Systems Thinking and Green Chemistry: Powerful Levers for Curricular Change and Adoption

Curricular change within the chemistry curriculum is often difficult and slow, in part because there are numerous specific barriers to implementation. However, a larger issue is that the curriculum, and the institutions that it is connected with, are complex systems. In the implementation of a new green chemistry curriculum for the organic teaching laboratory, we employed a systems-thinking approach to develop and disseminate the new curriculum. We identified five key leverage points where targeted efforts could yield significant gains in the design and implementation of the curriculum. Two key strategies that emerged from these efforts were the importance of expanding system boundaries to garner support for our efforts and building capacity of faculty to participate in curricular change. The systems approach contributed significantly to the successful introduction of green organic chemistry into the curriculum. Systems-based strategies are likely to catalyze future curricular-change efforts throughout the curriculum.