Chemistry touches all aspects of our lives and at the heart of modern chemical philosophy is green chemistry. It is the innovation to design and realise chemical products and processes for the enhancement of human and environmental wellbeing by minimising the hazard and maximising the efficiency. The world needs the products of chemistry but it also needs sustainable benign processes and products. Green chemistry is the recipe for the future and is driving innovation in academia and industry by taking a fresh look at old, existing and new chemistry. 

In August 2008 Bates College, Lewiston, Maine was the host of the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) in Green Chemistry which brought together scientists from academia and industry to facilitate the exchange of ideas at the cutting edge of sustainable chemistry and to drive innovation for novel solutions to key challenges in the field. 

The conference seamlessly coupled engaging lectures, lengthy discussions and facilitated networking to maximise the flow of ideas. The oral presentations broached many aspects across the spectrum of green chemistry. From bio inspired products to fuel and from nanoparticles to complex molecular targets. Novel reaction media and pathways were at the heart of many talks. Energy was a key issue at the conference, and the focus was not only on the development and discovery of new resources, but also on developing the infrastructure and technology required for new methods of energy generation in a green and sustainable manner. Other key issues included inspiration from nature, re-engineering reaction methodologies, novel reaction pathways and optimising step economy in complex reactions. The design and use of novel catalysts was also widely covered.

The conference was organised by the Gordon Research Conference with support from the Eastman Chemical company, E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company, Invitrogen Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi-Aventis, Unilever, Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies institute ( ONAMI), the Warner Babcock institute for Green Chemistry, The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the American Chemical Society (ACS). 

The conference strengthened contacts within green chemistry for all the attendees and provided valuable opportunities for extensive discussion both on and offline, facilitating a rich exchange of ideas and examination of the most advanced aspects and challenges of the field. Green chemistry is providing the tools and methods to solve the issues facing chemistry today and the GRC in green chemistry brought together scientists from many aspects of industry and academia to provide a platform to build the toolset needed to face the next challenges. Josie Goodall University College London Josie was able to attend the Gordon Research Conference due to the provision of a bursary from Chemistry Innovation. 

Josie Goodall

University College London

Josie was able to attend the Gordon Research Conference due to the provision of a bursary from Chemistry Innovation.