Promoting Student Education at the 13th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in College Park, MD - June 23-25, 2009

American Chemical Society (Acs), Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

0931906 Young The annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference (www.GCandE.org) is organized each year by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute®(ACS GCI) with the active involvement of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, U.S. government agencies, and academic and industry organizations. The purpose of the annual conference is to create interdisciplinary bridges among scientists and engineers who use chemistry as a tool to develop breakthrough advances for sustainability. Now in its 13th year, the annual conference focuses on topics that are relevant to fundamental research in all aspects of chemistry and chemical engineering. The next conference is scheduled for 23-25 June 2009 and will be held in College Park, MD, in connection with a ceremony recognizing the winners of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The National Science Foundation granted support for student programming at several previous conferences, most recently in 2008. In this proposal, ACS GCI requests $30,100 to support student education and participation in green chemistry and engineering (GC&E) through educational activities at the conference. This proposal intends to encourage and increase student (undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral) involvement in GC&E by providing students with - travel scholarships to participate in the GC&E Conference; - a judged, student poster session at the GC&E Conference; and - instructors for a one-day, free, GC&E Student Workshop preceding the conference, on June 22, 2009. Intellectual Merit. Green chemistry and engineering are important for the future of our society. The science community must actively recruit the best new minds to this science through education. The theme of the 13th annual GC&E conference is "Innovating For the Future: Progress on the Grand Challenges in the Chemical Enterprise". The program will include cutting-edge research and cross-cutting themes in education, making the business case, and industrial applications. Students participating in the GC&E workshop and/or conference will have a unique opportunity to engage in topics not commonly encountered in traditional university courses and conferences. Educational workshop discussions and technical conference talks will be given in diverse areas such as: Transforming Green Chemistry and Engineering, Lifecycle Analysis and Green Metrics, Toxicology: Environmental Fate and Effects, Renewable Energy Fuels and Feedstocks, Process Design and Optimization, Greenhouse Gas Management and Prevention and Integrative Education in Green Chemistry and Engineering. Broader Impacts. Through the design of chemical reactions and processes that reduce or even eliminate negative impacts on human health and the environment, green chemistry and green engineering approaches seek to achieve the twin goals of economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. Green chemistry and engineering are important tools in preventing pollution at the source and providing solutions to global sustainability challenges. This highly interdisciplinary workshop and meeting will be an excellent opportunity for students to learn to present their research, learn the latest developments in green chemistry and green chemical engineering, and expose themselves to the broader economic, social and political context in which these developments occur. Educating the innovators of tomorrow is a crucial part in securing the well-being of the future. Students will have an excellent opportunity to learn about the newest research developments in their areas, dialog with other academic, industrial, and governmental researchers, advance their participation in professional societies, and expand their network of professional contacts. Interaction and collaboration will generate new knowledge that will help to define our sustainable future.