Bradley Recognized as Leader in Advancing Green Chemistry and Sustainability

Bradley University receives formal recognition for its green chemistry work with Beyond Benign, a nonprofit organization dedicated to green chemistry education.

Since being invited to join Beyond Benign's Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) program in 2019 by co-founder John Warner, Bradley's chemistry and biochemistry department has been involved in groundbreaking research regarding sustainable chemistry.

"Beyond Benign's initiative dovetailed nicely with Bradley's ongoing efforts to improve our curriculum, so we signed on," said Michelle Fry, chair of Bradley's Mund-Lagowski Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Through the GCC program, Bradley joins more than 89 global academic institutions to advance the practice of green chemistry in higher education. The U.S. Department of Labor published a 2021 study stating chemist green jobs are projected to grow 5% between 2019-2029. This growth is attributed to a number of reasons including progress that enables chemists to develop safer, less hazardous chemical products and materials, and because green chemistry reduces or eliminates hazards and negative environmental impacts.

Being a part of the GCC program means sharing advancements made in the classrooms and laboratories regarding green chemistry. On an annual basis, Bradley reports its findings to Beyond Benign.

In a congratulatory recognition note to Bradley, Beyond Benign Executive Director Amy Cannon praised Bradley for committing to the GCC program. "Bradley University’s chemistry and biochemistry department is better preparing students for jobs of today and tomorrow," said Cannon."It is by sharing these examples and best practices that the community collectively learns and inspires additional institutions to act."