CFAs: Heh-Won Chang PhD Fellowship in Green Chemistry

Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry encompasses all aspects and types of chemical processes, including synthesis, catalysis, analysis, monitoring, and separations, and reaction conditions that reduce impacts on human health and the environment relative to the current state of the art.

Focus Areas

• Research being conducted by students applying for the Chang Fellowship must address one of the following focus areas:
  • The use of greener synthetic pathways – This focus area involves designing and implementing novel, greener pathway(s) for the synthesis of a chemical product. Examples include synthetic pathways that:
    • Use feedstocks that are of lower inherent hazard to humans or the environment, and/or that are renewable (e.g., biomass, natural oils).
    • Use novel reagents or catalysts, especially those that use earth-abundant metals, organocatalysts, biocatalysts, and microorganisms. Catalytic systems that contain precious metals (e.g., Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, Ag, Os, Ir, Au) at concentrations greater than 10 ppm are strongly discouraged unless they are heterogeneous and greater than 95% recyclable.
    • Are natural processes, such as fermentation or use biomimetic processes.
    • Are mass and energy efficient and show economy of process (number of steps, separations, purifications, etc.).
  • The use of greener reaction conditions – Greener analytical methods often fall within this focus area. Examples include reaction conditions that:
    • Replace hazardous chemicals (starting materials, reagents, etc.) and solvents with alternatives that have a lower impact on human health and the environment.
    • Use solvent less reaction conditions and solid-state reactions.
    • Use novel processing methods that prevent pollution at its source.
    • Eliminate energy- or material-intensive separation and purification steps.
    • Improve energy efficiency, including reactions running closer to ambient conditions (temperature and pressure).
  • The design of greener chemicals – This focus area involves designing and implementing chemical products that are less hazardous than the products or technologies they replace. Examples include chemical products that are:
    • Less hazardous (environmental, health and safety) than current products.
    • Inherently safer with regard to accident potential.
    • Recyclable or biodegradable after use.
    • Safer for the environment (e.g., do not deplete ozone or form smog).

Funding Information

• Heh-Won Chang, Ph.D. Fellowship awardees receive a one-time (non-renewable) payment of $5,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Full-time graduate students (U.S. or international) are eligible to apply for this award.
• Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of their research to green chemistry and or engineering and have at least one full year of study remaining in their graduate program from the time of the expected award. (For example, students applying for the 2025 Fellowship should intend to continue research at least through the end of the 2025-26 academic year.)

For more information, visit ACS.