ACS Fall 2026 National Meeting & Expo

Members of the Beyond Benign team and community will attend the American Chemical Society Fall 2026 Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, and online!

Celebrating the American Chemical Society’s 150th anniversary under the theme “Chemists Making History,” the meeting will bring thousands of chemistry professionals together to share research, discuss discoveries, strengthen connections, and consider the future of chemical sciences. Here is our schedule:

 

Tuesday, August 25

Fred Kavli Innovations in Chemistry Lecture: Green Chemistry: The Missing Elements

Presented by Dr. John C. Warner, Beyond Benign Co-Founder

What would it take for the chemical enterprise to create products that are high-performing, cost-competitive, and safer for human health and the environment? Dr. Warner will examine how gaps in traditional chemistry and materials science education limit scientists’ ability to consider toxicity, environmental fate, exposure pathways, and lifecycle impacts during molecular and process design.

The lecture will trace the evolution of green chemistry from concept to industrial practice, highlight examples where eliminating hazards supported innovation and market advantage, and identify opportunities to integrate green chemistry into product development throughout discovery, scale-up, and commercialization.

🗓️ Tuesday, August 25th | 5–6 p.m. CT

📍 Skyline Ballroom, McCormick Place Convention Center

Wednesday, August 26

Online Course to Facilitate Instructor Capacity in Teaching Green Chemistry

Presented by Dr. Monica Hensley (Beyond Benign); co-authored by Dr. Amy Cannon, Dr. Omar Villanueva, and Amanda Trellopoulos (Beyond Benign)

This poster highlights Beyond Benign’s development of a fully asynchronous, on-demand professional development course to help chemistry educators integrate green chemistry into their curricula. The presentation will share the course’s curriculum, instructional design, and participant feedback while showing how accessible online learning provides educators with the knowledge and tools to advance sustainability in chemical sciences.

🗓️ Wednesday, August 26th | 6–8 p.m. CT

📍 Hall F2, McCormick Place Convention Center

Thursday, August 27

Integrating Sustainability and Green Chemistry in Undergraduate Courses

Organized by Dr. Nicholas Leadbeater (University of Connecticut), Dr. Monica Hensley (Beyond Benign), Dr. Nikita Burrows (Monmouth University), and Dr. Amy Cannon (Beyond Benign)

This symposium features research and teaching contributions focused on integrating green chemistry, sustainability, systems thinking, and safety into undergraduate chemistry courses. Aligned with updated American Chemical Society Guidelines, the session will explore curriculum design, instructional strategies, assessments, student engagement, and course-wide initiatives across introductory and advanced courses.

🗓️ Thursday, August 27th | 8–11:30 a.m. CT

📍 W176b, McCormick Place Convention Center

Student Motivations and Expectations in a Scaffolded Cosmetic Chemistry Laboratory: A Qualitative Case Study

Presented by Dr. Nikita Burrows (Monmouth University) and Dr. Monica Hensley (Beyond Benign); co-authored by Dr. Julie Conteh (Monmouth University)

This presentation examines what motivates undergraduate students to enroll in an introductory cosmetic chemistry lab course and what they expect from its content, structure, and connection to their personal and professional goals. The research also considers how those expectations align with the course’s emphasis on green chemistry and sustainable formulation, offering insights to inform equitable and effective applied chemistry course design.

🗓️ Thursday, August 27th | 8:45–9:05 a.m. CT

📍 W176b, McCormick Place Convention Center

 

Reimagining and Transforming Industrial Legacies With Green Chemistry and Sustainability

Organized by Dr. Monica Hensley (Beyond Benign), Dr. Sederra Ross (ACS Green Chemistry Institute), Dr. Laurel Royer (Carinalis Consulting), and Dr. Nina Hike (University of Illinois Chicago)

This symposium will examine how community-driven initiatives, green chemistry, and sustainable technologies can address environmental and public health impacts from industrial activity in the Chicago and Northern Indiana region. Sessions will explore intersections of environmental justice, circular economy principles, urban sustainability, education, and participatory science.

The symposium will also consider how technical innovations can be developed alongside local knowledge and community priorities, creating solutions that meet real needs while supporting healthier and more sustainable communities.

🗓️ Thursday, August 27th | 8 a.m.–12 p.m. CT

📍 N137, McCormick Place Convention Center

 

About ACS Fall 2026

ACS Fall 2026 will feature more than 10,000 scientific papers covering developments across chemical sciences, including environmental chemistry, materials science, health, education, and emerging technologies. Attendees can also join keynote and award events, industry symposia, career programming, networking opportunities, and the ACS Expo.

In-person registration includes access to the meeting’s digital programming. Explore the full program and register to attend in Chicago or online.