Re-Inventing Green Chemistry: Alternative Histories in the Creation of Alternative Futures

Time: 3:30 to 5:00pm

Location: Hagerty Library L-33, Drexel University

What role does history play in the creation of more sustainable sciences? Dr. Jody Roberts examines the ways in which history, as we tell it, directs our actions in the present and shapes our possible futures. Roberts demonstrates the connection between imagining possible (sustainable) futures and the ways in which we speak of our histories. Focusing on the specific case of green chemistry, Dr. Roberts examines the ways in which historical narratives are embedded in their identity, and outlines possible alternative narratives that might alter the science and politics involved in the creation of a more sustainable chemistry.