Green chemistry pioneer to speak at PSU

  Wednesday, September 17, 2014 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Richard A. Gross, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biology at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), an internationally known scientist and pioneer in the field of “green” chemistry will speak on “Green Polymer Chemistry and Biocatalysis” in a public lecture at 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, at Pittsburg State University 102 Yates Hall.

Petar Dvornic, chair of PSU’s Department of Chemistry, said Gross will also deliver a lecture for PSU chemistry faculty and scientists on Thursday, as part of a two-day visit to the campus.

“We are very fortunate to have a researcher of this status visit the university,” Dvornic said. “Usually scientists must attend international conferences in order to hear from researchers such as Dr. Gross.”

Gross’ lecture will be of interest to chemists both in academia and in industry, but also to other academics and general public, Dvornic said.

Gross is an expert on the use of environmentally safe natural catalysts (biocatalysis) to synthesize commercially important polymers and biomaterials for industrial and commercial applications, and in 2003 he was the winner of a prestigious NSF-EPA Presidential Award in Green Chemistry. 

Many of the polymers, surfactants, and peptides currently found in household and commercial products like plastics, detergents, and adhesives are synthetically produced from non-sustainable petroleum-derived materials. By developing bio-derived catalysts, Gross hopes future products will be more energy efficient, non-toxic, safe to manufacture, and biodegradable.

In a 2013 interview, Gross explained the positive potential of biocatalysis.

“It’s all about sustainability,” Gross said. “The next generation of chemistry, ‘green chemistry,’ will harness nature’s catalysts to build and modify molecules under safe and mild conditions. We take nature’s ability and redirect it toward the needs of people.”

Gross’ visit to PSU is the first in the Distinguished Polymer Lecturer Series which begins this fall as a part of PSU’s Polymer Chemistry Initiative and coincides with the launch of its first bachelor’s degree program in polymer chemistry.

Dvornic said he expects the Distinguished Polymer Lecturer Series to bring a number of prominent scientists to PSU and the area in the months and years ahead.