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Communication, Education & Public Understanding of Green & Sustainable Chemistry - CHE00004M

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  • Department: Chemistry
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

Transferable skills are a range of practices which are valuable to the modern chemist but are not necessarily chemistry-based. Such skills include communication (e.g. for oral/poster presentations), research methods and decolonisation of research, writing for publication, IT skills and interacting with a non-technical or inexperienced scientific audience. This module will enable you to develop these important personal skills

Related modules

Pre-requisites: Chemistry / Chemical Sciences / other appropriate discipline undergraduate degree

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

Transferable skills are a range of practices which are valuable to the modern chemist but are not necessarily chemistry-based. Such skills include communication (e.g. for oral/poster presentations), research methods and decolonisation of research, writing for publication, IT skills and interacting with a non-technical or inexperienced scientific audience. This module will enable you to develop these important personal skills.

Module learning outcomes

  • Apply advanced computational tools and techniques to design visually appealing and informative documents and presentations to communicate green chemistry concepts and phenomena.

  • Comprehensively outline the literature surrounding a particular research area and identify opportunities for new work through articulating associated aims and objectives for a research project through the delivery of an oral presentation.

  • Critically evaluate the green chemistry and associated chemistry education literature to inform the design of and delivery of a poster on a topical research subject.

  • Utilise a holistic whole systems thinking approach to curate an educational activity that effectively communicates the social, economic and environmental implications of a green process.

  • Evaluate the risk associated with delivering a practical green chemistry-based educational activity and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies to reduce the risk.

The specific module learning outcomes map onto the following Programme Learning Outcomes

PLO 1: Apply whole systems thinking and inter/trans-disciplinary approaches to the creative problem solving of complex global grand challenges using holistic green chemistry and sustainable industrial technology related interventions in concert with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)

PLO3: Effectively communicate detailed, complex, green and sustainable chemistry research concepts to both experts and non-experts through the application of a variety of key transferable skills such as IT, scientific writing, oral presentations, posters, team-working,etc

Module content

Topics in this module:

  • Communication and Education

  • Literature Seminar presentation and poster

  • Advanced IT Skills, CV and Interview Techniques

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 30
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 40
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 30

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 30
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 40
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 30

Module feedback

Students are given written feedback after each assessment

Indicative reading

General Background

Green Chemistry: An Introductory Text
M. Lancaster, Royal Society of Chemistry, Edition 3 2016, Print ISBN 978-1-78262-294-9, ePub eISBN 978-1-83916-294-7

Handbook of Green Chemistry, Green Processes, Designing Safer Chemicals
P. Anastas and P. Trevorrow, 2013, ISBN 3527326391

Green Chemistry Metrics: Measuring and Monitoring Sustainable Processes
A. Lapkin and D. Constable, 2008, ISBN 9781405159685

Sustainable Solvents: Perspectives from Research, Business and International Policy (Green Chemistry Series)
J. H. Clark, A. Hunt, C. Topi, G. Paggiola and J. Sherwood, 2017, ISBN 1782623353

Sustainable Catalysis (Green Chemistry Series)
M. North, J.H. Clark, 2015, ISBN 1782620583

Alternative Energy Sources for Green Chemistry (Green Chemistry Series)
G. Stefanifis, A. Stankiewicz, J.H. Clark, A. de la Hoz, J. Fan, R. Mato Chain, J. Santamaria, 2016 ISBN 1782621407

Green Chemistry for Surface Coatings, Inks and Adhesives: Sustainable applications (Green Chemistry Series)
R. Höfer, A.S. Matharu, Z. Zhang. 2019, ISBN 9781782629948


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.