Oh yes, this was the absolute kiss of death!! Berlin airport certainly can't cope .... I am finally home, thank goodness!

Snow covered street scene in central Berlin

Starting my day in snowy Berlin... Seems like Germans cope much better with this kind of weather than Brits!

I have just learned it is International Coffee Day - I think I'll mark the occasion with a (probably ill-advised) third cup! ☕

If you're not from the University of Birmingham, please vote for our 3 shortlisted research groups, using our HPC-systems #BlueBEAR and #Baskerville for high-impact research in the 2025 #HPCWireAwards

Vote by Friday 3 October: hpcwire.com/2025-hpcwire...

The Green Heart at the University of Birmingham Edgbaston campus with graduates being photographed, watched by their family and friends. Grass and trees and Old Joe look on!

I love graduation season so much, it's such a time of celebration. This week @unibirmingham.bsky.social has felt so festive, like a non-stop wedding! This evening I timed it well, and found graduation photos underway in the Green Heart - what a beautiful spot. Congratulations to all the graduates!

Congratulations!!

Perfect cryptic clue for me 😁

Serious tension! Very exciting. And I've learned that our house's taste is clearly not aligned with the general opinion...

Audience votes are so brutal! #eurovision

Yeah I agree... And with the votes open all the way through - who knows what will happen next!

Oh yeah, not a chance I'm that dedicated! Wondering what's coming with the audience vote, I think there could be some dramatic moves...

(We paused the interval fast forward briefly to watch an epic Baby Lassga / Käärijä mash up....)

Yeah, that was not expected, I was thinking it would be low again. We are finally back in real time, phew!

From the recap he's going Sweden, San Marino, Luxembourg apparently.... yeah, I'm a bit concerned too! I'm just liking the novelty ones this year I think, Sweden, Iceland, maybe Estonia for the coffee theme. Quite liked Luxembourg too. Fast forwarding now!

Given someone in my house has just expressed a strong preference for San Marino (I think entirely based on the beat) I think you are right about the standard... Almost there, Albania to go.

Interesting use of sandblasting by France. (Hope for her sake it's not actual sand....)

Yep, there have been some quite catty comments let's say! Would usually just skip the interval acts but they're saying it's Celine Dion so don't want to risk being too far behind!

Ok, Sweden have taken back my first spot, given it's been stuck in my head all week maybe not surprising. Maybe too much of a favourite though?

Tactical fast forwarding needed! We just got to Sweden, where are you up to?

Where is my usual #eurovision correspondent @profstucoles.bsky.social though?!

Tragically behind due to the big kid's bedtime being poorly coordinated with #eurovision - but very happy to see my favourite evening annually on academic twitter has transferred seamlessly to Bluesky! Iceland are probably my favourite so far but we are only up to Portugal...

Last chance to see Old Joe lit up for a while - need to let the peregrine falcons have some peace to nest! Hope to see them again later in the year.

This year's Annual UK Porous Materials conference is on June 3/4 at @uobchemistry.bsky.social in Birmingham - registration and abstract submission are open and it's going to be great!

More details here:

www.ukpormat.com
#ChemSky

If you have time in your life to read only one of @jeremymberg.bsky.social’s bluetorials, please read this one

Picture of the front court of Pembroke College Cambridge

Back to my alma mater for International Women's Day. Goodness, Cambridge is just beautiful on a day like today!

Picture of the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham. A brown building with a tree in front and a sign, bright blue sky.

A picture of the University of Birmingham in Edgbaston. Picture shows the clocktower Old Joe to the left and a green space to the right.

Already almost a week into my new job at @unibirmingham.bsky.social! Lovely to be settling in, meeting colleagues in the School of Metallurgy and Materials and exploring the beautiful campus. Would love to catch up with other Birmingham folks, drop me a line if you'd like to go for coffee!

More places should do short blacks, the best! Happy New Year, Chris.

A picture of the international manufacturing centre building at the university of Warwick.

Last day at Warwick - mixed emotions for sure, it's been almost 12 years since I first headed into the IMC for my first day, and a lot has happened in that time! Sad to say goodbye, but I'll be back to see students, and, after a rest over Christmas, I'm so excited to get started at Birmingham!

🔬 Every euro invested in fundamental research pays back 6–10x in the long run!

Wolfgang Löffler explains how research fuels innovation and future technologies. 🚀✨

@pranoti.bsky.social
@underthemicroscope.bsky.social

#QuantumPhysics #SciComm #Physics 🧪🔬🎙️⚛️

Full video: youtu.be/ak9WHrumboI

Packing up my office at Warwick today 🥲 Lots of books to move, but lots of decisions too - do I take my PhD lab books or is it time to let them go?!