ACS-CES Award for Incorporation of Sustainability Into Chemical Education Award Symposium

Preparing students to apply chemical principles to real-world sustainability challenges is essential for developing a diverse, future-ready scientific workforce. At Clark Atlanta University (CAU), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Metro Atlanta, we have been working to integrate sustainable chemistry and materials research into student education, laboratory research, and community outreach. Our goal is to help students connect core chemical concepts with societal and environmental challenges, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and responsible innovation in energy, advanced materials, and environmental stewardship.

New interdisciplinary course modules have been introduced in both major and non-major chemistry courses, bridging materials science, energy, and sustainability. Green chemistry-focused modules have also been incorporated into General Chemistry (~70 students per semester), where stoichiometry, thermodynamics, and kinetics are applied to real-world case studies in renewable feedstocks, carbon management, polymer upcycling, and clean energy systems. Technology-enhanced learning tools turn foundational concepts into problem-based experiences that connect directly to global challenges and career opportunities.

Beyond the classroom, laboratory capacity and research opportunities in sustainable chemistry have expanded. Undergraduate and graduate students engage in projects on advanced nanomaterials synthesis and characterization, electrochemistry, and CO₂/biomass utilization. Summer research and outreach programs extend these experiences to local K–12 learners. Through partnerships with Science ATL and participation in the Atlanta Science Festival, tens of thousands of community members have been exposed to sustainability-focused STEM learning.

Leveraging CAU’s current programs, sustainability, green chemistry, and materials science concepts have been integrated across multiple core courses, reinforcing renewable feedstocks, catalysis, and sustainable energy solutions. This work bridges materials research with sustainable chemistry education, broadens participation of underrepresented students, and establishes a scalable model for aligning chemistry education with workforce needs in energy, advanced materials, and circular manufacturing.

Addressing sustainability in chemistry education requires more than enthusiasm—it demands evidence-based and need-driven design, delivery, and systems thinking. This talk highlights our five-year, data-driven initiative to advance energy literacy in Nebraska by embedding sustainability at the core of chemistry instruction. An initial, IRB-approved statewide study explored the energy literacy infrastructure across Nebraska high schools. The study identified critical gaps in instructions of energy-focused K-12 chemical education. More than half of teachers reported feeling unprepared to teach sustainable energy concepts, citing gaps in resources, training, and financial/travel barriers. These findings motivated a data- and need-driven approach in designing virtual outreach programs for K-12 students and teachers. Through hands-on exploration of STEM concepts driving sustainable energy technologies, teachers and students engaged in chemistry learning through the lens of Sustainable Development Goals. This work has significantly increased teacher confidence and awareness, empowered educators to integrate sustainability into their core curricula, and established a scalable model for chemistry-centered sustainability education that overcomes geographical barrier.

Education inequality is a challenging issue worldwide that creates opportunity gaps, especially in science and international studies. To narrow these gaps, green chemistry and virtual exchange pedagogies were implemented to connect high school chemistry classes in different countries through a collaborative teaching and learning model. Students at each school carried out the same green chemistry experiment and met online under the supervision of their teachers to discuss the experiment and exchange cultural perspectives, fostering both scientific understanding and global awareness. The safe and low-cost nature of the activities enabled all students to participate in hands-on laboratory work without compromising teaching and learning quality, while also providing meaningful international engagement without financial burden. This project aligns with three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Partnerships for the Goals. The project was piloted for three years between two high school chemistry classes in Thailand and the USA. The next plan is to expand this teaching model to more countries by providing online resources, guidelines, and examples of safe, low-cost green chemistry experiments integrated with intercultural communication activities. This is a small but ambitious step to promote global STEM education equality.

This study explored the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using underutilized fruit waste—specifically peels and pulps from Annona squamosa, Musa acuminata, Sandoricum koetjape, Mangifera altissima, and Ananas comosus—to promote waste reduction, resource efficiency, and sustainable nanotechnology. The synthesized AgNPs were evaluated for their antioxidant and antibacterial potential as eco-friendly alternatives to conventionally produced nanoparticles.
Aqueous extracts of the fruit wastes were subjected to phytochemical screening and used as reducing and capping agents for AgNP synthesis. The formation of AgNPs was monitored using UV–Vis spectroscopy, while particle morphology, size, and elemental composition were characterized through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Functional groups were identified using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), antioxidant activity was assessed via the DPPH assay, and antibacterial activity was evaluated using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method.
Phytochemical analysis revealed abundant secondary metabolites, including phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, and anthraquinones, particularly in S. koetjape and M. altissima. Stable AgNPs were successfully synthesized at room temperature using a 1:2 ratio of 10 mM AgNO3 to fruit extract, with visible color changes occurring within 45 minutes. UV–Vis spectra showed surface plasmon resonance peaks between 350 and 450 nm, confirming nanoparticle formation. SEM analysis revealed predominantly spherical AgNPs (10–60 nm), along with rod-like, flower-like, and jelly-like structures, while EDS confirmed elemental silver.
Although the synthesized AgNPs exhibited lower antioxidant activity than their corresponding extracts, they demonstrated significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, with source-dependent effectiveness. Additionally, an inquiry-based laboratory activity was developed for high school students, increasing their awareness of green chemistry, nanotechnology, and sustainability concepts.
Overall, this study demonstrates a sustainable, water-based, and energy-efficient approach to AgNP synthesis that aligns with green chemistry principles and supports fruit waste valorization within circular economy frameworks.