Learn more about the ACS Green Chemistry Institute student awards. Deadlines begin on October 8, 2021.

Contributed by Dr. Michal Freedhoff, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and it’s an opportunity to celebrate a quarter century of groundbreaking scientific solutions that have and will continue to make a positive impact on human health and the environment.

That’s why I’m looking forward to joining you at the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in June to present the 2021 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards on behalf of ACS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These awards are a wonderful way for us to recognize innovation by American businesses and researchers that have redesigned chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and manufacture of hazardous substances. These innovations help protect vulnerable communities, prevent pollution at its source, and keep U.S. businesses globally competitive by creating more sustainable products. 

The ACS Green Chemistry Institute (GCI) Pharmaceutical Roundtable honors the work of Stephen Dalby, Francois Levesque, Cecilia Bottecchia and Jonathan McMullen at Merck with the 2021 Peter J. Dunn Award for Green Chemistry & Engineering Impact in the Pharmaceutical Industry. The team’s innovation is titled, “Greener Manufacturing of Belzutifan (MK-6482) Featuring a Photo-Flow Bromination.”

By Prof. Dr. Jun Huang, School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney Nano Institute

Q: What sparked your passion for chemistry and engineering?

A: The significance of chemical engineering for people’s lives. Chemical engineers developed 1) fertilizer production for higher agricultural productivity to feed huge populations; 2) pharmaceuticals for diseases; 3) clean fuels and energy storage for our daily life; 4) processes to provide clean water for drinking; 5) new technologies for waste disposal and recycling; and 6) greenhouse gas reduction technology for climate change. The progress and achievement of my work in chemical engineering can benefit our society and improve our quality of life, which attracts my passion for chemistry and engineering.