From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry Sensitization for Youth Involvement in National Development: An Urgent Need for Paradigm Shift
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2022 11:50:49 -0600
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: 7E986034-9C43-4D3E-8BEB-6C978BF0C0BB**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


I found the article below from the ACS's Senior Chemist's Committee newseletter very interesting, although the authors' use of 'Sensitization' is not what I expected from the American perspective.

The rest of the newsletter can be seen at
https://app.connect.discoveracs.org/e/es?s=341921710&e=629169&elqTrackId=efd74c1a1b7a40299e524d6e5aa03bea&elq=37f351476bfb4175b5d808425facdbfd&elqaid=5727&elqat=1

- Ralph


Chemistry Sensitization for Youth Involvement in National Development: An Urgent Need for Paradigm Shift
by Joshua Ayoola Obaleye (SCC member) and Olubunmi Atolani
Department of Chemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Correspondence Email: jobaleye**At_Symbol_Here**yahoo.com; jobaleye**At_Symbol_Here**unilorin.edu.ng +2348033582048

From the kitchen to the living room; from the classroom to the town; from the laboratory to the warzone, chemistry holds an important position. We currently live in an emerging modern and complex world riddled with humanitarian crises caused by people, which are often complicated because of the application of the knowledge of chemistry. Chemistry has a tremendous direct and indirect impact on everyone. Our life, social and economic lifestyle and interaction with others, and the environment, are seriously influenced by the chemicals and knowledge of chemistry we have attained as human beings.

While the application of knowledge by young chemists for national development cannot be overemphasized, the intensity of the downside of chemistry, which includes chemical warfare, heightened terrorism, threats, global warming, and attacks, are all instances of the utilization of knowledge of chemistry for bad reasons. Undoubtedly, young chemists are the future drivers of both breakthroughs and crises in the field. The youth are energetic, dynamic, and spirited. They try to surpass previous attainments in the pursuit of global recognition.

The empowerment of the next generation of youth, particularly the future chemists and potential policy makers, has become an imperative that should not be ignored. The population size of young people within the 10 ' 40 years age bracket has projected the class as an indispensable group of attainment in all spheres. Since most of the global population falls within this age group, the positive influence of the young will obviously help mitigate umpteen global challenges.

A natural or self-induced paradigm shift is indeed indispensable. The immediate utilization of young chemists of today will be considerable in saving and securing national developmental goals. Therefore, there must be an aggressive re-orientation, development and deployment of the youth, particularly emerging chemists, to mitigate the emerging menace of global insecurity, and crises.

Indeed, young and emerging chemists should not and must not be waved aside but should be encouraged because of their enormous passion and untapped strength. The time to offer the best attention to young chemists is now. Hands-on engagement of the youth is necessary for the paradigm shift. In addition to this, new policies in favour of young chemists should be put in place. This will inspire young chemists to see themselves as potential solution providers for current global crises. Experiments and research must be made interesting and educative such that these future chemists see themselves as belonging to the distinguished scientific community. Therefore, there must be the continuous education and empowerment of the upcoming generation to make a positive and productive use of their skills and talent.

The enlightenment and education of all stakeholders and particularly the young, is a powerful empowerment option that would rapidly foster the development and the expected paradigm shift.

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