Leveraging Student Partnerships in Chemistry Education: A Service-Learning, Students-as-Partners Course Teaching Social Context in Undergraduate Chemistry

In response to the imperative of enhancing students’ understanding of the interplay between chemistry and society, a novel service-learning course, “Chemistry and Society: Impact and Legacy,” was introduced at a private Midwest liberal arts college. This course adopted a students-as-partners approach, enabling upper-division chemistry students to collaborate closely with faculty in developing and presenting case studies and problem sets that explored the societal impacts and ethical dimensions of chemists’ practices. The curriculum focused significantly on issues such as racial equity and environmental justice. The course integrated assigned readings, guest lectures, and group projects, aiming to enrich students’ understanding of chemistry’s role in society and enhance their civic engagement. Feedback from students suggests that the course heightened their awareness of social issues in chemistry, increased their sense of connectedness to the campus community, and affirmed the value of integrating these discussions into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum in the setting of a liberal arts institution.