Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Professionals

Symposium:

The GCI is a student organization focused on raising awareness and promoting green chemistry practices within the chemistry community. In partnership with McGill University, we are currently organizing our 9th annual GCI Symposium, “Making Greener Choices: A more sustainable approach to chemistry”, that aims to encourage students to implement more sustainable practices in their research, teaching and careers. 

Our events are designed to connect students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty members interested in Green Chemistry with current leaders in the field to discuss advances in chemical processes and the future of sustainable research practices.  This year we will be featuring speakers from academia and industry, as well as a student-led panel discussion and a workshop with ACS Green Chemistry Institute. 

Posters:

We will also be hosting a poster session which we encourage your students to submit an abstract for. Abstracts are limited to 200 characters. The inclusion or mention of Green Chemistry elements or aspects is not a prerequisite for the submission of poster abstracts. However, all presenters are invited to look for opportunities to talk about Green Chemistry within the context of their research. Posters from previous conferences are welcome!  

Travel Scholarships:

We are offering travel scholarships to contribute towards the commute and accommodation expenses. The amount awarded will depend on the total estimated expenditure of each attendee.

Speaker Lineup:

Additional Information:

ICCE is a global platform for educators, teachers, chemists, and scientists around the world to bring chemical education closer to sustainable prosperity and pave the way to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Specifically, the objectives are:
1) To provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas related to chemical education among researchers, educators, students, and other stakeholders from around the world.
2) To facilitate collaboration and networking among individual and institutions involved in chemical education, with the aim of fostering partnerships and joint initiatives that can improve the quality and accessibility of chemical education globally.
3) To contribute to the achievement of the UN SDGs by promoting the role of chemistry education in addressing global challenges such as climate change and inequality.

The program is designed to discuss the role of chemistry education not only in classroom setting but also in societal context. Novel teaching and learning methods in chemistry are still the key topics in this conference. Professional development of educators at all levels (school and university) will be included. Societal context of chemistry education such as sustainability, ethics, diversity, equity, and inclusion will also be emphasized in this conference.

The program will include nine sessions:
1) Chemistry Education in Informal Setting and Life-long Learning Context
2) Redesigning Chemistry Laboratory Teaching
3) Innovative technology for chemistry education
4) Systems thinking in Chemistry Education
5) Chemistry and Science Teacher Education and Continuous Professional Development
6) Chemistry Education for Environmental and Social Sustainability
7) Policy, Reform, and Quality Assurance in Chemistry Education
8) Ethics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Chemistry Education
9) Emerging Educational Trends in Chemistry in the 21st Century

ICCE 2024 will also include the 12th International Symposium on Microscale Chemistry.

Don’t miss this webinar to learn about the world of certifying soy and other bio-based materials for sustainable product programs. Our speakers will provide you with valuable insights into the certification process and its benefits within the sustainable products market. Discover the intricacies of certification for programs such as:

1. USDA BioPreferred
2. CleanGredients
3. EPA Safer Choice
4. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s (SPC’s) CleanPackage
5. ChemFORWARD SAFER
6. GreenScreen
7. Cradle to Cradle

Our expert presenters will break down the essential steps and requirements for obtaining these certifications. They'll demystify each program, guide you through the process, and address common challenges that may arise along the way. Whether you're a manufacturer, producer, or supplier, this webinar is your compass to navigate the certification landscape successfully

Join us next spring at the ACS Spring 2024 Meeting & Expo from March 17th - March 21st in New Orleans, LA, USA & Hybrid. ACS Meetings & Expositions are where chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. By attracting thousands of chemical professionals, the meetings provide excellent opportunities for sharing your passion for chemistry, connecting with one of the world’s largest scientific societies, and advancing your career in this ever-changing global economy.

Beyond Benign Presentations:

Sunday, March 17th

• Dr. Juliana Vidal, Presenter; Dr. Amy Cannon, Dr. Natalie J O’Neil, Dr. Nimrat Obhi
  • Green Chemistry Commitment: A pathway for achieving the new ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs 
  • 10:00 AM (CST) – 10:20 AM (CST) Hall B, Room 6
• Dr. Jonathon Moir, Presenter; Dr. Amy Cannon
  • Using the newly launched Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) platform to address the updated ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs
  • 4:55 PM (CST) – 5:15 PM (CST) Hall B, Room 6
• Dr. Amy Cannon, Presenter
  • Turning Passion for Sustainability into a Career in Green Chemistry Education
  • 2:20 PM (CST) – 2:35 PM (CST) Great Hall, B/C

Monday, March 18th

• Dr. Nimrat Obhi, Presenter; Dr. Natalie J O’Neil, Dr. Juliana Vidal, Dr. Amy Cannon
  • Green Chemistry Education: A Key Tool for Environmental Justice
  • 04:50 PM (CST) – 05:10 PM (CST)

Tuesday, March 19th

• Dr. Monica Nyansa, Prenter & Session Presider
  •  Student-led Community Engagement in Action
  • 3:20 PM (CST) – 3:40 PM (CST) Room 224

Beyond Benign Booth  #3231 Activities Schedule:

Come see us at booth #3231! Expo hours are 11 AM (CST) - 5 PM (CST) Monday (03/18) - Tuesday (03/19), and ends on Wednesday (03/20) at 2 PM.

Daily Raffle

(all day during expo hours)

When you come visit our booth and have your conference ID scanned, you will be entered into a raffle for a signed copy of Green Chemistry by John Warner and Paul Anastas. Winners will be announced daily during the final hour of the expo. If you are unable to retrieve your prize, it will be given to a runner up.

Meet the Expert with John Warner

(03/18 4-5 PM CST & 03/19; 12-1 PM CST)

Our co-founder, Dr. John Warner, will be visiting our booth to mingle with community members on Monday and Tuesday from 12 PM - 1 PM. Stop by to ask questions, or just to chat! See you there.

The Beyond Benign Team is happy to share that our members will be attending the 2024 Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition in Winnipeg! More information including featured talks is forthcoming. We hope to see you there! See the official conference description, sourced from the CSC 2024 website, quoted in part below:

"...Our conference theme, “The Central Science”, is inspired in part by our recognition that Chemistry touches upon all scientific disciplines, and we hope that scientists studying every aspect of chemistry and its applications will gather to share their knowledge and experiences. Appropriately, Winnipeg is situated near the longitudinal centre of Canada and the geographical centre of North America, thus we will draw scholars, industry experts and early career talents from all directions to enjoy this meeting.

We look forward to welcoming you to CSC 2024 next June!"

Professor David Palmer, Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan
Conference Chair

Join us in Auckland, New Zealand from November 29th to December 1st at the 8th Asia-Oceania Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry (AOC-GSC8)! Hear from our Co-Founders Dr. John Warner and Dr. Amy Canon in their talks. The official event description is listed below.

Following its postponement related to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are pleased to announce that the 8th Asia-Oceania Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry (AOC-GSC8) will be held at the University of Auckland, New Zealand from 29th November-1st December 2023. AOC-GSC is held every two years with the goal of advancing green and sustainable chemistry within the Asia-Oceania region. Past editions of this conference series have been held in cities across the region including Tokyo (2007), Beijing (2009),  Melbourne (2011), Taipei (2013), New Delhi (2015), Hong Kong (2016) and Singapore (2018).

AOC-GSC8 will encompass the latest advances across all aspects of Green and Sustainable Chemistry, broadly defined as the development of new processes that reduce the use or production of hazardous substances. Topics covered will include but are not limited to energy, green synthesis and catalysis, toxicology, waste remediation and valorisation, biobased products, green chemistry education and environmental policy and management focusing on stimulating innovation to tackle major global sustainability issues.

We look forward to welcoming you to Auckland in November 2023.

AOC-GSC8 Organising Committee

A one-day Youth Forum will be hosted in Bonn (Germany at the eagerly anticipated Fifth Session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5). Sessions will include four thematic panel presentations, a moderated intergenerational dialogue between youth and key decision-makers, and the official launch of the “Global Youth Declaration on Chemicals and Waste.”

The Youth Forum at ICCM5 will mark a historic moment for the UN and governments to hear directly from children and young people about their needs and priorities for the future of chemicals governance. Young people want to see targeted policies and programmes developed that will specifically address youth/children’s environmental health, rights, and justice in the context of chemical exposures, monitoring and risk assessments. Come join us at the Youth Forum!

Featured Panel

Educational Needs for the Transition to a Green and Sustainable Chemistry Revolution 

11:30AM-12:20PM CET

With Dr. Juliana Vidal, Higher Education Program Manager at Beyond Benign

Official Session Description:

“Remember, please remember reinforcements are on the way – they’re sitting in lecture halls now, venturing into the field for the very first time, writing theses, leading marches, organizing communities, learning to turn passion into progress, potential into power.” – Harrison Ford

With ambition high to complete the final stages of negotiations and deliver a new, effective global chemicals management framework at ICCM5, the imminent focus will soon shift to implementation. How do we couple the goals of SAICM Beyond 2020 with transformations in chemistry education already underway, that will empower current and future chemists with the skills to put sustainability and safety at the center of their work – from research, to industry, to start-up initiatives? Moreover, how can we strengthen the role of academia in capacity-building efforts for chemicals management across countries and regions?

In this session, a panel comprising young professionals/scientists, chemistry students, and representatives of institutions who are building resources and increasing access for students in green chemistry education, will reflect on the challenges and opportunities in educational systems “meeting the moment.”

Event Details

• Who: Youth, Governments, Industry, Scientists
• When: September 25th-29th
• Where:World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB)

This premier conference is convened by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute to advance green chemistry and engineering through scientific exchange, professional development opportunities, and community networking. The conference starts with a day of workshops on Sunday, June 2 and the GC&E Awards Ceremony Dinner on Sunday night. The technical sessions kick off Monday morning. 

The Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E) holds around 42 technical sessions covering a wide variety of research areas and industrial applications. This year, the conference explores the forefront of technology with its theme, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enabled Green Chemistry.

Chemistry education sessions and workshops are a central part of the conference.

Key Dates:

• Call for Abstracts is open through February 12. 
• Early registration opens February 14 and runs through April 30. 

Beyond Benign Talks:

Teaching Green Chemistry: Systems Thinking, Assessments, and Curricular Design

Use of ChemForward for Chemical hazard evaluation and assessment in academic settings (30 mins) during the Teaching Green Chemistry: Systems Thinking, Assessments, and Curricular Design

8:00am - 5:00opm - June 2, 2024 | Room: Maplewood Room (A&B)

Monica Mame Soma Nyansa, Cynthia Woodbridge

Exploring and championing professional education in Green Chemistry and Toxicology

04:25pm - 04:45pm EDT - June 4, 2024 | Room: Ravinia Ballroom (DEFG) (Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia)
Monica Mame Soma Nyansa, Presenter; Natalie O'Neil; Amy Cannon

Reimagining chemistry education: The green chemistry commitment at Beyond Benign

05:05pm - 07:05pm EDT - June 4, 2024 | Room: Ravinia Ballroom (ABC)

Juliana Vidal, Presenter; Natalie O'Neil; Amy Cannon

Utilizing Drupal and CiviCRM to optimize an open-access database of green chemistry educational materials on the new GCTLC platform

10:15am - 10:35am EDT - June 5, 2024 | Room: Camellia (Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia)

Jonathon Moir, Presenter; Sarah Prescott; Nimrat Obhi; Amy Cannon

Uniting and engaging a diverse, global community of green chemistry educators and practitioners through a virtual open-access platform

10:35am - 10:55am EDT - June 5, 2024 | Room: Camellia (Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia)

Nimrat Obhi, Presenter; Jonathon Moir; Sarah Prescott; Amy Cannon

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