About the 2014 Workshop

The second annual Green Chemistry Workshop organized by the Green Chemistry Initiative at the University of Toronto aims to teach participants practical information they can use to incorporate green chemistry into their own research and future careers. This workshop was designed by graduate students for graduate students (though all are welcome to attend!) and represents a summary of what we ourselves felt we needed to learn to move to the next level in our understanding of the principles and practice of green chemistry. Speakers from both academia and industry will discuss a wide variety of topics, from mechanistic toxicology to green process chemistry at an industrial scale.

Highlights of last year's workshop include:

  • An introduction to toxicology and the environmental fate of common chemicals
  • Discipline-specific presentations by leaders in the field about how green chemistry can be successfully applied to chemical research
  • Presentations by major corporations (Merck, Dow, and GSK) who are having a big impact on green chemistry and sustainability
  • A poster session and networking event
  • A case study on how to start your own green chemistry group
  • An optional crash course in green chemistry fundamentals is offered on Wednesday, May 21st for those who would like a refresher on the basics.

For more information on the event schedule and other details, see the official Workshop Schedule.

Scheduled Speakers
We are delighted and honoured to welcome the following speakers to the workshop:

  • Dr. Andrew Dicks - Senior Lecturer in Green Organic Chemistry, The University of Toronto
  • Dr. Rui Resendes - Executive Director, GreenCentre Canada
  • Prof. Keith Solomon - Professor Emeritus and Director of the Centre for Toxicology, The University of Guelph
  • Prof. Scott Mabury - Professor of Environmental Chemistry, The University of Toronto
  • Dr. Pamela Spencer - Associate Director of Toxicology & Environmental Research & Consulting, The Dow Chemical Company
  • Dr. Cameron Cowden - Executive Director of Process Research, Merck & Co., Inc.
  • Lyndsey Darling - Communications Manager, GreenCentre Canada
  • Prof. James Hutchison - Professor of Organic, Organometallic & Materials Chemistry, The University of Oregon
  • Prof. Robert Morris - Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, The University of Toronto
  • Prof. Wei Zhang - Professor and Director of the Center for Green Chemistry, The University of Massachusetts, Boston
  • Dr. Leanna Shuster - Chemist in the Green Chemistry Performance Unit, GlaxoSmithKline
  • Dr. Tom Harner - Environment Canada