The symposium, held during the American Chemical Society's Fall 2008 National Meeting in Philadelphia, PA (Aug. 18, 2008), will provide a highly focused venue consisting of two, 4 hour invitational talks and a combined poster session / exposition all on the exclusive topic of green chemistry. The Green Chemistry Exposition and Poster Session will provide an informal environment to share cutting edge products and innovative research.

 

The morning session -       View points and Achievements in Academia

Keynote speaker: Dr. Mary Kirchhoff, Director, ACS Education Division

The afternoon session -    View points and Applications in Industry 

Keynote speaker: Dr. Berkeley "Buzz" Cue, Creator of Pfizer's Green Chemistry Initiative

The evening session -       Poster Session and Exposition

Kickoff speaker: Dr. Tom Lane, ACS President-Elect

 

Mission of the UConn GSSPC

The Graduate Student Symposium Planning Committee (GSSPC) was created in the spring of 2005 to involve graduate students in the American Chemical Society, in general, and at biannual national meetings, in particular. Previous GSSPC members, who held symposia at past national meetings, select a new GSSPC to take the reigns and plan a future symposium. Each new GSSPC is then tasked with planning a symposium to be held at a national meeting for the ACS. The planning required for such an event includes, but is not limited to, topic selections, fundraising, speaker recruitment and logistical arrangements. The primary objectives of the GSSPC are:

•  To provide a national forum in which graduate students may make their views known
•  To provide an outlet in which graduate students can develop their professional network and leadership skills
•  To provide a sustainable source of quality programming for Chemical Education, the ACS sponsoring division
•  To encourage current and future membership in the ACS by targeting programming to the newest generation of professional chemists.

 

Vision of the UConn GSSPC

The University of Connecticut Graduate Student Symposium Planning Committee (GSSPC) is honored to have the opportunity of planning a stimulating symposium at the 236th ACS National Meeting, August 2008. The UConn GSSPC, as well as people around the world, has recognized the importance of transitioning chemistry toward the use of greener chemistry with in academia and industry. It is everyone's responsibility to promote and maintain a sustainable environment; including the chemists responsibility to the continued evolution of green chemistry.

Our symposium, titled “Transitioning into Green Chemistry”, is a current hot topic among progressive chemists. We will strive to provide the symposium audience with a number of resources and ideas to further accelerate the implementation of green chemistry in both academia and industry. Invited speakers will address topics from recent advances in green chemistry at academic institutions to the implementation on the industrial scale. Furthermore, the bridge, connecting academic achievements into technology applications, will be addressed.

Upon sound planning and smooth execution, our committee anticipates that the result of this symposium will raise awareness and motivate chemists in all areas to consider and implement green chemistry practices in their lab regardless of the institution or corporation environment; achieving sustainable procedures and processes that will improve our environmental impact.