View in EDS

Integrating Green Chemistry in the Curriculum: Building Student Skills in Systems Thinking, Safety, and Sustainability

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Integrating Green Chemistry in the Curriculum: Building Student Skills in Systems Thinking, Safety, and Sustainability
Language: English
Authors: Aubrecht, Katherine B., Bourgeois, Marie (ORCID 0000-0001-8610-1109), Brush, Edward J., MacKellar, Jennifer (ORCID 0000-0003-0162-7430), Wissinger, Jane E. (ORCID 0000-0002-9240-3629)
Source: Journal of Chemical Education. Dec 2019 96(12):2872-2880.
Availability: Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2019
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Chemistry, Sustainability, Systems Approach, College Science, Undergraduate Study, Organic Chemistry, Science Instruction, Safety Education
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00354
ISSN: 0021-9584
Abstract: Chemistry educators have a responsibility to teach students about the essential role the field of chemistry has in a sustainable future for the planet. Chemical products, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, electronics, agrochemicals, and building materials, all benefit society yet unintended consequences resulting from the production and use of these products compel chemists to develop new technologies which minimize their harm. The Committee on Professional Training (CPT)'s recently adopted Supplement on "Green Chemistry in the Curriculum" promotes the inclusion of green chemistry in the undergraduate curriculum. The design of safer technologies is enabled by a systems thinking approach, which analyzes the life cycle of every component of a chemical process. The skills utilized by systems thinking in green chemistry have the potential to foresee and avoid unintended consequences of new chemical products. In this article we illustrate how the inclusion of green chemistry in general and organic chemistry courses connects structure and reactivity to a chemical's impact on the environment and human health. For example, applying green chemistry principles and systems thinking concepts to safety instruction not only teaches students to assess risk for performing a reaction but also extends to sustainability considerations such as feedstocks and waste produced. The study of the life cycle of chemicals connects green metrics and system thinking tools to recognize environmental and societal impacts. Though green chemistry curriculum materials are increasingly available, there is a need for educators to develop and assess systems thinking models for the classroom and laboratory. Overall, students equipped with the knowledge and ability to apply green and sustainable principles and the ability to make connections through systems thinking will be prepared to contribute to solving today's sustainability challenges.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2019
Accession Number: EJ1237503
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1237503
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Integrating Green Chemistry in the Curriculum: Building Student Skills in Systems Thinking, Safety, and Sustainability
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aubrecht%2C+Katherine+B%2E%22">Aubrecht, Katherine B.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bourgeois%2C+Marie%22">Bourgeois, Marie</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8610-1109">0000-0001-8610-1109</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brush%2C+Edward+J%2E%22">Brush, Edward J.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22MacKellar%2C+Jennifer%22">MacKellar, Jennifer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0162-7430">0000-0003-0162-7430</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wissinger%2C+Jane+E%2E%22">Wissinger, Jane E.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9240-3629">0000-0002-9240-3629</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Chemical+Education%22"><i>Journal of Chemical Education</i></searchLink>. Dec 2019 96(12):2872-2880.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 9
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2019
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry%22">Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systems+Approach%22">Systems Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Science%22">College Science</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Study%22">Undergraduate Study</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organic+Chemistry%22">Organic Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Safety+Education%22">Safety Education</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00354
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0021-9584
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Chemistry educators have a responsibility to teach students about the essential role the field of chemistry has in a sustainable future for the planet. Chemical products, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, electronics, agrochemicals, and building materials, all benefit society yet unintended consequences resulting from the production and use of these products compel chemists to develop new technologies which minimize their harm. The Committee on Professional Training (CPT)'s recently adopted Supplement on "Green Chemistry in the Curriculum" promotes the inclusion of green chemistry in the undergraduate curriculum. The design of safer technologies is enabled by a systems thinking approach, which analyzes the life cycle of every component of a chemical process. The skills utilized by systems thinking in green chemistry have the potential to foresee and avoid unintended consequences of new chemical products. In this article we illustrate how the inclusion of green chemistry in general and organic chemistry courses connects structure and reactivity to a chemical's impact on the environment and human health. For example, applying green chemistry principles and systems thinking concepts to safety instruction not only teaches students to assess risk for performing a reaction but also extends to sustainability considerations such as feedstocks and waste produced. The study of the life cycle of chemicals connects green metrics and system thinking tools to recognize environmental and societal impacts. Though green chemistry curriculum materials are increasingly available, there is a need for educators to develop and assess systems thinking models for the classroom and laboratory. Overall, students equipped with the knowledge and ability to apply green and sustainable principles and the ability to make connections through systems thinking will be prepared to contribute to solving today's sustainability challenges.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2019
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1237503
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1237503
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00354
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 2872
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Chemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Systems Approach
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Science
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Study
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Organic Chemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Safety Education
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Integrating Green Chemistry in the Curriculum: Building Student Skills in Systems Thinking, Safety, and Sustainability
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Aubrecht, Katherine B.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bourgeois, Marie
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brush, Edward J.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: MacKellar, Jennifer
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wissinger, Jane E.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Type: published
              Y: 2019
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0021-9584
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 96
            – Type: issue
              Value: 12
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Chemical Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1