RIT brings national green chemistry leaders together to “Bridge the Gap” between innovation and education
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RIT will bring together scientists, educators, and industry leaders for a conference focused on sustainable green chemistry principles.
The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I), the Golisano Institute for Sustainability, and event co-sponsor Beyond Benign will welcome scientists, educators, and industry leaders to campus on July 9 for a one-day event aimed at reimagining how chemistry is taught and applied in the 21st century.
Bridging the Gap: Green Chemistry for Innovation and Education is designed to unite K–12 educators, college faculty, and industry professionals for a full day of programming focused on embedding sustainable green chemistry principles into chemical design, production, and education at the grassroots level.
Registration is free and open to all, particularly educators, scientists, and industry leaders.
The workshop’s keynote will be delivered by John Warner, professor of practice at GIS and co-founder of the green chemistry field. Warner joined RIT’s academic community in 2024 and has helped guide the university’s strategic engagement with sustainable chemical innovation.
“Einstein has a quote that no problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it,” Warner said. “There’s a clarion call right now for new eyes in chemistry and material science, and we all have a role to play in it. You don’t need to be in a lab pouring beakers and flasks to make a difference.”
Warner, who co-authored Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice in 2000 and launched the first doctoral program in green chemistry at UMass Boston, said RIT’s academic, research, and industry-facing ecosystem is uniquely positioned to help lead the charge. In recent years, the university is one of many to sign the international Green Chemistry Commitment, which provides a structured framework for colleges and universities to integrate the principles of green chemistry into their curricula, teaching, and research programs.
The workshop will also feature speakers and panelists from leading organizations, including Beyond Benign, GL CHEMTEC, ICL Group, the Lab Safety Institute, and MilliporeSigma. Attendees will participate in breakout sessions focused on case studies, tools, and curricula that demonstrate how green chemistry principles can be implemented across multiple levels of education. New York State educators will also present hands-on activities for participants. Sarah Briggs, program manager for green chemistry and emerging contaminants at NYSP2I, emphasized why bridging the gap between academia and industry is so important.
“Pollution prevention means stopping pollution at the source, before it’s even created. By teaching future chemists how to practice chemistry sustainably and develop chemical products that are safer for human health and the environment, we can create far-reaching positive impacts for future generations. It all starts with education.”
Warner echoed that sentiment, noting that success will depend on cultural as well as technical transformation.
“I believe in grounding this work in perspective and optimism,” Warner said. “We have an opportunity through chemistry and materials science to create technologies that uplift communities, generate jobs, and drive economic growth without harming people or the planet. But it’s not automatic. We need to teach how to do this. There is no sustainable future unless we roll up our sleeves and build it.”
