Application Guidelines

Application Guidelines - Green Chemistry PMNs

Apply to be part of the Green Chemistry Professional Mentoring Networks (PMNs) project, led by Beyond Benign and Monmouth University and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF Award 2439515).

As a participant in this project, you will join one of four networks centered around Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Commitment’s (GCC) student learning objectives. (Learn more on the Program Overview page.)

This page provides detailed information about program benefits, expectations, eligibility, application requirements, and important dates and events. The themes and descriptions for the 2026-2027 academic year are described below.

Applications are now closed for the 2026-2027 application period. The next application period will be in summer 2026 and will be for PMN leaders for the 2027-2028 cohort.

**Please Note: You must be logged in to your user account on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) in order to complete the application form. If you are not yet registered on the GCTLC, you can register for free here.**

2026-2027 Themes and Descriptions

For the 2026-2027 PMNs, each one will have a targeted thematic focus to help guide discussion and participation. Applicants may indicate interest for more than one PMN in the application process, but will only be permitted to participate in one PMN at a time.

Theory: "Teaching Green Chemistry in Context: Providing Students with a Working Knowledge of Green Chemistry"

Co-Leads: Prof. Niki Juhl (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs) and Prof. Deborah Bromfield Lee (Florida Southern College)

This PMN will focus on developing and implementing ways of teaching the fundamental principles of green chemistry in different teaching contexts (such as lectures, lab experiments, and in-class activities). Participants will be guided through the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and approaches to adapting and implementing existing resources that can provide students with a working knowledge of the principles. A primary focus will be on some of the more challenging principles to address, with each participant aiming to address between one to three of the principles in a course of their choosing that they currently teach at their home institution. Focus on effective approaches to assessing student learning will also be integrated into the PMN's discussions and working time.

Toxicology: "Adapting, Implementing and Assessing Toxicology in Lecture and Lab"

Co-Leads: Prof. Cynthia Woodbridge (Georgia Gwinnett College) and Prof. John Beatty (Texas Woman's University)

This PMN will focus on adapting, implementing and assessing concepts in toxicology in undergraduate chemistry courses such as existing core chemistry courses (general chemistry, organic chemistry, etc.) and stand-alone toxicology or specialty courses (such as environmental toxicology). Participants will undertake an exploration of available curriculum resources on the GCTLC (including the Toxicology for Chemists curriculum) and in the literature and, with guidance and support from the PMN leads and other participants, develop and execute a plan of action to implement said resource(s) in their course(s) of choice. Participants can choose to focus on either lecture-focused content, lab-focused content, or both. Assessment will be a critical component of this PMN, including a collective effort developing appropriate assessment questions and mechanisms of assessing student performance (both formative and summative), resulting in a collection of assessment tools to share and publish together on the GCTLC.

Lab Skills: "How to Get Started: Bringing Green Chemistry into Undergraduate Labs"

Co-Leads: Dr. Mengqi (Veronica) Zhang (Michigan State University) and Prof. Ji Kim (Stella and Charles Guttman Community College, CUNY)

This PMN will focus on the integration of green chemistry in laboratory experiments in undergraduate chemistry courses. The PMN is open to individuals with all levels of green chemistry knowledge, background and experience (including none at all) and sessions will be tailored to provide support for different levels of integration (e.g., pre-lab/post-lab questions, green chemistry metrics, solvent substitution, student design questions). All chemistry subdisciplines are welcome (e.g., general/introductory chemistry, organic, inorganic, analytical, physical). By the end of the PMN, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of green chemistry and how to integrate it into undergraduate labs. They will also be expected to have developed an adapted version of an existing greener lab experiment for use in one of their courses or will have developed greener modifications for one of the labs they already teach at their home institution. Participants will have the opportunity to share drafts of their adapted experiments with fellow members and receive constructive feedback through a structured peer review process to foster collaboration and iterative improvement. This exchange is designed to refine the experiments, share diverse perspectives from different subdisciplines, and build a supportive community of practice.

Application: "Beyond the Traditional Classroom: Applying Green Chemistry within Broader Contexts and Frameworks for a Sustainable Future"

Co-Leads: Prof. Yiben Wang (Villanova University) and Prof. Tom Umile (Villanova University)

This PMN will focus on teaching students about the application of green chemistry within broader contexts and frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (U.N. SDGs), climate justice, environmental justice, systems thinking, policy and regulation, Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), and planetary boundaries. Case studies will be the primary mechanism explored for teaching students about applying green chemistry knowledge and skills within these broader frameworks. Participants with all backgrounds are welcome (including no green chemistry experience at all) and from all subdisciplines and with all teaching responsibilities (general chemistry, organic, inorganic, analytical, physical, biochemistry, biology, etc.), provided they are teaching chemistry at the undergraduate level.

Benefits of Participation

PMN participants will receive:

A $2,400 stipend for eligible participants.
Access to green chemistry teaching modules and content such as the GCTLC, along with best practices for use across diverse teaching contexts.
Ongoing support from a community of chemistry educators, curriculum developers, and peer mentors.
Travel support to attend the in-person summit.
Access to a funding pool (up to $4,000 per PMN) to support green chemistry curriculum adaptation and implementation projects, including purchasing materials.

Participation and Expectations

Accepted participants are expected to:

Select a green chemistry module, case study, lab experiment, or other curriculum content to adapt and/or implement in a course at their institution.
Share how the content fits within their curriculum.
Commit approximately 1.5–2 hours per week to PMN activities (total of 80 hours of work anticipated across the entire project, including the summits).
Actively participate in PMN biweekly meetings and collaboration.
Access and contribute to their PMN group space on the GCTLC.
Attend at least six PMN meetings (75%).
Attend one virtual summit (2026) and one in-person summit (2027) across two summers.
Submit an updated green chemistry module to the GCTLC following implementation; submissions will receive a citable DOI.

Ongoing participation and stipend payments may be dependent on successfully meeting the above expectations.

Eligibility

Participation in the PMNs is open to chemistry instructors, curriculum developers and community members with teaching responsibilities at the higher education level (undergraduate), especially those with some control over the content. Applicants should be interested in green chemistry education and committed to active participation and collaborative knowledge sharing. Industry professionals with strong expertise in green chemistry who are interested in mentoring and knowledge sharing are also encouraged to apply.

The following conditions apply to all applicants:

Applicants MUST be based at a U.S.-based institution or organization (e.g., universities, community colleges, industrial chemical company, etc.) and be able to receive payments in the U.S. (i.e., have a social security number).
Applicants are allowed to apply for more than one PMN in a given application cycle and can indicate their order of preference, however each person can only participate in ONE (1) PMN during a given academic year/cohort.
Participants who have applied unsuccessfully in the past can apply again to a future cohort. Participants who have already participated in a PMN in a previous year may apply for a different PMN in a later year, however please note that priority will be given to those who have not yet participated in the program. Participants who have already participated in a PMN in a previous year may apply as a lead to either the same or a different PMN in a future cohort.
Anyone who has some level of teaching responsibility at the higher education level may apply for this program. This includes postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and high school teachers, however this is only if they satisfy this requirement. In addition, industry professionals with strong expertise in green chemistry who are interested in mentoring and knowledge sharing to further green chemistry educational practices are also encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements

Please note that you must be logged in to your user account on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) in order to complete the application form. The GCTLC will be used by all participants in the PMNs as part of the program. If you are not yet registered on the GCTLC, you can register for free here.

Applicants must submit the following in order for their application to be considered complete:

Application form with complete responses to questions, including motivation for applying and how participation will benefit both the participant and their students/department.
An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) (maximum 4 pages)
One (1) letter of recommendation - uploaded by referees through a separate upload form
- To support the successful implementation (or future implementation) of green chemistry materials developed through the PMN Program, applicants are asked to provide one (1) letter of support. This can be from their home institution, such as an administrator, department chair, or colleague who can speak to the applicant’s suitability for the program and the potential personal, professional, and/or departmental benefits of participating. Alternatively, the letter can be provided by a collaborator or professional connection outside of their home institution that can speak to the applicant’s suitability for the program. The letter should highlight the applicant’s teaching potential, leadership development, and capacity to advance green chemistry education. Letters of support are preferably submitted on official institutional letterhead.

How to Apply

You can follow this link to access the application form and upload your CV. Letters of support must be uploaded separately by referees using this upload form. All application materials (INCLUDING letters of support) MUST be received by Friday, April 3rd, 2026 by 11:59pm PT.

Review of applications will take place in April 2026 and accepted participants will be notified via email in late April or early May.

Space is limited - only eight (8) participants will be selected for each PMN (32 participants per cohort). In addition, due to the timing of applications and review for this first cohort, applicants are asked to block off the date of the first virtual summit (TENTATIVELY: Wednesday, June 24th, 2026 from 12:00-4:30 pm ET) even before they have been notified of their acceptance to the program.

Important Dates and Locations

Application opens: February 2, 2026
Application deadline: April 3, 2026 11:59pm PT
Notification of acceptance: Late April/early May 2026
(TENTATIVE) Virtual Summit:* June 24, 2026 12:00-4:30pm ET
Kickoff meeting for Fall 2026 PMNs (Theory and Toxicology):* Week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 4, 2026
Last meeting for Fall 2026 PMNs:* Week of Dec. 7-11, 2026
Kickoff meeting for Spring 2027 PMNs (Lab Skills and Applications):* Week of Jan. 11-15, 2027
Last meeting for Spring 2027 PMNs:* Week of Apr. 19-23, 2027
2-day in-person summit:* June 2027 (exact dates TBD)

Fall 2026 PMNs (Theory and Toxicology)

Virtual kickoff: Week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 4, 2026 (exact date/time TBD)
Ongoing biweekly Zoom meetings throughout the Fall 2026 semester (September - December)

Spring 2027 PMNs (Lab Skills and Applications)

Virtual kickoff: Week of Jan. 11-15, 2027 (exact date/time TBD)
Ongoing biweekly Zoom meetings throughout the Spring 2027 semester (January - April)

*Note that there is an expectation that participants attend most, if not all, of the virtual and in-person meetings. Dates and times for biweekly meetings will be set in coordination with all members of the PMN. However, some flexibility and understanding is provided should participants need to miss one or two meetings with cause.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Jonathon Moir (project Co-PI and Director of the GCTLC) at [email protected].