School of Chemistry awarded Royal Society of Chemistry Sustainable Laboratories Grant

26 Apr 2024

Congratulations to Dr Gillian Collins on being awarded a Sustainable Laboratories Grant from the Royal Society of Chemistry for her project From Atom Economy to Atom Circularity. 

Dr Collins explains the motivation beyond the project: Chemistry underpins many aspects of sustainability, providing the knowledge and tools needed to address environmental challenges and create a more sustainable future. Chemists have an in-depth understanding on the importance of using environmentally benign reagents and green chemistry principles but a holistic, systems thinking approach in considering the life circle of materials beyond the laboratory is also needed. 

This project will help researchers develop competencies, skills and attitudes that promote ways to think, plan and act with responsibility in laboratory research. This award will also support a postgraduate student on our new Masters by Research (MRes) in Sustainable Materials & the Environment. 

Prof Anita Maguire, Head of School of Chemistry at UCC congratulated Dr Gillian Collins on this Sustainable Laboratories Grant from the Royal Society of Chemistry. ‘This initiative aligns very well with the focus on sustainable research in the School and more broadly in UCC. It is particularly rewarding that Gillian’s award is one of just two awards to chemists in Ireland through this programme.’