S. B. M.
@s-bm.bsky.social
Organic Chemist of the Physical persuasion ||
Comp. Chem enthusiast ||
A humble sack of chemicals at U. Strasbourg ||
(he/his)
Comp. Chem enthusiast ||
A humble sack of chemicals at U. Strasbourg ||
(he/his)
Reposted by S. B. M.
Trump Calmly Reminds Nation That Desire The Root Of All Suffering
theonion.com/trump-c...
theonion.com/trump-c...
April 3, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Trump Calmly Reminds Nation That Desire The Root Of All Suffering
theonion.com/trump-c...
theonion.com/trump-c...
Well... it turns out the eqns to which I tried to arrive were misptrints and were corrected in a later paper by different authors. I was correct from the start! 😭
Damn...Perturbational Molecular Orbital (PMO) theory got hands
April 3, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Well... it turns out the eqns to which I tried to arrive were misptrints and were corrected in a later paper by different authors. I was correct from the start! 😭
Reposted by S. B. M.
That kind of explanation from principles is difficult to teach and learn, and I do think the synthetic approach is an easy way out…it’s a path of least resistance and we can probably do better. But it’ll take a sea change in organic instruction, and we’ve been moving in the wrong direction IMO.
January 15, 2025 at 1:37 AM
That kind of explanation from principles is difficult to teach and learn, and I do think the synthetic approach is an easy way out…it’s a path of least resistance and we can probably do better. But it’ll take a sea change in organic instruction, and we’ve been moving in the wrong direction IMO.
Reposted by S. B. M.
Additionally, while no excuse, few textbooks teach the principles of physical organic chemistry robustly anymore. Even students who read are then swept into the synthetic mindset. 😞 Throw them a rxn that doesn’t work as expected and ask to explain, and it becomes clear the emperor has no clothes.
January 15, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Additionally, while no excuse, few textbooks teach the principles of physical organic chemistry robustly anymore. Even students who read are then swept into the synthetic mindset. 😞 Throw them a rxn that doesn’t work as expected and ask to explain, and it becomes clear the emperor has no clothes.
Reposted by S. B. M.
This is true, and something for organic faculty to reflect on. I went through a phase in which I didn’t teach synthesis for a few years (this was why). I ended up going back, reasoning that most students will need to apply technology in complex ways in their careers or lives. That’s synthesis.
We teach organic chemistry from a perspective that is fitting for a synthetic organic chemist. But most of our students will never be in that position.
January 15, 2025 at 1:31 AM
This is true, and something for organic faculty to reflect on. I went through a phase in which I didn’t teach synthesis for a few years (this was why). I ended up going back, reasoning that most students will need to apply technology in complex ways in their careers or lives. That’s synthesis.
I loved O. Chem from start to end of my courses that had this perspective. Perhaps that love was what left me feeling unsatisfied, full of half answers and a lot of recipes. The best course I took later (through videos and lecture notes) had a physical org. perspective and it changed my live!
We teach organic chemistry from a perspective that is fitting for a synthetic organic chemist. But most of our students will never be in that position.
January 15, 2025 at 4:14 AM
I loved O. Chem from start to end of my courses that had this perspective. Perhaps that love was what left me feeling unsatisfied, full of half answers and a lot of recipes. The best course I took later (through videos and lecture notes) had a physical org. perspective and it changed my live!
Reposted by S. B. M.
I find kind of funny that Lewis was annoyed with Quantum Mechanics and called it "scientific bolshevism", like c'mooon man
December 28, 2024 at 2:27 AM
I find kind of funny that Lewis was annoyed with Quantum Mechanics and called it "scientific bolshevism", like c'mooon man
Reposted by S. B. M.
Friday fun with some zinc MOF crystals that look like Minecraft swords. The fun being that they diffracted just as nicely as Monday's Pd octahedral crystals #cursedcrystallographer
November 22, 2024 at 8:25 PM
Friday fun with some zinc MOF crystals that look like Minecraft swords. The fun being that they diffracted just as nicely as Monday's Pd octahedral crystals #cursedcrystallographer
Busy doing the most important natural product extraction of the day (making coffee for my future in-laws)
December 2, 2024 at 6:46 PM
Busy doing the most important natural product extraction of the day (making coffee for my future in-laws)
Reposted by S. B. M.
My latest feature for @cenmag.bsky.social examines biodegradable and compostable polymers as a solution to microplastic pollution.
Spoiler: While there are plenty of ways to use these materials smartly, microplastics are mostly a problem that new plastic can't solve!
cen.acs.org/materials/po...
Spoiler: While there are plenty of ways to use these materials smartly, microplastics are mostly a problem that new plastic can't solve!
cen.acs.org/materials/po...
Yes, biodegradable microplastics are a real thing
How long they last depends on where they end up
cen.acs.org
November 25, 2024 at 2:51 PM
My latest feature for @cenmag.bsky.social examines biodegradable and compostable polymers as a solution to microplastic pollution.
Spoiler: While there are plenty of ways to use these materials smartly, microplastics are mostly a problem that new plastic can't solve!
cen.acs.org/materials/po...
Spoiler: While there are plenty of ways to use these materials smartly, microplastics are mostly a problem that new plastic can't solve!
cen.acs.org/materials/po...
Reposted by S. B. M.
me (weighing chemicals): it says here the compound can be "a bit static-y" lol i'm sure it's fine
my spatula:
my spatula:
November 19, 2024 at 8:58 AM
me (weighing chemicals): it says here the compound can be "a bit static-y" lol i'm sure it's fine
my spatula:
my spatula:
Reposted by S. B. M.
Want to give a good scientific talk? TELL A GOOD STORY. don’t show the audience every result, don’t give us one slide on every paper you’ve ever published. If I want to read your resume, I will. Teach me something, tell me a story.
November 15, 2024 at 2:16 AM
Want to give a good scientific talk? TELL A GOOD STORY. don’t show the audience every result, don’t give us one slide on every paper you’ve ever published. If I want to read your resume, I will. Teach me something, tell me a story.
Damn...Perturbational Molecular Orbital (PMO) theory got hands
November 19, 2024 at 3:59 AM
Damn...Perturbational Molecular Orbital (PMO) theory got hands
Reposted by S. B. M.
If you like total synthesis and Wordle, check out Synthordle, a retrosynthetic analysis game created by Shenvi Lab associates Kevin Zong (GS 2) and Jonah Luo (HS sophomore!).
shenvilab.github.io/Synthordle/
Easy problems for Sophomore OChem, hard problems for advanced practitioners.
shenvilab.github.io/Synthordle/
Easy problems for Sophomore OChem, hard problems for advanced practitioners.
November 18, 2024 at 8:24 PM
If you like total synthesis and Wordle, check out Synthordle, a retrosynthetic analysis game created by Shenvi Lab associates Kevin Zong (GS 2) and Jonah Luo (HS sophomore!).
shenvilab.github.io/Synthordle/
Easy problems for Sophomore OChem, hard problems for advanced practitioners.
shenvilab.github.io/Synthordle/
Easy problems for Sophomore OChem, hard problems for advanced practitioners.
Reposted by S. B. M.
Post your most popular art from Twitter.
Okay. This was my guy.
Okay. This was my guy.
November 18, 2024 at 10:23 AM
Post your most popular art from Twitter.
Okay. This was my guy.
Okay. This was my guy.
Reposted by S. B. M.
I feel like we all just picked Bluesky and didn’t even give MILF Messenger a chance
November 17, 2024 at 5:41 PM
I feel like we all just picked Bluesky and didn’t even give MILF Messenger a chance
Reposted by S. B. M.
saying “that could fix me” while looking at a pic of $1 million
November 17, 2024 at 2:40 AM
saying “that could fix me” while looking at a pic of $1 million
Important info ⬇️
November 17, 2024 at 10:40 PM
Important info ⬇️
The argument "I need to know how a bomb is made to not accidentally do it" is not working with a couple of gentlemen at my door, any ideas ???
November 17, 2024 at 10:32 PM
The argument "I need to know how a bomb is made to not accidentally do it" is not working with a couple of gentlemen at my door, any ideas ???