Incorporating Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment into First-Year Inorganic Chemistry Major Laboratories
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[1] Villanova University
Villanova University
Township of Radnor, Estados Unidos
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- Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 93, Nº 4, 2016, págs. 639-644
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
Although much of the scientific community concerns itself with ideas of a sustainable future, very little of this interest and motivation has reached the classroom experience of the average chemistry major, and therefore, it is imperative to expose students to these ideas early in their careers. The focus of most undergraduate chemistry curricula rests on the preparation of the next generation of researchers, ensuring that students are capable and effective in the laboratory. A majority of laboratory experiences focus on building basic technical skill sets for chemists. However, little time is spent ensuring that students are aware of the impacts of their research, as it pertains to chemical waste and the sustainability of research, in general. At Villanova, an existing first-year undergraduate inorganic chemistry laboratory course was modified to promote novel ideas in research with an emphasis on life-cycle thinking and analysis in terms of sustainability. Initial results are reported, as well as an outline of the novel aspects of the course.
