Category Archives: Uncategorized

Wikipedia says that the German chemical giant, BASF, is “the largest producer in the world, operating 390 production sites on 5 continents, and employing approximately 122,000 in 2015. This past summer a C&E News article (“More Rabbits from Fewer Hats,” … finish reading Jobs for Computational Chemists at BASF

I’ve been reading Science magazine for years, but this only marks me as a nerd, not as a scientist. If you want to learn a little about the day-to-day experiences of working scientists, I recommend reading the Working Life feature on the back page … finish reading What’s it like to be a scientist?

Except for the hot months when I can wear shorts, I live in jeans. This graphic on the environmental impact of one pair of 501 jeans blew my mind. See “Cleaning the Clothing Industry” by M. M. Bomgardner, C&ENews (27 June … finish reading Eco-Jeans

 My memory isn’t what it used to be, but when I saw this photo in Science magazine (15 May 2015, “Pioneers of the final frontier” by the late Dr. Claudia Alexander) I was tossed for a loop because I remember this … finish reading Slow Progress

“I don’t work in a startup,” writes Prof. Louis Menand in “The Life Biz” (New Yorker, 28 March 2016). He continues, “I work in a brick-and-mortar university, one of the most institutionally conservative workplaces in the world outside North Korea. … finish reading I don’t work in a startup

Sent to me from teemazing.co (fyi – I would never wear a tie)

The New Yorker celebrated its 90th birthday last month with a bunch of articles about the magazine. My favorite by far was “Holy Writ” by Mary Norris. She launches herself into the page with this teasing phrase, “I didn’t set … finish reading Attention seniors! Watch out for ‘Comma Queens’ (& kings)

Ursula K. Le Guin is one of Portland’s greatest enduring gifts to the world of letters. I keep three of her so-called “young adult” books in my nightstand and I have obtained several copies of her rendering of the Tao … finish reading The name of our beautiful reward is not profit

Move over G.N. Lewis. Forget electron sharing, bonding orbitals, and ionic attraction. xkcd has finally deduced the secret of chemical bonding. (And guess what? I see some unexpected connections between C and U chemistry!)

In a few days I’ll sit under the big white tent and watch a few hundred Reed seniors walk across the platform and accept their diplomas. It will be a proud, happy moment for the graduate, their family, and all … finish reading Prof. Cynthia McClure, 1953-2014