A Systems Thinking Department: Fostering a Culture of Green Chemistry Practice among Students

Abstract

Green chemistry and sustainability concepts have been woven into the University of Toronto undergraduate curriculum for almost two decades. This has been achieved through (i) development of expository, discovery-based, and student-directed laboratory experiments; (ii) evolution of several upper-year courses; and (iii) strategic integration of these components into two academic programs. In conjunction with the establishment of a graduate student-run organization known as the Green Chemistry Initiative who assists with curricular redesign, a committed departmental attitude has developed toward sustainability education. The notion of systems thinking (where links are forged between varying systemic components which affect each other in different ways, and separate components are considered as a whole) influences both specific green instructional practices and the broader Department of Chemistry approach to sustainable education and research. This article outlines the departmental mindset in relation to green chemistry, and how systems thinking has inherently informed the progress made. The connection between systems thinking and green chemistry is solidified through discussion of the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) learning objectives. The GCC is a voluntary initiative designed by a nonprofit organization (Beyond Benign) to assist in the preparation of chemists whose skills are aligned with the needs of the planet and its inhabitants in the 21st century.

Faculty perspectives regarding the integration of systems thinking into chemistry education

“…Systems thinking techniques involving the collaboration and inclusion of students and faculty members of varying positions in the reforming process have been shown to have some success (Dicks et al, 2019;Hutchison, 2019). Additionally, the presence of experts in, for example, chemistry education, may assist reform attempts as they can provide access to the required information, training, and resources and can drive these changes because of observing benefits in the literature.…”

Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Crisis: Adjusting Assessment Approaches within Introductory Organic Courses

“…As a first-year level course, CHM 136H is the prerequisite to the second-year courses and is aimed at life science students, with a typical enrollment of 800–1000 students per semester. Students may select either of the second-year level courses, where CHM 247H is also directed toward life science students (500–600 students per year) and CHM 249H provides a more rigorous environment for those interested in pursuing a chemistry degree (60–70 students per year) . These three courses all explore introductory concepts with a focus on (i) the structure, properties, and reactivity of simple functional groups; (ii) the mechanisms involved in organic reactions; and (iii) applications of those reactions in synthesis.…”

“…Students may select either of the second-year level courses, where CHM 247H is also directed toward life science students (500−600 students per year) and CHM 249H provides a more rigorous environment for those interested in pursuing a chemistry degree (60−70 students per year). 4 These three courses all explore introductory concepts with a focus on (i) the structure, properties, and reactivity of simple functional groups; (ii) the mechanisms involved in organic reactions; and (iii) applications of those reactions in synthesis. As was true at many other institutions worldwide, each course was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic during March and April of 2020.…”

Redox Aluminophosphates: Applying Fundamental Undergraduate Theory To Solve Global Challenges in the Chemical Industry

“…It is a setting that deliberately avoids calculation of yields but asks students to deliberate other green metrics as has been suggested by Anastas et al 9 and it fits in a wider context of laboratory class teaching similar to the approach described by Dicks et al. 10 Figure 2: Redox aluminophosphates catalyst (solid box) in the wider context of systems thinking aspects: Overview of industrial pathways (A: conventional nylon synthesis, B: aspects of the Raschig process) and (C) use of student-synthesised redox catalyst in the practical to produce K A oil…”