Tanja Junkers
@polymerreaction.bsky.social
Polymer affectionada, believer in a digital chemistry future. Goes with the flow. Coffee addict, consequential Melbournian. Born 🇩🇪, proud 🇦🇺, 🏳️🌈 and 🇧🇪 flavoured. She/her
The one thing that is really upsetting about the racism at Australian Universities report is that people apparently expect university campuses to be racsim-free when the society is deeply racist.
Racism is bad. Universities need to fight it hard. But stop pretending unis are the cause.
Racism is bad. Universities need to fight it hard. But stop pretending unis are the cause.
February 17, 2026 at 1:39 AM
The one thing that is really upsetting about the racism at Australian Universities report is that people apparently expect university campuses to be racsim-free when the society is deeply racist.
Racism is bad. Universities need to fight it hard. But stop pretending unis are the cause.
Racism is bad. Universities need to fight it hard. But stop pretending unis are the cause.
February 16, 2026 at 8:57 AM
Can someone please build a timemachine and slap yesterday's me for the idea to walk 16km when the longest hike i did in the past 5 years was maybe 7/8km? Im in so much pain right now.
But also: beautiful pictures! Australia is such a beauty!
#hike #basscoast
But also: beautiful pictures! Australia is such a beauty!
#hike #basscoast
February 14, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Can someone please build a timemachine and slap yesterday's me for the idea to walk 16km when the longest hike i did in the past 5 years was maybe 7/8km? Im in so much pain right now.
But also: beautiful pictures! Australia is such a beauty!
#hike #basscoast
But also: beautiful pictures! Australia is such a beauty!
#hike #basscoast
The last days I am doing a lot of data analysis myself. The full bonanza - python scripts, statistics deep dive. While part of me is annoyed to do a lot of boring data formatting, the rest of me is excited like a 1st year PhD student. I get to do real research!
I so miss that.
#ozchem #academia
I so miss that.
#ozchem #academia
February 6, 2026 at 12:09 PM
I upgraded to bone conducting headphones so I can listen to music while swimming (which feels really weird...)
Anyhow, I will swim 20km to prevent youth suicide in March. If you know me (or not), I'd be super stoked to see your donation!
www.lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/...
#OzChem #LapsForLife
Anyhow, I will swim 20km to prevent youth suicide in March. If you know me (or not), I'd be super stoked to see your donation!
www.lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/...
#OzChem #LapsForLife
February 5, 2026 at 5:43 AM
I upgraded to bone conducting headphones so I can listen to music while swimming (which feels really weird...)
Anyhow, I will swim 20km to prevent youth suicide in March. If you know me (or not), I'd be super stoked to see your donation!
www.lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/...
#OzChem #LapsForLife
Anyhow, I will swim 20km to prevent youth suicide in March. If you know me (or not), I'd be super stoked to see your donation!
www.lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/...
#OzChem #LapsForLife
While using ChatGPT to get some code for data evaluation, I got a gold star award from the system telling me "you are building a very solid data pipeline!", and man, I have never felt so patronized before.
February 2, 2026 at 11:35 AM
While using ChatGPT to get some code for data evaluation, I got a gold star award from the system telling me "you are building a very solid data pipeline!", and man, I have never felt so patronized before.
Who will be our Chem Sci Lectureship awardee for 2026? Nominate now!
January 30, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Who will be our Chem Sci Lectureship awardee for 2026? Nominate now!
Hottake: It should not take 30min to make miniscule changes to the format of your word document just so that the automatic pdf generator of a journal submission system finally produces an acceptable pdf.
#ChemSky
#ChemSky
January 28, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Hottake: It should not take 30min to make miniscule changes to the format of your word document just so that the automatic pdf generator of a journal submission system finally produces an acceptable pdf.
#ChemSky
#ChemSky
Went to the pool this morning, and went above the important Gen Alpha threshold of 67 laps, doing 68 (because no swimmer can do an odd number of laps, I don't make the rules).
All going well to prep for my fundraiser.
www.lapsforlife.com.au/s/8435/71782
Please consider donating for a good cause!
All going well to prep for my fundraiser.
www.lapsforlife.com.au/s/8435/71782
Please consider donating for a good cause!
I'm diving in this March to prevent youth suicide
I need your help. I'm challenging myself to swim to save lives. Every day, one young person in Australia takes their own life – that's one too many. Please donate to my fundraising page and help Reach...
www.lapsforlife.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 11:11 PM
Went to the pool this morning, and went above the important Gen Alpha threshold of 67 laps, doing 68 (because no swimmer can do an odd number of laps, I don't make the rules).
All going well to prep for my fundraiser.
www.lapsforlife.com.au/s/8435/71782
Please consider donating for a good cause!
All going well to prep for my fundraiser.
www.lapsforlife.com.au/s/8435/71782
Please consider donating for a good cause!
I know, it's so 2020..... but im getting better at my slap'n'fold and I want to show it off
#ChemistsWhoCook
#ChemistsWhoCook
January 25, 2026 at 9:36 AM
I know, it's so 2020..... but im getting better at my slap'n'fold and I want to show it off
#ChemistsWhoCook
#ChemistsWhoCook
Reposted by Tanja Junkers
Exclusive: chemistry's international governing body is moving from its home of 25 years in the US to two cities in Europe.
Iupac announces it is moving from the US to a joint home in Spain and Italy
Dual headquarters decision a result of strong bids from both cities
www.chemistryworld.com
January 21, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Exclusive: chemistry's international governing body is moving from its home of 25 years in the US to two cities in Europe.
Call me weird, but every time I come from the pool, I pass what I call the pen!s tree, and each time I will chuckle a little and be grateful that noone has cut that thing off yet (my guess is most gardeners are male and they cant stand the thought of doing it)
January 20, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Call me weird, but every time I come from the pool, I pass what I call the pen!s tree, and each time I will chuckle a little and be grateful that noone has cut that thing off yet (my guess is most gardeners are male and they cant stand the thought of doing it)
I much remember installing our first flow reactor. We hardly knew what we were doing but we knew it was the right thing to do. This feels similar.
I am sure this day will define our future research more than the first flow reactor ever did.
You folks have no idea how excited I am
#ozchem #chemsky
I am sure this day will define our future research more than the first flow reactor ever did.
You folks have no idea how excited I am
#ozchem #chemsky
January 16, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Tanja Junkers
The ARC’s processes are back to being farcical, @jasonclaremp.bsky.social
You advocated for a streamlined, efficient, faster ARC, but all that progress has been undone.
How can they claim to fund “innovation” with more than a year between initial proposal & outcomes? It should be 6 months, not 16!
You advocated for a streamlined, efficient, faster ARC, but all that progress has been undone.
How can they claim to fund “innovation” with more than a year between initial proposal & outcomes? It should be 6 months, not 16!
⁉️The ARC has delayed outcomes of ALL grants 1–4 months & increased scheduled outcome windows from 2 weeks to 3 months!
This reverses 4 years of progress in providing greater certainty & ability to plan for researchers, their families & unis.
Their excuse? Security checks under new ARC legislation👇
This reverses 4 years of progress in providing greater certainty & ability to plan for researchers, their families & unis.
Their excuse? Security checks under new ARC legislation👇
January 12, 2026 at 1:34 AM
The ARC’s processes are back to being farcical, @jasonclaremp.bsky.social
You advocated for a streamlined, efficient, faster ARC, but all that progress has been undone.
How can they claim to fund “innovation” with more than a year between initial proposal & outcomes? It should be 6 months, not 16!
You advocated for a streamlined, efficient, faster ARC, but all that progress has been undone.
How can they claim to fund “innovation” with more than a year between initial proposal & outcomes? It should be 6 months, not 16!
January 11, 2026 at 2:48 AM
Other people have new year resolutions. I have a new rug :) better deal if you ask me.
Happy new year, everyone! Have an excellent 2026!
Happy new year, everyone! Have an excellent 2026!
January 1, 2026 at 4:01 AM
Other people have new year resolutions. I have a new rug :) better deal if you ask me.
Happy new year, everyone! Have an excellent 2026!
Happy new year, everyone! Have an excellent 2026!
This year's Xmas synthesis yield:
Marzipan potatoes, almond kippferls, mini-Linz tarts, kokos macaroons, walnut macaroons and Bluey shortbread
#ChemistsWhoCook
Marzipan potatoes, almond kippferls, mini-Linz tarts, kokos macaroons, walnut macaroons and Bluey shortbread
#ChemistsWhoCook
December 24, 2025 at 6:09 AM
This year's Xmas synthesis yield:
Marzipan potatoes, almond kippferls, mini-Linz tarts, kokos macaroons, walnut macaroons and Bluey shortbread
#ChemistsWhoCook
Marzipan potatoes, almond kippferls, mini-Linz tarts, kokos macaroons, walnut macaroons and Bluey shortbread
#ChemistsWhoCook
Chilling. Just chilling. And then many colleagues think im overreacting by not going to the US anymore.
This chemist had a tenure-track job offer in the US when they decided to leave the country cen.acs.org/careers/empl...
This chemist had a tenure-track job offer in the US when they decided to leave the country cen.acs.org/careers/empl...
This chemist had a tenure-track job offer in the US when they decided to leave the country
Why Evan Spotte-Smith made that choice, and how they are finding the experience
cen.acs.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Chilling. Just chilling. And then many colleagues think im overreacting by not going to the US anymore.
This chemist had a tenure-track job offer in the US when they decided to leave the country cen.acs.org/careers/empl...
This chemist had a tenure-track job offer in the US when they decided to leave the country cen.acs.org/careers/empl...
Repeating my petition to move #Pacifichem 2030 to Fiji
Researchers are devising creative ways to get together as Trump’s policies curb travel to US gatherings
go.nature.com/4adSEUq
go.nature.com/4adSEUq
Scientists skip key US meetings — and seize on smaller alternatives
Researchers are devising creative ways to get together as Trump’s policies curb travel to US gatherings.
go.nature.com
December 17, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Repeating my petition to move #Pacifichem 2030 to Fiji
December 12, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Can you see the excitement in my face about boarding yet another flight?
December 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Can you see the excitement in my face about boarding yet another flight?
My first reaction was, "wHAt COulD gO wROnG?????"
But then: who would be surprised if the LLM would fail to predict scores simply because they are random after all?
But then: who would be surprised if the LLM would fail to predict scores simply because they are random after all?
UKRI has opened up its archives on grants in the hope that AI can be trained on it and, in future, help reviewers speed up the peer review process.
UKRI opens up grant proposal data to explore using AI to smooth peer review
Surging applications has led the UK's main funder to look at ways to reduce the burden on reviewers
www.chemistryworld.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:50 AM
My first reaction was, "wHAt COulD gO wROnG?????"
But then: who would be surprised if the LLM would fail to predict scores simply because they are random after all?
But then: who would be surprised if the LLM would fail to predict scores simply because they are random after all?