ConfChem Conference on A Virtual Colloquium to Sustain and Celebrate IYC 2011 Initiatives in Global Chemical Education: Introduction

The spring 2012 online ConfChem conference, a Virtual Colloquium to Sustain and Celebrate IYC 2011 initiatives in Global Chemical Education was held from May 18 to June 28, 2012, during which time material was presented and discussed on 18 different projects and initiatives associated with the United Nations International Year of Chemistry (IYC). This post-IYC 2011 virtual colloquium was a collaborative effort between the IUPAC Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) and the ACS Division of Chemical Education Committee on Computers in Chemical Education (CCCE), with two underlying objectives: first, to celebrate and further disseminate information on IYC 2011 activities and second to provide a discussion platform to share ideas on how to sustain these projects and initiatives beyond 2011. This communication is the first of a series of communications in this edition of ICE on this virtual colloquium, and the authors have uploaded as supporting information to their individual communications both the original ConfChem documents and the associated discussion threads.