The Nexus Newsletter is a bi-monthly newsletter designed to connect the global green chemistry community, share information, and support the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® in its mission: to catalyze and enable the implementation of green and sustainable chemistry and engineering throughout the global chemical enterprise and across the Society.
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It has been a full year since most of us began working from home. The accelerated rollout of vaccines brings hope for an end to the pandemic in the near future. In the meantime, we will continue to share our science through such virtual events as the ACS Spring 2021 National Meeting, April 5-30, and the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, June 14-18.
moreBy Mary Kirchhoff, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute
In my last column, I reflected on the challenges we all faced in 2020, along with the unexpected opportunities presented by the pandemic. As we wrap up the first month of 2021, I am optimistic that the new year will bring an increased focus on, and appreciation for, the role of green chemistry in achieving a sustainable future.
more“A year like no other.” I have heard many people describe 2020 in these terms. Few of us at the beginning of the year imagined our current state of social distancing, mask wearing, and hand washing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sacrifices are real:
... moreThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will celebrate its 50th anniversary on December 2. Established during the Nixon administration, the Agency has a simple, yet powerful, mission, “To protect human health and the environment.” Over the past hal
... moreThe American Chemical Society (ACS) just wrapped up its first Virtual National Meeting & Expo. Pivoting from the planned in-person meeting to an online event proved challenging given the size of the National Meeting. Despite these challenges, more than
... moreThanks to all those who joined the ACS Green Chemistry Institute for our first virtual conference the week of June 15! It was an amazing week spent sharing green chemistry and engineering research and education, making new connections, and reconnecting w
... moreSafety is a core value of the American Chemical Society. You have likely seen this phrase in recent communications from ACS, such as the announcement of the termination of the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia last month. This core value of the Socie
... moreApril 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day reminds us of our obligation to care for our fragile planet. Signs of humanity’s negative impact on the environment were evident when the first Earth Da
... moreAmazingly, another year is drawing to a close – it is hard to believe that 20 years ago we were worried about Y2K! The end of every year brings a time for reflection on the current year and anticipation for the coming year. 2019 has been a good year for
... moreIt was lovely to see so many of you at the ACS National Meeting in San Diego in August! Green chemistry symposia were presented across numerous divisions on a variety of topics. The ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable organized a workshop, an organic sympos
... moreWe have just wrapped up the joint 23rd Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference/ 9th International Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry in Reston, Virginia. We were thrilled to welcome more than 600 attendees to this year’s conference, whi
... moreWith the ACS National Meeting receding in the rearview mirror, we are rapidly accelerating toward the 23rd Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference/9th International Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry in just over six weeks! The ACS Spri
... moreIt is hard to believe we are already approaching the end of February! Each year seems to pass more quickly than the last one and 2019 is shaping up to be a busy year for chemistry, thanks to the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Element
... moreMy sincere thanks to all who attended and helped organize last month’s Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in Portland, Oregon—what a fantastic meeting! A total of 580 attendees shared research results, engaged in interactive discussions, and visite
... moreThe ACS Green Chemistry Institute® receives input from a variety of stakeholders and last week the GCI Advisory Board met in Washington, DC. Chaired by ACS Past President and former Chair of the Board Bill Carroll, the Advisory Board includes Concepción J
... moreContributed by Mary M. Kirchhoff, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®; Executive Vice President of Scientific Advancement, ACS
The green chemistry community lost a friend with the passing of Ken Seddon on January 21. Ken's stellar science, cou
... moreDecember is a time for reflections on the current year as it rapidly draws to a close, along with anticipation for the year ahead. The ACS Green Chemistry Institute’s commitment to green and sustainable chemistry and engineering was reinforced through it
... moreThis year marks the 30th year of National Chemistry Week (NCW), which will be celebrated October 22-28. NCW is a wonderful opportunity for chemists to share their passion for chemistry with the general public, and working with your ACS local section or st
... moreContributed by Mary M. Kirchhoff, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®; Executive Vice President of Scientific Advancement, ACS
Summer is always a busy season for the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® (GCI), and this year was no exception. My colle
... moreBy Mary M. Kirchhoff, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®; Executive Vice President of Scientific Advancement, ACS
My colleagues and I at the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® (GCI) are very excited that the 2017 Green Chemistry & Engineering Conf
... moreBy Mary M. Kirchhoff, Ph.D., Acting Director, ACS GCI; Executive Vice President of Scientific Advancement, ACS
I had the privilege of attending the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) “Arc of Science: Research to Results” event on Capitol Hill last evening
... moreIt is my pleasure to return to the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® as a result of the organizational realignment announced last month by ACS Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Tom Connelly. The ACS GCI is part of the newly formed Scientific Adv
... moreBy David Constable, Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®
Back in October, I wrote about systems thinking: what it is and why we need to think about it more in chemistry. This month, I’d like to talk about a related idea, and that is life cycle thinking
... moreWe’re very pleased with how preparations for the 21st Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference are coming together. Our technical program chairs, Dr. David Leahy, BMS, and Dr. Amit Sehgal, Solvay, have been working very closely with us, and we ar
... moreContributed by David Constable, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®
Planning and preparations for the 21st Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference have continued throughout the past two months. For most people, thinking about a confer
... moreContributed by David Constable, Director, ACS GCI
Some of you may have read a few recent publications about the future of chemistry1, 2. It’s always interesting to read articles like these to see the author’s vision of chemistry as it is now and for chemis
... moreContributed by David Constable, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®
It’s hard to believe that three weeks have passed since we were at the 252nd ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia. The ACS National Meetings are usually a whirlwind of activity
... moreContributed by David Constable, Ph.D., Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®
The pace of activities has thankfully slowed just a bit over the past month, although we are down another person with Ann Lee-Jeff’s departure to assume her role at Teva as a S
... moreContributed by David Constable, Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®
In less than a month we’ll be in Portland, OR, for the 20th Annual GC&E Conference and I hope many of you have made plans to attend. We are very grateful to our Organizing Committee,
... moreContributed by David Constable, Director, ACS Green Chemistry Institute®
As we get closer to the 20th Annual GC&E, I’d like to think that the pace of activity would slow a bit and we would be in a more settled state. I have to say that is definitely not
... more