Open/Entire Community

Are you an aspiring chemist, a passionate climate advocate, or an interested member of the public? Do you want to change the world through science? Join the IUPAC CHEMRAWN and Beyond Benign throughout 2025 to learn from experts in the field who are leading the charge to solve existential, world needs through chemistry. Speakers will orient their presentations around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), as well as the IUPAC Top 10 Emerging Technologies, to demonstrate the power that chemists hold in shaping, and preserving, the future. 

Each talk will be accompanied by  2-3 minute videos on the topic, for chemistry students in high school, university, and for the general public.

January Webinar 

“From Detoxifying Chemical Warfare Agents to Treating Nuclear Wastewater: Adventures in the Synthesis of Metal–Organic Frameworks” 

Ashlee Howarth, Concordia University

01/24/2025 | 9:00 – 10:00 AM EST

Webinar Description:

Named by IUPAC as one of the “Top 10 Emerging Technologies in Chemistry” in 2019, what can metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) really do? IUPAC CHEMRAWN Committee and Beyond Benign invite you to learn more about MOFs and join the discussion with Prof. Ashlee Howarth from Concordia University! Prof. Howarth is dedicated to using green chemistry principles and practices to design and synthesize rare-earth cluster-based MOFs which can then be applied to clean up wastewater from coal and nuclear power plants, as well as decontaminate military equipment. Other applications investigated by Ashlee also include catalysis, drug delivery, X-ray detection, and chemical sensing applications to solve our current environmental challenges. 

More About Professor Ashlee Howarth:

Ashlee J. Howarth is an Associate Professor and Concordia University Research Chair at Concordia University in Montréal. She was born and raised in London, Ontario. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2009, and then went on to do her PhD in inorganic materials chemistry at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Michael O. Wolf. Before joining the faculty at Concordia, she completed an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at Northwestern University with Joseph T. Hupp and Omar K. Farha. At Concordia, the Howarth group is focused on the design and synthesis of rare-earth cluster-based metal–organic frameworks targeting applications in pollution remediation, catalysis, drug delivery, X-ray detection, and chemical sensing. Ashlee is also the contact point for the Green Chemistry Commitment at Concordia University.

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.

The annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, hosted by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute®, is the premier global event for green chemistry and engineering. GC&E attracts scientists, educators, students, industry professionals, and advocates to explore advancements, share best practices, inspire innovation, and build community dedicated to sustainable solutions.   
 

The 2025 conference theme will be Good Health and Well-Being Through Sustainable Chemistry to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.    

GC&E 2025 will showcase innovative research and cross-cutting topics in green and sustainable chemistry and engineering, with an emphasis on symposia that highlight our theme “Good Health and Well-Being”, such as medical breakthroughs, new technologies, and efforts to eliminate or reduce hazardous chemical pollution promoting longer and healthier lives.

There are always many sessions on education topics. Symposia will be released in December and the call for abstracts opens January 3. 

Join us in the GCTLC forums for an exciting “Ask Me Anything” interview with Dr. Amy Cannon - with you as the interviewers! 

From Nov. 12 to Nov. 15, post any questions for Dr. Cannon in our dedicated forum space. Dr. Cannon will be on hand during this period to answer your questions (time permitting!) – we do hope you will participate. 

Find Dr. Cannon's AMA forum and interview her here!

Hosted by: The SOT Sustainable Chemicals through Contemporary Toxicology Specialty Section, the Graduate Student Leadership Committee, and the Postdoctoral Assembly

Want to make a difference in the world by utilizing your toxicology skills and knowledge? Join our upcoming webinar for graduate students and postdocs interested in learning more about nonacademic toxicology career paths related to sustainable chemicals. A diverse panel of toxicologists will share their unique career paths including former and current roles, followed by a panel discussion—bring your questions! Distinguished panelists for this event from industry, nongovernmental organizations, and government backgrounds will provide insight into nonacademic careers utilizing the toxicologist skillset while also supporting sustainability. Don’t miss this enlightening session and discover where a career in sustainability can take you! 

Speakers: 

• Kaley Beins, MPH, Senior Scientist, Environmental Working Group 

• Shoba Iyer, PhD, Toxicologist, San Francisco Department of the Environment 

• Britt McAtee, PhD, DABT, Global Manager, Toxicology, PPG Industries

The AskNature Hive Live Monthly Conversation Series continues with John Warner, a world-renowned chemist, President and CEO of the Technology Greenhouse, and a leading advocate for the development of non-toxic, sustainable materials. In this month's conversation, John will share his insights and new reflections on how biomimicry principles can revolutionize chemical design and create sustainable solutions. With numerous patents and publications to his name, John has dedicated his career to pioneering green chemistry practices that mimic nature’s processes, reducing their environmental impact and promoting human health.

New Observe Wonder Think format for 2024-25. This year we are focusing on K-12 teacher peer collaboration. You are our best resource. There will be space for teachers to bring the resources, labs, lessons, articles that they are seeking to implement. What are the things you are learning as you implement? What challenges are you facing as you implement green chemistry in your classroom and lab? What has really worked well for you? Are there elements of your lessons/labs that you really need help with before implementation? Come and talk with your K-12 peers in the Green Chemistry Community of Practice. We are here to support, accompany, encourage and learn together. We will have speakers periodically to share what has worked in their classrooms, or to share lab safety tips. Register to attend. Only speaker sessions will be recorded, included with registration.

Esther Hines, retired chemistry teacher, ACS mentor and coach, adjunct chemistry faculty, will facilitate Observe Wonder Think monthly, third Thursdays, at alternating evening times.

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From the Lab Safety Institute:

Join our webinar on September 27th at 11:00 AM EST to explore the latest TSCA regulations on methylene chloride and their impact on lab practices. Learn practical strategies for substituting methylene chloride in research and school labs and discover effective methods for finding safer, green chemistry alternatives with our expert partners, Beyond Benign.

More about the Lab Safety Initiative's Methylene Chloride Webinar Series:

This webinar series will focus on actionable steps to comply with the EPA TSCA final rule on methylene chloride. Walking through the hierarchy of controls, each installment will focus on a hazard control method (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative, PPE) applicable to laboratory handling of this common reagent.

The webinar series will help participants:

• Meet the EPA TSCA regulatory requirements
• Provide guidance on selecting safer alternatives to methylene chloride
• Update processes to promote safety and minimize exposure by developing exposure control plans (ECPs)
• Offer practical strategies for managing exposure, implementing safety controls, and maintaining compliance documentation

Designed for anyone in academia or industry who uses methylene chloride, this webinar series offers essential strategies to navigate new regulatory landscapes and enhance laboratory safety culture.

Lab sustainability is increasingly at the forefront of decision making in science centres around the world, as evidenced by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Sustainable Labs report and the high level of interest in the RSC Sustainable Lab grants. 

In this hour-long, interactive webinar you will hear from recipients of the first round of the RSC Sustainable Labs grant whose projects seek to answer questions in topics areas including solvent choices and reuse of single use plastics. You will hear about the problems they’re trying to solve and how findings from their initial results can be actioned. By joining this webinar, you will learn how chemical scientists are looking to solve challenges faced when making more sustainable choices in the lab. You will also hear perspectives on the broader challenges in sustainable labs and efforts by the wider research community – including major funders – to drive more sustainable laboratory practices. 

The webinar will provide useful and actionable information as well as highlighting the opportunity to apply for the second round of RSC Sustainable Laboratories grants. 

The RSC will send a certificate of attendance to everyone who joins us live for the event. Please make sure you register using exactly the name you want on the certificate.

Note: this webinar will run from 3 - 4 pm British Standard Time (10 - 11 am Eastern Time).