I feel bad! Normally in a semester I have multiple choice with some short answer (mechanisms or scenario). Student would average C+/B- on MC and a C on SA. This semester I have maybe 10 students who crush the writing part and everyone else is doing poorly. Hence workshopping some solutions!
Has anyone in #chemsky ever tried a 'choose-your-own-adventure' style assessment? I have an interesting group of organic chemistry I students this semester and am contemplating a 'unique' exam. Advice or feedback is appreciated!
Tell me five classes you took in college.
– Sociology of Deviant Behavior
– Philosophy of Science
– Criminalistics
– Searching the Scientific Literature
– Advanced Organic Chemistry
Just in time for the holidays: our work on imine-containing NDTs is now out at JOC! In your best Stefon voice "This work has everything: crystals, NMR, computation, and a touch of photophysics!" pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Zach needs some help from #chemsky on Fig 3. Basically I want to convey the dominant conformer in solution is conf-1, and that conf-2 is a poor fit with our experimental NMR. I admit the figure is cluttered, but I want to crowdsource other ways to convey the this finding.
New work from the lab is up on ChemRxiv! There are a few more manuscripts coming down the pipe that branch off of this work on intramolecular N···S interactions; great job gang! chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
After a few months I am reviewing some comments on a declined proposal and...I still am frustrated that a reviewer suggested I work with another faculty (by name!) because they are an expert and I am not. I don't mind the suggestion of finding a collaborator, naming someone specific is ridiculous.
This might be a big ask, but if you have someone graduating soon who wants to teach biochemistry (and presumably a section of general chemistry) in small town PA in 2025-2026, I know a place (technically places since the merger).
pennwest.peopleadmin.com/postings/1021
The chat robots were the most interesting. Gave me 3 different amounts for autopay (none were correct), told me to unenroll and then re-enroll, suggested I never made a payment, then suggested I simply 'pay them' to avoid this issue.
In short: it has been an eventful morning.
Taking a break from gardening to...discuss with a student loan provider how their website keeps malfunctioning.
After 2 chat robots and three calls to their help line I have a person who said 'wow okay well that is strange let me look into this'.
I enjoy many types of music, but when I’m listening to Jim Croce radio I shouldn’t have to hear Jelly Roll. Just doesn’t have the right office vibe.
I am with you on those days of strict MPs being gone; but I have had reviewers lately ask for Rfs so...it just feels like the gang should be safe and grab all the miscellaneous data while the compounds are still floating around the lab.
Has anyone in #chemsky had luck with buying an automated melting point apparatus? I keep thinking about getting one, and then back off at the price tag. If you have recommendations, or hate them, let me know!
Final grades are posted and the emails are pouring in. It is my least/favorite time of year: bouncing back and forth responding to emails either about how I am terrible/good at my job. Truly, a whirlwind of emotions over here (the dog is sleeping next to me absolutely unfazed).
In a bizarre turn of events, I learned that I now need to include 'no vaping in class, not even during a stressful exam' in my syllabus for next semester.
First preprint from the group is up on ChemRxiv! Great job by Emmanuel and the team looking into the properties of isomeric bent naphthodithiophenes with variable end-caps. rb.gy/05kn2w
Approximately 14 peach-colored roses grown in Zach's garden. Nearby there are several weeds he hasn't taken care of yet (due to laziness).
Best bloom I've gotten since we planted this bush a few years ago! Ignore the weeds to the right. If you have advice on getting rid of those prickly scoundrels let me know!
It was very strange to see all the RSC templates didn't have a {scheme} float set up! Glad to help out folks in #chemsky
Resolved! It turns out \usepackage[journal=rsc]{chemscheme} fixed it! #chemsky
Does anyone in #chemsky know how to get schemes into the RSC overleaf template? Any advice or examples are much appreciated!
Having high school students email me about research and stating 'I will be attending ____ prestigious university, but I'll take any project you will give me to boost my resume for this summer and in return I will contribute to your team with my skills' is a strange pitch.
Listening to someone smash apart your shower is an odd feeling. Indeed I want a new shower, but the tear down process sounds awful (old porcelain tiles falling into a metal tub).
New parenting skill unlocked: giving an hour lecture (on Zoom) discussing basic NMR interpretation while holding a baby who won't nap.
Chemist friends! (#ChemSky?)
Kalamazoo College is looking for 2 visitors, one analytical chemist and one biochemist, to start in Fall 2024. Come join a fun department that values teaching, research, and community. Please RT
provost.kzoo.edu/faculty-info...
I was mostly perplexed that the highest level chemistry course completed was cell and molecular biology. I like dynein walking just as much as the next person, but I don't think that helps with Scholl oxidations.
Update: made it back and folks all seem to have done well in my absence. Minus the glovebox, which is the bane of my existence these days.
A pet peeve of mine is when a student completes the 'research questionnaire' I use to place students in chemistry department research labs and they request to be placed in a biology department lab...
Last day of paternity leave; any advice on getting back into the lab/office after a semester off #Chemsky folks?