**New blog post** thinking about character as an intended outcome of a Chemistry degree. michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2025/2/…

**New Blog Post** Machine Learning vs GenAI. An attempt to distinguish two uses of AI and articulate some of the difficulties of ChatGPT in teaching slightly differently. michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2025/4/…

Abstract submissions for #ViCEPHEC25 close in one month. Email [email protected] if you want to talk anything over (most queries so far have been about lab sessions). Submit your abstract at forms.microsoft.com/Pages/Response…

New paper out today in Nature Synthesis from Wenbang Yang (Wenbang Yang). We describe addition of Zn–Zn bonds to main group carbenes. The system nicely illustrates the continuum between oxidative addition and reductive addition processes. rdcu.be/ejPSS

Only **one week** until abstract submissions for #ViCEPHEC25 close on Friday May 9th! There have been just under 50 submissions so far. Make sure to get yours in before the deadline. forms.microsoft.com/Pages/Response…

#ViCEPHEC25 abstract submissions close *this* Friday.

📰The association between Lewis acid and Lewis base in the active encounter complex of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) has now been quantified in work from Dr Tim Barendt TAB Lab and Dr Andy Jupp Jupp Lab and co-workers published in Nature Communications Nature Communications

#ViCEPHEC25 submissions close TODAY.

There was a flurry of emails asking about extensions today, so the deadline has been delayed by one week to 23:59 on Friday May 16th.

**New Blog Post** I held my office hours in the teaching lab during students' lunch break this year. A quick reflection on how that went. michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2025/5/…

I try not to post "real life" stuff but a few days ago I was asked to give a guest talk about movies to a class of 4th graders. I showed clips of Brakhage, Warhol, Painlevé, etc. I explained how cinema is defined by us and that movies can be made with basic materials.

We were delighted recently to have Dr Charlie Simms University of Oxford – winner of the 2024 RSC Horizon Education Prize periodically_ox – visit Uni of Birmingham to give the talk "PERIODically: Menstruation in Academia" as part of our EDI seminar series, hosted by PhD student Sena Ozturk

RSC members: there are still 7 bursaries available for #ViCEPHEC25 through the Higher Education Group. Deadline: July 14th. Please share! Details here: rscheg.wordpress.com/projects/

**New blog post** Hope in Chemistry Education. michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2025/6/…

In the Financial Times today, I argue that if AI is just another productivity tool, the productivity gains will be limited. For lasting economic expansion, AI must catalyze new industries and initiatives. "Had the 19th century focused solely on better looms and ploughs, we would enjoy

Speaker Announcements for #ViCEPHEC25 came out yesterday. If you're on Bluesky, follow the conference's account.

Booking for #ViCEPHEC25 has been extended until 10 July as we recognised there is little time between abstract notifications and the close of the previous deadline. Nearly 200 people have booked to come already; it's going to be a big event! payments.liv.ac.uk/conferences-an…

**New Blog Post** How to drop accreditation. A quick examination of how a Department might make a success of leaving the RSC accreditation regime. michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2025/7/…