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Chemistry – Scientific American

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Danzig

A groovy science activity from Science Buddies

February 8, 2018 Science Buddies and Ben Finio

Simple processes can make wood tough, impact-resistantor even transparent

February 7, 2018 Sid Perkins

Methane that leaks from fracking wells can be captured and converted into a productused in plastics manufacturing

February 6, 2018 Scott Waldman and ClimateWire

During feel-good holiday periods like Christmas and Eid-al-Fitr, romance strikesleading to a boom in births nine months later. Karen Hopkin reports.

February 1, 2018 Karen Hopkin

Chemists are working on ways for wildfire-affected winemakers to avoid creating smoky wines. Christopher Intagliata reports.

January 30, 2018 Christopher Intagliata

Drugs modified by chemistry Nobel laureate Ben Feringa can be turned on and off by light, which could help keep bacteria from developing antibiotic resistance.

January 25, 2018 Mariette Dichristina and Steve Mirsky

An Ice-Cold Activity from Science Buddies

January 25, 2018 Science Buddies and Sabine de Brabandere

One promising candidate is eco-friendly and poses no known risks to human health

January 24, 2018 Congrui Jin and The Conversation US

Researchers hope their new approach, which works well in lab animals, may save more lives

January 18, 2018 Dina Fine Maron

Ecologists needed a way to more easily keep track of populations of amphibians, and green glow sticks lit the way.

January 9, 2018 Annie Sneed

A shock collision experiment maps their transition from graphite in real time

December 25, 2017 RachelBerkowitz

Is the government really stockpiling materials in a Nevada building that scientists cannot identify?

December 22, 2017 Rafi Letzter

A foamy science project from Science Buddies

December 14, 2017 Science Buddies and Svenja Lohner

Biochemist Sylvia Tara talks about her book The Secret Life of Fat: The Science behind the Body's Least-Understood Organ and What It Means for You.

December 11, 2017 Steve Mirsky

A hot new kitchen science activity from Science Buddies

November 30, 2017 Science Buddies and Megan Arnett

Wildfires can contaminate grapes and ruin the beverage's flavor

December 1, 2017 Doug Main

Scientists link common flavor compounds across the world's favorite ingredients

September 1, 2013 Michael Moyer and Jan Willem Tulp

Researchers have found that engineered sugarcane could yield more than 2,500 liters of bio-jet fuel per acre of land

November 23, 2017 Deepak Kumar, Stephen P. Long, Vijay Singh and The Conversation US

Dont settle for limp, soggy turkey skinuse science when you roast your bird to get that perfect, crackling bite.

November 22, 2016 Lydia Chain and Carmen Drahl

Shape up your kitchen chemistry skills with this science activity from Science Buddies

November 16, 2017 Science Buddies and Megan Arnett

Neuroscience. Evolution. Health. Chemistry. Physics. Technology.

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Chemistry - Scientific American

My Chemical Romance are back and there’s never been a better time to be emo – Louder

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Danzig

Where were you when you heard about the My Chemical Romance reunion? I was half-listening to an important business call, furiously refreshing Twitter following a tip-off earlier in the day. MCR fans had suffered enough false starts and rumours, so I tried not to get my hopes up.

But this time, it seemed like Joe Jonas was actually right, and after dropping a few cryptic Instagram stories, the band announced an LA show for December. Fans everywhere started to offer up their organs for a $150 (!) ticket and a flight, and after even more shows were announced, those whose inner emo had been lying dormant started to shout it from the rooftops: emo is back.

Of course, those of us who are still committed know that its already been back. After its brief, tumultuous flirtation with mainstream status in the mid-00s, emo arguably did retreat back to the shadows. It didnt disappear entirely, but its remaining fans were the diehards. Ageing male purists will dispute whether or not the scene thats returning is even real emo, but even if it isnt, its clearly the only iteration that means enough to enough people to enjoy a meaningful comeback.

Its been a few years since mid-00s emo started to make a serious return into the public consciousness. From First To Last reunited at Emo Nite in 2017. Paramore released Hard Times that same year. Lil Peep reinvented the genre, combining sad lyrics with rap. New bands, like the recently reformed Creeper, are experimenting with the sound and look for a new era.

This year alone, Fall Out Boy announced the Hella Mega Tour with Weezer and Green Day, Funeral For a Friend played shows, and Motion City Soundtrack announced a reunion for next year. Thats just the tip of the iceberg: every day, emo bands are putting on anniversary shows, bringing out new albums, and headlining festivals.

Regardless of where you stand on what "real" emo is, the chances are if it had guitars and pained lyrics and you were listening to it in 2006, its back with a vengeance.

But why? Cynics will say that the 2010s emo revival is solely about nostalgia, and sure, thats part of it. When the world is so terrifying, so out of control and so miserable, why wouldnt you want the warm embrace of the things that made you happy 10, 15 years ago? They may also say that this comeback is solely finance and clout-motivated. Again, if you were in a popular band 10 or more years ago, it makes business sense to jump on the comeback and make some money.

Its a respectable decision. But it isnt that simple.

In our adolescence and young adulthood, we were sold a lie that we would grow out of the things we genuinely enjoyed. I believed it, too, attempting to grow up in 2008, aged 15, and discover other music. But at 18, in a club that strictly played mid-00s emo and pop punk, I realised how wrong I was. The things that we enjoy, the things that form us, will always give us something back. With emo, it goes deeper than nostalgia. That night saw me truly enjoying music for the first time in years and kick-started my own personal emo revival.

Many would (and do) argue that emo never went anywhere, that it just disappeared from the mainstream or public consciousness, going back to being actually alternative. Maybe thats true, but its one thing enjoying the music you used to love quietly at home or in your car or at low-key shows. Its another thing entirely to experience a complete mainstream takeover by the culture.

I never thought I would see a world where emo was once again on general news websites and discussed by people outside of the culture. Last week, Saturday Night Live aired a sketch about Paramore starring Kristen Stewart. It felt wildly anachronistic, but made perfect sense: if something is happening right now, SNL will be making fun of it. While mid-00s emo artists have performed on SNL in previous years, the show mocking Paramore in 2019 perfectly encapsulates just how at the forefront of public consciousness emo is right now.

In the first place, maybe emo touched us because we were going through a tumultuous adolescence. Thats why it still resonates with teenagers today, because the music of the 00s speaks directly to their difficult growth. But as artists come back and evolve, it isnt enough to attach it to nostalgia. We still love emo, long after our own teenage years, because it still touches us. As our favourite bands have aged, so have we as theyve experienced grief and divorce and ageing, so have we. Contrary to what we may believe, there is no time limit on wanting to feel understood.

Emo is about community; its about finding friends in people who also struggle with their mental health or their sexuality. Its about going to shows, going to emo nights, sharing in the togetherness that the scene can bring. If theres a mainstream revival, that means even more people to share the culture with in 2019, we have people to do that with all over the world. For many of us, listening to emo and making friends through the community helped to form who we are. It was a support system, guiding us through difficult years.

There is no time limit on wanting to feel understood

Arguably, its the best time to be emo since the actual mid-00s. Back then, the culture was sidelined and derided by both mainstream media and, if I recall correctly, basically all of my peers. We know better now, and with the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, we can admit that emo is pretty good. If youre a teenager, you have all of the bands youve never gotten to see reforming before your very eyes. And if youre an adult, well, you both have the money to indulge your fandom and dont have to go to school to get bullied. Its perfect.

Plus, fucking hell, we live in hard times. With the planet burning down, politics in a complete state and the economy in perpetual crisis, why wouldnt we want to seek solace and community in something we enjoy? We cant afford homes or stability, but we can maybe just about afford the exorbitant prices for comeback shows and merch.

The catharsis that can be found through emo continues to bring many of us comfort, reminding us of what we loved about the past while guiding us through the present. I, too, wrongly believed that emo was something I should have left in my teen years. But hugging my friends backstage at a Creeper show on Friday, anxiously babbling about the MCR reunion, I realised: for better or for worse, I will always be a dirty emo. Im just so glad everyone is on board to share this time together.

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My Chemical Romance are back and there's never been a better time to be emo - Louder

Chemistry in Pictures: The bonds of academic mentorship – Chemical & Engineering News

Posted on February 1, 2020 by Danzig

Medicinal chemistry professor Ashraf Abadi was speechless when he first saw his likeness in Chemdraw, a software package typically used for sketching molecular structures and reactions, says the artist, Lina El-Sharkawy. The drawing at is made up of chemical bonds, space-filling atomic models, stereochemical indicators, and other items from the chemistry palate. Now a PhD student at the University of Manchester, at the time she was a masters student working under Abadi at the German University of Cairo. El-Sharkawy had long made pencil drawings, a hobby she picked up from her mother, a medical doctor who also had a flair for visual art. It was Abadi who first suggested she try using Chemdraw to showcase her artistic abilities. But he was not expecting a portrait of himself. He stared at the portrait for a while then said It is fantastic, this guy is more elegant than what I look like, she says.

Submitted by Lina El-Sharkawy

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Chemistry in Pictures: The bonds of academic mentorship - Chemical & Engineering News

Magnetic microbot traps single cell – Chemistry World (subscription)

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Fredricko

A tiny robot that can capture a single cell has been made by scientists in the US. The microbot is made of metal-coated plastic cubes, which allow it to open and close using magnetic energy.

Microrobotic devices could one day perform surgery in places where large instruments cant reach, like inside the smallest blood vessels. [It] is one of the dreams in translational medicine, to assemble microsurgeons in vivo, says microrobot researcher Mahmut Selman Sakar from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, who wasnt involved in the study.

While the team led by Gabriel Lpez from Duke University and Orlin Velev from North Carolina State University has not yet achieved this, their modular microbots are already agile enough to trap a 4m yeast cell, move and then release it again. Made out of individual polymer cubes coated on one side with metallic cobalt, the microbots store energy from an external magnetic field and release it when the field is switched off.

The cube shape means that you can have two different configurations two cubes have their coating either on the same [AA] or on opposite [AB] sides, explains Velev. Depending on the cubes sequence, the microbot can carry out different tasks an ABBA bot, for example, is the simplest grabber. It opens when a magnetic field is applied and closes when the field is switched off. The fields gradient and orientation then control the bots movement and rotation.

In the future, the microbots could do more than simply trap objects. We now have a microtool to investigate mechanical properties on the microscale, Velev says. His team has started investigating liquid crystals, using the grabber to squeeze them and establish microscale mechanical forces.

Sakar suggests that the microbots could find applications in microfluidics: You could inject microscale particles into a microchannel and then, using external magnetic fields, bring them together and make a little rotor-shaped object, and spin it to create a fluidic flow for mixing mixing is a hard task at small scale due to low Reynolds number.

Currently, Velev and Lpez make each microbot by adding one cube at a time. Velev suggests that templating using a functionalised surface to direct the cubes into place could speed up fabrication. Eventually, microbots might even be able to replicate on their own. Right now, we have to design and build every single tool ourselves, says Sakar, but it would be fascinating if the tools could then build more tools by themselves.

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Magnetic microbot traps single cell - Chemistry World (subscription)

Eli building chemistry with new targets – Giants.com (blog)

Posted on August 7, 2017 by ev1

QB Eli Manning has been establishing a connection with newcomers in the receiving corps: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Eli Manning is establishing a clear connection with the Giants newcomers who will be two of his most frequent targets this season.I think were doing some good stuff, Brandon (Marshall) and I, getting on the same page, Manning said today. Every day theres something new that comes up, though. A route here, a concept, just getting on the same timing. You can kind of talk about everything, but youve got to get in as many live reps, one-on-ones, get running different routes, getting on the same timing with things will be good. Same with (tight end) Evan (Engram, the teams first-round draft choice). Hes making some plays, doing a lot of good things, but the more one-on-ones, the more situations, different things coming up every practice. Theres something to learn from it every day.

>> VIEW GIANTS FIRST UNOFFICIAL DEPTH CHART

Marshall, a 12-year veteran, is already a major presence in the wide receivers and offensive meeting rooms.

Brandons been great, Manning said. Every day trying to learn, always has questions for me and were trying to figure out what he can do better, how we can get on the same page. So I think hes been dialed in and been a great leader and just setting the example for how to be prepared for every practice.

I think hes a tremendous communicator, coach Ben McAdoo said of Marshall. I found that out the first time I met with him, we had a nice conversation, we sat down one-on-one and talked about what we wanted to get out of this, on both sides. Hes a guy that speaks from the heart and hes a tremendous communicator and I think thats rubbing off on some guys in the room.

One thing Marshall cant give to the other receivers is his size. At 6-5, he stands two inches above the next-tallest receiver, rookie Jerome Lane. The other starters are 5-11 Odell Beckham, Jr. and 5-10 Sterling Shepard.

Manning hasnt had such a tall wideout to throw to regularly since 6-5 Plaxico Burress, who was a Giant from 2005-08. In his first season here, Burress caught 76 passes for 1,214 yards and seven touchdowns, figures Marshall certainly hopes to exceed this year.

Theyre both similar height, Manning said. And just smarts on football, body control, being able to go up and get the ball. So yeah, Id say some definite similarities there. Obviously, Plaxico, had a number of years playing with him, so I knew what he was going to do, knew how to read his body. I knew whether it was going to be a back shoulder versus a fly or a jump ball. So we need more live reps doing that.

Those big guys, you have an opportunity to throw them open. They can be physical at the line of scrimmage and get some separation that way, where the quick guys make moves. So Brandon does a good job finding ways to get open. Whether its being physical with the DBs, or throwing the back shoulders, throwing the fly routes, going up and get the ball. I can always just have separation with the quick guys, but theyre still getting open in a different way.

Engram is no slouch in the height department at 6-3. But in addition to picking up the offense, he is learning how to be a successful NFL player, which Marshall learned years ago. Manning tries to help his fellow Ole Miss alum without oiling on too much information.

I think its a little bit of both, he said. You dont want to baby him too much, you want to see what he can gather. You want to give him a little heads up of what might be coming, though. Dont just surprise a bunch of things on him, so in practice hes scared, or a little lost, or indecisive. So give him a heads up of what might be coming, talk a lot through to him and then see what he can handle. You want to be prepared for the upcoming season, you dont want to be held back and say, Hey, I cant check into a certain play because you might not know what it is. You need to know what everything is, based on whats in the system.

*Other Manning musings four days before the Giants preseason opener vs. Pittsburgh:

*He did not play in the first and last preseason games in 2016. Did he get enough action to prepare for the season?

I think I got enough action over the last 14 years to get me ready for the upcoming season, he said.

*Was it an adjustment to get fewer preseason snaps?

Whatever Coach wants to do, what he thinks is best for me, the team, Im going to do, Manning said. Again, for the first preseason game, you might take six or seven snaps. So its not like its going to make a difference for that upcoming season. I think youve got enough reps in practice, enough reps in the second and third (preseason games) and obviously 13 other years of preseason and regular season games should get me in good rhythm.

*On whether the videos that have surfaced of the players dancing in the locker room is a sign that players are loose and close with one another:

Theyre having fun, Manning said. Thats always training camp, theres going to be different things. Youve got to enjoy this time, it is a lot of practice, its a lot of meetings, it is hard work and there are hot days and those things. But theres always those little 30-minute stretches where you have down time and guys get to mess around. It used to be, you did it at night, or you did it when you were in the dorm rooms, or hanging out, or playing pranks. Now, theres not much time at the hotel. You get done late and youre kind of back in your room. So, that time has kind of come into the locker room during the day, where you get little breaks, where I guess theyve turned into dance parties now. So thats the new thing.

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Eli building chemistry with new targets - Giants.com (blog)

Modern Chemistry announce debut album and other news you … – Alternative Press

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Fredricko

Alternative Press

Modern Chemistry announce debut album and other news you ...
Alternative Press
Plenty of new music videos today from bands like Fit For A King and Minus The Bear, plus don't forget to check out Modern Chemistry's debut album! Check out ...

and more »

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Modern Chemistry announce debut album and other news you ... - Alternative Press

Flow chemistry reaches manufacturing milestone – Chemical & Engineering News

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Fredricko

Although continuous flow chemistrywherein molecules are made in a continuous process rather than in batcheshas gained ground in academic labs, its adoption by industry and contract manufacturing labs has been comparatively slow. Now, chemists at Eli Lilly & Co. report a continuous manufacturing process for the chemotherapy drug candidate prexasertib monolactate monohydrate. Notably, the synthesis uses current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), linking each stage in the continuous manufacturing process to quality-control systems (Science 2017, DOI: 10.1126/science.aan0745).

Kevin P. Cole, the reports lead author, explains that the chemists used continuous manufacturing because they needed to make only 24 kg of the compound. Making the drug candidate in batch equipment would have required an extensive cleanup afterward because the compound is potent and cytotoxic. The small flow setup can be dedicated to making this single compound and discarded, if necessary, at no great cost.

Also, the flow process included a step involving hydrazinea compound used in rocket fuelthat would have been too dangerous to run in a batch reactor. Because flow chemistry uses a small amount of the reagent continuously instead of a large amount all at once in a batch process, the chemists could run the step safely at high temperature and pressure.

Efforts like this are beginning to highlight the potential of continuous manufacturing in pharmaceuticals, says Aaron Beeler, a Boston University chemist and cofounder of the continuous flow technology firm Snapdragon Chemistry. In a cGMP setting, each of the continuous flow steps would have been noteworthy on their own. But as a multistep process this really is a substantial step forward.

Hopefully, this report will change the way that fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals are made, Cole says, by modernizing the manufacturing process and bringing it into the 21st century.

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Flow chemistry reaches manufacturing milestone - Chemical & Engineering News

Kyle Shanahan talks minicamp schedule, Elvis Dumervil, offensive chemistry – Niners Nation

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Danzig

You obviously made the decision to go two practices instead of three, why?

Its tough for me to do that. I would rather practice every day. But, just trying to be smart. Ive been a part of a lot of, many years of that last practice before you get a month off, before everyone goes on vacation, and then you come back for training camp. I just havent had a lot of, that practice hasnt ever been very productive. Usually, and when its the last day of school, schools not always that productive and that wouldnt be that big of a deal if that was the only thing you were risking. But, youre risking injuries and I have just always gotten worried. Most teams Ive been on you always cut it short. You end up just trying to get off the field and not have an injury. So, even though I would much rather practice, I just dont think its the right thing to do. Id rather end the camp healthy. The guys have been working hard. Im going to try to get the families up here, give guys wives and kids a chance to meet each other before just showing up to game day and meeting at the stadium. So, I think thats important and I do think, as I always say, the main thing in OTAs and minicamp is to get out healthy. And, by stopping that last day it gives you the best chance to do that.

Whats the plan then for Thursday?

Thursday, were going to come in and meet. Were going to work out hard with [head strength & conditioning coach] Ray Wright. Theyve got like two hours designated to Ray. When I told them that, they asked, they said theyd rather have practice. So, they have mixed feelings about having two hours with Ray, but it will be good for them. And, then were going to watch film, watch everything weve done. We have about two hours of meeting time. So, were going to get a good days work in. its just not going to be out on the practice field. Then were going to have all the families come up here, spend a couple hours, get some jumpy castles and stuff for the kids and just have a little barbeque.

How do you deal with retention? Youve got like a five week period before training camp starts. What is your advice, your instructions to players to keep all that in their heads?

I think everyone is different. I think sometimes its good for guys to get away from it just for a little bit. I dont think you can ever get away from the routine of working out and staying in shape and things like that. Once you get away from that, then youre just fighting to get back. So, I think those guys have got to stay into that consistently. I think the Xs and Os theyve hit it so hard here through these three phases, I think its good to just not think about it for like 10 days, two weeks at the most, and then get back into the book. The thing that I find out most with guys with the new staff or a new scheme like we have now or even rookies, its why you try not to judge people too hard through OTAs. Guys come in, you throw everything at them. They go through waves in OTAs, but usually they get away for a month, they come back, and then you actually get to see who guys are, if theyre more confident, they know the playbook better and they have a better chance to compete.

What are your expectations for LB Elvis Dumervil this week? Is he going to observe practice, is he going to get reps?

Yeah, I just want Elvis to come in here, learn the schemes, and really get a chance to meet everyone. I talked about Elvis about this week before we signed and him not being in the camp, him not going through OTAs and stuff, I did want to get him signed fast to get him in here, but we didnt think getting him involved in the work and everything was important at least for now. I think hes in very good shape, but until you train and go through that process, were just a little bit more worried about the football shape. I think itd be better for him to not have him out there until training camp.

Thats the plan--?

Yeah, thats the plan.

But, hes here?

Yeah, hes here. Hes going to do everything, except hes not going to do anything on the field.

Is everybody here? Is there anybody missing?

No. Yeah, everyone is here.

Thats been pretty much the theme throughout this whole offseason program. How reassuring has that been for you to have so many people participate?

Its been good. You never know how its going to work out, especially when you dont know everyone, when youre new. We had everyone show up the first day, which I think with a new staff, usually that happens, but you like to see how it ends up throughout the whole time. Our turnout has been great. Ive been very excited with our players, not just from a talent standpoint, but the type of people they are. Guys have been consistent working every day, which is how our team has been. Its only been a few months, but its been very encouraging so far.

What did you like about Elvis and what role do you kind of envision for him long-term?

Just playing against Elvis over the years, hes very hard to block. He knows how to get to the quarterback. Hes got extremely long arms. He doesnt have the height, which people could say is a disadvantage, but when you have those arms, I think its an advantage because hes always under people. Hes got power to him that way with his lower center of gravity, but hes got the length in his arms to still keep those tackles away from him. I think thats why Elvis has had such a good career. I think thats why hes had the numbers with the sacks and Im hoping he can bring that here.

Can he also bring sort of a mentorship role? You guys have added a lot of veterans familiar with your scheme and it would seem that he would fit in that LEO role working with--?

Yeah, totally. We would never bring in a guy just to be a mentor, but in Elviss case its a huge bonus. I still believe Elvis can play. I think he put it on tape at the end of last year when he started to get more over his injury. Hes had a hell-of-a career, but Elvis is a pro. I think Elvis lives and dies getting to the quarterback. Hes thinking about it all the time, every day, when hes in the building, when hes outside the building. Anytime you can have a guy who thinks that way, who has also had the success, it rubs off on people. What [free agent DE] Dwight Freeney did last year for [Atlanta Falcons LB] Vic Beasley I thought was huge, and I think when you bring in veterans like this who have had success, who know how to do it the right way, everyone learns from that.

What did he express to you guys in terms of where he feels hes at in his career, how much hes got left, how many years he wants to play, etcetera?

We talked to Elvis on the phone and then we flew him down here and talked to him. He looked good and they always tell you they feel good and theyre ready to go, but then when I saw him he looked that way. Elvis looks like hes in the best shape that he can be. He says he feels great. He explained to us what hes gone through over the last couple of years with some injuries and stuff. What he said matched on tape, games he felt better, games he felt worse. We believe hes healthier. We believe were getting a pretty good player. Were excited to get him out here and compete with the guys.

Is DL Solomon Thomas going to be able to get here today or tomorrow?

No, we're going to have to wait for Solomon until Thursday.

We talked to offensive line coach John Benton the other day and he said that there were three guys at the guard position he thought that were going to be competing for those two spots. We talked about inside linebackers with the guys you have there. Are you overall happy with the competitions that are shaping up for training camp? Do you think that thats how you sort of envisioned it, to have three guys competing for a couple of spots at a number of different positions?

Yeah, I think that's the goal. That's really the goal, to me, for every organization and every position. When you're having good competition battles and you know at the end of training camp you might
have to cut someone who you consider an NFL player, then good things are happening. I've been on teams where I've gone out and it's the second day of OTAs and I kind of already know who the offense is or who the defense is and you can see it. When you go out there and you finished OTAs and you're going into minicamp and you're still not quite sure, it means you've added good competition and you've done as good with the personnel situations as you can. That's the goal that we are going to try to get here every year, to where it brings the best out of everybody, coaches and players. If nothing is going to be handed to you, you know that the guy behind you is just waiting for you to slip up, it's going to raise both of your game, and we are going to try always to get that at every position."

How do you feel the chemistry has been developing amongst the offense?

I think it has been really good. Just watching guys, it's kind of important to me here, we're trying to establish a culture that guys like to be here. I feel our team has gotten tight. We finished in phase two, we finished about one o'clock and I go in there at about four o'clock in the locker room and guys are still in there playing cards, playing ping pong and hanging out. It seems like guys are getting closer. I think that's one of the things why you want people to be in an offseason together. It's not just so you can teach your schemes and everything and get everyone on the same page, but you want to try to build a common goal. I think, special organizations and special teams, the only way that you build that is through shared sacrifice. When youve got all of the guys, the 100-percent turnout we've had, going through this long offseason and guys grinding together, competing hard and then still not running out the door as soon as they're done, spending time hanging out, you start to build that brotherhood that you want. To me, that's what is going to get you through adversity that everyone is bound to face at some time in the year.

WR Pierre Garon said last week that he was kind of frustrated because the offense hadn't been able to get into a rhythm in these practices. Is that something that is important to you this week for the offense to put some things together and string some passes against the defense?

Yeah, it's important to me to see both sides improve. I want to see the defense do good. I want to see the offense do good. I'm getting used to that as a head coach. Being on offense my whole life, when the offense gets their butt kicked usually I'm very upset with it and I need to be halfway happy with it now. I'm trying to balance that with myself. What I was excited last week, whether it was Tuesday or Wednesday, I forget when we practiced, I think it was Tuesday, but I thought the offense had the best practice of the year so far. I thought the offense did a really good job. Right when you feel good about yourself, the NFL will humble you fast. When we came out Thursday, I thought the defense had their best practice of the year. I thought last week was one of our better deals as a team. Each had their day. It's kind of fun when it's like that going into the final minicamp you kind of see who wins the battle.

When you say the offense had that good day, what did you see that maybe hasn't been apparent in the other practices?

We've had a few. Unfortunately for you guys and Pierre, I think we've struggled the most when you guys are watching. When youre moving the ball. When you're moving the ball and scoring points, and hitting stuff in rhythm people can feel it. It's usually contagious and it gets going. Then usually you go in and human nature, you feel good about yourself and the other team doesn't and they come out and kick your ass the next day. That's something else that youve got to go through that is staying humble, never being too high, never being too low. It's what you do every single second.

You guys announced your coaching interns for training camp and one of them is Katie Sowers. Can you describe what the significance is in bringing the first female coach onto the staff here and then just what her coaching style was like when she was with the Falcons and you?

Yeah, I didn't know Katie in Atlanta. I think [Falcons Assistant General Manager] Scott Pioli knew her. He asked if we would be good with her in our rooms and we were fine. She came in and worked with the receivers and did as good of a job as anyone I've had in the internship. She worked with [Falcons Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator] Raheem [Morris] and [Wide Receivers/Passing Game Specialist] Mike LaFleur last year in Atlanta. We loved having her around. She was eager to learn it, she has played professional football in a women's league in the United States for a while and she's passionate about it. Us spending a whole training camp with her, she did a great job and she ended up helping out in Atlanta in personnel throughout the year. She just hit me up a few months ago and said her internship was up over there and asked if we would want to have her here. There was no doubt. She does a good job and we're excited to have her.

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Kyle Shanahan talks minicamp schedule, Elvis Dumervil, offensive chemistry - Niners Nation

How Pasteur’s Artistic Insight Changed Chemistry – New York Times

Posted on June 14, 2017 by ev1

New York Times

How Pasteur's Artistic Insight Changed Chemistry
New York Times
In a paper published last month in Nature Chemistry, Dr. Gal explains how a young Pasteur fought against the odds to articulate the existence of chirality, or the way that some molecules exist in mirror-image forms capable of producing very different ...

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How Pasteur's Artistic Insight Changed Chemistry - New York Times

Actors’ chemistry heats up Moonlight’s ‘Aida’ – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Danzig

Moonlight Stage Production opened its 2017 season Wednesday with a series of firsts. The Disney-born rock opera Aida is the first show of the summer season; this is the musicals first staging at the Vista amphitheater; and its the first Moonlight production to feature a cast made up almost exclusively of people of color.

But the opening night audience on Wednesday clearly witnessed another first: the sexiest onstage coupling in a Moonlight production this reviewer has seen in more than 20 years. Co-stars Daebreon Poiema and Richard Bermudez, who play the star-crossed lovers Aida and Radames, steam up the stage with their romantic chemistry. One passionate kissing scene conducted near the front rows brought gasps, embarrassed giggles and hearty hoots of encouragement from the crowd.

Credit: Ken Jacques Photography

Daebreon Poiema, center, as Aida with the company in Moonlight Stage Productions "Aida" at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista.

Daebreon Poiema, center, as Aida with the company in Moonlight Stage Productions "Aida" at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. (Credit: Ken Jacques Photography)

First produced in 1999, Aida is based on the 1871 Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The victorious Egyptian general Radames is betrothed to the princess Amneris, but falls in love instead with her slave, Aida, who is secretly the princess of Nubia, a rival African country. The musical adaptation features a score by Elton John and Tim Rice. Johns signature songwriting style start quiet with piano, then sweep to a high-note crescendo can be heard in many of the numbers. And the more dramatic talk/sung numbers bear a strong lyrical resemblance to Rices work with Andrew Lloyd Webber in Jesus Christ Superstar.

The ballads and duets have fared well with time, but some of the ensemble numbers and orchestration feel like theyre stuck in the 80s. Director/choreographer John Vaughan has modernized what he can, particularly with his African- and Middle Eastern-inspired choreography and his cast, which is almost entirely actors of color.

Aida is rarely staged because its vocal demands are so specific. You need multi-octave, rock-trained voices that can belt to the extreme. Fortunately, Poiema and Bermudez are more than up to the task. Virtually unrecognizable from her starring turn in last seasons Sister Act, Poiema acts with subtlety and naturalism and her vocal beauty is unmatched. The ultra-fit (and often bare-chested) Bermudez a Moonlight veteran who continues to grow in vocal power and technique easily navigates the tortuous score and never misses a note. Theyre well-matched in song and romance.

Credit: Ken Jacques Photography

Daebreon Poiema, left, as Aida and Bets Malone as Amneris in Moonlight Stage Productions "Aida" at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista.

Daebreon Poiema, left, as Aida and Bets Malone as Amneris in Moonlight Stage Productions "Aida" at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. (Credit: Ken Jacques Photography)

Vista-raised Bets Malone stars in the tricky role of Amneris, a character who transitions in two hours from ditzy, fashion-obsessed teen to mature, benevolent queen. Malone is a fine actor and vocal interpreter and shes very funny in her characters comic scenes. Yet while she sings well in the lower-range solo Every Story is a Love story that opens and closes the show, some of the higher notes in her first-act number My Strongest Suit sounded shrill.

Theres nice support work from vocalists Terrance Spencer and Gabrielle Jackson as the Nubian slaves Mereb and Nehebka, as well as big-voiced Bill Ledesma as Radames father, Zoser. Conductor and musical director Lyndon Pugeda had his work cut out for him with the hard-charging score, but the orchestra and vocal ensemble sounded crisp.

The productions design team includes lighting by Jean-Yves Tessier and sound by Jim Zadai. The rented costumes (coordinated and executed by by Carlotta Malone, Roslyn Lehman and Renetta Lloyd) and sets have a look that blends antiquity with futurism.

Aida isnt a perfect musical. Although much of the music is beautiful, some numbers are cheesy and over-dramatic. Still, theres no denying the talent onstage and the progressive thinking of Moonlights artistic team, which continues to push boundaries with new musicals and fresh ideas.

Every show this season, and the just-announced 2018 season, are new to the Moonlight stage. Still to come this summer: Disneys The Little Mermaid (July 19-Aug. 5), Andrew Lloyd Webbers Sunset Boulevard (Aug. 16-Sept. 2) and Lin-Manuel Mirandas In the Heights. Next summers shows are Mamma Mia, Disneys Newsies, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Chicago.

When: 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, through July 1.

Where: Moonlight Amphitheatre, Brengle Terrace Park, 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista.

Tickets: $23-$55, reserved. $17-$22, lawn seating.

Phone: 760-724-2110

Online: moonlightstage.com

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com. Twitter: @pamkragen

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Actors' chemistry heats up Moonlight's 'Aida' - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Broncos LB Todd Davis Eyes Consistency And Chemistry – Predominantly Orange

Posted on June 3, 2017 by Danzig

Sep 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos inside linebacker Todd Davis (51) during player introductions prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

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Last season Todd Davis experienced what it was like to be an NFL starter. However the experience came with hard lessons and bits and pieces of success.

Davis registered 97 tackles and 0.5 sacks. While the stats dont necessarily scream starter or impact player, Davis adapted quickly against various elements of on field adversity.

Primarily, Davis was targeted by opposing offenses in coverage by going empty and running the tailback on certain routes. Davis lacked speed that would enable him to cover most tailbacks out of the backfield.

With the struggles that come natural on the playing field, so do the positive learning lessons. Living in the shadow and question of replacing Danny Trevathan, Davis focused on bettering himself.

In the journey of self fulfillment, Davis is embracing truth and learning to grow from it.

Its huge for me. I think it means that were going to tell the truth. By us telling the truth and living by the truth, were going to be better. We dont have to sugarcoat things. We just tell it how it is and we grow from that. Todd Davis on what the Truth motto means to him (Via Denver Broncos PR)

Davis understood that he struggled in pass coverage and expressed that he has been working hard to improve that area of his game. Davis spoke on his desire to remain on the field in key situations. I would love to stay on the field during those key third downs and in the down packages. Im definitely working on my coverage and just trying to have a reason for me to not be off the field

Surely, knowing that he must improve on his coverage means he understands that he must accomplish that in order to improve his shelf life and value as a member of an elite defense.

I just want to be better. I watched film and I saw some of the areas that I can improve in and some of the ways that I can enhance my game Davis said.

Another element that Davis said was important to him was developing chemistry with the man next to him, Brandon Marshall.

I think its been great Davis said.

Hes from Vegas and Im from California. Those places are so close together. Were able to bond and talk about things. [For example] growing up, we have a lot of similarities, childhood memories or things we used to listen to. I think that really brought us together. Just playing together, I think we have a chemistry like nobody else. Todd Davis on his chemistry with Brandon Marshall (Via Denver Broncos PR)

Davis spoke highly of new defensive coordinator Joe Woods and Head Coach Vance Joseph. He even went along to explain how Joseph has shifted the mentality of the entire team to compete and finish.

I love everything about him. I love his personality, his intensity and what he brings to the locker room and in the meeting room Davis spoke of Joseph. The passion that Joseph has for his defense is still there and its evident. I love seeing him getting fired up when we make a play in practice.

Todd Davis spoke of new defensive coordinator Joe Woods in a positive light as well. He just brings a new attitude, a new life to us. The way he calls plays and his mentality behind the defense is going to be huge for us.

Three years ago I was not fond of Todd Davis because I believed he wasnt ready. Last season was a big question mark heading into the year, but overall Davis impressed me as each week passed. A revealing stat was that Davis didnt miss a single tackle last season.

As an inside linebacker that is a phenomenal stat and gives Davis enough confidence to keep working hard and staying hungry. I still believe he needs to work heavily on his pass coverage, but other than that I am looking forward to what this season will bring for Todd Davis.

What are your thoughts Broncos Country?

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Broncos LB Todd Davis Eyes Consistency And Chemistry - Predominantly Orange

Irvington MS student to head to DC for chemistry competition – The Journal News | LoHud.com

Posted on June 11, 2017 by ev1

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Henry Demarest, an eighth grader at Irvington Middle School, qualified for the 2017 national You Be The Chemist challenge.(Photo: Submitted photo)

An eighth grader fromTarrytown is one of 42 finalists heading to the nation's capital for a national chemistry competition.

Henry Demarest, a student at Irvington Middle School, qualified for this year's You Be The Chemist challenge out of 55,000 middle school students from 40 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Ricowho participated atthe local and state levels.

Participants, who have to be in grades 5-8,had to prove their knowledge of chemistry by taking a series of timed tests and doing question-and-answer portions with thejudges. The final round takes place in Washington, D.C.

Students will competefor more than $20,000 in scholarship funds and prizes at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 19.

The Chemical Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, oversees the competition.

Read or Share this story: http://www.lohud.com/story/news/education/2017/06/10/irvington-m-s-student-head-d-c-chemistry-competition/385177001/

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Irvington MS student to head to DC for chemistry competition - The Journal News | LoHud.com

Silverman: Matt Barnes’ pitch leads to dangerous chemistry – Boston Herald

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Danzig

BALTIMORE All Matt Barnes had to do yesterday was drill Manny Machado in the butt like Pedro would have done with the Bambino.

Instead, by sailing a pitch behind Machados head, Barnes woke up the Bambino, the Orioles and this is most damning his own team leader.

He also ensured that these hostilities will likely linger until at least the next Red Sox-Orioles series.

Cant anybody here play this game the right way?

By not exacting revenge correctly, Barnes blew up a chance to broker a truce with the Orioles.

The pitch also caused a self-inflicted wound that doesnt help the Sox own harmony and chemistry.

Its too soon to assess the damage not with a wound this fresh.

Thats not how you do that, man Im sorry to (Machado) and his team, said Dustin Pedroia after the 6-2 Sox win. If youre going to protect guys, you do it right away. He knows that. We both know that. Its definitely a mishandled situation. There was zero intention of him trying to hurt me, he just made a bad slide (when) he did hurt me (Friday night). Its baseball, man. Im not mad at him. I love Manny Machado. I love playing against him. I love watching him. If I slid into third base and got Mannys knee, I know Im going to get drilled. Thats baseball. I get drilled, and I go to first base. Thats it.

Teammates dont throw shade on teammates real often.

Especially Pedroia.

Barnes, Pedroia and manager John Farrell all swore that the right-handed reliever was not aiming at Machados head. Theres no reason to doubt that or malign Barnes, who is the opposite of a bad egg.

But the videotape will always show that his pitch was a couple inches away from hitting Machados head and causing who knows what kind of terrible injury.

Nobody wants to be labeled a head-hunter.

In the minds of most of those who live in Baltimore or play for the Orioles, Barnes was head-hunting yesterday.

You can kill a guy doing that, said Os pitcher Kevin Gausman.

It didnt matter that Barnes wasnt trying to bean Machado, just as it doesnt matter that Machado wasnt trying to maim Pedroia when he slid past second base, spikes high and landed on Pedroias left leg, injuring his knee and ankle and keeping him out of game action for two games and counting.

Intent is not the issue now.

Revenge, justice, long memories and baseballs inscrutable and uncodified code are still in play.

Barnes aim was more than lousy. It was inflammatory.

I think it was completely obvious havent seen a guy miss that bad in a while, behind a guys head I dont think theres any question about it, said Orioles first baseman Chris Davis.

Baltimore manager Buck Showalter was relatively subdued.

Whether he threw at him or not, Ill let him and the good Lord answer, said Showalter. Im not going to get into that.

Machado himself took a long time to come out and meet the media. Before he did, he had plenty of time to see the TV replays that caught his exchanges across the diamond with Pedroia, where Pedroia was telling him that he wouldnt have handled the situation like that.

He also received a text from Pedroia.

You never want to get hit in the head, intentionally or not, it doesnt matter, you dont want to get hit in the head, said Machado.

Im going to respect Pedey to the end of this day, I look up to a guy like that. Whatever he says and whatever is going on that side is up to them and their situation. At the end of day he knows what happened, and I respect him to the end of the day. He shot me a text. Its just part of the game, part of baseball. We all grind out there. We all play hard. We all play hard for each other and hard for the team we play against.

Machado and the rest of the Orioles drew kudos from Showalter for not letting their emotions get the best of them.

They all, believe me, wanted to do something about it, said Showalter, who made sure to come out on the field and put himself in between Machado and the nearest Red Sox after the pitch. I really respect the courage our players had today.

Barnes sounded appropriately miserable.

I would never ever intentionally throw at somebodys head, said Barnes. Thats kind of a line you dont cross. Im sorry that it kind of ended up that high and fortunately it didnt hit him but I think hes got every right to be mad that that one got loose.

Yes, Machado was mad, as are the Orioles and Pedroia.

This will settle down, but it wont be forgotten.

All because Barnes could not drill someone the right way.

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Silverman: Matt Barnes' pitch leads to dangerous chemistry - Boston Herald

Trump’s great chemistry with Chinese president Xi Jinping is actually not that great – Quartz

Posted on April 24, 2017 by ev1

Ever since their first real-life encounter earlier this month, US president Donald Trump has been touting the great chemistry he has with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

Xi might feel less enthusiastic. In their latest call, which took place during Beijings morning today (April 24), Xi urged Trump to show restraint over the issue of North Korea, which might be preparing its sixth nuclear test for a military holiday being held tomorrow. The two leaders also discussed Chinas troublesome neighbor at their Mar-a-Lago meeting and during a follow-up call.

On April 12 Trump told the Wall Street Journal (paywall) that he has offered Xi better trade deals in exchange for help on confronting North Korea. We have a great chemistry together. We like each other. I like him a lot. I think his wife is terrific, he said.

Last week Trump sat down with the Associated Press to talk about the first 100 day of his administration. This time he also used the phrase great chemistry to describe his relationship with other world leaders, including Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi and German chancellor Angela Merkel (whom Trump awkwardly ignored while she tried to shake his hand at the White House last month).

Of course Xi was on the list, too. When asked to elaborate on his chemistry with Xi, Trump took Chinas hardening stance against North Korea as an example:

Look, he [Xi] turned down many coal ships. These massive coal ships are coming where they get a lot of their income. Theyre coming into China and theyre being turned away. Thats never happened before. The fuel, the oil, so many different things.

There appears to be some truth about the coal. As for the oil, thats less clear.

In February, China announced a ban on coal imports from North Korea, following the rogue nations then-latest missile test and alleged assassination of its rulers half-brother. After the Trump-Xi meeting, Chinese customs authorities reportedly ordered domestic firms to return North Korean coal shipments, although it appears such shipments were also being turned back before then. Official data also show Chinese imports of North Korean coal halved in the first quarter from a year ago. Beijing said in late February that by doing this it was complying with UN sanctions adopted in November, which it had not been strictly following.

Things are different when it comes to oil. North Korea relies almost entirely on China for its oil supply, and would suffer greatly without it. Beijing appears to have neither frozen nor reduced oil exports to its isolated neighbor. Doing so remains an option to punish Pyongyang for another nuclear test, according to Chinese experts and state newspapers, but their stances dont necessarily reflect official policy.

Meanwhile Trump said he has backtracked from his threat to label China a currency manipulator not only because Xi is working with him on containing North Korea, but also because China has stopped artificially lowering its currency since Trump took office. He told AP:

But President Xi, from the time I took office, he has not, they have not been currency manipulators. Because theres a certain respect because he knew I would do something or whatever.

He went on to say that, since he became president, Beijing has used a very specific formula to prop up its currency. But its unclear what hes referring to. China stopped keeping its currency artificially low about 10 years ago. Since 2015, Chinas central bank has started to strengthen the yuans value in an attempt to combat capital outflows amid the nations economic slowdown, and indeed has spent about $1 trillion in that effort.

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Trump's great chemistry with Chinese president Xi Jinping is actually not that great - Quartz

Kyle Shanahan gives 49ers locker room new look to help boost chemistry – ESPN (blog)

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Danzig

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The arrival of Kyle Shanahan as head coach and John Lynch as general manager has come with a massive rebuild of the San Francisco 49ers' roster. In fact, of the 90 players on the team's current roster, 50 of them have been brought in since Shanahan and Lynch arrived in January.

But the makeover at Levi's Stadium has extended well beyond the composition of the roster.

As part of the process of instilling the culture Lynch and Shanahan seek and embracing the long and storied history of one of the NFL's most accomplished franchises, there have been a number of changes made to the team's locker room.

Most noticeable is the drastically altered locker assignments. Whereas players used to be assigned lockers by position group, now players of every group are sitting next to one another. It might seem like no big deal, but Shanahan views it as an important way for his team to build chemistry from the first player to the 90th.

"I want our team to be close and I don't want just groups to be close," Shanahan said. "You're with your group enough in your position meetings and usually, all day. Each position group's broken up and that gets real tight and then the sides of the ball are broken up. So I think the more you can mix up the locker room and you can have a running back next to a D-Lineman or a corner next to a center, I just think it mixes it up. It forces you to get a little bit out of your comfort zone and I think in the long run it makes your team a little closer."

In addition to the locker shuffle, Shanahan and Lynch have added a few more tweaks to the room. In the small hallway players enter and exit from, there's now a painted mural featuring franchise legends Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Patrick Willis, Roger Craig and Steve Young with the words "It won't be easy, but it will be worth it" underneath it.

Inside the locker room, Shanahan and Lynch's team rules can be found on the walls.

Those rules: 1. Protect the team. 2. No complaining, no excuses. 3. Be on time.

Of course, none of these changes are revolutionary or will directly result in victories. But for a new regime, it's always important to make sure every player knows what's expected of him. It's part of building the culture that goes with rebuilding a roster.

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Kyle Shanahan gives 49ers locker room new look to help boost chemistry - ESPN (blog)

WCSU chemistry students present research at national conference – HamletHub

Posted on April 24, 2017 by ev1

Thirteen Western Connecticut State University students who are candidates this year to receive Bachelor of Science degrees in chemistry or biochemistry presented their senior research projects at the recent 2017 American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition held in San Francisco.

The students, who have conducted research during the past year in the laboratories of Chemistry Department faculty mentors at WCSU, were accepted by the ACS to participate in the Chemical Education exhibition held during the annual meeting in April, which attracted approximately 18,000 chemistry professionals, academics and students from the United States and worldwide. In addition to presenting their research and viewing the work of fellow chemistry students in a professional conference setting, the ACS National Meeting afforded the opportunity for the WCSU participants to attend lectures on pioneering chemistry research investigations and attend workshops and career fairs useful in pursuing graduate studies and employment in the chemistry field.

Western students who presented their research at the ACS National Meeting include: Sumra Akhlaq, Sadia Alam, Freddy Balarezo, Gursimran Kaur, Madiha Khan, Trevor Lyons and Edwin Rojas, all of Danbury; Douglas Fleischmann, of Brookfield; Alexander Bieber and Li Shan Lin, both of New Milford; Charbel Khalil, of Sandy Hook; Robert Mownn, of Shelton; and Doneisha Coleman, of West Haven. WCSU student Maximilian Krainer, of New Fairfield, also attended the conference.

WCSU Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Nicholas J. Greco, who accompanied the students to San Francisco, observed that Western students have participated in the conference for the past three decades, but that this years delegation represented the largest and most diverse group of participants ever to represent the university at the ACS National Meeting. They were able to interact with students and faculty from around the world, present and defend their research, critically analyze their work and learn what everyone else in the field is doing, Greco said. This experience provides validation that the research they are doing is important and relevant to the chemical community.

Ive never seen so many people with similar research interests in the same place, Fleischmann remarked about his experience in presenting at the conference. His research project, mentored by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Daniel Baluha, has involved using infrared spectroscopy to study the chemical composition of humic substances, the complex mixture of organic materials found in soil as well as in many aquatic environments. I found five other individuals who are doing the same kind of research that Im doing, only with different methodologies, he said. I learned how were all working to improve our understanding of chemistry, and we were able to communicate our research issues and find out how to improve our experiments.

Kaurs research has focused on characterization of an enzyme found in the bacterium that causes the lung disease form of tuberculosis, an area of basic research that ultimately holds promise for investigation of pharmaceutical development for treatment of the disease. She credited her research adviser, Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Anne Roberts, for helpful mentoring and noted that, as a chemistry student at Western, I have found all my professors so supportive. When I enrolled in the program, I thought it would be very difficult and felt intimidated at first, but in this supportive environment the chemistry faculty have helped me to succeed.

Beibers project, mentored by Professor of Chemistry Dr. Yuan Mei-Ratliff, has explored methods to achieve optimal performance of a type of resin used to determine the quantities of specific pharmaceuticals found in waste water. He described his experience at the ACS National Meeting as eye-opening. It was really cool to walk into an exposition hall and see hundreds of companies, vendors and recruiters from the chemical industry, and so many poster presentations by students with the same interests as mine.

Beiber, who transferred to Western from a larger college to pursue his chemistry degree, remarked that its awesome how personal our professors have made our educational experience. We can approach every professor we have, and they make sure that we master what we need to know. I had a tough path to get here, and my professors have helped me every step of the way.

At the May WCSU commencement, 21 students will receive bachelors degrees in either chemistry or biochemistry, and a total of 85 undergraduates currently are enrolled as chemistry or biochemistry majors. Greco said that the chemistry program at Western prepares students equally well for pursuit of studies for an advanced degree or for employment after graduation in industry, and this is reflected in the roughly even split between graduates who continue on to graduate school or enter the workplace. Among the students who attended the ACS conference, many plan to pursue graduate studies at institutions including Georgetown University, Tufts University, the SUNY College of Optometry, the University of Buffalo and the University of Connecticut.

Greco observed that WCSU chemistry students senior research projects are designed to provide one-on-one learning experiences with their faculty advisers, and customized to address each students specific area of interest in chemistry investigation. Kaur, Fleischmann and Bieber all remarked that their faculty advisers provided useful guidance when they began their projects, but also afforded wide latitude to design and pursue their own projects as they progressed.

The majority of the time we spend in the classroom and the lab is to teach our students how to do research, Greco said. We are giving them the tools that will help them to go out and apply what they have learned when they leave Western.

For information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

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WCSU chemistry students present research at national conference - HamletHub

Court: UT Austin Can’t Revoke Chemistry Ph.D. – Inside Higher Ed

Posted on April 24, 2017 by ev1

Court: UT Austin Can't Revoke Chemistry Ph.D.
Inside Higher Ed
A Texas appeals court last week granted an injunction to a 2008 chemistry Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin who's fighting to keep her doctorate after accusations of scientific misconduct. Suvi Orr's dissertation paper was retracted for ...

In these classrooms, chemistry is part of a larger whole – Chemical & Engineering News

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Credit: Stephen McNeil

At the start of the course, students at the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus work collaboratively to identify how chemistry might help address the United Nations sustainable development goals.

At the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus, two chemistry teachers have used systems thinking to help them redesign their general chemistry curriculum around the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs).

The small campus and team have meant that W. Stephen McNeil and Tamara K. Freeman have had a lot of flexibility in their work, according to McNeil. Theyve been revising all aspects of the general chemistry curriculum since around 2013. That course is taken by between 750 and 800 first-year science students annually. In the past, the course has lacked context to explain the relevance of chemistry in the students everyday lives, McNeil says. So he and Freeman, who is the first-year coordinator at the Okanagan campus, decided to rebuild the curriculum from scratch. To help them do that, the pair turned to the UN SDGs: 17 topics that the UN has identified as important for building a sustainable world.

Were not the first people to realize this, McNeil says, but the United Nations sustainable development goals are a really rich thematic framework that we thought that we could make use of.

So thats where the pair started. Their aim, McNeil explains, was to get students to realize that chemistry is a human endeavor that can help solve the SDGs as well as be part of problems such as pollution and climate change. They recognized that just telling the students about chemistrys importance wouldnt be enough. We wanted to give our students opportunities to explore for themselves, McNeil says.

Credit: Stephen McNeil

Students at the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus work together on activities linking what they have learned to the United Nations sustainable development goals.

The two began by developing a vision of what the new course might be. Rather than try to do it all at once, we worked toward it incrementally, McNeil says. Using systems thinking, they slowly developed the curriculum by introducing small changes each year and then building upon them.

The work is a little like a retrosynthesis in organic chemistry, according to McNeil. The pair picked an SDG and then tried to find topics or themes that could be linked to that goal; they then chose chemical concepts applicable to those topics. For example, six SDGs are related to the topic of ozone and chlorofluorocarbons, and that can be linked to several chemical concepts.

This new approach has changed the content of the coursefor example, adding spectroscopy and other analytical ideas that McNeil says traditionally dont show up in a first-year curriculum but can provide evidence to the students.

We havent landed yet on a single operational definition of what systems thinking means or within the context of chemistry education what it should imply in terms of our practice.

W. Stephen McNeil, chemistry professor, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus

Freeman and McNeil have also changed the delivery of the course to fit the SDG framework. After introducing different concepts, for example, the teachers give the students time to reflect and put the concepts into context. There are points in the course where we pause for a moment and say, OK, lets think about everything weve just been discussing for the last 46 weeks and talk about an issue, McNeil explains.

For example, students first learn about gas laws and kinetic molecular theory, introductory spectroscopy and Lewis structures, resonance, and the correlation of bond order with chemical bond strengths. Then the teaching pauses and McNeil or Freeman introduces a case study looking at the role of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigeration and the depletion of the ozone layer.

According to McNeil, these case studies were originally designed to add context to what the students were learning, but through surveys and interviews with students, they found that the students believe the activities also help reinforce learning.

While systems thinking strongly guided the development of the case study exercises and the SDG framework, Freeman and McNeil have not explicitly included the development of systems thinking skills as learning objectives for their course. However, they suspect some of those skills are developed by the students anyway.

And that ambiguity highlights what McNeil describes as a point of tension among chemistry educators. We havent landed yet on a single operational definition of what systems thinking means or within the context of chemistry education what it should imply in terms of our practice, he says. There is a diversity of approach and a diversity of interpretation.

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In these classrooms, chemistry is part of a larger whole - Chemical & Engineering News

How this chemistry professor is grappling with molecular models in hopes of making big breakthroughs – The College of New Jersey News

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Danzig

Associate Professor Joseph Baker with chemistry students Jonathan Piscitelli 21, Kevin Marin 21 and Emma Webb 21.

If youve ever needed antibiotics, youre familiar with the destructive power of bacterial cells. Bacteria can accumulate on everyday surfaces and cause illnesses from strep throat to pneumonia.

With their amazing powers of adhesion, these cells can cling to surfaces, join together to form colonies, and even move around. Hair-like appendages made of proteins called type IV pili extend from the bacterial cell, grab onto surfaces and then contract, pulling the cell forward like a grappling hook.

Joseph Baker, associate professor of chemistry, is taking a closer look at these grappling hooks in order to better understand their role in the infection process. His research could help uncover revolutionary new medical treatments.

A physicist by training, Baker has worked in the chemistry field since receiving his PhD from the University of Arizona in 2011. With my physics background, the way that I try to understand these protein systems is from a model-based approach, he says.

Now, with help from TCNJs Electronic Laboratory for Science and Analysis (a high-performance computing cluster affectionately known as ELSA), Baker and his team of TCNJ students (nearly 20 over the last five years) are using a computational method called molecular dynamics simulation to analyze the movements of the pili. This method works by calculating the interactions between atoms in the simulated system (in some cases hundreds of thousands or millions of atoms) and then using Newtons laws of motion to determine how the pili moves through time, essentially creating a movie of the molecular motion.

Specifically, Baker is interested in understanding how type IV pili respond to tension forces. As the grappling hook stretches and grabs onto a new surface, its structure changes.

Its like taking a string and pulling on it. The string will stretch a bit and so will type IV pili when they are pulled on, says Baker.

Understanding these structural changes could have groundbreaking practical implications. Researchers could theoretically develop a molecule that would sever the pili during adhesion, preventing bacterial infection.

Bakers research could have another important application: drug delivery. Hollowed out pili could act like nanotubes similar to a straw that is thousands of times thinner than human hair aiding in the transport of drug molecules into infected or cancerous cells and potentially helping to combat disease.

With his simulations, Baker will explore the kinds of molecules that could move through these hollow structures, and investigate their application as novel nanoscale biomaterial devices.

With support from the Gitenstein-Hart Sabbatical Prize, Baker will spend his sabbatical year at Northern Arizona University working with his theory collaborator and others at the universitys Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications, to further develop his research.

Sarah Voorhees 20

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How this chemistry professor is grappling with molecular models in hopes of making big breakthroughs - The College of New Jersey News

Vero Beach testing glyphosate-free weed killer to help reduce chemical contamination of Lagoon – TCPalm

Posted on March 7, 2020 by Danzig

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The City of Vero Beach has started a pilot program using a non-glyphosate product to eliminate weeds on city property, similar to changes made in Indian River County and Sebastian. In this photo, taken in October, community members tour Indian River County's Osprey Acres, where county officials are using a non-glphosate product to control weeds.(Photo: PATRICK DOVE/TCPALM)

VERO BEACH Following Sebastian and Indian River County, which last year stopped using weed killers with glyphosate the chemical in Roundupthe city is trying a more-natural approach.

Vero Beach is testing the weed killerWhack Out Weeds, or W.O.W., which contains natural soaps and salts. It's being used in the city cemetery, where shell beds for the headstones seem to be a breeding ground for weeds,City Manager Monte Falls said.

Glyphosate used in commercial weed killerssuch as Roundup has been linked to cancer and possibly to algae blooms, so many government agencies are trying alternative methods.

Results have been positive, Falls said. W.O.W. seems to be keeping the weeds away, even after six weeks, he said.

"It's a proactive thing," Falls told the City Council last month. "We are trying anything we can to keep chemicals out of the natural environment."

W.O.W. has been used in similar tests in Sebastian.

In September 2018, Stuart stopped using the product, followed by Martin County last year. In November, Sebastian implemented a six-month moratorium on the products at parks and a one-year ban on using it along the waterway.

Last year, Indian River County stopped using glyphosate at 40 county parks and Sandridge Golf Course. The county currently uses a similar product, called Tribune,to control weeds at its storm-water park and nature preserve Osprey Acres.

Sebastian City Manager Paul Carlisle has told Sebastian City Council preliminary tests have shown W.O.W. surpassed Roundup in its ability to control weeds. The cityis also testing the product on aquatic weeds.

More: Roundup weed killer ban: Indian River County is latest to stop using glyphosate herbicide

More: Sebastian temporary lifting weed-spraying ban for limited test of W.O.W alternative

Vero Beach staff members still are experimenting with W.O.W. to determine the cost of using it citywide, Falls said. Ifit continues to be effective, Falls said, he likely will include it in the fiscal 2021 budget to see how it works over a full year.

Glyphosate used in commercial weed killerssuch as Roundup has been linked to cancer and possibly to algae blooms, so many government agencies are trying alternative methods.

More: Is FWC feeding Lake Okeechobee algae blooms with Roundup and other glyphosate herbicides?

More: Martin County stops using glyphosate, found in Roundup, due to cancer, toxic algal blooms

Janet Begley contributed to this report.

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