longtime member of the green chemistry education community, we are excited to see her take on this leadership role. During her presentation, Adelina gave some important remarks about the influence of her very first GC&E conference in 2005 on her career. She reached out specifically to the students and next generation of scientists, educators and researchers in the room to encourage them to continue participating in the conference and to take advantage of the many benefits it can offer.

It was encouraging to see so many energetic, talented students who are embarking on their careers participating in the conference, such as Bria Garcia, a graduate student at the University of Delaware, who was participating for the first time as a graduate student. Listening to Anthony Rodriguez (recent graduate, Seton Hall University) present on his undergraduate research and hear him say “green chemistry has caused me to think about my actions in and outside of the lab” left us with so much hope for the future. He will be starting graduate school in the fall and we have full confidence that we will be hearing about his numerous contributions in green chemistry in the coming years. Tony Jin, Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Audrey Moores’ group at McGill University, was recognized for his innovative research through a poster award on his work on chitosan nanocrystals – a new type of nanomaterial derived from shell waste. These emerging researchers and leaders will pave the way for chemists to solve global challenges – and, they are so very needed in this community.

Beyond Benign Postgraduate Student Liaison Dr. Juliana Vidal giving a presentation at the 2022 GC&E conference.

Diversity, equity and inclusion was another theme that resonated throughout the conference . It was really exciting to hear these topics discussed openly and hear how green chemistry can be used as a tool to address these challenges and inequities. The role of women in green chemistry and sustainability was particularly interesting to hear – Dr. Juliana Vidal (Beyond Benign post-graduate liaison) shared how women are agents of change in a recent editorial from a number of leading green chemistry researchers. Mary Kate Lane (Yale University) presented a subject that is often taboo within chemistry research – being pregnant in the lab. Her review titled “What to Expect When Expecting in the Lab” was really exciting to hear – as pregnant women (and their unborn children) face unique risks in the lab and as a result, pregnant women have historically had to make choices that impact their careers. Equitably providing resources for women to remain in chemistry research and take part in the green chemistry movement is essential in the field to ensure a diversity of perspectives and leaders take part in creating solutions. Dr. David Laviska (Seton Hall University) also provided some great insight on making the STEM fields more inclusive by providing good student support mechanisms. And, GCLTC Leadership Committee Member Andrea Ashley-Oyewole (Prairie View A&M University, GCC Signer) shared the work from the GCTLC Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Respect Subcommittee and how they aim to interweave equitable and inclusive practices throughout the online platform. The open discussions around how to actively include diverse students and perspectives was refreshing to hear and we are hopeful for the direction that this will bring us within the community.

Finally, we were so proud to participate in, and listen to, numerous fantastic symposia and presentations from the green chemistry education community. Including:

• Ken Hoffman (Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, GCTLC Leadership Committee member, Beyond Benign Lead Teacher), who summarized a systems thinking approach to teaching high school chemistry through green chemistry principles.
• Elizabeth Day (University of Texas El Paso) and Alexey Leontyev (North Dakota State University, GCTLC Leadership Committee member) organized a session on Assessment of Student Knowledge and Skills in Green Chemistry, Sustainability, and Systems Thinking – more evidence to build the case for green chemistry education is so important.
• Glenn Hurst (York University, GCTLC Leadership Committee member) presented on assessment of systems thinking in green chemistry in higher education via the design of a first-generation biorefinery.
• Sonya Doucette (Bellevue College) and Marta Guron (University of Pennsylvania) gave insights into teaching undergraduate general chemistry through an environmental justice lens and assessing green chemistry in an introductory chemistry module using systems thinking concepts
• GCC Advisory Board member Ed Brush (Bridgewater State University, GCC Signer) and Beyond Benign collaborators Jane Wissinger (University of Minnesota, GCC Signer) and Grace Lasker (UW Bothell) organized a Systems Thinking and UN SDG-themed session on Monday afternoon
• A fantastic session on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) in Chemistry and Engineering was organized by GCTLC Leadership Committee Members David Laviska and Glenn Hurst, with Michael Wentzel (Augsburg University). The session talks focused on the importance of equitable and universal access to green chemistry resources, and creating and providing resources that reflect the diversity of a global population, including the previously mentioned talks, and a talk by Cynthia Woodbridge (Georgia Gwinnett College) on her efforts towards “ungrading”: assessing students using nontraditional and inclusive methods to promote and enhance their learning.
• Beyond Benign’s Director of Higher Education Natalie O’Neil co-organized a session with Samy Ponnusamy (MilliporeSigma, GCC Advisory Board member) and Dean Campbell (Bradley University, Beyond Benign Greener Chemistry Laboratory Faculty Fellow) on “Integrating Sustainable Practices into Teaching and Research laboratories through Systems Thinking”. During the symposium, presentations from Namrata Jain (My Green Lab), Glenn Hurst, and Barb Morra highlighted some of the phenomenal efforts being made in introducing sustainability into undergraduate laboratories, including through student-centered research projects. Particularly inspiring was the collaborative work between John De Backere (University of Toronto, GCC Signer, Beyond Benign Greener Chemistry Laboratory Faculty Fellow), Matt Cranswick (Colorado State University – Pueblo), and Edward Zovinka (Saint Francis University) on bringing green chemistry and greener experiments into undergraduate inorganic chemistry labs (stay tuned for the release of the new resource guide in August!).
• A toxicology session organized by Teresa McGrath (Healthy Building Network) and Lauren Heine (ChemFORWARD) wrapped up the last day of the conference. The session was aimed at increasing education on hazards assessment, smarter molecular design, and greener product development in chemistry and engineering programs. Higher Education Program Manager Nimrat Obhi presented on Beyond Benign’s upcoming Toxicology for Chemists curriculum: a fully open-access curriculum that teaches introductory chemistry students the basic principles of toxicology to allow them to design safer molecules! (The curriculum will be launched online on August 1, 2022 – sign up here to stay tuned for details!). In addition, talks were presented by Rena Miu (Healthy Building Network), Chris Bartlett (ChemFORWARD), Shegufa Shetranjiwalla (Memorial University, Beyond Benign community member), and Elliot Rossomme (Messiah College) and Amanda Guan (UC Berkeley, GCC Signer) on hazards assessment tools and educational strategies all geared toward minimizing hazard and risk when designing chemical products.

And, finally, our very own Jon Moir (Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCLTC) Program Manager) presented a great overview of the GCTLC program, focusing on its development and progress, and emphasizing how this new online platform will serve and support a diverse green chemistry community. It is through this platform that we are hopeful to continue the conversations that we start at these in-person conferences. The tool can be a place for following-up with colleagues, sharing that paper from that talk that you heard, and collaborating with new (and old!) colleagues to amplify our collective impacts and accelerate the adoption of green chemistry in our educational systems. It won’t replace the energy from in-person experiences, but we hope it will sustain it until next time… so, until next time, we look forward to “seeing” you (and your cat!) on Zoom!