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Q&A with The Green Chemistry Commitment

What would be your advice to educators who are working with colleagues going above and beyond, but are yet to nominate them for an ÃÛÌÒÉçÇø Education prize?

If you have seen someone making a difference, tell the world about it. Many educators and education initiatives quietly go above and beyond, pouring their energy into helping others, shaping curricula, or advancing inclusion and sustainability, often without seeking the spotlight.

The ÃÛÌÒÉçÇø Education Prize is an acknowledgment that this dedication matters, is impacting change across the community, and is inspiring others to continue their efforts.

What inspires or motivates your team?

Our team is inspired by the energy and creativity of educators and students around the world who believe chemistry can be a force for good. Their passion reminds us that change is possible - and that education is one of the most powerful tools for building a sustainable future. (Omar Villanueva)

We are inspired daily by the faculty in our network of GCC schools that are finding innovative ways for bringing green chemistry into their teaching, research and service. We envision a world where the molecular building blocks of products used every day are healthy and safe for humans and the environment. In order to realise this vision, green chemistry must be integrated into our global education systems. It’s the progressional work of educators throughout the globe that inspires us to do the work that we do. (Amy Cannon)

What are the qualities that make your team special?

Passion, perseverance, always reaching for the next level. (Natalie O’Neil)

We lead with purpose and genuine collaboration. Our team has a genuine desire to contribute to the advancement of green chemistry in higher education and the greater chemical enterprise. We recognize the potential that chemistry has to address sustainability challenges at the molecular level. We also recognise that we are a small team and cannot do this work in a silo. It will take a global community to realise the changes that are needed – and, as such, we seek partnerships and collaborations throughout our work. (Omar Villanueva)

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

The world NEEDS you to join the community of chemical inventors. The vast majority of products and materials in the world are currently not sustainable. We need people who are smart, have the right skills and care enough to invent the solutions. (John Warner)

Make connections outside of chemistry; the bonds you make in the laboratory and learn about in the classroom are not going to lead you to a chemistry career. Be bold, reach out to those ahead of you working in the field/path you think you want to be on, and learn from them, but don't be afraid when the day comes that your ideas surpass your mentors/models. You are a unique set of chemicals, and your path might twist. Don't forget to pay it back to the generation behind you, but realise they, too, are not yours to mould; they are yours to watch and behold from the energy they bring to the table! (Natalie O’Neil)

Follow your curiosity and your conscience. Chemistry gives you the tools to understand the world and the power to change it. Use that knowledge to design solutions that protect people and the planet, and remember that your voice and your ideas can shape a more sustainable future for all. (Omar Villanueva)

Juliana Vidal: Contrary to common misconceptions, chemistry is not pollution, drugs, and explosions (or any of the negative stories we often see and hear in the news). It is the science of life, creativity, and transformation, shaping the way our society functions, and continuously improving and saving lives across the globe. My advice for a young person looking for a career in chemistry is to discover the area that excites them the most and let that passion guide their journey. Chemistry offers endless opportunities to challenge the standards, explore the familiar and the unknown, and (re) discover chemicals, processes, and ourselves, further making a positive impact locally and globally, on our present and future.

What were the biggest challenges in this project?

A major challenge was supporting the global growth of the program. This was a good challenge to have as it indicated the interest in the GCC internationally, along with the commitment of so many institutions and leaders worldwide. We still will occasionally see resistance from faculty and administration from larger institutions, but there are several pathways that we have seen these institutions take to gather momentum, including engaging students, who are tremendous change agents. (Natalie O’Neil)

The most exciting challenge we face is matching the extraordinary passion and growth of this worldwide community. The creativity and commitment of educators around the globe continually inspire us to dream bigger, reach further, and build even stronger pathways for lasting change. (Omar Villanueva)

Changing the way we teach and practice chemistry is not easy. It requires resources, support and expertise that many institutions lack. Each institution implements green chemistry in their own unique way, pulling from the resources and expertise that they have access to. One of the biggest challenges is providing support to the diverse institutions that are part of the GCC. As we try to elevate the various pathways for adopting green chemistry, we are hopeful that others will find inspiration to find their own progressive path towards transformative change. (Amy Cannon)

What different strengths did different people bring to the team?

Dr Amy Cannon, founder of the Commitment programme, was always reaching from the next platform or stage to bring the programme attention, along with Dr. John Warner, who added this to every talk he gave as an action item for listeners to take. As the programme manager for the Commitment, I could tell where they had travelled based on the signing documents submitted following their travels. I served as an international connector to young researchers and professors when I joined the team in 2019. This opened the door to working with graduate and post-graduate students within the programme and brought Juliana Vidal, the powerhouse of connections, to the team shortly after I joined as an intern and as a full-time staff member in 2022. Juliana has taken the programme even more international and fostered communities of practice within her native country of Brazil. (Natalie O’Neil)

We are fortunate to have a talented and diverse group of team members at Beyond Benign, along with an outstanding network of ambassadors and champions of the GCC. Juliana Vidal has brought leadership in green chemistry to the global community through intentional outreach to communities that are actively invested in adopting green chemistry in their work. She has led a network of Green Chemistry Commitment Ambassadors that have been catalysts for bringing green chemistry to their region and to the world. It’s through these champions that the vision for green chemistry education can be demonstrated, inspiring countless others to take action. (Amy Cannon)

Omar Villanueva: This team brings together a remarkable range of strengths—vision, creativity, and a deep commitment to education and sustainability. Each person contributes in unique ways, from strategic thinking and community building to on-the-ground collaboration with educators around the world. What makes this group exceptional is how seamlessly those strengths combine to advance a shared mission: empowering the next generation of scientists to design a more sustainable future.

How can good science education support solving global challenges?

Everything is a chemistry problem. We forget we are a part of the chemical system of the Earth. From my viewpoint, a good science education engages the student in a global mindset, owning that no matter is created or destroyed and therefore our problems are all chemically connected through our elemental choices. (Natalie O’Neil)

Good science education today requires preparing students to tackle complex challenges through interdisciplinary approaches. (Amy Cannon)

As a chemist, I realised only later in my career the extent of my role and responsibility in society, as well as the importance of having the skills to consider human health and the environmental impact from the design stage of a product until its end of life. Becoming a ‘green chemistry late bloomer’ helped me to reflect on how different my path might have looked had I learned earlier in my education how to design safer processes and materials. Quality science education is fundamental to preventing many of the environmental and societal challenges we face today, and yet, it is still more a privilege than a right. Promoting green chemistry education, therefore, goes hand in hand with advancing equitable access to it and ensuring that members of our community, regardless of their background or location, can acquire the knowledge and skills needed to build a more sustainable and just present and future. (Juliana Vidal)

Good science education empowers students to see themselves as problem-solvers and changemakers. When learners understand the connections between chemistry, the environment, and society, they gain the tools and mindset to design solutions that address global challenges like climate change, pollution, and inequality. Education that integrates green chemistry doesn’t just teach content - it cultivates responsibility, creativity, and hope for a better future. (Omar Villanueva)

Why is this work so important and exciting?

There are so many people in sustainability talking about why we need sustainability or what we should do for sustainability. What is exciting and important about what Beyond Benign does, is we focus on growing a community with the skills of how to solve sustainability issues. (John Warner)

Having institutions committed to making changes within their chemistry courses and laboratories is important because they train the next generation of chemists and scientists with the skills needed to create a sustainable future. A culture of science that considers sustainability at the core is essential for solving sustainability challenges such as climate change. (Natalie O’Neil)

This work is exciting because it’s transforming how chemistry is taught and understood. Every time an educator integrates green chemistry or a student realises they can design safer, more sustainable solutions, we see the future of science becoming more hopeful, inclusive, and impactful. (Omar Villanueva)

The Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) is so important because it is about working towards a systemic and long-lasting solution to achieve a sustainable future. The exciting part, for me, is people in it. The GCC community is made up of passionate, dedicated, and energetic individuals who are continuously learning from one another, improving the adoption of green chemistry, and challenging the status quo to develop a generation of knowledgeable scientists who care about protecting human health and the environment, more importantly, possess the required skills to do so. (Juliana Vidal)

Where do you see the biggest impact of this project being?

Within the chemistry departments of Committed institutions that take full advantage of the engagement they can have with Beyond Benign, the leaders from other signing institutions, and with the green chemistry community at large. The faculty, staff and students who engage have the biggest impact on the community as a whole and ripple a wave of green into anyone they educate along their education journey. (Natalie O’Neil)

The Green Chemistry Commitment shows what’s possible when educators unite around a shared vision. It’s not just about teaching sustainability — it’s about transforming educational culture so that every chemistry student, everywhere, learns that they can be a designer of solutions for a better world. (Omar Villanueva)

Green chemistry education is essential to support the growing demand for scientists trained with skills to invent viable, greener technological solutions to address a wide range of sustainability challenges. The global GCC signers are leading the way towards integrating sustainability into the chemistry curriculum, a much needed transition for a sustainable future. The biggest impact is realised through the more than 1.7 million students that are reached annually from the more than 250 institutions that are part of the GCC. These students will be prepared to contribute to a thriving society grounded in sustainability principles. (Amy Cannon)

How do you see this work developing over the next few years, and what is next for this initiative/project?

Throughout my years at Beyond Benign, I have learned that bringing sustainability into chemistry education can take many unique forms, shaped by the diverse cultures, contexts, and capacities of institutions worldwide. In the coming years, I envision the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) deepening collaborations among participating institutions within the same regions, further identifying shared needs, challenges, and opportunities. By working collectively to design regional strategies, the GCC programme can strengthen its support for green chemistry adoption and amplify its impact on students, educators, and the broader community. (Juliana Vidal)

The future of this work is bright. We’re continuing to grow a connected, global community of educators who share knowledge, support one another, and empower their students to take action. Together, we’re building a foundation for lasting, positive change in science education. (Omar Villanueva)

As we look to the future, we will be finding additional ways to foster a collaborative environment comprised of innovative institutions and educators that can amplify each other’s work and inspire change in others. The diversity of approaches for integrating green chemistry into chemistry courses and programs throughout the globe is truly remarkable. By elevating leaders and models across the globe, we can catalyze additional growth throughout chemistry education. We look forward to expanding the global reach of green chemistry education in the years to come. (Amy Cannon)

Why is chemistry important?

Everything is chemistry. All 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals involve chemistry, every job, every aspect of the global economy somewhere, somehow interacts with a physical object. Whether you manufacture a product or create art at a computer terminal, molecular interactions are critical in the conversion of ideas to reality. (John Warner)

To me, chemistry is important because it allows us to study the elemental nature of the world, to understand that we are a part of the system and therefore can impact it directly with our chemical actions. (Natalie O’Neil)

Chemistry is the molecular foundation for the products that we use every day in our society. Not only is chemistry important, it is an essential component to our society and we cannot live with out it. As one of the central sciences, chemistry has a central role in providing necessary solutions to the challenges our global society faces today. And, through chemistry, we can invent and implement more sustainable chemical products that address these challenges at the molecular level. (Amy Cannon)

In my opinion, chemistry is important because of its potential to drive positive transformation and impact. When practiced with commitment and intention - for example, guided by the principles of green chemistry - it becomes a powerful tool for building a safer and equitable future for this and the generations to come. Chemistry challenges us to understand how things currently work and empowers us to reimagine how they could or should be to drive sustainable innovation, address our global challenges, and create lasting change. (Juliana Vidal)

Chemistry helps us understand the world at its most fundamental level - and that understanding allows us to shape a healthier, more sustainable future. It connects everything we touch, see and use. When taught through the lens of green chemistry, it becomes more than a science; it becomes a call to action for all of us to design the materials and systems that sustain life responsibly. (Omar Villanueva)

How can this project benefit the wider education community?

This project served as a model for how sustainability commitments at an institutional level can affect campus curriculum, culture, and connections with the global higher education community. (Natalie O’Neil)

During my time working in the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC), I have seen the programme grow into a catalyst for both local and global transformation, inspiring other faculty and departments within the same - or different - institutions to train the future workforce with a sustainability mindset. With the recent inclusion of green chemistry in the guidelines for ACS-approved and ÃÛÌÒÉçÇø-accredited programs, the GCC can benefit even more the wider education community, since it provides a valuable framework to help institutions align with these standards, while providing community support for those beginning, continuing, or advancing their green chemistry journeys. (Juliana Vidal)

The Green Chemistry Commitment demonstrates the power of shared purpose in education. By uniting institutions around a common vision for sustainable science, it provides a framework that any college or university can adapt to their own context. Beyond curriculum reform, it builds a culture of collaboration, innovation, and care - empowering educators and students everywhere to see chemistry as a driver of positive global change. (Omar Villanueva)

How are the chemical sciences making the world a better place?

Everything is chemistry, and we benefit a lot from the chemical products and systems that support our everyday life. Without chemistry, we'd still be utilising natural resources in their natural form, rather an exploiting them to fit our needs and comfortable lifestyles we take for granted. Life-saving medicine, the computer I type this on, the propane that heats my home on this fall day, all thanks to years of chemistry working to create a better world. (Natalie O’Neil)

Chemistry gives us the ability to imagine and build a more sustainable world. From renewable materials and cleaner energy to safer medicines and water purification, chemistry provides the foundation for nearly every innovation that improves lives. When we align chemistry with principles of sustainability and equity, we turn it into one of the most powerful forces for good on the planet. (Omar Villanueva)

What is the importance of collaboration in the chemical sciences?

To me, collaboration is the only way things happen; electrons have to collaborate for any chemical reaction to occur, and change at any scale is no different. (Natalie O’Neil)

In the chemical sciences, and in life, we can only go so far on our own. In my opinion, collaboration allows us to celebrate the diversity of people, experiences, perspectives, and ideas in our field, and to work together toward goals greater than anyone could achieve alone. I have been fortunate enough to be part of highly collaborative, interdisciplinary teams during my Ph.D. and postdoctoral research, and I continue to experience the same feeling working in the Green Chemistry Commitment program. It is truly inspiring and exciting to see our global community unite to advance the green chemistry field and to play a role in fostering the connections and collective action to make this possible. (Juliana Vidal)

Collaboration is essential to realising change in chemistry education. Not one person, department or institution can do any of this work alone. We all need to take part in the necessary changes that are required to have sustainability be at the core of how we learn and practice chemistry. (Amy Cannon)

Collaboration is at the heart of discovery and progress. The greatest breakthroughs in chemistry—and in education—happen when people from different disciplines, backgrounds, and perspectives come together to share ideas and work toward a shared vision. Through the Green Chemistry Commitment, we’ve seen how collaboration builds not just stronger programs, but stronger communities that are capable of inspiring real, systemic change around the world. (Omar Villanueva)