Green Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2008 - Directs the President to establish a Green Chemistry Research and Development Program to promote and coordinate federal research, development, education, and technology transfer activities related to green chemistry. Defines "green chemistry" as chemistry and chemical engineering to design chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances while producing high quality products through safe and efficient manufacturing processes.
Requires the President to establish an Interagency Working Group to oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the Program.
Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to provide for the Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology to enhance productivity and technological performance in U.S. manufacturing through the enabling of supply chain manufacturers to continuously make improvements with the aim of reducing or eliminating the use or generation of hazardous substances.
Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out a program to award grants to institutions of higher education to support their efforts to revise their undergraduate curriculum in chemistry and chemical engineering to incorporate green chemistry concepts and strategies.
Requires such Director to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to conduct a study of, and report on, the factors that constitute barriers to the successful commercial application of promising results from green chemistry research and development.
Directs the agencies participating in the Program to carry out a joint, coordinated program to award grants to institutions of higher education to establish partnerships with companies in the chemical industry to retrain chemists and chemical engineers in the use of green chemistry concepts and strategies.