Rethinking chemistry – in order to overcome global challenges such as climate change, energy transformation or feeding more and more people worldwide, we need chemistry. But it's not just about making existing procedures and processes better and more sustainable. In many places we have to take completely new paths, throw the traditional overboard and develop something new, or completely rethink it.

For this reason, the GDCh Board decided in 2022 to make Rethinking Chemistry the GDCh motto. Rethinking Chemistry is intended to provide space for new thoughts and ideas on all subject areas to which chemistry can and must make valuable contributions.

Here you will find a collection of all contributions and activities on Rethinking Chemistry. The compilation is continually being expanded. The latest posts can be found above.

Time to rethink (December 2023)

Rethinking chemistry is what the GDCh wants to do in the coming years. But what does this mean in concrete terms? Nachrichten aus der Chemie wanted to know and asked the “presidential think tank”. A discussion with Stefanie Dehnen (President-elect of the GDCh), Karsten Danielmeier (current President), and Peter R. Schreiner (former President).

Rethinking Chemistry – Talking with Presidents of Chemical Societies (December 2023)

At the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry in Leipzig, which was also held under the motto Rethinking Chemistry, Nachrichten aus der Chemie together with the online chemistry magazine Chemistry Views asked representatives of chemical societies what they associate with Rethinking Chemistry. Link to the video (YouTube)

Times of change (September 2023)
Editorial by Dr. Stefan Pirker, Vice President of GÖCH, Head of Circular Economy Innovation, OMV in Nachrichten aus der Chemie

Rethinking Chemistry in Applied Chemistry (August 2023)

Guest editorial by Karsten Danielmeier (GDCh President) and Peter R. Schreiner (Vice President) in Angewandte Chemie on the occasion of the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202311238

Virtual special issue Rethinking Chemistry (August 2023)

Angewandte Chemie has put together a virtual special issue Rethinking Chemistry for the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry from September 4th to 6th, 2023.

One Submission – One Tree (September 2023)

On the occasion of the science forum under the motto Rethinking Chemistry, Angewandte Chemie launched its One Submission – One Tree initiative. From September 1, 2023 until the end of the year, a tree will be planted for every manuscript submitted.

Rethinking the world of work (March 2023)
Editorial by Kai Beckmann, member of the Merck management, CEO of Electronics and President of the Federal Chemical Employers Association (BAVC), in the Nachrichten aus der Chemie

What digitalization means (February 2023)
Editorial by Prof. Dr. Jochen Maas, Executive Director Research and Development, Sanofi-Aventis Germany, in Nachrichten aus der Chemie

Making the transformation transparent (December 2022)
Editorial by Dr. Harald Schwager Deputy Chair of the Executive Board, Evonik Industries, Essen, in Nachrichten aus der Chemie

Combined forces for more sustainability (October 2022)
Contribution from the JCF Sustainability Team of the GDCh to the Junchemiker's sustainability initiatives in the anniversary issue "Sustainability" of CIT PLUS.

Rethinking Chemistry – Rethinking chemistry and seeing the challenges as opportunities (July 2022)
Contribution by GDCh President Karsten Danielmeier about the challenges that humanity and the chemical community have to face, in Chemanger.

Now more than ever (July 2022)
Editorial by Markus Steilemann CEO Covestro, Leverkusen, in Nachrichten aus der Chemie

“Change the entire complex system” (May 2022)
As part of the structural change for the period after brown coal mining, two large research centers are to be built in Saxony. One of the applications on the shortlist comes from chemistry: the concept of chemresilience by Potsdam Max Planck director Peter Seeberger. Interview in Nachrichten aus der Chemie

Shaping the transformation together (March 2022)
Editorial by Dr. Martin Brudermüller, CEO of BASF, Ludwigshafen, in the Nachrichten aus der Chemie