Module Development

Green & Sustainable Chemistry Education Module Development Project
Starting in 2020, the ACS Green Chemistry Institute is initiating a 3-year project to develop green and sustainable chemistry education resources for undergraduate students studying general and organic chemistry. These resources will integrate green and sustainable chemistry using a systems thinking lens and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to set the context.
This year, our team has been working to develop a rubric to guide the development and evaluation of the education modules. The rubric is paired with a guidance document that articulates the connections between green and sustainable chemistry, systems thinking, and how these ideas connect to the current chemistry curriculum.

ACS GCI and Beyond Benign plan to launch an additional green chemistry education project, the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) in 2023.

Module Development Webinars
Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education: Preparing Global Citizens for a Sustainable Future
Peter Mahaffy of The Kings University and MaryKay Orgill of the University of Nevada discuss the essential characteristics of a systems thinking approach in chemistry education through an example that is appropriate for a general chemistry course as well as discuss why a systems thinking approach can prepare students to be global citizens that support a sustainable future. Recorded on December 10, 2020.
Green & Sustainable Chemistry Module Development Inititative: Developer Teams & Systems Thinking Initiative
In the second undergraduate chemistry module development project webinar we discuss: the motivations and background of this project, what we're hoping to achieve with these chemistry education modules, and how you can get involved with this project. We also discuss our thinking around the use of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as an important context for chemistry education and the latest thinking on using a systems thinking approach to teach foundational chemistry concepts. Recorded on November 11, 2020.
Green Chemistry Module Development Introduction
Watch our webinar, Undergraduate Chemistry Education for a Sustainable Future: Green Chemistry Module Development, to learn how more about our efforts to develop education resources for the undergraduate chemistry curriculum! Recorded on August 5, 2020.
Module Development Contributors
We accepted module develop applications from green chemistry educators in 2020 and we began the the module development process in January, 2021. If you are interested in learning more about module development, please email gci@acs.org.
Assessment Consultants:
Elizabeth Day
Michigan State University
General & Organic Chemistry
Tom Holme
Iowa State University
General Chemistry
Nicholas Kingsley
University of Michigan-Flint
General Chemistry
Alexey Leontyev
North Dakota State University
Organic Chemistry
Barbora Morra
University of Toronto
General & Organic Chemistry
Doug Raynie
South Dakota State University
Organic Chemistry
Subject Matter Expert:
Grace Lasker
University of Washington Bothell
Module Developers:
Ohio Northern University
Dominican University
Stony Brook University
Widener University
Virginia Tech
Mills College
University of Nevada, Reno
University of Toronto
Colorado College
UC-Berkeley
Virginia Tech
Emorey & Henry College
Teresa Fernando
Iowa State University
Marta Guron
University of Pennsylvania
Rebecca Haley
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Kathleen Halligan
York College of Pennsylvania
Heather Hopgood
Ohio University
Isabel Larraza
North Park University
David Laviska
Seton Hall University
Vaso Lykourinou
Northeastern University
Sara K. Madsen
South Dakota State University
Mark Mason
University of Toledo
Chelsea Martinez
Univeristy of Pittsburgh
Hubert Muchalski
California State University Fresno
Sarah Prescott
University of New Hampshire
John Randazzo
North Park University
Shegufa Shetranjiwalla
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Julian Silverman
Manhattan College
Jessica Tischler
University of Michigan-Flint
Jennifer Tripp
University of San Francisco
Bhawani Venkataraman
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School
Daniel Waddell
University of Cincinnati
Lihua Wang
Kettering University
Michael Wentzel
Augsburg University
Yalan Xing
William Paterson University
Michael Young
University of Toledo
Additional Module Development Information
Additional guidance for module development can be found in the rubric and rubric guidance document:
To learn more about these efforts, please read ACS GCI Advisory Board Chair Bill Carroll’s article in the August 2, 2019 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, “Mapping Out the Future of Green Chemistry Education”.
Changing the chemistry education landscape to better reflect systems thinking and sustainable and green chemistry approaches will require many minds. Whether you are an educator, student or industry scientist, if you are interested in helping in this endeavor, please contact gci@acs.org to discuss ways you can contribute.

Questions About Module Development & Green Chemistry Education?
Do you have questions about the Green Chemistry Education Module Development Project or other green chemistry education resources? Please sign up to receive more information, or email gci@acs.org
ACS GCI's Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference
The 27th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference will be held June 13-15, 2023 in Long Beach, CA on the theme, Closing the Loop: Chemistry for a Sustainable Future.