Department launches Green and Sustainable Chemistry Research theme... and celebrates 25 years of the journal Green Chemistry

On 24 June 2024, the Green and Sustainable Chemistry Symposium - a celebration of 25 years of the journal Green Chemistry, co-sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Asynt and the University of York Department of Chemistry, was held at the University of York Department of Chemistry. This conference not only marked the 25th anniversary of the journal Green Chemistry but was a fantastic first major event for York's Green and Sustainable Chemistry Research Theme.

It covered a deliberately broad programme, with contributions from both academia and industry, and topics ranging from valorisation of biomass, and teaching of green chemistry, to electrochemistry, reactor design and Bismuth chemistry - maybe not something people might first expect at this sort of symposium, but when compared with previous mercury chemistry the sustainability advantages were clear.

Professor Helen Sneddon hosted the event, and there were 11 excellent talks (link to programme: Green and Sustainable Chemistry Symposium - a celebration of 25 years of the journal Green Chemistry (rsc.org)), challenging the audience to think about Green chemistry beyond usual preconceptions.  There was active discussion between speakers and attendees - who included both University of York researchers taking advantage of the event on home turf, and academic and industry researchers who had travelled from around the UK.

The poster session, which contained posters from Postdoctoral Research Assistants, PhD students, and 1 Masters student prompted further discussion. Prize winners were Nick Garland and Elsa Brudy Rigollet.  Also notable was a poster from Megan Goss with a detailed analysis of a Chemistry Department's road to net zero prompting discussions about the sustainability of laboratory research - a topic of much recent interest.

The supplier, and co-sponsor Asynt showcased a range of laboratory equipment, including an electrochemical reactor designed by, and featuring in, one of the talks by Charlotte Willians.