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ACS GCI Green & Sustainable Chemistry Summer School

Dates: Friday, June 21 – Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Location: University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

Applications for the 2024 Summer School are closed. 

About

The ACS Green and Sustainable Chemistry Summer School (GSCSS) is a highly selective week-long program for graduate students and postdoctoral chemists and engineers. Each year, approximately 60 exceptional students from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean are selected from a large pool of applicants and gather for this fully funded once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The American Chemical Society pays for all eligible travel and program costs.

Organized and hosted by the Green Chemistry Institute since 2003, the summer school typically features more than a dozen expert instructors who share knowledge and skills from across a broad spectrum of topics directly relevant to green chemistry and sustainability. Throughout the program, students attend lectures and interactive study/project sessions, present posters about their own research, hold discussions, and spend time networking both with each other and the GSCSS faculty. Alumni of this program have gone on to become leaders in many green chemistry and sustainability-related fields and provide participants with an extensive network of professional contacts.  


Application Information

Applications for the 2024 Summer School are now closed. Please check back this Autumn for the next open application period! 

PLEASE NOTE: No one is permitted to participate in the Summer School program more than once. If you have attended in a previous year (virtual or in person), you are not eligible to attend a second time. Only completed applications (including a letter of nomination) will be considered.

You will need to submit the following in our online application portal:

  1. A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé. The document should include your current institutional affiliation and contact information. (Maximum 2 pages)
  2. A transcript of graduate-level coursework (both current and completed). The document does not need to be an official transcript; an unofficial transcript is fine, but please be certain to include course titles.
  3. A letter of nomination from your faculty or research advisor, another faculty member, or similar person who can attest to your interest, talent, and expertise. This letter must be uploaded separately by the author from their own email address.
  4. A one-page essay addressing your interest in green and sustainable chemistry. The essay should describe any relevant experience you have, as well as how you will benefit from the program.

Notification of Acceptance

All applicants will be notified of acceptance no later than April 1, 2024. For international students, we realize that the application process for an appropriate travel visa can require long wait times in some countries. Unfortunately, we cannot make special accommodations for students faced with wait times that prevent them from attending the program. We are not able to help expedite the application process in countries outside the U.S. Please see the FAQ section below for additional information relevant to visa applications and expenses. It is our intention to notify students of acceptance as early as possible but cannot guarantee a decision before April 1, 2024.

Statement concerning DEIR

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect are core values of the American Chemical Society. All qualified applicants will receive full consideration for acceptance and will not be discriminated against before, during, or after our program based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability status, genetic information or any other protected category. 


History of the program

The ACS Green Chemistry Institute Summer School program has been bringing students together each summer since 2003. Until 2023, the program (then known as the “Summer School on Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy”) was funded by the American Chemical Society and the ACS Petroleum Research Fund. Starting in 2023, funding is now provided by the ACS under the auspices of an extended partnership between the GSCSS and the ACS Division of Education LEADS program. 

During the intensive week-long program, students spend their time learning about sustainable chemistry topics from our distinguished instructors, participating in poster sessions, and spending time brainstorming, problem-solving, and getting to know each other. Typically, around 60 students participate each year, representing a diverse group of scholars studying at universities from Argentina to Canada and everywhere in between. The experience is pivotal in developing life-long green chemistry champions—in fact, many Summer School alumni have gone on to be leaders in their respective fields, including ACS’s own Director of Sustainable Development, Dr. Adelina Voutchkova.

Read more about the experience from recent alumni:

Read more from C&EN:

Sponsors

The Summer School is proudly sponsored by the ACSACS Petroleum Research Fund, and ACS Green Chemistry Institute.

ACS Chemistry for Life

General FAQ

  • Do I need to be vaccinated for COVID to attend?

    Safety is a core value of the American Chemical Society and will continue to be our ultimate guide for actions affecting ACS members, staff, meeting attendees, and other stakeholders. Given the decrease in the severity of the pandemic and because the CDC has loosened its restrictions relative to COVID-19, starting January 1, 2023, ACS will no longer require attendees to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for events. We do, however, strongly encourage attendees to take their health and well-being (and that of their fellow attendees) seriously when attending ACS events. We encourage you to follow all the appropriate health-related guidance for you as an individual. If you are experiencing any COVID-19, flu-like, or other viral symptoms or are feeling sick, please do not attend an ACS event and take advantage of any hybrid or virtual programming that might be available. We reserve the right to change this guidance at any point for any ACS-sponsored event.

  • Do I need to be an ACS member to attend Summer School?

    You do not need to be an ACS member to attend. (We do hope that you'll consider joining, however!)

  • Will I earn college credit or continuing education units (CEUs) if I attend? 

    You will not earn any educational credits or CEUs by attending. You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of our week in Golden, but not a formal transcript.

  • Do I need to be a citizen of a Caribbean or Central, North, or South American nation to attend?

    While you need to be studying at an institution in the Caribbean or Central, North, or South America to attend, you do not need to be a citizen of a country in those regions. If you are studying outside the aforementioned geographic areas, you may be interested in learning more about the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry's (IUPAC) Green Chemistry Summer School.

  • Am I able to apply for a position to attend the Summer School program a second time?

    Summer School is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity, so once you attend you are not eligible for future programs. If you apply and are not selected, however, you are welcomed to reapply by submitting a full application package.

  • Although I'm under consideration for a place in a PhD program, I won't know if I'll be formally enrolled during Summer School's program dates until after your application deadline passes. May I still apply?

    Unfortunately, no. Students need to be certain that they will be enrolled in graduate or postdoctoral programs during our program dates when they apply to be eligible for our program. 

  • What languages are spoken at Summer School?

    The official conference language is English. Attendees must be able to understand graduate level classroom lectures and written materials, as well as engage in personal and professional conversations, in English. All application materials, including advisor letters of nomination, must be in English.

  • Am I required to attend all sessions during the week?

    Students are expected to attend class lectures and poster sessions in their entirety. (Poster presentation is optional but strongly encouraged.) Be prepared to arrive on time, pay attention, and contribute to discussions and group work. Please be considerate of your fellow students, instructors and staff, and vendors. And have fun and make friends!

  • I need a visa to enter the United States. Will you arrange that for me?

    You are responsible for applying and making related arrangements to obtain an appropriate visa when needed. We will reimburse you for the cost of your visa post-conference. You will be reimbursed for the cost of the visa and any reciprocity fees, but not for any additional expenses related to obtaining it, such as travel and postage. If you need a visa, you will receive a letter to present to the embassy or consulate that you designate on your Supplemental Information Form upon acceptance. Our summer program is considered an educational conference and not a formal school, so participants will most likely enter the United States on visitor visas (B1), rather than student visas.

     

  • What costs are covered?

    • A round-trip coach-class (economy) transportation between your home and the Summer School location (international or national)
    • Housing on-campus at the Summer School location
    • On-campus dining at the Summer School location
    • Reimbursable expenses such as:
      • Meals during your travel to and from the Summer School location
      • Airline fee for first checked bag
      • Mileage for those who might be driving to the Summer School location
      • Airport parking
      • Transport to your home local airport
    • Details about reimbursable expenses will be provided in the acceptance packet.

     

ACS GCI's Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference

The 28th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference will be held June 2-5, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the theme AI-Generated Green Chemistry.