The NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers (CSP) in partnership with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) and the Minnesota Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) will be offering a FREE three-day workshop at the University of Minnesota for high school chemistry teachers on green and sustainable chemistry. The workshop was developed through the University of Minnesota MRSEC Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program. Applicants from across the Midwest are welcome.
Participating teachers will receive instruction on the principles of green chemistry and its application to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to benefit people, prosperity, and the planet. Shared lesson plans will illustrate how green and sustainable practices apply to secondary chemistry classrooms with education standards in mind. Participants will gain hands-on experience with safer, cost-effective labs that minimize waste and are drop-in replacements for traditional secondary chemistry labs. Topics such as bioplastics, design engineering, biomimicry, and commercial products from renewables will be explored demonstrating relevance to societal needs. Participants will partner with the workshop instructors and one another to develop or modify experiments for use in their classroom. Upon returning to their respective schools during the 2024-2025 academic year, participants commit to implement at least two green chemistry experiments or lessons that they explored or developed at the workshop in their classrooms.
Participating teachers will receive a $300.00 stipend and the option to earn 2 graduate level credits from the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). Participants will also receive resources for lab implementation in their classrooms. Accommodations and parking at the University of Minnesota will be provided for traveling participants. Lunch will be provided each day of the workshop.
Important Dates:
- Workshop dates, June 24-26, 2024
