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The next generation of scientists understands the importance of green and sustainable chemistry, and Union College is among the innovative higher education institutions integrating these principles into its students’ education. Union College, located in Schenectady, New York, is both an American Chemical Society (ACS)-approved program and a Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) signer, demonstrating its commitment to green chemistry education and its understanding that innovation cannot come without broader considerations for the environment and human health. With the resources and community of both the ACS and GCC, Union College is fostering a new generation of chemists who see the societal impacts of their work beyond the lab. 

In the following conversation, Beyond Benign’s Higher Education Program Manager Juliana Vidal discusses green chemistry’s role in education with Union College Chemistry Professor and ACS President Mary Carroll and Union College Chemistry Department Chair and Associate Professor Laura MacManus-Spencer. 

Juliana Vidal: Can you share a bit about your chemistry background and how it led to the work you’re doing today? When did you learn about green chemistry? How is green chemistry a part of the work you do?

Mary Carroll: I’m an analytical chemist by training and during my studies and early career, the work I was doing was related to measurements, such as sensing, instrument development and molecular spectroscopy. These areas of work have some environmental aspects to them, but it wasn’t always the driving force. I really learned more about green chemistry specifically, as opposed to environmental aspects of chemistry, when I was serving on the ACS Society Committee on Education (SOCED), because we would get reports from the Green Chemistry Institute during some of our meetings. For the past 22 years, I’ve had a collaborative research group in aerogel materials with Ann Anderson, a mechanical engineering faculty member at Union College. We invented a process for making certain aerogels that result in substantially less waste. Some of our applications are using aerogels for sustainable building applications, such as in windows. I actually have a startup company working in that space. 

Laura MacManus-Spencer: I’ve been interested in the connections between chemistry and our environment since my undergraduate studies. Learning how a solid foundation in chemistry and chemical principles could lead to a better understanding of the world around me and humans’ interactions with it is what really got my attention. In my post-doctoral research, I worked on a project related to the principle of design for degradation. We studied per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that were so resistant to degradation and so extremely persistent in the environment. We investigated their chemical, physical, and biological properties with an eye toward the elements of their structures that might be modified to make them more degradable and benign in the environment. Now, as a faculty member at Union, I continue to do research with undergraduate students related to the applications of chemistry, specifically analytical chemistry, to environmental problems related to contaminants of emerging environmental concern. Our research is not focused on green chemistry, per se, but we do use the 12 Principles as guidelines. 

Juliana: Mary, how do you see the changes in the field of chemistry over the years? What does an organization such as the ACS do to stay on top of these changes, such as the inclusion of green chemistry in the ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs?

Mary: I’m relatively senior in my career, and there have been big changes in chemistry over that time. There’s been a lot more intentionality, in terms of focus on how we are designing things. Whether we’re talking about molecules, models or devices, you never know what the unintended consequences are going to be. There are many positives to innovation, but I think there’s more intentionality in thinking about what some of the unforeseen things could be. Compared to when I was a student of chemistry, we certainly have a much more robust safety culture, which relates to some of the principles of green chemistry. The ACS has the advantage of having people involved with expertise in many different areas. For example, we have the division of environmental chemistry and committees related to different principles. It’s clear that we have to evolve over time, and that we have to take advantage of the expertise within our community and within adjacent communities, to really stay ahead of everything and keep moving forward.

The Green Chemistry Institute (GCI) has been within ACS for more than 20 years now, and so the green chemistry principles have been certainly spread about by ACS. There are industry round tables and pharmaceutical and other industries that are very involved with the GCI. As a member of the ACS board, I’m really excited by the ACS campaign for a sustainable future, which is a relatively new program that has grants, awards, academic industry partnerships and sustainability summits. The ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs, which include green chemistry, are looked at by the Committee on Professional Training (CPT) every few years. The fact that the guidelines evolve over time is one sign that ACS really is trying to stay on top of changes and make sure we’re incorporating green chemistry into education at the university and college level. I see it as a very positive sign that green chemistry is explicitly included in the most recent guidelines.

Juliana: Laura, what can faculty and departments do to stay on top of these changes in the field of chemistry and shift with the times?

Laura: The intentional inclusion of green chemistry principles in college curricula is being addressed, as it should be, reflecting the changes in perspective that have happened over time and will continue to happen in the future. The shifting connotation of the phrase “better living through chemistry” represents the changing role of chemistry in our society over the decades. It’s evolved from its initial optimistic connotation, associated with the creation of an ever-increasing number of new products that make our lives easier, more comfortable and more convenient. Uttering that same phrase now has a certain irony, referring to the environmental and toxicological issues that have accompanied the growth and innovation.

So what can faculty and departments do? We can keep learning, keep communicating, keep going to conferences and sharing ideas and practices. We can keep adapting our research to meet the changing pressures on the environment and on society. And a big one: listen to our students. Because they come up with amazing, wonderful, insightful new ideas that I think often are less hindered by the ingrained conceptions and sometimes prejudices some of us have from the way things have always been done.

Juliana: What motivated the Chemistry Department to sign the Green Chemistry Commitment? 

Laura: In 2007, Union College signed on to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, now called the Climate Leadership Commitments. That one step has had real change on our campus in the areas of sustainability and moving toward carbon neutrality. Our department’s goals in signing the GCC are: one, to acknowledge our current efforts to implement the green chemistry principles in our curriculum; two, to motivate us to do more; and three, to provide real accountability and a framework to do so. 

Mary: I can just add that Laura, as an environmental analytical chemist and a new chair, is in a position to bring this to the deans and say it aligns with our institutional and departmental values. Frankly, we’re doing it anyway, but could we do it more intentionally? 

Juliana: How will being part of the Green Chemistry Commitment help your department integrate the green chemistry and sustainability principles required by the new ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs and stay at the forefront of the green chemistry movement?

Laura: I think signing the GCC will provide our department with really important tools and resources as we continue our efforts to at least meet the normal expectations and, ideally, the markers of excellence, in this area over time. I think the green chemistry learning modules, case studies, lab exercises and online forums, and being a part of the green chemistry community will make it easier to share ideas, best practices and lessons learned with other educators and students. There are ways to incorporate some or all of the green chemistry principles in really any subdiscipline in chemistry, and I think being a part of a community of people with the common goal of doing so will help us to think creatively about how to do that.

Mary: I’m going to come back to the word intentional again. There are things we’ve been doing, but having the commitment and the access to the community that Laura mentioned will have us talking more about it. We had a department discussion about the new guidelines, and around the room, there were people doing green chemistry in ways I wasn’t aware of. Being part of the GCC is helping us with our internal communication as well as communication with the broader chemistry community.

Juliana: What do you see as the most significant outcome of the Chemistry Department being both ACS-certified and a Green Chemistry Commitment signer?

Laura: The most significant product of our department is our students, so the most significant outcomes relate to them. Students graduating from college with an ACS-approved degree are really proud of their achievement. They know that it represents an intentionality on the part of the faculty to provide a program that meets and often exceeds the standards set by the American Chemical Society, which is the world’s largest scientific society. They also know that they’re part of this community, which offers everything from disseminating cutting-edge research, access to online tools, networking opportunities, funding outreach opportunities, and even personal benefits such as life insurance. Similarly, I hope that students graduating from Union will proudly acknowledge that their Alma Mater is a signatory of the GCC and will carry that with them and take with them a mindset of studying and practicing chemistry in the context of society’s great challenges. We’re thinking about that a lot on our campus right now, with environmental sustainability being just one of those great challenges.

Mary: As part of our general education program, students have to take courses in a couple of different fields that touch on global challenges. I think today’s college students are keenly aware of some of the major challenges existing globally. They’re very interested in being involved in work and projects that are meaningful and not doing harm. We’re also very proud to have an ACS-approved program. We are a completely undergraduate institution and have a very lab-intensive program. We want to think about how we do things in the lab and the best ways to do lab work. We’re training them to go out into their careers, which for many of them are going to be related very directly to chemistry or biochemistry. To the extent that we can have them thinking about these issues now, that’s going to really pay off in the future.

Juliana: Have you seen green chemistry inspire students at Union College? 

Laura: Certainly I’ve seen the aspects of green chemistry and sustainability in the sciences inspire many students at Union College. From more traditional green chemistry aspects, such as working with synthetic organic chemists to find ways to run their reactions more environmentally friendly, to using smaller volumes of things. Whether working in the lab or with faculty outside the chemistry department, such as in engineering departments, they’re inspired to see the research they do can lead to more efficient and less environmentally harmful ways of doing things. For example, one student working in the aerogel lab was a double major in chemistry and environmental science. Though she did not have to, she wanted to tie everything together in her senior theses. She did a really interesting life cycle analysis of the use of aerogel materials for insulation in clothing, as opposed to, say, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, bottles. I could see the spark because she really could see the applications of what she was learning at Union College and how she might take that into the future. 

Mary: I think educators as a whole within chemistry haven’t historically been focused on a systems-thinking approach. When you deal with things in very discrete segments, you sometimes don’t get the whole picture. A life cycle analysis by its nature can be hard to define and interpret, but just by going through the exercise, you’re thinking about the whole process. That process thinking, which I think is pretty common in engineering education, is something that green chemistry is helping bring more into chemistry education.

Juliana: What is your hope for the future of green chemistry education at Union College and beyond?

Mary: I think to continue to prepare students to be thoughtful contributors to the overall scientific enterprise. I think that’s what we hope to do as educators is to teach people how to learn. A real strength of the green chemistry principles and community is this systems-thinking and the sharing of resources. But what we really want to do is prepare students, and we want to prepare them not just for the first thing they do, but to prepare them to be lifelong learners and lifelong contributors in a very positive way.

Laura: I would like to see green chemistry and sustainability initiatives get to the point of being so ingrained in our curriculum that it’s just not questioned anymore. We expect someone graduating with a degree in chemistry to know what a Diels–Alder reaction is. We expect them to know what chromatography is. We expect them to know something about proteins and their interaction with small molecules in the body. I would add green chemistry in there, that we just expect students to keep these green chemistry principles in mind at every single one of those steps and every course they take — and then take that beyond Union College’s walls. I also always tell students I want them to see chemistry all around them. My personal area of interest is personal care products, and I want them to walk into a Target and not just grab the first product off the shelf, but actually take a look and see what’s in it. Everything around us is chemicals. I want them to make informed decisions, both with their dollars at the store, but also with any future research they do. I want green chemistry to be an unquestioned part of our curriculum, and for students to continue to learn to see chemistry in a way that benefits society. That comes back to that phrase, “better living through chemistry,” and what that means to the next generation.

How to get involved:

• National Chemistry Week (#ACS_NCW) is celebrated this year during the week of October 20-26, with the theme “Picture Perfect Chemistry.” Check out what the American Chemical Society and the Green Chemistry Institute have planned and how you can get involved. 
• Interested in learning more about the GCC? Book a time with Juliana Vidal to talk about bringing the GCC to your institution.

Green chemistry and disability advocacy share a common goal: improving well-being by creating inclusive, sustainable solutions that benefit everyone. Ensuring that students with disabilities are able to learn and thrive in accessible learning environments is crucial to creating an inclusive and sustainable future. 

This month, we spoke to GCTLC member Lauren Ragle (The George Washington University). She is an Assistant Professor in the Post-baccalaureate Pre-Medicine Program housed in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. As a bio-organic chemist, Lauren has dedicated her career to an infusion of disability advocacy and green chemistry education. In this Q&A, Lauren discusses the intersection of her personal experiences and professional journey, providing valuable insights into how advancing green chemistry and disability advocacy can go hand in hand. 

First, please tell us about your background and what inspired you to pursue a career in green chemistry education. How has your personal journey shaped your work and advocacy?

I’ve known since I was young that I enjoyed chemistry. From watching Bill Nye the Science Guy after school to developing a project to untarnish my grandmother’s silverware, I was hooked on chemistry. My love of chemistry continued in high school, and from there, I declared a chemistry major as an entering college freshman. 

It wasn’t until I came across organic chemistry that I discovered two things: the kind of chemistry I understood was organic (and biochemistry), and green chemistry is essential.

As a Christian, I grew up learning that God created everything for a purpose. We are responsible for caring for God’s Creation — the natural world around us. As I learned about the concepts of green chemistry in the fall of 2008, I realized green chemistry was just another way of preserving what we have. Respecting the environment is the right and moral thing to do. Therefore, being aware of what we do and controlling our waste streams should be a regular part of lab habits — especially as we consider organic chemistry since many “organic” chemicals are ultimately derivative of petrochemical sources. Finding new and natural sources (such as the camphor tree for medical camphor products) and new ways to recycle old plastics should be how science moves for the future.

In terms of education, my students are all heading towards medicine — an industry rife with waste that can harm our environment. Introducing the ideas of “cradle to grave” chemical uses can make them cautious about the amounts of medical waste generated in their future careers. I hope that as my students step into their careers, they do so with a grasp of caring for our natural world just as much as they care for their patients. 

What motivated you to become a disability advocate, and why is it important to integrate disability advocacy within the field of green chemistry?

I have a genetic condition called hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This condition is at the root of several other issues I live with daily, including chronic pain, asthma, and arthritis. As a student, I frequently faced buildings with steep ramps, heavy doors, and broken elevators. At one point, I was a wheelchair user after a major knee surgery. Once, my sister pushed me up a too-steep ramp (built before ADA became law in 1990), and I was stuck in that building for the day. I started learning I needed to speak up and advocate for myself more. 

Now that I’m a professor, I see the invisible educational barriers and speak out for my students. All students can benefit from universal classroom design and the growing movement in Universal Design for Learning. However, as noted by the American Chemical Society (ACS), all chemistry education should include a firm foundation in green chemistry. As we “green up” the undergraduate laboratory spaces, we can also take the opportunity to talk more openly regarding access for students with disabilities. I see this going hand-in-hand, improving things for our environmental and laboratory (human) neighbors. Safer synthesis is safer for everyone — the environment, students (with and without disabilities), and humanity.

I’m hoping my upcoming Masters of Arts in Education and Human Development degree, which I will complete by May 2026, will give me further insight into how I can combine green chemistry with advocacy for students with disabilities. 

How did you learn about the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC), and why did you want to get involved? How has being part of this community supported your work?

I first heard about the GCTLC when I was making connections in the “Greening Up Undergraduate Chemistry Labs” session at the 2023 ACS conference in California. David Laviska was hosting the workshop and mentioned connecting with Adelina Voutchkova (another professor at GWU) and Jane Wissinger. Later, Jane emailed me about advertising the symposium I’m hosting at ACS Fall 2024 in Colorado. We decided to double down on talking about green chemistry resources and tips for the undergraduate laboratory. Therefore, my symposium is titled “Infusing Green Chemistry into the Undergraduate Laboratory.” 

I was so grateful the community was so friendly! I recruited several great speakers for the upcoming symposium, and I’ve enjoyed and learned a lot from the folks on the GCTLC message boards.

In the spirit of Disability Pride Month, what’s your hope for the future of green chemistry education, and how do you see disability advocacy shaping this future?

As people with disabilities make up 25% of the adult American population, I hope more inclusivity and representation will call out ableism across multiple sectors. The least of which is the chemical one, of course. With my students headed into medical careers and only approximately 3% of physicians willing to openly admit they have disabilities, I’m hoping to change the landscape for the better. The more we address ableism and the need for more sustainable practices, the more equitable the workplace will be. Maybe one day, we will see 25% of chemists proud and willing to admit they have disabilities. As more chemists are involved in the green chemistry world, we will have more minds working on solving the problems of the past and moving into the future with bright ideas. 

How to get involved

• Learn about how Professor Queli Almeida is making green chemistry education accessible for visually impaired students in Rio de Janeiro.
• If you haven’t yet joined the GCTLC platform, create your free profile today!
• Download the free e-book “Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities.”
• Follow @gwu_pbpm on Instagram to keep up with the GWU Postbaccalaureate Pre-medicine Program!
• Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to get green chemistry news, resources, and inspiration delivered to your inbox monthly.

At its core, green chemistry challenges chemists to find creative ways to develop processes and products that are safer for people and the environment. A new learning module is designed to build knowledge of green chemistry and experience with ChemFORWARD’s game-changing online platform and chemical hazard assessment tool, through which users can identify and eliminate chemicals of concern, avoid regrettable substitutions, and design safer products from the outset. 

Beyond Benign teamed up with ChemFORWARD to develop the module that will help educators teach students how to use the ChemFORWARD platform. The module, “Use of ChemFORWARD for Chemical Hazard Evaluation and Assessment in Academic Settings,” is now available on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC). This open-access module can help prepare the future workforce by teaching students how to use hazard evaluation tools to understand and address hazards in chemical design.

“Knowing how and where to find credible hazard data for chemicals is an essential component to empowering current and future scientists to understand how to implement sustainability into the chemical sciences,” Beyond Benign Co-Founder Amy Cannon says. 

The inspiration for this work began with a Forsythia Foundation grant to Habitable (formerly Healthy Building Network) to support Beyond Benign and ChemFORWARD to develop a green chemistry curriculum that leverages Habitable’s Pharos chemical hazards database combined with ChemFORWARD’s safer alternatives. “Pharos has long been a trusted source of chemical hazards data,” says Gina Ciganik, CEO of Habitable. “It was a perfect opportunity to bring these resources together with Beyond Benign’s expertise to design high-quality educational materials to empower the next generation of chemists.” 

To celebrate the module’s release, Beyond Benign caught up with four community members who collaborated to bring it to life. The team included two higher education professors from Green Chemistry Commitment signing institutions, Cynthia Woodbridge and Mark Mason, who served as educational content developers, creating curriculum materials for using the ChemFORWARD platform in academic settings. The team also included two representatives from ChemFORWARD, Heather McKenney and Gabrielle Rigutto, who provided expertise on using the ChemFORWARD platform to the educators as they developed the module. Continue reading to hear from these leaders who share a bit about the module’s design as a hands-on teaching tool.

First, please tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to green chemistry!

Cynthia Woodbridge, Professor of Chemistry, Georgia Gwinnett College: By training, I am a physical chemist with specialties in materials and computational chemistry. I’ve earned certificates in Sustainability and Green Chemistry since my PhD and have been involved with green chemistry and Beyond Benign since 2016. I started out learning about it and wanted to learn more, so I just kept going.

Mark Mason, Professor of Chemistry, University of Toledo: I started my faculty career at the University of Louisville in 1993 and later moved to the University of Toledo. My research interests focus on inorganic and organometallic chemistry with a strong interest in catalysis. My teaching interests have included undergraduate courses in general chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and green chemistry, as well as graduate courses in physical inorganic, main group chemistry, organometallics, and homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Through my teaching and research endeavors in the late 1990s, I became aware of the principles of green chemistry and green engineering, and those interests really took off during a collaborative project with colleagues on the hydroformylation of alkenes in supercritical carbon dioxide. My interests and fate eventually led to the formation of the School of Green Chemistry and Engineering at the University of Toledo in 2011, for which I serve as Director, and the development of a course on green chemistry in 2013. I have taught the green chemistry course for most of the past 10 years.

Heather McKenney, Science and Safer Chemistry Lead, ChemFORWARD: Working at ChemFORWARD was my formal introduction to the green chemistry community directly, but I had been indirectly working with the community for years in my previous roles in consumer packaged goods toxicology and product safety, and I did not realize how well-connected the community was! My background is in personal care product ingredient toxicology and finished product safety, and I am heartened to see more and more organizations thinking about ingredient selection through a green chemistry lens.

Gabrielle Rigutto, Research & Data Quality Specialist, ChemFORWARD: I was in the classroom as a student not too long ago and had the privilege of being in a program that elevated green chemistry principles within a public health graduate program. My professional background since then has surrounded developing novel approaches to chemical hazard assessment, and I have appreciated that this field provides the opportunity to explore questions such as: What are truly sustainable options that we can use instead, rather than narrowly asking what is harmful and why. In working at ChemFORWARD, it has been really inspiring to see how the platform can help our users make these more informed decisions.

During my 10 years of teaching green chemistry, I have wanted to cover some of these topics in a way that gives students more opportunity to independently explore and search for chemical hazard information. This module and the ChemFORWARD platform will really help to fill that need. – Professor Mark Mason

What prompted ChemFORWARD and Beyond Benign to collaborate on developing this module, and why is this partnership important?

Heather: At ChemFORWARD, we have always wanted to get this resource into the hands of more educators. Comprehensive chemical hazard assessments are integral to the education of the next generation of green chemistry practitioners, so a partnership with the passionate experts at Beyond Benign was perfect. Not only are we developing the resources, but they will live in Beyond Benign’s dynamic GCTLC platform with passionate users and will actually land in the hands of educators.

Gabrielle: ChemFORWARD has long been inspired by Beyond Benign’s contribution to the green chemistry field in that they ultimately put these resources in the hands of the next generation of thinkers and change-makers. Our goal is that this partnership with ChemFORWARD can help instructors develop their students’ understanding of what a safer chemical alternative really means, as demonstrated by the chemical hazard assessments on ChemFORWARD’s platform.

What was your experience like developing the ChemFORWARD educational module? Why is this module valuable? 

Cynthia: This collaboration was a great experience — I’ve learned from everyone involved. I think the module is valuable because it presents a tool that most academics haven’t been exposed to.

Mark: The collaboration with Cynthia at Georgia Gwinnett College, Monica at Beyond Benign, and Heather and Gabby at ChemFORWARD was very rewarding. The team was great to work and share ideas with, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore the ChemFORWARD platform as part of this team. The ChemFORWARD platform will allow students in my class to search for hazard information on product ingredients and solvents, and identify safer chemical alternatives to chemicals of concern. I cannot wait to use this module in my green chemistry course in the fall of 2024 and beyond. 

Implementation can range from doing a single assignment with a group of students to using the entire module. I think the best thing about the module is its adaptability. I hope people choose to get started with it and do something small, then find it interesting enough to come back and do more. – Professor Cynthia Woodbridge

Can you describe the key content and organization of this educational resource? How has your teaching experience shaped its design?

Cynthia: I think the key content is the assignments. I appreciate hands-on work, and this gives an opportunity to explore the site and think about what is in products.

Mark: The main component of this module is the instruction on how to use the ChemFORWARD platform, and the access that students will have to explore this platform to identify hazard information and select safer ingredients based on hazard information and ingredient function. I agree with Cynthia that the assignments are a key component of this module. The assignments are designed to guide students in exploring the platform and searching for desired information using the platform. The assignments and slides also introduce concepts of hazard and risk assessments, chemical alternatives assessment, key human health and environmental toxicity endpoints, and avoiding regrettable substitutions. During my 10 years of teaching green chemistry, I have wanted to cover some of these topics in a way that gives students more opportunity to independently explore and search for chemical hazard information. This module and the ChemFORWARD platform will really help to fill that need.

How do you envision your fellow educators adapting and implementing this module in their classrooms? What impact do you hope it will have on their teaching?

Cynthia: Implementation can range from doing a single assignment with a group of students to using the entire module. I think the best thing about the module is its adaptability. I hope people choose to get started with it and do something small, then find it interesting enough to come back and do more.

Mark: Many faculty will likely implement this module in a stand-alone course on green chemistry or green engineering, but the module would also be a great addition to courses in cosmetic science. Faculty may want to introduce the ChemFORWARD platform in general chemistry or organic chemistry, and the assignment on selecting polar aprotic solvents would be a great fit for undergraduate organic chemistry lectures or labs. An assignment on chelating agents in detergents and cleaners would even be suitable for use in inorganic chemistry. The module is very adaptable.

Interested in accessing the ChemFORWARD database for short-term educational purposes? Contact info@chemforward.org! The ChemFORWARD database is available to industry partners via a yearly subscription. 

How to get involved:

• Access the ChemFORWARD module in Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) platform and share it with your departments or colleagues. 
• If you are an educator from a Green Chemistry Commitment-signing institution, join a workshop on August 8 or 9 to learn more about how to effectively implement the module in your course.  
• If you haven’t yet joined the GCTLC platform, create your free profile today!
• Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to get green chemistry news, resources, and inspiration delivered to your inbox monthly.

Professor Queli Almeida, a member of the Beyond Benign community, is doing incredible work in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by advancing green chemistry education and increasing access to green and sustainable labs for students who are visually impaired. Almeida won Beyond Benign’s 2024 Earth Month Photo Contest, which invited members of the green chemistry movement to submit photos of their work in action. Beyond Benign narrowed down the entries, and the finalists’ photos were put to a community vote. Almeida’s winning photo — with credit to Kamyla Benica and Marcelle Paiva — shows a green chemistry lesson printed in braille and made of paper with different textures. We are excited the community selected this photo, which beautifully represents the importance of accessibility in green chemistry education. 

We caught up with Almeida to learn more about her chemistry background, how she’s making green chemistry more accessible in her community, and her hopes for the future of green chemistry education.

Tell us a little about you and your background in green chemistry education! When did you first learn about green chemistry, and what inspired you to continue your green chemistry journey?

In 2000, I started my undergraduate studies in Chemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and began working with aqueous organic reactions in the laboratory. My undergraduate work was on the topic of green chemistry in 2004, and my doctoral thesis was also in the same line of research. In 2012, I joined IFRJ – Duque de Caxias as a professor and started studying organic reactions and green chemistry with my undergraduate students.

Throughout these years, I have developed many laboratory protocols focused on sustainability and green chemistry. Today, we also undertake numerous projects in the field of education, spreading the philosophy of green chemistry beyond the university and working in several high schools and elementary schools across the state of Rio de Janeiro.

I believe it is possible to address the environmental issues of our planet by educating the new generations who are the present and future of universities and companies worldwide. Because I believe we can make a difference for our world, I am highly motivated to continue my research in this area.

Your winning photo showed students who are visually impaired engaging with a green chemistry project. Can you share a memorable experience from this project that exemplifies the impact of green chemistry education on your students? 

Unfortunately, access for blind or low-vision students in laboratory classes is severely hindered in Brazil. We began researching how we could introduce the topics of sustainability and green chemistry to these students. We also wanted them to experience firsthand in practical classes the change we could promote in products they use daily and to prove that cleaner practices in industries are indeed possible.

The students were able to learn and implement the process for manufacturing a bioplastic and a solid shampoo using a more sustainable approach. At this point, the philosophy of green chemistry flowed naturally, sparking many debates about environmental pollution and the need to rethink our practices. They also learned about the Green Star, a metric that applies the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and indicates the percentage of sustainability involved in the experiment on a global scale.

The blind and low-vision students were able to provide feedback on our conduct and the materials presented to them, with the aim of improving our specially developed educational material for this audience. It was a mutual learning experience, and everyone was very satisfied with the exchange of knowledge and experiences.

All participants were learning about the topic for the first time, and had the chance to participate in an experimental class using materials found in their daily lives. It was a very enriching experience for everyone involved.

What advice or insights would you share with educators interested in incorporating green chemistry principles into their teaching practices? How can educators prioritize making their green chemistry lessons accessible for all students?

There are models for teaching green chemistry philosophy in the classroom that are based solely on experimental laboratory classes, but there are also models that integrate green chemistry across all subjects taught in both basic and higher education. We should always strive to teach green chemistry and sustainability in the most comprehensive way possible, meaning across the various topics learned throughout students’ educational journeys. The generation that has the opportunity to discuss and work on these issues will be better prepared and will help us towards a more sustainable future for the planet.

Working with students’ everyday experiences is always very promising, in addition to laboratory classes. Simple experiments can demonstrate more sustainable applications for products that typically pollute the environment. I also suggest board games or even electronic games to teach green chemistry, making everything interesting, fun, and dynamic.

What are your hopes for the future of green chemistry education? 

I hope that many other teachers will have the opportunity to learn and apply green chemistry with their students. It is crucial that we, as teachers working in this field, through initiatives like those proposed by Beyond Benign, can increasingly bring this philosophy to various schools and universities in our countries. It is of utmost urgency to educate professionals who are more critical about the impacts we have on the environment and how to reduce them. Strong scientific dissemination of green chemistry through articles, conferences, events, and also on social media platforms that reach many people around the world is necessary.

What’s your connection to Beyond Benign? 

The initiatives of Beyond Benign are of utmost importance for our education in green chemistry. I have participated and continue to participate whenever possible in Green Chemistry Connections events; our research group has even participated in LatinXChem. I hope that one day we will have the opportunity to be all together in a big event, showcasing our work. I take this opportunity to thank you for the support, availability of materials, and events that you provide for our participation in spreading the word about this crucial area for our planet. Please follow our research group on Instagram @verdelab_IFRJ, and let’s continue together in the pursuit of a more sustainable world.

How you can get involved: 

• Follow @verdelab_IFRJ on Instagram to keep up with green chemistry at IFRJ. 
• Explore all of the Earth Month Photo Contest finalists’ photos for more inspiring work from the green chemistry community!
• Join the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) to connect with your peers, access resources, and so much more.