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Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, and U.S. Representative Vic Snyder today announced a $149,640 National Science Foundation grant for Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.
The members of the delegation said grant funds will be used by the Hendrix Chemistry Department to support entry-level green laboratory course work by students and prospective scientists. Within this context, students are challenged to discuss and explore environmental consequences during the chemical design process.
The project, entitled "Educating Green Citizens and Scientists for a Sustainable Future," will primarily focus on metals in the environment. These ions are relatively simple to understand and they have a broad environmental impact. For example, mercury and lead are extremely toxic in homes and parks; whereas, calcium and sodium are commonly found in healthy lakes and streams.
An Assessment Specialist will closely monitor the effectiveness of the project as it is implemented. The data will later be used for publication and dissemination via talks and websites throughout the chemical education community.
"This grant will build upon the unique green curriculum at Hendrix College and has the potential to influence and inform chemistry courses nationwide. When students and scientists consider the environmental consequences of their actions, they make wiser choices that not only reduce hazardous waste, but most importantly, result in a cleaner, healthier environment for generations to come," said Pryor.
"Hendrix College is a source of pride for Arkansas as a premiere institution of higher learning, and I applaud the Chemistry Department's use of these federal funds to advance its students' understanding of environmentally safe and efficient practices," Lincoln said.
“I’m pleased to see that the National Science Foundation has awarded this grant to Hendrix College. It will not only benefit Hendrix students, but will also benefit our communities and our state," said Congressman Vic Snyder. |
