Education and Outreach – NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers https://csp.umn.edu Transforming the way plastics are made and unmade Tue, 07 May 2024 13:19:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 https://csp.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/cropped-CSP-Icon-32x32.png Education and Outreach – NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers https://csp.umn.edu 32 32 Green Superheroes of Science Teen Teachers Receive Community Leadership Award https://csp.umn.edu/2024/05/07/green-superheroes-of-science-teen-teachers-receive-community-leadership-award/ Tue, 07 May 2024 13:19:18 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=29001 Teen teachers with the 4-H Green Superheroes of Science have been honored with the 4-H Community Leadership Award, a distinction bestowed upon just two 4-H groups in Minnesota each year by the Association of Minnesota Counties. The groups’ lessons draw from the collaborative 4-H Sustainable Polymers curriculum—a joint curriculum crafted by CSP and 4-H—and highlight the importance of caring for the environment.

This accolade recognizes outstanding community leadership, with a special emphasis on excellence in educating youth and the public about materials science, bio-plastics, and plastic pollution. The teen teachers earned commendation for their remarkable efforts in environmental education, particularly in safeguarding Minnesota’s waters and lands.

Furthermore, the group has been selected to present at the National 4-H Ignite conference in Washington DC for the second consecutive year. At the conference, they will lead workshops on leveraging art to address plastic pollution, impacting approximately 80 teens nationwide.

Congratulations!

More on this story: https://www.mncounties.org/partners/u_of_m_extension/4h_community_leadership_awards.php

Image courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension

]]> Lab from CSP Curricula Used to Educate Students Worldwide https://csp.umn.edu/2024/05/07/lab-from-csp-curricula-used-to-educate-students-worldwide/ Tue, 07 May 2024 13:15:43 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=29025 Designed by researchers under the leadership of former CSP Investigator Jane Wissinger, the curricula titled “Thirst for a Solution: Alginate Biopolymer Experiments for the Middle and High School Classroom”, has been used again in 2024 by Hasselt University in an activity with High School students in Belgium. 

The lab, built around the synthesis of biodegradable calcium alginate capsules prepared from food-safe chemicals, gained notoriety from local TV station and newspaper.

This is not the first time that the curriculum has been used abroad. In 2022, Assistant Professor Louis Pitet from Hasselt University, implemented the same activity with nearly 150 high school students. 

Learn more by visiting the Dutch News Website TVL.

]]> Professor Jane Wissinger Retires https://csp.umn.edu/2023/10/20/professor-jane-wissinger-retires/ Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:29:30 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=27695 CSP Investigator Jane Wissinger has retired from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Chemistry after a 25-year career with the CSE. 

After joining the University of Minnesota as an adjunct professor in 1992, she was formally hired as the Organic Chemistry Laboratory Director and lecturer in 1998. Since then, Professor Wissinger has made significant contributions to the University community in education and green and sustainable chemistry.

Professor Wissinger was founding chair of the Green Chemistry Committee, faculty advisor for the American Chemical Society student group (ACS-UMN), and lead mentor for the annual Green & Sustainable Chemistry Workshop for high school teachers. She also collaborated with the CSP as Senior Investigator, being part of the education and outreach efforts. 

Professor Wissinger has been recognized multiple times in her career, winning the UMN Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor award in 2014, the ACS Green Chemistry Award in 2022, the UMN Systemwide Sustainability Collaborative Team Impact Award in 2023, the ACS-CEI Award for Incorporation of Sustainability in Chemistry Education, and recognition as an ACS fellow.

As she enters retirement, Professor Wissinger intends to remain active in the chemistry community through publications and collaborative projects. She looks forward to spending more time with her family, traveling, and pursuing personal interests.

Professor Jane Wissinger’s retirement marks the end of an extraordinary career dedicated to education and the advancement of sustainable chemistry principles, leaving behind a lasting legacy at the University of Minnesota.

Congratulations on your retirement, Professor Wissinger!

 

Learn more on:

]]> 2023 CSP Summer Undergraduate Research Program Concludes in August https://csp.umn.edu/2023/08/11/2023-csp-summer-undergraduate-research-program-concludes-in-august/ Fri, 11 Aug 2023 12:00:56 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=27542 The Center for Sustainable Polymers has successfully concluded its 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Program. Since 2012, the yearly program offers opportunities for undergraduates students to participate in research under the advisory of CSP investigators.

This year’s program welcomed 14 undergraduate students who immersed themselves in laboratory projects in the Hillmyer, Hoye, Bates, Tonks, Reineke, Xiong, Lamb, and Calabrese labs, from the University of Minnesota, Alibi, Fors, and Coates labs, from Cornell University, and Rowan lab, from the University of Chicago.

Students delved into designing and implementing polymers derived from renewable sources for a more sustainable future. The program not only offers valuable research exposure but also provides a platform for participants to showcase their findings during a CSP meeting and an undergraduate research expo, embodying the Center’s commitment to environmental stewardship, economic development, and energy efficiency.

Congratulations 2023 Summer Undergraduates!

]]> CSP Participates in the May 2023 Energy and U https://csp.umn.edu/2023/08/08/csp-participates-in-the-may-2023-energy-and-u/ Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:48:32 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=27502 The Energy and U program in the Twin Cities metro area has achieved a remarkable milestone, having successfully engaged over 100,000 students in chemistry. This biannual interactive show aims to educate third, fourth, and fifth-grade students about the First Law of Thermodynamics in fun activities. The May 2023 series completion marked the momentous achievement for the program. Energy and U captivates young minds with electrifying explosions, on-stage volunteer opportunities, and dynamic dance breaks, encouraging a sense of enthusiasm for chemistry. In 2023, the program delivered 30 performances, reaching 9,260 students aged 8 to 12, with two presentations specially tailored for Twin Cities Spanish immersion schools.

The collaboration involved close to one hundred students, faculty, and staff from various departments, including Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Theater Arts and Dance (TAD). Jessica Lamb, CSP Investigator & Assistant Professor of Chemistry, made her first presenter appearance, sharing the excitement and joy of the kids as they cheered on the captivating experiments. Supported by the National Science Foundation, UMN Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Theater Arts and Dance, as well as Medtronic and 3M Corporations, the Energy and U program continues to inspire young learners in the world of chemistry.

Read more on this story by visiting the CSE Website.

]]> Green & Sustainable Chemistry Workshop for High School Teachers https://csp.umn.edu/2023/08/02/green-sustainable-chemistry-workshop-for-high-school-teachers/ Wed, 02 Aug 2023 13:46:38 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=27496 The University of Minnesota’s Department of Chemistry recently hosted the three-day Green and Sustainable Chemistry workshop for sixteen high school teachers. Led by CSP Investigator Jane Wissinger the workshop aims to equip participants with the necessary tools to integrate green and sustainable chemistry principles into their classrooms.

Benefiting over a hundred high school instructors, 2023 year marked the sixth edition of the workshop. Teachers engaged in hands-on experiences through eight different lab activities, showcasing safer and greener chemistry alternatives that can supplement or replace traditional curricula. The workshop also provided a platform for participants to share their experiences and collaborate on implementing green chemistry practices in their teaching plans.

Read more on this story by visiting the CSE Website.

]]> 4-H Sustainable Polymer Curriculum featured in Hennepin Co. Environmental Education News https://csp.umn.edu/2023/06/09/4-h-sustainable-polymer-curriculum-featured-in-hennepin-co-environmental-education-news/ Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:30:45 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=27363 The 4-H Sustainable Polymer Curriculum, made in collaboration with the CSP, was recently featured in Hennepin Co. Environmental Education News. This comprehensive program features five science curricula, each offering engaging learning modules designed to encourage young individuals to take care and learn about the environment. 

In these modules, students explore a variety of topics involving polymers, materials properties, environmental impact, scientific breakthroughs, sustainability, and the principles of science and engineering. 

More detailed information on the curriculum can be found at 4hpolymers.org.

Image courtesy of Anne Stevenson

]]> Hydrogel Experiments Make a Splash in Belgium https://csp.umn.edu/2022/12/09/hydrogel-experiments-make-a-splash-in-belgium/ Fri, 09 Dec 2022 19:59:54 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=26833 In December of 2021, a group of researchers lead by CSP Investigator Jane Wissinger published a new curricula for middle and high school classrooms titled: Thirst for a Solution: Alginate Biopolymer Experiments for the Middle and High School Classroom. This comprehensive curricula was built around the synthesis of biodegradable calcium alginate capsules prepared from food-safe chemicals and modeled after real commercial products seeking to replace single-use plastic packaging.  The materials are readily available from the supermarket or Amazon and the synthesis of the capsules can be performed in the kitchen (great for remote learning), classroom, or outreach setting.

Assistant Professor Louis Pitet of Materials Chemistry at Hasselt University in Belgium – a former graduate student in the Hillmyer Lab – reached out to Investigator Wissinger to highlight a milestone of the work. Hasselt University performed the experiments and activities with over 150 high school age students in 2022! Professor Pitet noted: “It was a ton of fun. It worked really well with the instructions provided. I just wanted to say thank you! Really inspiring.”

 

]]> Dauenhauer to present at the Zero Hunger Summit https://csp.umn.edu/2022/11/21/dauenhauer-to-present-at-the-zero-hunger-summit/ Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:48:18 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=26801 CSP Investiagator Paul Dauenhauer will be presenting at the “Zero Hunger Summit,” organized by the American Chemical Society from December 5-8 (11 AM -1 PM EST). Dauenhauer will explore how chemistry and engineering can contribute to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal of “Zero Hunger.”

A 2021 survey from Oxford Economics found that 65% of companies are taking steps to improve manufacturing sustainability, and 50% are greening their supply chains. This has led to a renewed interest in biomaterials as a chemical and fuel feedstock.

But what effect would a biomaterials-based chemical industry have on world hunger? With 690 million people without enough food to eat (United Nations), and the increasing effects of global warming, there are concerns that sustainable manufacturing techniques could further compromise food security.

One person navigating this rocky terrain is chemical engineering professor, entrepreneur, and MacArthur Fellow, Dr. Paul Dauenhauer. His expertise in catalysis has allowed him to have a significant impact on sustainable manufacturing, and carbon capture.

Read the full story and register for the summit online at acs.org. The conference is free and takes place online.

]]> Congratulations 2022 Summer Undergraduates! https://csp.umn.edu/2022/08/12/congratulations-2022-summer-undergraduates/ Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:11:38 +0000 https://csp.umn.edu/?p=26355 After another year, the CSP summer undergraduate research program is coming to a close. We would like to congratulate and thank all of the participants as they make their way back to their home institutions! Best of luck to you all!

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