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One-world chemistry and systems thinking

Nature Chemistry volume 8, pages 393–398 (2016)Cite this article

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The practice and overarching mission of chemistry need a major overhaul in order to be fit for purpose in the twenty-first century and beyond. The concept of 'one-world' chemistry takes a systems approach that brings together many factors, including ethics and sustainability, that are critical to the future role of chemistry.

Chemistry has achieved outstanding success over the past two centuries in terms of advancing fundamental knowledge as well as its impact on applications relating to human health, wealth and well-being1. However, a number of observations suggest that chemistry is facing an existential crisis of sorts, including reflections from the fields of education2, industry3, the environment4 and the public arena5. If this is the case, there are a number of likely contributory factors, including (1) the discipline has not been effective in reinventing itself or projecting its contemporary advances on prominent external platforms, (2) it is intrinsically an incremental science and has acquired the image of being a jaded and slow-paced discipline in an era of 'big bang' or 'instant' science, (3) it has witnessed encroachment on its own core space by other disciplines (for example, nanoscience, molecular biology and Earth sciences) and (4) there has been a lack of communication and public engagement, lack of sensitivity to societal issues, and an absence of credible and influential voices to articulate chemistry's importance and contributions.

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Acknowledgements

This Commentary is the result of an initiative of the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD) under its programme to promote the future of the chemical sciences. The collaborative work of the authors, who are all affiliated with IOCD, was assisted by the organization's support for a workshop held at IOCD's administrative location in Namur, Belgium in September 2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stephen A. Matlin is Head of Strategic Development for the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD) and Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK,

    Stephen A. Matlin

  2. Goverdhan Mehta is a member of the Board of IOCD and National Research Professor and Lilly-Jubilant Chair in the School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad 500046, India,

    Goverdhan Mehta

  3. Henning Hopf is a member of the IOCD Chemistry Education Working Group and Professor in the Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig D-38106 Germany,

    Henning Hopf

  4. Alain Krief is Executive Director of IOCD and Emeritus Professor in the Chemistry Department, Namur University, B-5000 Namur, Belgium,

    Alain Krief

Authors
  1. Stephen A. Matlin
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  2. Goverdhan Mehta
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  3. Henning Hopf
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  4. Alain Krief
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Correspondence to Stephen A. Matlin.

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Matlin, S., Mehta, G., Hopf, H. et al. One-world chemistry and systems thinking. Nature Chem 8, 393–398 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2498

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