Chemistry is considered a central science because its molecular basis includes and connects with other sciences.  It is also used to connect science to activities of both the ecosystem and human system. The scientific concepts in chemistry can engage students in non-majors chemistry courses if they are embedded in a more holistic exploration of real world issues such as sustainability related to climate change.  Climate change's impact on sustainability in the Circumpolar North involves issues related to resource development and current environmental policy.  Introducing sustainability modules in General Chemistry, Organic and Biochemistry courses would add an educational dimension that extends outward from the individual perspective to that of the global system.    In the Allied Health sequence, stewardship, sustainability, and local culture are not typically included in the curriculum so that chemistry and health concepts are not connected to population or global issues.  By adding sustainability and climate change, a broader connection can be created for student literacy.  For example, we added a carbon biogeochemical cycle module and an herbal medicine module to illustrate the potential impacts of climate change on both individual and community health in Alaska. This approach attempts to integrate the issues of food, water and energy security as a means to engage the students in thinking about planetary stewardship. Funded in part by the National Science Foundation 0829300

Sustainability in the chemistry curriculum: Broadening the boundaries using climate change

248th National Meeting (2014)

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