The ACS Green and Sustainable Chemistry Summer School (GSCSS) is a highly selective week-long program for graduate students and postdoctoral chemists and engineers. Each year, approximately 60 exceptional students from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean are selected from a large pool of applicants and gather for this fully funded once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The American Chemical Society pays for all eligible travel and program costs.
Organized and hosted by the Green Chemistry Institute since 2003, the summer school typically features more than a dozen expert instructors who share knowledge and skills from across a broad spectrum of topics directly relevant to green chemistry and sustainability. Throughout the program, students attend lectures and interactive study/project sessions, present posters about their own research, hold discussions, and spend time networking both with each other and the GSCSS faculty. Alumni of this program have gone on to become leaders in many green chemistry and sustainability-related fields and provide participants with an extensive network of professional contacts.
To apply, login to our online application portal and submit your application for the Summer School. PLEASE NOTE: No one is permitted to participate in the Summer School program more than once. If you have attended in a previous year (virtual or in person), you are not eligible to attend a second time. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST, Friday, January 26, 2024 at which time the application portal will automatically close. Only completed applications (including a letter of nomination) will be considered.
You will need to submit the following in our online application portal:
- A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé. The document should include your current institutional affiliation and contact information. (Maximum 2 pages)
- A transcript of graduate-level coursework (both current and completed). The document does not need to be an official transcript; an unofficial transcript is fine, but please be certain to include course titles.
- A letter of nomination from your faculty or research advisor, another faculty member, or similar person who can attest to your interest, talent, and expertise. This letter must be uploaded separately by the author from their own email address.
- A one-page essay addressing your interest in green and sustainable chemistry. The essay should describe any relevant experience you have, as well as how you will benefit from the program.
Notification of Acceptance
All applicants will be notified of acceptance no later than April 1, 2024. For international students, we realize that the application process for an appropriate travel visa can require long wait times in some countries. Unfortunately, we cannot make special accommodations for students faced with wait times that prevent them from attending the program. We are not able to help expedite the application process in countries outside the U.S. Please see the FAQ section below for additional information relevant to visa applications and expenses. It is our intention to notify students of acceptance as early as possible but cannot guarantee a decision before April 1, 2024.
Statement concerning DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect are core values of the American Chemical Society. All qualified applicants will receive full consideration for acceptance and will not be discriminated against before, during, or after our program based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability status, genetic information or any other protected category.