Chemical Education Today edited by
Norbert J. Pienta
International Year of Chemistry: An Educational Opportunity 2011 presents an unprecedented opportunity for chemists. The International Year of Chemistry (IYC), proclaimed by the United Nations in 2008 thanks to the initiative of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, is a global celebration of chemistry's contributions to humanity. Without chemistry, we would not have clean drinking water, life-saving pharmaceuticals, state-of-the-art electronics, or new fuel sources. The goals of IYC (1) are to: • Increase the public appreciation and understanding of chemistry in meeting world needs • Encourage interest in chemistry among young people • Generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry • Celebrate the role of women in chemistry or major historical events in chemistry, including the centenaries of Marie Curie's Nobel Prize and the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies
These IYC goals remind us of the importance of teaching chemistry in context. (It is not just the title of an ACS textbook!) Too often, context is reserved for nonmajors: think how much richer the education of our majors would be if they saw how the concepts they learn in class are being implemented on an industrial scale. The IYC goals also serve as a framework for public outreach; as educators, how do we help our family, friends, and neighbors become aware of the transforming power of chemistry? Meeting World Needs Chemistry plays an important role in meeting global challenges, including developing new energy sources, mitigating climate change, providing safe drinking water, using renewable resources, and reducing toxics in the environment. Helping the public to appreciate chemistry's beneficial role in addressing world needs is challenging because the public perception of chemistry (and chemicals) is often negative. Although most of the students we teach will not become professional chemists, they will become the teachers, legislators, nurses, and doctors who will teach our children, pass new laws, and serve our communities. Consequently, our classrooms are important venues for raising awareness and understanding of chemistry as the science underpinning our very existence. Every general chemistry course includes a section on energy. Why not extend our discussion of enthalpy and entropy to consider energy consumption, energy sources, and renewable energy? Reaction rates can be taught through the lens of stratospheric ozone depletion, which includes the fascinating story of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): why they were used in the first place, the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer, and the development of CFC substitutes. Most students taking organic chemistry are pursuing careers in the health professions, and pharmaceutical synthesis is one
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Department of Chemistry University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242-1294
way to hold their attention while teaching basic organic concepts. There are numerous green chemistry examples in the pharmaceutical industry that demonstrate how chemistry meets world needs by designing life-saving drugs while minimizing environmental impact. Encouraging Interest Chemistry teachers go to great lengths to inspire their students to explore chemistry, and many educators are engaged in outreach activities beyond the classroom: chemistry “magic” shows at Halloween, hands-on activities at elementary schools, and National Chemistry Week programs at local shopping malls are just a few examples. These are exceptional venues for engaging children with chemistry, thereby encouraging further exploration. In addition, many ACS ChemClubs and undergraduate student chapters are actively involved in outreach in their local communities and on their campuses. Science festivals are growing in popularity as large-scale venues for promoting science to the general public. The USA Science and Engineering Festival, held on the National Mall in Washington, DC, attracted more than 500,000 people over the October 23-24, 2010 weekend. The ACS booth was packed throughout the weekend, and it was incredible to see so many parents and children engaging in hands-on science. I told one little boy, dressed in a suit and tie, that he was the bestdressed scientist I had seen all day. His dad informed me that he insisted on donning a suit because “this is how scientists dress”. The USA Science and Engineering Festival gave this young man the chance to do science and interact with scientists, an experience that I hope will nurture his obvious interest in science. Creative Future The cover story of the July 10, 2010 issue of Newsweek (2) noted the alarming drop in U.S. student creativity. While IQ scores have risen over time, creativity quotient scores have declined. This is an unsettling trend, especially when compared with a recent IBM poll of 1500 CEOs who identified creativity as the number one skill for leadership competency. Chemistry is a marvelous way to teach creativity. Chemists are molecular designers, applying their skills and knowledge to create new products and processes. The creative future of chemistry lies in designing inexpensive catalysts that harness sunlight to effectively split water, an essential technology for renewably producing hydrogen gas; inventing processes that convert nonfood crops to fuels and chemicals; and developing new drugs that effectively combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Teaching chemistry as the creative science that it is, rather than as a collection of facts to be memorized, should help our students better appreciate the dynamic nature of our discipline.
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r 2010 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc. pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc Vol. 88 No. 1 January 2011 10.1021/ed101081a Published on Web 11/15/2010
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Journal of Chemical Education
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Chemical Education Today
Women in Science
Mary M. Kirchhoff
Marie Curie is probably the best-known woman in science, and many women have made (and continue to make) significant contributions to chemistry. Helen Free, for example, invented “dip-and-read” home diabetes test strips. Susan Solomon linked the use of CFCs with the Antarctic ozone hole. Ada Yonath's work as a crystallographer helped elucidate the structure of the ribosome, work that earned her the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Both women and men serve as role models to aspiring chemists, and the International Year of Chemistry is a splendid opportunity to share our passion for our discipline with our students, family, and friends. Do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to raise awareness and understanding of chemistry through the global IYC theme of “Chemistry—our life, our future”.
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Journal of Chemical Education
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Vol. 88 No. 1 January 2011
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Literature Cited 1. UNESCO Home Page for the International Year of Chemistry. http://portal.unesco.org/science/en/ev.php-URL_ID=8964&URL_ DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html (accessed Nov 2010). 2. Bronson, P.; Merryman, A. The Creativity Crisis. Newsweek, July 10, 2010; http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis. html (accessed Nov 2010).
Mary M. Kirchhoff is the Green Chemistry Feature Editor of the Journal of Chemical Education and Director of the Education Division, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC 20036;
[email protected].
pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
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r 2010 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
