Chemistry plays a pivotal role in determining the quality of modern life. The chemicals industry and other related industries supply us with a huge variety of essential products, from plastics to pharmaceuticals. However, these industries have the potential to seriously damage our environment. This is being addressed by academics and those working in industry to minimise the impact of these processes on our planet. There is a growing demand from society for a reduced reliance on fossil fuels, and for greener manufacturing processes. There is also a need for future innovations to be built on more sustainable foundations.

These goals can be achieved by the application of green technologies, many of which rely on the application of chemical concepts. Green chemistry serves to promote the design and efficient use of environmentally-benign chemicals and chemical processes. This multi-disciplinary course will introduce key aspects of key sustainable chemical practices, with nine months dedicated to a unique research project in an area of green/sustainable/environmental science.

In addition, the aims of the course align closely with those of the Centre for Environmental Policy, the Energy Futures Lab and the Grantham Institute at Imperial and there are many interactions between them and the students and staff involved in the MRes Green Chemistry course. The course will also feature contributions from the chemical industry, including guest speakers and project supervision. Past presentations have included ones from Syngenta, GSK, SASOL and other potential employers. These invited talks provide an insight into the use of sustainable chemistry and technology in industry.

Graduates of this course can expect to have all the necessary skills and experience to apply green chemical technologies in either commercial or academic laboratories, the research project in particular equipping them admirably for PhD studies. We have also set up a network of alumni from the programme to allow current Green Chemistry students to find out more about potential areas of employment and career paths.