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A curiosity about nature and a passion for learning provided early guidance for Omar Villanueva’s academic and professional journey. Secondary educators sparked his enthusiasm for the study of chemistry and inspired his decision to become a teacher himself. 

Now, he is taking the next step into his new role as Chief Program Officer at Beyond Benign, where he sees an opportunity to spread the word about green chemistry as a powerful tool to inspire and educate others. “Learning green chemistry is essential for students because it represents the future of chemistry,” Omar says. “By embedding the principles of green chemistry into core courses, research, and extracurricular activities, we can ensure that the next generation of chemists is equipped to tackle the environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century.”

After first learning of green chemistry during his PhD studies, Omar embedded its principles into his research and subsequent faculty role at a Georgia undergraduate institution. While there, he introduced students to principles of green chemistry and saw firsthand how signing the Green Chemistry Commitment can help educational institutions develop a cohesive and collaborative approach to green chemistry. 

As part of the Beyond Benign team, Omar is eager to broaden the impact of green chemistry and reach a larger audience. “We offer a wealth of resources to support chemistry programs implementing green chemistry principles and fostering a more sustainable approach to chemistry,” he says. “I look forward to continuing my journey by empowering other educators, students, and institutions to embrace green chemistry and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

In this Q&A, Omar shares more about the educational and professional journey that led him to his new role at Beyond Benign and his vision for the role that green chemistry can play for future learners and organizations. 

As the newest member of the Beyond Benign team, we would love to hear about your journey to science and green chemistry. Can you share your educational and professional background?

Growing up in rural southwest Mexico, becoming a scientist seemed like a distant dream. However, my love for science began at an early age, fueled by an innate curiosity about how things in nature worked. At age 10, my family moved to the United States for better educational opportunities, and we settled in Georgia, where I attended middle and high school. My fascination with science deepened in high school—especially in my chemistry class. While challenging, chemistry quickly became one of my favorite subjects, primarily due to the enthusiasm and dedication of my teachers, who made the subject come alive. When I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA), I majored in chemistry after falling in love with organic chemistry. At the same time, my passion for education inspired me to pursue a double major in science education, as I envisioned a future where I could combine my love for science with a desire to teach and inspire others. Interestingly, I never encountered the term “green chemistry” during my undergraduate studies, though I was always drawn to sustainability. This curiosity about sustainable solutions led me to pursue graduate studies at Emory University, where my official journey into green chemistry began.

During my PhD program, my research focused on developing sustainable, Earth-abundant transition metal catalysts for organic synthesis. These catalysts were designed to minimize environmental impact by using less toxic reagents—like oxygen as an oxidant—and generating fewer (or no) harmful byproducts. They were also more economically viable compared to traditional catalysts. It wasn’t until I came across the book Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice by Paul Anastas and John Warner that I realized my work directly aligned with the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. This discovery sparked a more profound commitment to sustainable science, and I became intentional about incorporating green chemistry principles into all aspects of my research.

After completing my PhD, I joined the faculty at an undergraduate-only institution in Georgia. I had the privilege of mentoring students and introducing them to sustainable catalysis and its critical role in green chemistry. Over the past decade, my research has consistently focused on developing greener catalysts, and I’ve also worked to integrate green chemistry into my teaching. From introductory courses to organic chemistry and senior-level special topics, I’ve created courses, modules, and hands-on activities centered on green and sustainable chemistry. This approach has helped students see the societal relevance of chemistry and equipped them with valuable skills that set them apart when applying for graduate programs or industry positions.

Now, as part of the Beyond Benign team, I am thrilled to broaden the impact of green chemistry by reaching a larger audience. I look forward to continuing my journey by empowering other educators, students, and institutions to embrace green chemistry and contribute to a more sustainable future.

How did your professional path lead you to your current role with Beyond Benign? Why were you interested in joining the team?

As a faculty member, I’ve had many opportunities to use green chemistry as a powerful tool to inspire and educate others about creating a more sustainable future in chemistry. My passion for teaching and mentoring undergraduate students has always been a driving force in my career in higher education. However, I’ve also been deeply interested in expanding my skill set and exploring leadership roles in administration.

I embraced a new chapter in my professional journey about three years ago by focusing on higher education administration. I became the Chemistry Department Chair at Georgia Gwinnett College, a diverse undergraduate institution in Georgia. In this role, I led a highly diverse department with 33 full-time and 10 part-time faculty members. I also oversaw the four chemistry tracks, including implementing an innovative track in fermentation science. Working alongside incredible colleagues, I gained a profound appreciation for strong leadership’s impact on shaping departments and fostering positive change.

I’ve always believed that effective administrators can create broader, meaningful impacts within organizations, and this belief guided my interest when I learned about the Chief Program Officer position at Beyond Benign. This role presented an exciting opportunity to combine my administrative experience with my passion for green chemistry education. Beyond Benign’s mission to advance green chemistry through education profoundly resonates with my values and professional goals. The chance to contribute to such transformative work while staying connected to the chemistry community perfectly aligned with my aspirations.

After learning more about the incredible work Beyond Benign does, I was even more inspired by the organization’s vision and impact. I’m excited to join a team that is making a profound difference in green chemistry education and contributing to its growth. This role allows me to combine my administrative skills, passion for green chemistry, and dedication to advancing education to help Beyond Benign achieve its mission.

How did you learn about the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC)? Why did Georgia Gwinnett College decide to sign the Commitment?  

I first learned about Beyond Benign and the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) when my colleague at Georgia Gwinnett College, Dr. Cynthia Woodbridge, introduced the idea of having our institution sign the Commitment. At the time, I didn’t fully realize how transformative this initiative would become for our department. While our faculty had already been engaging in impactful green chemistry efforts, much of the work was happening in silos, with individual faculty members working independently.

The turning point came when Cynthia formed a dedicated Green Chemistry Task Force—a small group of five faculty members who shared a passion for green chemistry. This task force became the foundation for uniting our department’s efforts and fostering collaboration. Cynthia’s leadership catalyzed committing to the GCC, and her advocacy was instrumental in bringing us together to embrace this initiative as a department.

The GCC has been pivotal in shifting Georgia Gwinnett Chemistry department’s approach to green chemistry from fragmented efforts to a cohesive and collaborative mission. It has allowed us to amplify the impact of our work, and I’m incredibly proud to have been part of this transformative journey. I look forward to hearing more stories like these as part of the Beyond Benign staff.

What impacts did you see — or what changes were implemented — after bringing the GCC to Georgia Gwinett College’s Chemistry Department? 

Signing the GCC was a transformative milestone for our chemistry department – we were the first institution in Georgia to sign the GCC! It made us eligible for funding opportunities, such as a higher education grant from MilliporeSigma, and empowered us to advance our green chemistry journey in meaningful ways. With the support of the GCC, we were able to develop green chemistry materials, including a dedicated course, present our departmental journey at national conferences, and spread awareness about green chemistry initiatives across our campus (to both faculty and students). 

Perhaps most importantly, the GCC connected us with a broader network of like-minded institutions and individuals who share our passion for green chemistry, inspiring further collaboration and growth. Now that I am with Beyond Benign, I can’t wait to hear about all the great work from those initial efforts.

Why would you recommend the GCC program to department chairs at other higher education institutions? 

As a former department chair, I highly recommend the GCC program to my fellow chemistry department chairs. The program provides a wide range of internal and external benefits that can elevate your department and create systemic, lasting change in chemistry education. Beyond increasing visibility for your department, the GCC fosters the expansion of a global community of green chemists, opens doors to funding opportunities, strengthens connections to job prospects, and enhances the resources available to your faculty and students.

At Georgia Gwinnett College, joining the GCC transformed our department’s approach to green chemistry. For example, through the GCC, we gained access to a Higher Education Award funded by MilliporeSigma. This grant enabled us to develop a yearlong program to promote green chemistry across our campus and support faculty in learning to incorporate green chemistry principles into their teaching. These funding opportunities can provide invaluable resources for departments looking to make a meaningful impact in green chemistry education.

The benefits of the GCC extend far beyond faculty development; it empowers students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Learning green chemistry is essential for students because it represents the future of chemistry—chemistry that is safer, more sustainable, and aligned with global challenges. Integrating green chemistry into your curriculum prepares your students to be more competitive for graduate programs and industry positions while helping them see the critical connection between chemistry and sustainability.

New American Chemistry Society (ACS) guidelines further underscore the importance of green chemistry by requiring ACS-approved programs to include the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry in undergraduate curricula. The GCC program is an excellent way to ensure your department stays ahead of these changes and remains a leader in chemistry education. Beyond Benign is here to help, offering a wealth of resources to support chemistry programs implementing green chemistry principles and fostering a more sustainable approach to chemistry. For those looking to add to their department’s green chemistry expertise, Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) is an excellent and accessible resource. This online community connects educators with resources, tools, and a network of professionals who can help guide your department in its green chemistry journey. 

Whether you already have expertise in green chemistry or are just beginning to explore this field, the GCC connects faculty and students alike in learning, growing, and adopting green chemistry principles. Ultimately, the GCC equips your department to be at the forefront of a movement reshaping chemistry education. It’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact on your department students and the broader chemistry community. Joining the GCC ensures that your department is part of a collective effort to build a more sustainable future through green chemistry.

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

My vision for the future of green chemistry is that it becomes a cornerstone of chemistry education, not only in higher education but also in K-12 education. I believe green chemistry should be fully integrated into every level of the curriculum, from foundational science education in schools to advanced courses in universities. It should no longer be viewed as an elective or niche topic but embraced as a guiding framework for teaching and practicing chemistry.

In higher education, I see green chemistry becoming a fundamental part of core courses, research initiatives, and extracurricular activities. This integration will equip students with the tools to address the pressing environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century while enhancing their competitiveness for graduate programs and industry roles. Similarly, by introducing green chemistry concepts to K-12 educators and students, we can inspire young learners to see chemistry as a key to solving real-world sustainability issues and nurture an early interest in science that aligns with responsible and sustainable practices.

For K-12 education, I envision collaboration with educators to design (or redesign) age-appropriate, hands-on learning experiences that illustrate the principles of green chemistry. Organizations like Beyond Benign can play a crucial role by partnering with schools, providing resources, and offering professional development for teachers. By empowering K-12 educators to bring green chemistry into their classrooms, we can create a pipeline of environmentally conscious students who carry this mindset into higher education and beyond.

Another critical goal is fostering collaboration among educators, researchers, and industry partners to build a vibrant network for advancing green chemistry education. Programs such as the GCC and platforms like the GCTLC provide an excellent foundation for sharing resources, best practices, and innovative ideas. Expanding these initiatives to include the K-12 sector will broaden the impact and ensure the principles of green chemistry reach a more diverse audience.

Finally, I hope to see increased investment in faculty and educator development across all levels of education. This includes funding for curriculum development, access to professional development opportunities, and resources to support the adoption of green chemistry principles. When educators are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they can inspire and empower their students to become leaders in sustainable science.

The future of green chemistry is bright, and its integration into both higher education and K-12 education will ensure a new generation of scientists and global citizens who prioritize sustainability in their personal and professional lives. With the continued efforts of passionate individuals, organizations like Beyond Benign, and academic institutions, we can drive meaningful change and make sustainability an intrinsic part of our collective scientific identity.

How to get involved:

• Learn more about the Green Chemistry Commitment and how your higher education institution can join the movement. 
• Connect with Omar in the GCTLC to keep up with his work!
• Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to receive green chemistry news, resources, and opportunities directly to your inbox. 

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. 
• Watch this workshop recording to learn 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.

Photos by event photographer Gerald Schmidt

A growing green chemistry ecosystem is taking root in Germany, where Berlin’s three largest universities have signed on to Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) and its framework for sustainable, lasting change. Following the lead of Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), which signed the GCC in 2021, Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin) became GCC signers in October 2023. 

Along with signing the GCC, these three universities have joined forces with 26 partners in industry, science, and government to form the greenCHEM project — an inspiring initiative to bring green chemistry innovation to the region. The greenCHEM project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for up to nine years with 10 million euros. TU Berlin is also gearing up for its new green chemistry transfer center, “Chemical Invention Factory – John Warner Center for Start-ups in Green Chemistry” (CIF). Construction on this building (named after Beyond Benign’s co-founder, who is also a co-founder of green chemistry) is set to begin in 2025.

To celebrate these steps forward, TU Berlin hosted a special GCC signing event for its fellow Berlin universities during the greenCHEM kickoff in October 2023. John Warner attended the celebration, along with numerous stakeholders who are championing green chemistry in Germany. These leaders included Martin Rahmel, coordinator of the greenCHEM project and director of the CIF at TU Berlin; Christoph Tzschucke, Chemistry Professor at FU Berlin; and Nikki Man Post-Doc in Chemistry Education at HU Berlin. As a champion of the GCC in Berlin, Rahmel sees the importance of teaching green chemistry to young students so they are better prepared to implement it later in life. “This broad interest shows that green chemistry is on the upslope in Germany, so anchoring it in the curriculum at an early stage is a must,” Rahmel said.

Beyond Benign reached out to Rahmel, Tzschucke, and Man after the event to get their thoughts on the GCC, the promise of the greenCHEM project, and the power of community in advancing sustainable and innovative practices. Below, read how these see green chemistry education playing a critical role in industrial innovation for the region’s future.

Can you tell us about the special event hosted by your institution to help other institutions sign the GCC pledge?

Rahmel (TU Berlin): The Institute of Chemistry at Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) was the first European institution to sign the GCC. We shared our positive experiences with our Berlin partner universities Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin), who recognized the importance and opportunities offered by the GCC. Together we decided to hold the signing ceremony at our special kickoff event of our joint project greenCHEM, which aims to create an innovation ecosystem in green chemistry with six target areas, one being education. Berlin is aware of its responsibility for creating a culture of innovation to foster necessary change, also in the field of chemistry education, so having the biggest three universities in Berlin having signed the GCC is the logical consequence.

Who attended the event, and what does this say about the state of green chemistry in Germany?

Rahmel (TU Berlin): More people registered for the event than could fit in the room, but we made sure that there were participants from every stakeholder group of such an innovation ecosystem. Hence, students, doctoral candidates, professors, start-ups, industry representatives, and politicians were present at the event. The GCC was ceremonially signed by the Director of the Chemistry Institute of the FU Berlin and the Director of the Chemistry Institute as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the HU Berlin.

Why did your institution decide to sign the GCC?

Tzschucke (FU Berlin): The idea of joining the GCC first came up during discussions with students at the chemistry department of Freie Universität Berlin. At the time, we were seeking to integrate sustainability and related topics into our chemistry curricula in a more systematic fashion than before. We realized that connecting to a green chemistry-focused community would help us and provide valuable additional teaching resources. Signing the GCC was then a good opportunity to demonstrate Freie Universität’s commitment to integrating the ideas of sustainability and green chemistry into our curriculum, research endeavors, and institutional practices.

Man (HU Berlin): Signing the GCC was perfectly aligned with Humboldt University’s commitment to the protection of natural resources in its environmental guidelines, which was pledged in 2005. Since then, initiatives such as the student-powered Sustainability Office and Sustainability & Global Justice scholarships group keep the momentum going. The university is aiming toward a climate-neutral campus by 2030 — talk about setting the bar high for environmental leadership! The Institute of Chemistry is already a thriving hub for green innovations, brewing up solutions like new photocatalysts, biocatalytic methods, and organic materials (to name but a few!). Joining the GCC was a natural fit, boosting our efforts to weave green chemistry into our curriculum.

What does it mean for your institution to be a signer?

Tzschucke (FU Berlin): Like most academic institutions, Freie Universität Berlin has long recognized the pressing need for innovative solutions to address global environmental challenges, particularly in the field of chemistry. By signing the GCC, we want to increase the visibility of our efforts to contribute to the advancement of green chemistry practices both locally and globally. Through our participation in the GCC, we aim to inspire our students and encourage our faculty to embrace sustainable approaches in their work.

Man (HU Berlin): Not only is the GCC like a green thumbs-up club for universities that want to do and teach chemistry in a more sustainable way than its current state in the majority of the chemical industry, what’s more important is that it is also a gateway to tangible actions. As we’re training chemists and chemistry teachers, moving toward a more sustainability-minded curriculum will equip our students to embrace and learn cutting-edge green chemistry skills and practices, strengthen our research with a sustainability focus, and position us as a leader in this field. It’s a win-win for the planet and our academic excellence.

What are the next steps for your institution now that you’ve signed the GCC?

Tzschucke (FU Berlin): We are currently integrating new teaching modules on sustainability and green chemistry in our chemistry bachelor’s and master’s programs. However, green chemistry is a strongly application-oriented field and becomes meaningful only through interaction with the players in the “real world.” Therefore, we also aim to develop teaching modules for other study programs, such as business administration or economics, to support the transfer of green chemistry ideas from research to industrial applications.

Man (HU Berlin): One of our first steps will be to equip future chemistry teachers with practical (and hopefully captivating!) modules that seamlessly integrate green chemistry principles into their curriculum. This goes beyond memorizing formulas and processes — think engaging experiments, real-world applications, and other methods that empower students to become passionate advocates for green chemistry!

What kind of support have you received from the green chemistry community as a signer?

Rahmel (TU Berlin): The green chemistry community is incredibly open-minded and supportive. We have been able to learn a lot regarding alternative study programs and teaching materials. Our Masters course “Green Chemistry” profited a lot. But as a good community member, we are also giving back by sharing those parts of lecture materials that were created “in-house.” Another great thing is the introduction of a Micro Credential (MC) called “Sustainable Entrepreneurship” at the TU Berlin. As a new concept in the European Union, MCs are not yet common, but the interaction with the international community has encouraged us to offer our students an additional degree with a focus on green chemistry. We are working to expand this MC to all three universities, and I hope to share some great news soon.

Can you share any success stories or case studies demonstrating the impact of green chemistry practices at TU Berlin?

Rahmel (TU Berlin): A great success story that I am involved in myself is greenCHEM. As mentioned, it’s not just about teaching and education, but the goal is fostering green chemistry innovation in further target areas (teaching, research, start-ups, industry, and society). This innovation ecosystem, which involves all stakeholders, is growing fast and is full of incredibly motivated partners. We regularly use the Beyond Benign network to get feedback from the green chemistry community, share our experiences and support where we can.

How do you hope the GCC community evolves in the coming years?

Rahmel (TU Berlin): Personally, I can’t understand why not every chemical institute in the world is part of the community yet. This is where community and the future are lived. Every university can only benefit from being part of this agile, motivated network. I strongly believe that more people will realize this truth in the next few years so that the Beyond Benign goal of 25 x 25 will have to be adjusted toward 50 x 30.

What do you think is the future of green chemistry in Germany?

Tzschucke (FU Berlin): The chemical industry is one of the largest economic sectors in Germany. At the same time, it is one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide due to its large energy consumption. To bring green chemistry innovations from research into industrial practice will therefore be absolutely crucial. Green chemical production — i.e. lowering energy consumption, substituting fossil energy sources by renewable electricity, and avoiding harmful emissions — will help the chemical industry to comply with tightening environmental regulations and to remain competitive. This green chemistry transformation will shape our future and can only be successful if we use this opportunity to bring innovative ideas to reality.

Man (HU Berlin): Germany’s green chemistry scene is poised for lift-off, fueled by robust policy support, vibrant research hubs, and focus on key areas like biocatalysis, CO2 utilization, and digitalization. The EU Green Deal, the Chemicals strategy for sustainability, as well as the German government’s National Hydrogen Strategy, act as guiding lights, while dedicated initiatives like the greenCHEM ecosystem (that we are a part of) inject fuel into supporting innovative projects.

Of course, there are and will be many persisting challenges, such as scaling up green technologies and shifting industry mindsets. But Germany’s commitment to a circular economy approach, coupled with its strong research landscape and focus on specific growth areas, positions it as a potential global leader in sustainable chemical practices. So actually, I think the future of green chemistry in Germany is indeed quite bright.

What advice would you give to other institutions considering signing the GCC?

Rahmel (TU Berlin): Sign it! You not only get inspired by the incredible Beyond Benign team and the other GCC signees, you receive access to all materials, best practices, and hands-on advice. Very importantly, you make a statement for advancing chemistry toward a better future.

What impact do you hope your institution’s signing of the GCC will have in your local community?

Tzschucke (FU Berlin): Interest in environmental and societal issues is traditionally very strong in the Berlin community and politics. Signing of the GCC fits well and makes it easier for current and future students to recognize that all three Berlin universities work together to provide education and research opportunities to address global challenges. 

Man (HU Berlin): My hope is that this commitment will translate into concrete actions and tangible benefits for our community, not just symbolic gestures. Concrete actions such as equipping chemistry and chemistry education students with knowledge of green chemistry practices would support them to become vital contributors to solving local challenges and inspiring future generations to embrace sustainable practices. By fostering this knowledge and enthusiasm in the next generation, we’re not just shaping future chemists, we’re laying the groundwork for a community that breathes cleaner air, reduces waste, and embraces green innovative solutions.

How you can get involved:

• Learn more about the GCC by signing up for our informational email series
• Find green chemistry near you (and across the globe!) by exploring our interactive map
• Be a part of the growing movement and connect with your peers by joining the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC)