Can Chemistry Be a Central Science without Systems Thinking?

Abstract

What is the history and justification of the claim that chemistry is “the central science”? Are our students able to see and appreciate such centrality of the knowledge of chemistry in the curriculum as well as in its broader interconnections with other fields of study and with societal issues? In this editorial for the special issue Reimagining Chemistry Education: Systems Thinking, and Green and Sustainable Chemistry, we, as guest editors, highlight the case made in the collective contributions to the special issue that systems thinking, including green and sustainable chemistry, shows promise as an approach to help chemistry students zoom out from detailed and fragmented disciplinary content to obtain a more holistic view of chemistry and its integral connection to earth and societal systems. Indeed, we ask the following question: How can we as a community of chemists and chemistry educators live up to the claim of being practitioners of the central science if we do not equip our students to engage in systems thinking? We further invite the community to make use of and build upon the contributions in this special issue and participate in a paradigm change in chemistry education that will help prepare our students to be citizens and scientists who are better equipped to deal with the grand challenges in the world.