Jim Shanahan
banner
chem-shanahan.bsky.social
Jim Shanahan
@chem-shanahan.bsky.social
Visiting Assistant Professor at College of the Holy Cross

Energy, nanomaterials, and hydrogen bonds

PhD - UMich - Szymczak Lab
Postdoc - Columbia - Owen Lab
Reposted by Jim Shanahan
1. For the past thirty years I've had the best job in the world.


I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
March 19, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Reposted by Jim Shanahan
"... These are just some of the potential impacts facing the scientific enterprise, with new actions emerging each day."

What a disappointing statement. "I see you are being drawn and quartered, and it is having a potential impact."
February 28, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by Jim Shanahan
I wrote last week urging Pharma CEOs to speak up about the Trump administration. Unfortunately, some of them have.
Pharma CEOS Speaking Up, Damn It
www.science.org
February 19, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Jim Shanahan
I’m going to run a series of posts about the NIH/NSF/etc. troubles concurrently with my usual science posts. I can’t and won’t ignore the former, but I need the latter for mental equilibrium.
The Continuing NIH/NSF Crisis, Part II
www.science.org
February 6, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Jim Shanahan
The NSF is the US engine of basic science discovery and technology innovation. This decision is a gift to our overseas competitors.
“One of the US’ leading funders of science & engineering research is planning to lay off between a quarter & a half of its staff in the next two months, a top NSF official said Tuesday. The comments…came at an all-hands meeting of the NSF’s Engineering Directorate.”

www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
Science funding agency threatened with mass layoffs
National Science Foundation staff heard the plans at a meeting Tuesday.
www.politico.com
February 5, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Reposted by Jim Shanahan
Pleased to share this set of ~35 multicolor 3D-printed molecular orbital models for organic chemistry classrooms, developed with students @pomonacollege.bsky.social. Article and 3D print files (no paywall): pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
#ChemSky #CompChemSky #3DP #3Dprint #3DModels 🧪
Multicolor 3D-Printed Molecular Orbital Models for a First-Semester Organic Chemistry Course
We have developed a set of multicolor 3D-printed structural and molecular orbital models for use in a first-semester organic chemistry course. These models provide visual and tactile insights regarding aspects of organic structure, reactivity, and mechanistic “arrow pushing”. The set includes: 1. orbital models of σ and π bonding in methane and ethylene, 2. σCH–σ*CH hyperconjugation in staggered and eclipsed ethane conformations, 3. LUMO accessibility in SN2 electrophiles and HOMO–LUMO orbital interactions in SN2 transition states, 4. E2 transition state structure and orbital interactions in β-hydrogen removal and π bond formation, 5. σCH–pC hyperconjugation in the ethyl cation, 6. transition state structure and σCH–pC orbital interactions in a carbocation 1,2-hydride shift, 7. late and early, respectively, Br• and Cl• H atom radical abstraction transition state structures and SOMO orbitals, 8. bromonium ion structure and LUMO orbital, 9. protonated epoxide ion and neutral epoxide structures and LUMO orbitals, 10. transition state structure and orbital interactions in a hydroboration reaction, 11. transition state structure and orbital interactions in the lithium aluminum hydride reduction of formaldehyde, and 12. π molecular orbitals in 1,3-butadiene. The prints are made with hobby-grade 5-color 3D fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers and sized to provide compact take-home class handouts for each student or projected in-class with a document camera. Models are fabricated with orbital or electron density surface bisections and text annotations to enhance information content. Student perceptions of this set of 3D-printed molecular models are generally favorable and have improved their understanding of course materials.
pubs.acs.org
January 24, 2025 at 5:15 AM