Chemistry Education for a Sustainable Future

This research area focuses on connecting chemistry education with global sustainability challenges and responsible scientific innovation. My work examines how chemistry teaching can empower students to become informed and responsible citizens through socio-scientific issues, systems thinking, and sustainability-oriented curricula. The research integrates Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), climate change education, and contemporary environmental chemistry into school science. By linking authentic scientific practices with real-world challenges, this work promotes student agency, ethical awareness, and meaningful engagement with science in society.

Relevant publications

  • Sindiani-Bsoul, A., Rosenfeld, S., Rap, S., & Blonder, R. (2026). A model for evaluating programs to promote pro-environmental attitudes and behavior [10.1039/D5SU00880H]. RSC Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00880H 
  • Rap, S., Sindiani-Bsoul, A., Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Blonder, R. (2025). Student agency in sustainability. In C. H. Middlecamp, M. M. Kirchhoff, P. Mahaffy, & K. Kümmerer (Eds.). Advances in Chemistry Education Series No. 13 Chemistry Education for a Sustainable Future. (1 ed., pp. 237-252). Royal Society of Chemistry. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1039/9781837676576-00235 
  • Rap, S., & Blonder, R. (2025). Technology acceptance when teaching climate change. Journal of Science Education and Technology. 34, 521–530 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-024-10125-9 
  • Rap, S., Geller, S., Katchevich, D., Gbarin, H., & Blonder, R. (2023). Mapping cognitive skills in an innovative chemistry education program designed to empower future citizens to address global challenges. Chemistry Teacher International, 5(2), 143–154. https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2023-0015 
  • Rap, S., Blonder, R., Bodas, M., & Marchak, D. (2025). Can chemistry knowledge influence student behavior? A neuropedagogy-based intervention as good practice to address cognitive and affective learning factors. Chemistry Teacher International, 7(4), 633-646. https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2025-0014 
  • Rap, S., Blonder, R., Sindiani-Bsoul, A., & Rosenfeld, S. (2022). Curriculum development for student agency on sustainability issues: An exploratory study. Frontiers in Education, 7, 871102. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.871102 
  • Blonder, R., & Rosenfeld, S. (2019). Integrating the human element in the Responsible Research and Innovation framework into systems thinking approaches for teachers’ professional development. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(11), 2700–2703. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00387 
  • Laherto, A., Kampschulte, L., de Vocht, M., Blonder, R., Akaygun, S., & Apotheker, J. (2018). Contextualizing the EU’s “Responsible Research and Innovation” policy in science education. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(6), 2287–2300. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/89513 
  • Blonder, R., Rap, S., Zemler, E., & Rosenfeld, S. (2017). Assessing attitudes about responsible research and innovation (RRI): The development and use of a questionnaire. Sisyphus – Journal of Education, 5(3), 122–156. https://doi.org/10.25749/sis.12578 
  • Apotheker, J., Blonder, R., Akaygun, S., Reis, P., Kampschulte, L., & Laherto, A. (2017). Responsible Research and Innovation in secondary school science classrooms: Experiences from the project IRRESISTIBLE. Pure and Applied Chemistry, 89(2), 211–219. https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2016-0817 
  • Blonder, R., Rosenfeld, S., & Zemler, E. (2016). The story of lead: A context for learning about responsible research and innovation (RRI) in the chemistry classroom. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 17(4), 1145–1155. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6RP00177G 
  • Mandler, D., Blonder, R., Yayon, M., Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Hofstein, A. (2014). Developing and implementing inquiry-based, water quality laboratory experiments for high school students to explore real environmental issues using analytical chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 91(4), 492–496. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed200586r 
  • Mandler, D., Mamlok-Naaman, R., Blonder, R., Yayon, M., & Hofstein, A. (2012). High-school chemistry teaching through environmentally oriented curricula. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 13(2), 80-92.  https://doi.org/10.1039/C1RP90071D