Queen’s University gets ready to host more than 60 NI Science Festival events Queen’s University is getting ready to host more than 60 hands-on activities, talks and events during the Northern Ireland Science Festival, which begins next week.

The countdown is on to this year's @niscifest.bsky.social as we get ready to host 60 events across campus and beyond!

As we celebrate our 180th year, the events will showcase the real-world impact of our research, education and partnerships.

You can find out more here ➡️ ow.ly/C91y50Y8VxT

Onscreen Chemistry: | NI Science Festival

And the following week (20th Feb), why not see chemistry jump off the page (and screen) and into conversation with @drjohnodonoghue.bsky.social from @tcddublin.bsky.social and @rsc.org Hosted in the David Keir Building, you can book for Onscreen Chemistry here: nisciencefestival.com/event/onscre...

Under Pressure | NI Science Festival

Celebrating #QUB180 with Patricia Marr and Tom Hartley in the Great Hall, we will discuss Belfast Science and Society in the formative years after 1845, and Andrews’ work on carbon dioxide in the 1860s and beyond.

Register for this free event here: nisciencefestival.com/event/under-...

Thomas Andrews National Chemical Landmark

Thomas Andrews Grave

Thomas Andrews

It’s Friday.
Having you been feeling the pressure?
Why not decompress with @niscifest.bsky.social in the coming weeks?

On Friday 13th Feb at 6:30pm @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social a fire side chat to discuss the life and legacy of Thomas Andrews, first Professor of Chemistry and Vice-President.

Congratulations to you all. Fitting recognition of the work you all have done on this in recent years, a captured in the article and resource you shared and beyond

A Resource to Support Decolonization of the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum In our taught chemistry curricula, the majority of individuals who are used to illustrate historical aspects of chemistry topics are white, western chemists. Decolonizing the undergraduate chemistry curricula is increasingly recognized as an important step toward developing a more inclusive higher-education environment for students from minoritized ethnic backgrounds. Here, we provide the first openly accessible resource that provides examples of both individual scientists and groups that can be used to illustrate chemistry teaching, and hence provide role model examples of scientists from different cultures. More generally, the resource provides a significant body of examples for chemistry educators to use as they begin working toward decolonizing their curricula.

And this is an excellent resource, produced by members of our team in 2023, to help decolonise and diversify your own chemistry curriculum.
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Decolonizing the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum: An Account of How to Start Discussions on decolonizing the curriculum are common in Humanities and Social Science Faculties but still rare in the Physical Sciences. In this commentary, we describe the work we have conducted to ...

To learn more about what we mean by decolonising chemistry education, and to understand how it can be achieved, see our 2021 paper:
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Proud to be part of this team recognised by @rsc.org with a Horizon Prize for our work to decolonise and diversify the way chemistry is taught.
www.rsc.org/standards-an...

#STEMEducation #ChemEd #ChemistryEducation #Chemistry #Decolonisation #HorizonAward #Diversity #EDI #DEI #HigherEducation

Teaching Excellence Awards 2025

Last night we celebrated our 2025 National Teaching Fellows and the winners of the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence. 🎉 Congratulations to all the awardees! Read more: bit.ly/3IETNJc #NTFSawards2025 #CATEawards2025

Kevin Morgan

Well done to @drkevinmorgan.bsky.social of @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social‬ on your #NTFS award! A champion of inclusive STEM education, his work drives change across policy, practice, and pedagogy. #NTFS2025

National Teaching Fellow 2025 and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence 2025

👏 Congratulations to the 61 new National Teaching Fellows and 17 CATE-winning teams — recognised for their outstanding contributions to teaching excellence across UK higher education.

🔗 Learn more: www.advance-he.ac.uk/news-and-vie...

#NTFSawards2025 #CATEawards2025

Many thanks @patrickthomson.bsky.social

Members of ucu at qub with Jo Grady

The UCU Northern Ireland Regional AGM/Conference took place today. We were pleased to welcome the Gen Sec Jo Grady to @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social campus. Not surprisingly, the voluntary severance scheme and ongoing related issues were a key topic for discussion.

Kevin Morgan and Dalai

Science, history… and a little Pet Chat! 🐶✨ Had a blast on the Science Pawdcast talking chemistry, but also got to chat about our dog, Dalai! Because every great scientist needs a loyal lab partner. 😉🎙️ #PetChat #DalaiTheDog #ScienceAndPaws

@misneachhiggins.bsky.social @bunsenbernerbmd.bsky.social

St. Patrick’s Day, science, and…Irish beverages? ☘️🥃 Yes, we went there! Had a blast discussing chemistry, history, and a little bit of craic on the Science Pawdcast.🎙️ #StPatricksDay #ScienceAndSpirits

AP de Silva RSC National Chemical Landmark at QUB

From AP de Silva’s molecular logic gates to QUILL’s 25-year impact on green chemistry, Belfast’s chemists have shaped the world! 🌍🔬 Catch my chat on the Science Pawdcast. #IonicLiquids #ChemistryInnovation

Thomas Andrew’s RSC landmark plaque at QUB

Did you know Thomas Andrews— @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social first Prof. of Chemistry and VP pioneered CO₂ liquefaction and advocated for women’s admission back in 1870? A true visionary. Talked all this & more in time for International Women’s Day on the Science Pawdcast! 🎙️ #Chemistry #QUB180

Episode 5 Season 7: Advanced Hands, The Woolly Mouse, and Irish Chemistry with Dr. Kevin Morgan - The Science Pawdcast Through groundbreaking prosthetic hand technology and controversial genetic engineering, this episode explores where science meets the ethical boundaries of what we can versus what we should do.• Revo...

Just dropped; my interview with the Science Pawdcast! Who knew Ghostbusters, CSI, The X-Files, and Jurassic Park would lead me to a career in chemistry? 🔬👻🦖, these sparked my curiosity #ScienceFictionToScienceFact #ChemistryInspiration

bunsenbernerbmd.buzzsprout.com/413041/episo...

My big news! For ages, I've been thinking of holding my own book festival, and now it's happening! From 5-10th May, Dromore will hold its FIRST EVER book festival! Lots of wonderful authors confirmed in local venues, including the beautiful cathedral, and hopefully more to come!
Aggggh, the nerves!

Chemistry couples and punny romantic cards Stories of love at first sight and following your heart

Love is a complex mix of emotions, behind which is a cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitters firing in the brain and body. And chemists, it turns out, aren’t immune to these chemical reactions and the silly things they make you do. cen.acs.org/people/Chemi...

For a chance to win a FREE hardback copy of my 'little book of sunshine', and get a taste of >100 new recipes served with hope & optimism, repost this to be entered in a draw.
UK only, draw 17/2/25, winner contacted by DM.
#BookGiveaway #ChemistswhoCook #FoodSky #BookSky
amazon.co.uk/dp/1739967046

Image shows a photo of the Lanyon Building with grey skies. Text reads: CAMPUS UPDATE WEATHER WARNING

Your safety and wellbeing are our top priority. That's why the University campus will be closed tomorrow, Friday 24 January, given the red weather warning of wind in place across Northern Ireland due to #StormÉowyn.

More details: ow.ly/lE0W50ULKeC

Student-staff relationships A positive course climate and strong student-instructor relationships can enhance student self-efficacy in undergraduate STEM courses by fostering a more supportive and engaging learning environment. Be approachable, available, and attentive to students’ needs. Employ a conversational tone and use accessible language. Create ample opportunities for instructor-student interactions, both in whole-class and one-on-one scenarios. Allocate time for student questions and concerns. Pedagogical practice Adopting student-centred pedagogical practices is an effective way to promote student learning and enhance student self-efficacy. Employ active learning pedagogies in your classes, especially for subjects commonly perceived as challenging, such as mathematics and physics. Provide students with collaborative and peer-based learning opportunities. Proactively provide individual attention and feedback to students in science laboratories to help strengthen the positive effects of active learning on student confidence. Structure tutorial classes around mentored individual thinking and problem-solving activities. Certain teaching and learning practices may have a detrimental effect on student self-efficacy by heightening levels of stress and anxiety. Avoid cold calling in undergraduate courses. Avoid using personal response systems for timed and graded tasks. Precede active learning activities in science laboratories with sufficient instruction, especially in laboratories in which the students have differential levels of previous experience. Assessment Most students favour continuous assessment over exams and express a greater confidence in their ability to perform well on continual assessment tasks compared to exams. Design your courses to include non-exam modes of assessment. Utilise frequent, low-stake assessments to promote positive assessment experiences and help students build a robust sense of subject-related confidence over time. Supplement…

How do pedagogical practices impact students in UG STEM. Our study published this week looked at relationship between gender and self-efficacy. Congrats to Gintarė Lübeck for the research and collaboration led by @cbs-lecturer.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... Key Recommends:

New vacancy for lecturer in biopharmaceutical engineering in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social

hrwebapp.qub.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...

Bridge Books - Book Store Dromore Northern Ireland Northern Ireland's number one book store is the perfect place for gift ideas with a big selection of the latest releases and old favourites.

Four customers today. At one stage, I really did think it was going to be the first day in 29 years with no one through the door. I know it's the cold weather etc etc, but it's hard to stay upbeat when it's quiet. Want to buy a book and keep me busy wrapping tomorrow?
www.bridgebooksdromore.co.uk

Sad to report that our esteemed colleague, Sir Fraser Stoddart, passed away yesterday in Melbourne, surrounded by family. His legacy is the 90+ academics he trained who continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge. Vale Fraser.

Colleagues, Students, Postdocs, Collaborators and Friends of Sir Fraser Stoddart: I am writing with the sad news that Fraser passed away suddenly on 31 Dec (Australia time) while on holiday with family. No details yet on any services. He is irreplaceable.

Image is a black and white photograph of people playing tennis on the front lawn at Queen's.

Image shows a black and white aerial shot of the Lanyon Building and the surrounding buildings.

Image is a black and white photograph of the old archway entrance into the Lanyon Building.

Image is a black and white photograph of the first group of graduates from Queen's on their graduation day.

Happy birthday, everyone!

On this day, in 1845, the Queen’s Colleges of Belfast, Cork and Galway were formally brought into existence.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make Queen's the special place it is.

Watch this space for more news on our celebrations as we enter our 180th year.

Fun Man Fung on LinkedIn: #ucdchemistry #chemistryeducation #edtech #highereducation… **PhD Student Opportunity at University College Dublin, Ireland’s Global University** ✨ I'm thrilled to announce that I've started a new chapter as Assistant…

⭐ I am opening up a PhD Studentship at @ucddublin.bsky.social (start Sep '25)

We'll be developing and studying innovative digital tools, eXtended reality, and AI interfaces to enhance learning experiences.

Apply by 28 Feb 2025!

Friends, please re-share!

www.linkedin.com/posts/fungfu...

Image shows the Lanyon Building on a snowy day with a red banner in the top right-hand corner that reads: Merry Christmas. At the bottom of the image is the Queen's University Belfast logo

Wishing a very happy Christmas to all of our students, staff, alumni and global family who are celebrating.

May your day be merry and bright!

#LoveQUB