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A Teaching and Learning Community for Green Chemistry and a Healthier Future

April 8, 2022

Teachers and educators are developing an exciting new community dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators and scientists.

Jonathon Moir

As our world faces existential threats such as climate change and ocean plastics, educators play a critical role in equipping students with the knowledge and skills to build a healthier and more sustainable future for our planet. Green chemistry is an upstream, preventative, solutions-oriented approach to creating a healthier future. Through the application of green chemistry, scientists and innovators can prevent the generation of pollutants and toxic compounds before they’re ever released into the environment or exposed to humans and animals, rather than cleaning up those pollutants afterward.

To enable and inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators to work sustainably, green chemistry must be taught widely in science and chemistry education programs. Cue the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC), a joint initiative by Beyond Benign and the American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute.

Being developed in collaboration with educators from across the U.S. and the world, the GCTLC will be a central online space where teachers, industry leaders and students can share best practices and resources, connect and collaborate, receive mentorship and feedback, and help each other through peer-to-peer learning.

In this Q&A, GCTLC Program Manager Dr. Jonathon Moir shares the goals, structure, and progress of this exciting new community.

What is the GCTLC?

Jonathon Moir: The GCTLC is a virtual online community space set to launch in 2023 that will help transform chemistry education programs across the globe. It will include a library of open-access green chemistry education materials, spaces for online collaboration and networking, discussion forums, and more.

Our mission is to create, develop, and nurture a diverse and accessible online community of practice that fosters a strong sense of belonging. We want to support open collaboration, networking, mentorship, and resource-sharing between members of the scientific community to advance the integration of green chemistry across the education continuum. We hope to build a teaching and learning community that empowers responsible global citizens with the knowledge, skills, and tools to transform science education, address grand challenges, and ensure a sustainable future for all.

Why is the GCTLC being formed using a “Community of Transformation” model?

JM: One of the most effective methods for reforming STEM education and addressing challenges is through communities of transformation (CoTs). CoTs are related to communities of practice, but create much more profound and deep, meaningful change; they consist of groups of individuals who share a common philosophy and embody that philosophy in their day-to-day work. They form a network of peers that can support each other in making change, allowing members to provide mentorship and guidance to one another, and in so doing not only change the way education is practiced but fundamentally transform how teaching is thought about and approached, permeating all aspects of it (from assessments to lecture slides to lab skills development to contextualization of course material). For more on this, I recommend watching Beyond Benign Executive Director and Co-Founder Amy Cannon’s talk on the GCTLC and Communities of Transformation.

Who is leading the development of this initiative?

JM: Developing a platform such as the GCTLC requires a dedicated and cross-disciplinary team on the administrative side, which is being led by Beyond Benign and the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute. Last year I joined Beyond Benign to lead the GCTLC’s planning, development, launch, and growth, and the experience has been incredibly rewarding. Getting to work with educators and community members who are passionate and dedicated to green chemistry (more so than in any other sector I have encountered) is truly inspiring. I wanted to deeply understand the needs of the community to help make the platform a success, and so immediately began connecting with stakeholders and partner organizations across education and industry.

The GCTLC Leadership Committee was formed at the beginning of the project and has been the heart and soul of the program. The committee includes 20 members from various areas across education (postsecondary learning, K-12, industry, and information management) and from diverse backgrounds and geographies. This group has been working diligently through subcommittees, with each group focused on a strategic action for the GCTLC platform, namely:

Developing, distributing, and sharing accessible, high-quality green chemistry education resources;
Creating opportunities for open collaboration, networking, and mentorship;
Driving awareness and adoption of green chemistry; and
Ensuring Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Respect (DEBR) within the community and on the GCTLC platform.

What is the timeline for the launch of the program?

JM: The program is set to launch in 2023. Last year we focused on strategy, community-building, and research. Now with our strategic priorities set and our leadership committee and subcommittees in full swing, we will begin the development of our online platform. The GCTLC will host online spaces for collaboration, networking, mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning for educators, students, and industry stakeholders, as well as a searchable online database of green chemistry education materials. Additional features will include discussion forums, working groups, event listings, job boards, and more. The timeline is approximately 12 to 16 months from start to launch.

The subcommittees of the Leadership Committee will also be hard at work over the next year laying the groundwork for the new platform. This will include finalizing recommendations for resource submission and review criteria for the online library; assessing the needs of various audiences; recommending peer learning and mentorship, as well as professional development opportunities and functionality for GCTLC users; and advising on issues related to DEBR in online communities of practice.

Lastly, we’ll be working on outreach to build our community through virtual networking, online presentations, and in-person presentations at conferences throughout the summer and fall.

How can I learn more?

JM: To stay up to date on our progress, sign up here. And most importantly, please invite your colleagues to join you. Our community is being built for you and by you, and we want everyone to benefit from it! If you have any questions or would like to collaborate on this initiative, please reach out to me!

A Teaching and Learning Community for Green Chemistry and a Healthier Future

April 8, 2022

Teachers and educators are developing an exciting new community dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators and scientists. Jonathon Moir As our world faces existential threats such as climate [...]

How Green Chemistry Helps High School Students Connect to Science Lessons: A Conversation with Teacher Johanna Brown

April 8, 2022

Johanna Brown

Johanna Brown is a chemistry teacher at Pullman High School in Washington. A passionate educator with an eye toward the future, Johanna has made green chemistry lessons an essential part of her students’ curricula, and she’s also supported other teachers in their green chemistry education.

We talked to Johanna about her background in education and how green chemistry has made her students more engaged in the classroom. As Earth Day approaches, we’re celebrating the connection between green chemistry principles and our ongoing commitment to being stewards of our environment. As Johanna says, “every day is Earth Day.”

Beyond Benign (BB): Tell us a little bit about your background. Why did you become a science teacher, and what motivated you to start learning about and teaching about green chemistry?

Johanna Brown (JB): From a young age, growing up in Spokane, Washington, I have always been very concerned about our planet and all of the living things on it. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do but thought deeply about healthcare. In high school I had a teacher tell me that I would make a great teacher, and I brushed him off, ready to get into STEM in college. At the end of my chemistry program at Western Washington University, I realized that the lab was not my destiny and ended up working at WSU in Residence Life, where I (not surprisingly) helped with a campus-wide sustainability competition. I was teaching a leadership class there and tutoring chemistry when it all clicked, and I knew I needed to go back and get my teaching certification.

I’ll admit that while earning my chemistry degree and early in my teaching, I had the ideas of sustainability and chemistry completely separate in my mind. Once I learned about the 12 principles of green chemistry and how they could be embedded into my classroom, it felt like such a natural pairing. I have now taken both of the Beyond Benign Green Chemistry courses, and those really amped up my ability to teach in this context. Then, seeing how sustainable chemistry is such a natural fit with the NGSS has spurred me to write my own green lessons and labs.

BB: Why do you think it’s important for teachers to incorporate green chemistry principles into their science classrooms?

JB: Green chemistry is just a no-brainer to me. Teachers, students, and all living things benefit from using materials that do not harm us or our environment. Using more benign and everyday chemicals has the added benefits of making lab clean-up a breeze and much cheaper. Since I don’t need to purchase many lab-grade chemicals from specialty suppliers, I can grab consumables for a much lower price at my local grocery store. I do often have to explain why I am buying 100 pixie stix, dry ice, and liquid starch at the same time.

What I didn’t expect at first, and what I have found the most important for my student learning, is that green chemistry is more applicable to students’ lives. While getting that gorgeous yellow lead (II) iodide precipitate to form is attention-getting, students don’t form a strong connection with that phenomenon. If we are truly going to teach the NGSS, we need to embed our instruction in situations that they can connect to. Think IMFs with washcloths and absorbance, stoichiometry with fuel calculations, bond energy and activation energy with candles. I now tend to use videos to show the more flash-bang type of demonstrations while having students really get their hands on safer substances that they can actually connect with.

Students in Johanna’s science lab

BB: In the time that you’ve been involved in green chemistry teaching and training, have you noticed any trends in teaching?

JB: I am happy to report that we are definitely moving away from the old demo-a-day, lecture, test algorithm that was seen in many chemistry classrooms from the past. As more and more schools truly commit to the NGSS and dig into the standards, it is clear that the model of stand-alone content areas is history. The chemistry classes of today need engineering practices, earth science, and application to name just a few additions. I think the interest will only keep growing as we better acknowledge the science of keeping our planet habitable.

BB: Tell us about your background leading green chemistry trainings.

JB: I have to say that I am very lucky to have great friends and colleagues. After attending a training session at the Washington Science Teacher Association state conference, I got connected to Saskia Van Bergen, who works out of the Washington State Department of Ecology. Her office sponsored half of my Beyond Benign High School Summer course and after that, she had the idea to put together some in person training for people in Washington State. We had planned for a great day of green chemistry in Spokane for May of 2020. That didn’t work out, but we pivoted and ended up writing three different sessions for high school, middle school, and elementary school and presented them virtually (and hands-on, we mailed out packets!) sessions. We did this in the summer of 2021 as well, and our middle school session has now been developed into a self-paced course via ClimeTime funding and Cari Haug, a science coordinator in central Washington.

Through these we have reached hundreds of Washington teachers at every level, and I was so amazed at our feedback. I think many teachers want to address climate change and ideas of sustainability but aren’t sure where to start. We offered immediately implementable activities that teachers are now doing in their classrooms, and some of them are even designing their own place-based lessons!

BB: What advancements do you think are most necessary in order to get green chemistry into more classrooms?

JB: The labs that Beyond Benign have are great ways for teachers to get started. As more and more schools are heading toward phenomenon-based learning, we need to create high-quality instructional materials that are three-dimensional and unit-based that focus around an aspect of green chemistry. As always, I think that many people are interested, we just need to lower the activation energy for them to try it, so to say.

BB: Earth Day is coming up! Do you have anything special planned for your classroom?

JB: I am more of an “every day is Earth Day” sort of person. After the exam, AP Chemistry will do a full environmental chemistry unit, studying polymers, plastics, water quality, and air quality. My classic chemistry course will be looking at food waste that day and how food waste heading to a landfill vs. a compost has different effects on the Earth. Find it here!

How Green Chemistry Helps High School Students Connect to Science Lessons: A Conversation with Teacher Johanna Brown

April 8, 2022

Johanna Brown Johanna Brown is a chemistry teacher at Pullman High School in Washington. A passionate educator with an eye toward the future, Johanna has made green chemistry lessons an [...]

New Publication! Biopolymer Experiment for Middle and High School!

January 6, 2022

This new ACS Journal of Chemical Education article titled Thirst for a Solution: Alginate Biopolymer Experiments for the Middle and High School Classroom features the synthesis of biodegradable calcium alginate capsules prepared from food-safe chemicals. The capsules are considered as replacements for single use water bottles and students are challenged to design an inquiry experiment. This hands-on experiment was developed by Dr. Jane Wissinger (University of Minnesota) and her research students, in partnership with Beyond Benign teachers and staff.

Access the full publication here.

New Publication! Biopolymer Experiment for Middle and High School!

January 6, 2022

This new ACS Journal of Chemical Education article titled Thirst for a Solution: Alginate Biopolymer Experiments for the Middle and High School Classroom features the synthesis of biodegradable calcium alginate [...]

2021 Sustainable STEM Innovation Award Winner

June 7, 2021

Beyond Benign is excited to announce Georgia Row of Innovation Academy Charter School as the 2021 Sustainable STEM Innovation Award Winner! This scholarship was created in the spirit of Missy Spera, Class of 2018, who had planned to become a Green Chemist. Recipients of this award demonstrate a passion for science, engagement with their community, interest in improving environmental health, commitment to understanding the science behind issues and are know for taking advantage of learning opportunities. Georgia was acknowledged for these characteristics at the Awards Night where previous winners Hannah George (’20) and Abbie Lyna (’19) delivered the following speech in her honor:

Hi, I’m Hannah George of the class of 2020 and I’m class of 2019’s Abbie Lyna. We are past recipients of the Sustainable STEM Innovation Award, a scholarship set up to celebrate Missy Spera and her empathy, her drive, and enthusiasm for the environment and green chemistry. With the help of Beyond Benign, an impressive science education organization, we hope to honor Missy by awarding a student from the class of 2021 who represents these ideals.

This student is passionate about science, but about nature especially. Their commitment and love of seeking knowledge is exceptional, both in and outside of the classroom. They are dedicated to helping their peers, be it through tutoring, as a lab aide, making tea for a classmate, or presenting captivating projects about vegetables. I personally got to see this student’s enthusiasm and hard work during the 2019 Magic in the Lab event, a night where friends and family gathered together to produce Missy’s recipe for eco-friendly skincare products. They really are a Cool Kid™

We are grateful to present this year’s Sustainable STEM Innovation Award to Georgia Row.

2021 Sustainable STEM Innovation Award Winner

June 7, 2021

Beyond Benign is excited to announce Georgia Row of Innovation Academy Charter School as the 2021 Sustainable STEM Innovation Award Winner! This scholarship was created in the spirit of Missy […]

Inventor in the Classroom: Michelle Legatt talks material science and sustainability with students

May 27, 2021

Principal Sustainable Materials Engineer, Michelle Legatt, visited students at Woodrow Wilson Middle School and Grant High School to speak about her career journey and coming to understand sustainability. Michelle started out as a research chemist and products developer at 3M before transitioning to a materials innovation engineer at Patagonia and, most recently, to her current role at Hasbro.

Student were provided the opportunity to ask questions, ranging from plastic alternative options to the practicality of small businesses being sustainable. Michelle responded to their questions to provide insight. See a sampling of the Q&A below!

How hard would it be to switch all the production of single-use plastics to the infinitely recyclable plastics?

There are so many moving parts to production. You would need to make sure you can scale up production of infinitely recyclable plastics. You would need to ensure that machines using that type of plastic will work with that consistency. Also, when recycling, you need to make sure it does not contaminate other types of plastic in the waste stream. It really depends on what the plastic is being used for as to whether infinitely recyclable plastic will actually work.

What is the best plastic alternative for things like packaging? I’ve heard corn can be an alternative and is biodegradable.

The best is really paper, as long as it is sustainably sourced and not made from old-growth forests. Biodegradable is also being used as a blanket term to include a variety of plastic alternatives. Marketing has also miscommunicated what these materials are and what they can do. Most [biodegradable alternatives] will take at least 5 years to break down and others will still break down into smaller parts that are harmful.

At what point in the breaking down process of plastic is it no longer harmful?

We do not know the answer to this. We do know that the smallest pieces, nano-plastics, can cross barriers such as cell membranes and enter into organs and cells. We do not yet know what this means for health of living things, humans included.

What are some of the benefits of working for a smaller business vs. a larger corporation when regarding sustainability and accessibility to resources?

Smaller businesses are more nimble or flexible. They usually have a clear common message and goal that all employees are there for. Larger companies may be more risk-adverse and have to answer to shareholders or be slower to make changes.

Inventor in the Classroom: Michelle Legatt talks material science and sustainability with students

May 27, 2021

Inventor in the Classroom: Dr. Arlyne Simon discusses invention with fifth grade students

May 26, 2021

Dr. Arlyne Simon holds titles ranging from biomedical engineer and patent-holding inventor to author of the book series Abby Invents -in which she utilizes her platform to engage and encourage learners into the conversation of how they can become inventors too! As a biomedical engineer, she has designed blood tests, syringes and ultrasound machines.

Recently, she partnered with Beyond Benign’s lead teacher Bob Baldo and led a virtual assembly for the entire fifth grade at Carver Elementary School. Over 100 students were able to zoom in and learn about Dr. Simon’s experience and journey and ask their own questions! The event was then featured in the Carver Elementary Newsletter.

For more information on Dr. Simon’s scientific inventions or written works check out her website: https://arlynesimon.com/

Inventor in the Classroom: Dr. Arlyne Simon discusses invention with fifth grade students

May 26, 2021

Dr. Arlyne Simon holds titles ranging from biomedical engineer and patent-holding inventor to author of the book series Abby Invents -in which she utilizes her platform to engage and encourage [...]

A new initiative to support green chemistry education: The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community

December 18, 2020

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute and Beyond Benign are pleased to announce the establishment of a new initiative to support green chemistry education: The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community.

For more than 20 years, educators from a wide variety of institutions, from K-12 to higher education universities and colleges, have been developing, collaborating and sharing green chemistry education resources organically. This community of practice grows yearly, with many institutions now engaging in some form of green chemistry activity.

However, many challenges continue to hinder the adoption of green chemistry in educational settings. Common challenges include lack of time, lack of resources, a congested curriculum, faculty and department buy-in, misconceptions and an overall lack of support.

To overcome these challenges, Beyond Benign and the ACS Green Chemistry Institute will leverage networks and expertise to move our Community of Practice towards a Community of Transformation. Communities of Transformation have a demonstrated ability to empower systemic change in STEM fields through a multi-pronged approach utilizing both in-person and online support.

The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) will provide the online hub needed to support the adoption of green chemistry and hasten the transformation of chemistry education. We envision a fully-supported site that houses educational resources and provides an interactive global networking and collaboration platform. On the GCTLC platform, community members will be able to readily find vetted resources for teaching core chemistry concepts with a green chemistry lens, discuss approaches with like-minded colleagues, and hear a diversity of ideas needed to advance chemistry education to a place where students are prepared to take sustainable action.

The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community will be developed and launched over the course of three years. We are pleased to announce today $250,000 in seed funding from the Argosy Foundation, which enables us to launch the project in 2021 while we seek additional funding from grants and corporate sponsorship.

We hope this news brings you something to look forward to after a difficult year for all of us around the world. As we build the GCTLC leadership team and staff the project, we will be sharing updates and soliciting your valued opinions. Born out of collaboration, the GCTLC will ultimately be your platform, and we look forward to your involvement in the years to come.

Stay safe and stay green!

Jennifer MacKellar, Education Program Manager, ACS Green Chemistry Institute
Amy Cannon, Founder, Beyond Benign

On behalf of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute and Beyond Benign

Follow ACS GCI and Beyond Benign on social media to get timely updates on this project and others:
Beyond Benign: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn
ACS GCI: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

A new initiative to support green chemistry education: The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community

December 18, 2020

The Lemelson-MIT Program and Beyond Benign Introduce New JV InvenTeams Activity Guide on Green Chemistry

October 20, 2020

For More Information:

Stephanie Martinovich

Lemelson-MIT Program

(617) 258-0632

Smartino@mit.edu

The JV InvenTeams Green Chemistry Activity Guide encourages students to use green chemistry principles to invent bioplastics.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., October 20, 2020 – Today the Lemelson–MIT Program, in collaboration with Beyond Benign, announced the launch of the Junior Varsity (JV) InvenTeams Green Chemistry Activity Guide. JV InvenTeams activity guides are free sets of curricula that are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and designed to cultivate inventive curiosity and skills in sixth through tenth grade students traditionally lacking access to hands-on enrichment opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The green chemistry guide is the ninth JV InvenTeams activity guide to be created and the first to be curated by both Beyond Benign and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) community.

The launch of the new guide is synchronous with this week’s National Chemistry Week coordinated by the American Chemical Society, reinforcing the value of chemistry in everyday life by teaching students that green chemistry principles can be used to invent products and materials that reduce harmful impacts on humans and the environment. The guide demonstrates these principles and invites students to explore the life cycle of conventional petroleum-based plastics and consider how each stage of the life cycle could be improved upon to make the process more sustainable. Students are also asked to develop sustainable bioplastic prototypes made from benign materials. They use hands-on skills to measure and safely handle wet and dry materials, and formulate and optimize their bioplastics. The guide, available in both educator and student versions, has already been piloted in schools and encouragingly demonstrated to students that working with green chemistry can positively impact daily life and provide for a more sustainable future by addressing some of the biggest challenges plaguing society today.

High school student Ben Barnes, along with his teacher Loren Kristick, are from Energy Institute High School in Houston, Texas, one of the schools that piloted the Green Chemistry activity guide. “It was really interesting how much we were able to learn about this subset of materials that we call bioplastics,” said Barnes. “Throughout the course of this project we were able to learn how bioplastics are made, learn how they’re applied and actually in our seventh meeting, we were able to make a bioplastic prototype…and that honestly gave me a lot of hope about what individual people can do to combat the dire plastic crisis of today.”

Erin Mayer, a teacher at Casey Middle School in Boulder, CO will be working with the guide this year in order to explore green chemistry principles with her students. Mayer is the winner of a contest that Beyond Benign posed to teachers nationwide, asking them to write an essay or record a video explanation of how they hope inventing with green chemistry will impact their students’ learning. Mayer’s submission won her and her students a $425-valued classroom kit that supports the JV InvenTeams Green Chemistry guide. “I am so excited to implement green chemistry into all of our chemistry initiatives this year, including bioplastics, because my student learners will develop as forward thinking innovators and inventors,” says Mayer.

“We are very excited to collaborate with Beyond Benign on this new JV InvenTeams activity guide, especially because this guide focuses on such an important topic: sustainability,” said Stephanie Couch, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program. “The earlier we can impart the importance of developing skills in areas like green chemistry to invent in a more sustainable way, the better prepared students will be to tackle challenges today and into the future.”

“We are thrilled to launch this guide in partnership with the Lemelson-MIT Program,” said John Warner Co-Founder of Beyond Benign and a Founder of the field of Green Chemistry. “Chemistry is at the core of solving local and global challenges through the design of better molecular building blocks. This guide places students in the role of the inventor, allowing them to problem solve through chemistry.”

The Lemelson-MIT Program and Beyond Benign are supported by The Lemelson Foundation.

ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM

The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding inventors and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention. Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history’s most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering at MIT, an institution with a strong ongoing commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for K-12 STEM education. For more information, visit lemelson.mit.edu.

ABOUT BEYOND BENIGN

Beyond Benign, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, envisions a world where the chemical building blocks of products used every day are healthy and safe for humans and the environment. Beyond Benign is fostering a green chemistry education community empowered to transform chemistry education for a sustainable future. Beyond Benign’s continuum of sustainable science educational programs including, teacher and faculty training, and curriculum development from K-20 are helping to build the next generation of scientists and citizens with the skills and knowledge to create and choose products that are safe for human health and the environment. For more information, visit https://www.beyondbenign.org/.

ABOUT THE LEMELSON FOUNDATION
The Lemelson Foundation uses the power of invention to improve lives, by inspiring and enabling the next generation of inventors and invention based enterprises to promote economic growth in the US and social and economic progress for the poor in developing countries. Established by prolific US inventor Jerome Lemelson and his wife Dorothy in 1992, to date the Foundation has provided or committed more than $175 million in grants and PRIs in support of its mission. For more information, visit http://lemelson.org.

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The Lemelson-MIT Program and Beyond Benign Introduce New JV InvenTeams Activity Guide on Green Chemistry

October 20, 2020

For More Information: Stephanie Martinovich Lemelson-MIT Program (617) 258-0632 Smartino@mit.edu The JV InvenTeams Green Chemistry Activity Guide encourages students to use green chemistry principles to invent bioplastics. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., October […]

Science in Action: Sticking with Bioplastics

October 19, 2020

As part of National Chemistry Week, our very own Janie Butler presenting how to make bioplastics in your very own kitchen. With our increase in reliance on plastics, why not start thinking about how we can start making them differently? Through her presentation you will learn how to make your own window cling. In collaboration with Museum of Science, this presentation was both engaging and entertaining. Watch here.

Science in Action: Sticking with Bioplastics

October 19, 2020

As part of National Chemistry Week, our very own Janie Butler presenting how to make bioplastics in your very own kitchen. With our increase in reliance on plastics, why not […]

Science in Action: Making Glue

October 19, 2020

In collaboration with the Museum of Science, two undergrads at Gordon College, Madi Morin and Alexa Weindolf, shared how to presented how to make two ‘green’ glues at home. They tackled hard questions like, how can we be inspired by nature to create “greener” products? Watch along side of them to learn how we can use chemistry to make an environmentally friendly glue at home. With the theme of this year’s National Chemistry Week being sticky, it was the perfect fit! Check out the video of them presenting here.

Science in Action: Making Glue

October 19, 2020

In collaboration with the Museum of Science, two undergrads at Gordon College, Madi Morin and Alexa Weindolf, shared how to presented how to make two ‘green’ glues at home. They […]

Department of Chemistry Loyola University Maryland Great Scientist

September 25, 2020

Our very own Janie Butler was featured by her alma mater, Loyola University of Maryland. During her time as an undergrad, Loyola signed on to there Green Chemistry Commitment and got Janie hooked on the green chemistry bug! Links to posts here and here.

Department of Chemistry Loyola University Maryland Great Scientist

September 25, 2020

Our very own Janie Butler was featured by her alma mater, Loyola University of Maryland. During her time as an undergrad, Loyola signed on to there Green Chemistry Commitment and […]

Mollie Enright Innovating with Bioplastics

September 15, 2020

Mollie Enright, our Graduate Student Liaison, has just participated in the Virtual ACS Kids Zone! This event allowed the general public to explore the wonders of chemistry by featuring popular STEM advocates showing different hands-on activities! With the “Innovate with Bioplastics” activity, Mollie showed how you can create your own edible water pods and also discussed the importance of Earth-friendly plastics! To access Mollie’s and other presentations at the ACS Kids Zone, just click here!

Mollie Enright Innovating with Bioplastics

September 15, 2020

Mollie Enright, our Graduate Student Liaison, has just participated in the Virtual ACS Kids Zone! This event allowed the general public to explore the wonders of chemistry by featuring popular […]

Designing Impactful Green and Sustainable Chemistry Workshops for High School Teachers

September 3, 2020

Our certified Lead Teachers Cassandra Knutson and Cassidy Javner, together with Jane Wissinger from the University of Minnesota (one of our Green Chemistry Commitment Signing Institutions) have just published a chapter in the eBook Chemistry Education for a Sustainable Society Volume 1: High School, Outreach, & Global Perspectives, by ACS Symposium Series. In the chapter Designing Impactful Green and Sustainable Chemistry Workshops for High School Teachers, Cassandra, Cassidy, and Jane describe the design and implementation of a three-day workshop with the goals of training and supporting high school teachers to incorporate Green and Sustainable Chemistry into their classrooms. To read the eBook, please access: https://pubs.acs.org/isbn/9780841237551

Designing Impactful Green and Sustainable Chemistry Workshops for High School Teachers

September 3, 2020

Student Reflections on Interning at Beyond Benign

August 27, 2020

Over this summer, we have had hundreds of High School and Middle School students tour through our facilities and learn about Green Chemistry. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and passion of our summer interns, Madi Morin, Sunatib Choundry, and Rahul Reddy Alla. Find out below what it’s like to intern in Green Chemistry education.

Beyond Benign and Education First STEM Tour Reflection, by Madi Morin

“Over the past two months, it has been a privilege to help lead the Beyond Benign stop of the Education First STEM tours. With hundreds of students of various ages passing through, I have been able to gain experience in both the fields of science and education. My limited knowledge and lens of viewing chemistry has expanded to imagine the possibilities of it blurring socio-economic lines, entering the industries of business, cosmetology, athletics, and apparel, and understanding the practicalities of inventing products that are benign at the molecular level versus the unnecessary “reality” of chemistry containing hazardous materials. I have been provided the space and time to reflect on how this booming industry can continue to grow and what my role looks like within it. This opportunity has knocked down my stereotypes of scientists in labs being limited in their interpersonal development and of research and chemical reactions being a linear process. My understanding of communication and collaboration has grown as I see the scientists at WBI working across multiple different disciplines and my appreciation for innovative and logical thinking has expanded when I see how instrumental creativity is in developing new products. Thank you for providing me with both the resources to be set up to succeed and the freedom to make changes and confidently own the fieldtrips. I have been challenged to strengthen my foundation in green chemistry so that I am able to communicate the message to middle schoolers, high schoolers, special education students, and even pupils speaking a different language. Thank you again, it has been a phenomenal experience!”

Student Reflections on Interning at Beyond Benign

August 27, 2020

Over this summer, we have had hundreds of High School and Middle School students tour through our facilities and learn about Green Chemistry. None of this would have been possible […]

Green Chemistry Invention Classroom Prize Winner

August 10, 2020

The winner of our Green Chemistry Invention Classroom Prize Contest is Erin Mayer, from Casey Middle School (Boulder, CO)! Special thanks to the Lemelson-MIT Program and The Lemelson Foundation for their partnership and support to make this happen.

Erin earned a JV InvenTeams Green Chemistry Guide Kit for her submission. In her words, “Invention, design and innovation play a critical role in Green Chemistry. This is always what I want my students to do, apply their scientific understanding to address problems that they see.”

To understand more about how Erin envisions sustainable invention with Green Chemistry impacting her students learning, please access: https://bit.ly/inventingreen

Green Chemistry Invention Classroom Prize Winner

August 10, 2020

A Teaching and Learning Community for Green Chemistry and a Healthier Future

What is the GCTLC?

Why is the GCTLC being formed using a “Community of Transformation” model?

Who is leading the development of this initiative?

What is the timeline for the launch of the program?

How can I learn more?

A Teaching and Learning Community for Green Chemistry and a Healthier Future

How Green Chemistry Helps High School Students Connect to Science Lessons: A Conversation with Teacher Johanna Brown

How Green Chemistry Helps High School Students Connect to Science Lessons: A Conversation with Teacher Johanna Brown

New Publication! Biopolymer Experiment for Middle and High School!

New Publication! Biopolymer Experiment for Middle and High School!

2021 Sustainable STEM Innovation Award Winner

2021 Sustainable STEM Innovation Award Winner

Inventor in the Classroom: Michelle Legatt talks material science and sustainability with students

Inventor in the Classroom: Michelle Legatt talks material science and sustainability with students

Inventor in the Classroom: Dr. Arlyne Simon discusses invention with fifth grade students

Inventor in the Classroom: Dr. Arlyne Simon discusses invention with fifth grade students

A new initiative to support green chemistry education: The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community

A new initiative to support green chemistry education: The Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community

The Lemelson-MIT Program and Beyond Benign Introduce New JV InvenTeams Activity Guide on Green Chemistry

The Lemelson-MIT Program and Beyond Benign Introduce New JV InvenTeams Activity Guide on Green Chemistry

Science in Action: Sticking with Bioplastics

Science in Action: Sticking with Bioplastics

Science in Action: Making Glue

Science in Action: Making Glue

Department of Chemistry Loyola University Maryland Great Scientist

Department of Chemistry Loyola University Maryland Great Scientist

Mollie Enright Innovating with Bioplastics

Mollie Enright Innovating with Bioplastics

Designing Impactful Green and Sustainable Chemistry Workshops for High School Teachers

Designing Impactful Green and Sustainable Chemistry Workshops for High School Teachers

Student Reflections on Interning at Beyond Benign

Student Reflections on Interning at Beyond Benign

Green Chemistry Invention Classroom Prize Winner

Green Chemistry Invention Classroom Prize Winner

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