Prof. Laurel Schafer
laurelschafer.bsky.social
Prof. Laurel Schafer
@laurelschafer.bsky.social
Mother, Wife, Chemistry Professor, CRC, Head of Department, Start Up Founder. At UBC-Vancouver, we develop new early transition metals catalysts with specialization in amine molecules and materials.
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
At this most horrible moment in our world's history, I'm going to take a moment to remember our past atrocities.
September 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Great news! Congratulations to you both!! #PhDone ##ProudSupervisor
🎉🎉 Big Congrats to Joey Zurakowski who defended his PhD yesterday in fine style! Joey co-authored 26 papers during his time in the group (with more to come)!

He’s off to work with @levinchem.bsky.social in the Fall and we can’t wait to hear about his future accomplishments! 🔥🔥
August 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Monthly reminder: Many people have a book in them, but it takes a special kind of freak to leave the Land of Laziness, cross the Plains of Procrastination and Insecurity Mountain, find the Blade of No One Made You Do This, and use it to cut your chest open and yank that book out.
August 1, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Check out the hotel deals - and I just got a great price on a return flight to Honolulu!! #Pacifchem2025
Are you attending #Pacifichem2025? You can book your housing now!

Visit our website to lock in your hotel: pacifichem.org/attend/housi...
July 31, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
At #Pacifichem2025 innovation knows no borders.

Join us, as we work together to solve the most pressing challenges facing the world of chemistry: pacifichem.org/attend/
July 24, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Thanks for the opportunity to connect with global OM colleagues at this European event! Great science thanks to @swisschemistry.bsky.social, @evaheviagroup.bsky.social & Martin Albrecht! #EuroCupBern
Opening the conference #EuCOMC2025 @laurelschafer.bsky.social on the intricacies of #hydroaminoalkylation chemistry
July 8, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
May is Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! It's a time to recognize the history and contributions of these groups.

How have you celebrated Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? #Pacifichem2025
May 28, 2025 at 4:05 PM
What a win!! Such fun - Go Jets!! @winnipegjets.com #WhiteOut
May 5, 2025 at 3:08 AM
May 5, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Did you know that Ernest Rutherford – one of the pioneers of atomic and nuclear physics – was from New Zealand? In fact, he was the first Oceanian to win the Nobel!

While he spent his later career in England, the work that led to his Nobel Prize was conducted in Canada!

#Pacifichem2025
May 2, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Thanks to everyone who has submitted abstracts for #Pacifichem2025! We have already received well over 10,000 abstracts!

Submissions close April 16 - check our website for more information: pacifichem.org/scientific-p...
April 10, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Tomorrow's the last day! Come to beautiful Hawaii - central to the Pacific Rim and far from DC!! Canada 🇨🇦 is the host country of Pacifchem 2025 and we welcome you!! #SubmitAbstracts
Last call for abstracts for #Pacifichem2025! Get all your information in before 23:59 Hawaii time on April 16th.
More details: brnw.ch/21wS0qL
April 16, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Last call for abstracts for #Pacifichem2025! Get all your information in before 23:59 Hawaii time on April 16th.
More details: brnw.ch/21wS0qL
April 15, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Congrats to Max Thompson and team, who show that highly functionalized small molecules can be assembled using hydroaminoalkylation. Insights into catalyst and substrate control. A lesson in patience and persistence - his 1st paper, a 1st author JACS!! 🔥🔥 pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Regioselective Hydroaminoalkylation with Silylated Alkenes for β-Amino Acid Synthesis
Catalyst and substrate steric and electronic features that influence regioselectivity in hydroaminoalkylation were leveraged to develop a synthetic approach for the selective synthesis of β-amino acids. An in situ generated tantalum-ureate catalyst was used to prepare 18 γ-silylated amines in up to 93% yield from internal silylated alkenes. β-Amino silane regioisomer production was rarely observed, making this work one of the few examples of highly regioselective hydroaminoalkylation with unsymmetric internal alkenes. These γ-amino silanes were converted to γ-amino alcohols with a modified Tamao–Fleming oxidation strategy followed by two additional steps to prepare β-amino acids, including a key fragment of the anticancer drug candidate Ipatasertib.
pubs.acs.org
April 9, 2025 at 1:28 PM
So excited to learn that alumni, faculty and departmental friends are giving generously to support the excellence of our students. Many thanks for your contributions to this new summer research award!
Support UBC Chemistry's Graduate Student Support Fund this #UBCGivingDay! Your contribution will help graduate students focus on their research, developing innovations for a healthy planet. 💚🔬
🔗 givingday.ubc.ca/31090/gd2025...
April 7, 2025 at 2:52 AM
What a great day to celebrate the achievements of our outstanding alumni!! Thanks to all for attending!
Don't forget to RSVP for our upcoming 2025 Chemistry Alumni Reunion, taking place on Saturday April 5! This special event will bring together alumni, faculty members, and current students. This is a free event and will include a prize draw!
RSVP here: event.fourwaves.com/chemalumnire...
April 7, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Whenever you hear someone sneer about scientific research that seems useless to them — “they’re studying the spit of lizards?!” — remind them that’s exactly how we got Ozempic.

globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard helped pave the way for Ozempic - National | Globalnews.ca
In 1984, Dr. Daniel Drucker, an endocrinologist from the University of Toronto, discovered a hormone that helped pave the way for popular diabetes drugs such as Ozempic.
globalnews.ca
February 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
was talking to my therapist about how i feel a little ashamed to not be well educated, informed, or insightful enough to have opinions on a lot of things that matter and she’s like… maybe you shouldn’t compare yourself to people who don’t know anything and overconfidently express bad takes anyways
January 11, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
The comic that got us demonetised on Facebook back in August. (We’re no longer on Facebook).
January 8, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Happy New Year
January 2, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Now head of department - little flexible time it seems, but these past few days, my Christmas gift to myself has been to checkout journal websites to enjoy new chemistry that is not related to our program. #ChristmasTreats!
December 24, 2024 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
"One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion. So now people assume that religion and morality have a necessary connection. But the basis of morality is really very simple and doesn't require religion at all."

Arthur C. Clarke
December 21, 2024 at 1:05 PM
Reposted by Prof. Laurel Schafer
Next stop, @ubcchem.bsky.social , with my excellent host David Perrin! Amazing to see @coreystephenson.bsky.social and Corinna Schindler in Canada! Caught up with new chair @laurelschafer.bsky.social and @nadineborduas.bsky.social . Finally met Eva Nichols and @ilsastellar.bsky.social
December 6, 2024 at 12:50 AM
Congratulations to @bnadeau.bsky.social for an excellent PhD thesis defense and discussion. Thanks to Sam Johnson as external examiner, Suzana Straus, @coreystephenson.bsky.social @jasonhein.bsky.social for the insightful questioning. Great to shared moment @jenlove.bsky.social #ProudSupervisors
December 3, 2024 at 2:56 PM