ACS Summer School on Green Chemistry & Sustainable Energy
Dates: Wednesday, July 12 – Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Location: Golden, Colorado
Application Deadline: Monday, January 30, 2023
About
The ACS Summer School on Green Chemistry & Sustainable Energy is a week-long once-in-a-lifetime experience! Each year about 60 students from the Americas are selected from the applicants to gather in Golden, Colorado at the Colorado School of Mines. The American Chemical Society, ACS Petroleum Research Fund, and the ACS Green Chemistry Institute cover all eligible travel and program costs.
During the week, students attend lectures from professors and industry scientists on sustainable chemistry topics, hold discussions, participate in poster presentations, and spend time getting to know each other. Alumni of this program have gone on to become leaders in the green chemistry field—providing a network of contacts for participants.
Application Information
To apply, login to our online application portal and submit your application for the Summer School.
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST, Monday, January 30, 2023.
You will need to submit the following in our online application portal:
- A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé. The document should include your current institutional affiliation and contact information.
- A transcript of graduate-level coursework (both current and completed). The document does not need to be an official transcript issued by an institution – a list that you have compiled on your own is fine. Please include course names and grades received. If you are attending a university outside the United States, a description of the grading scale is helpful.
- A letter of nomination from your faculty or research advisor, or another faculty member. You may include it in your application package or have your advisor upload it later.
- A one-page essay addressing your interest in green chemistry and sustainable energy. The essay should describe any relevant experience you have, as well as how you will benefit from the program.
All applicants will be notified of acceptance by April 14, 2023.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for acceptance into our program regardless of and will not be discriminated against before, during, and after our program on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability status, genetic information or any other protected category.
Faculty Advisors
Advisors will need to submit a Letter of Nomination for the student applicant. These letters may be given to the student to upload with their application or uploaded directly to the system. If the later, the student will send a request through the system, and this email will instruct advisors how to upload the letter.
History of the ACS Summer School on Green Chemistry & Sustainable Energy
The ACS Summer School on Green Chemistry & Sustainable Energy has been bringing students together each summer since 2003. The Summer School is currently run by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute and is funded by the American Chemical Society and ACS Petroleum Research Fund. In recent years, the Summer School has been held at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado.
During the week-long program, students spend their time learning about sustainable chemistry topics from our distinguished instructors, participating in poster sessions, and spending time getting to know each other. Typically, around 60 students participate each year representing a diverse group of graduate students attending universities from Argentina to Canada and everywhere in between. The experience is pivotal in developing life-long green chemistry champions—in fact, many early Summer School students have gone on to be leaders in their field, including ACS’s own Director of Sustainable Development, Dr. Adelina Voutchkova.
Read more about the experience from recent alumni:
- Setting the Scene: Blooming Green Chemists and the ACS Summer School Experience by Michelle Muzzio, Summer School Class of 2019
- Green Chemistry and Sustainability Summer School: My Experience and Learnings by Anirban Kundu, Summer School Class of 2022
Sponsors
The Summer School is proudly sponsored by the ACS, ACS Petroleum Research Fund, and ACS Green Chemistry Institute.
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 affiliated with 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.
-
I attended Summer School last year. I'm still a doctoral student at a US university and would love to spend another week in Golden. Do I have to submit a full application package to reapply?
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.
-
What are the general schedule and meal accommodations like at summer school?
While each year's program is a bit different, the sample schedule from a previous summer school session will give an overview of what you might expect.
During the first day of our program, attendees typically check into their dorm rooms and get to know one another at an evening barbecue. The week includes several full days of classroom instruction and group work, as well as a full day of leisure with an optional group activity. Poster sessions are held on two evenings, with poster presentations being optional. A banquet closes our program the evening before our last day, when students check out of their dorm rooms and leave campus.
Most of the week’s meals are served in a full-service campus cafeteria. Refreshment breaks are provided twice a day when class is in session.
-
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?
The United States' government issues visas and oversees entry into our nation. We will provide a letter of support for your visa application if you need one. You are responsible for applying and making related arrangements. We will reimburse you for the cost of your visa post-conference.
-
What costs are covered?
- A round-trip coach-class (economy) transportation between your home and the Colorado School of Mines (international or national)
- Housing on-campus at the Colorado School of Mines
- On-campus dining
- Reimbursable expenses such as:
- Meals during your travel to and from Colorado
- Airline fee for first checked bag
- Mileage for those who might be driving to Colorado
- Airport parking
- Transport to your home local airport
Details will be provided in the acceptance packet.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for acceptance into our program regardless of and will not be discriminated against before, during, and after our program on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability status, genetic information or any other protected category.
ACS GCI's Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference
The 28th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference will be held June 3-5, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the theme AI-Generated Green Chemistry.
