Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 9d

Undergraduate comp chemists! I know it’s a tough grad school climate right now, but here is someone great who is actively looking for 2-3 new students. Apply, apply, apply!!!

Miranda-Quintana group @groupquintana.bsky.social · 9d

We are looking for 2-3 prospective graduate students to join our group starting the Fall 2026 term. Main projects include method development for ML, MD, drug design, and QM.
Please, apply through: lnkd.in/gnM_wC_H

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

lnkd.in

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 20d

I found the solution to this one. On Canvas, if you go to Settings (very bottom of left side navigation menu) and you scroll through very carefully reading, there is a tiny little checkbox that says “Use course grading scheme” and you can uncheck it! Then it doesn’t display any letter grade at all.

Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 21d

Cue small world music! I am the physical chemist who was hired to replace Rod (who is of course irreplaceable) when he left.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 21d

Be my colleague! Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is hiring two tenure-track positions for Fall 2026, chemical education and coatings technology.

Chen Ed: jobs.calpoly.edu/en-us/job/55...

Coatings: jobs.calpoly.edu/en-us/job/55...

Cal Poly - Details - Tenure Track Position - Chemistry

jobs.calpoly.edu

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 21d

Super interesting paper about students’ use of generative AI. They categorize four distinct type of AI use and discuss which types lead to productive use by students. (Not my paper, I just found it super interesting.) pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Bridging Artificial Intelligence and Real Intelligence: Self-Scaffolding Computational Modeling with Generative AI in Chemistry

Chemistry education researchers have, for many years, explored different ways of learning chemistry through modeling and open-ended problem-solving. With the emergence of generative artificial intelli...

pubs.acs.org

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Marie van Staveren @chemdrv.bsky.social · 29d

Interested in chemistry grad school? Come check out the UMBC Chemistry Grad Open House!
Department website: chemistry.umbc.edu

Registration: forms.gle/1ttSe3XrnaPq...

This is an advertisement for UMBC Chemistry & Biochemistry's virtual graduate school open house. It takes place Friday September 26th, 2025 from 3 to 6 pm via WebEx. The schedule includes faculty meetings, a departmental overview, and a panel with current graduate students.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 3

I fell victim to the classic one where I said I wasn’t going to be at a particular meeting but that an agenda item for the meeting needed to be finding someone to do this task. So of course, guess who was assigned the task.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Aug 27

The Women Make COMP symposium is back for the Spring 2026 ACS meeting! Undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral scholars are all eligible. Don’t miss this great opportunity to present your research and grow your professional network! Application: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Marie van Staveren @chemdrv.bsky.social · Aug 20

#ACSFall2025
Come see my talk about new Python notebooks for pchem (and more), giving students choice to get them to code, and why we should consider student identity when teaching programming.
Room 140B at 4:55pm

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Aug 17

No one is talking about the fact that adiabatic is not accepted in spelling bee today? What are the rest of you doing on your flights to #ACSFall2025? (And no, I haven’t finished my slides yet. It’s a long way from the west coast to DC. I’ve still got plenty of time.)

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Aug 15

This is an excellent thread about some of the AI issues faculty should be thinking about this fall. I am by no means an AI hater, and I think a lot about what we should be teaching students about machine learning and generative AI. I think this is a very thoughtful piece.

Lorena A Barba @labarba.bsky.social · Aug 14

🧵 Fall 2025 faculty: I wrote 7 pages on what you need to know about AI before classes start in a week or two—it's posted as PDF in the ‪@figshare.com‬ service under CC-BY: link below… Here are the highlights:
1/8

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Emily Taylor @emilytaylorscience.com · Aug 1

Calling all grades 3-5 teachers! (Many of you know one- share this with them)?

We need your participation in Aug & Sept. And it is fun, ready to go, and a great learning opp!

Curriculum: rattlecam.org/rattle-ed

Please share.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Jul 31

I went to the Lindau meeting when I was a 2nd year graduate student (way back in 2006!) and it is a truly amazing experience. I am so glad it is still going on, and I strongly encourage students to apply!!

C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag.bsky.social · Jul 31

For over 70 years, the small island of Lindau on Lake Constance in Germany has hosted the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, bringing together Nobel laureates and young scientists to learn from one another over a week of talks, lectures, lunches, and small exchanges. cen.acs.org/people/nobel...

A scientific holiday on a German island full of Nobel laureates

Impressions—but no selfies—from the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

cen.acs.org

Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Jul 27

I feel like I have been trying to spread this message for years and no one has been listening.

Jake Yeston @jakeyeston.bsky.social · Jul 26

12) Collard greens are much much much more delicious than kale—I’m not a great fan of kale’s big moment

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Ceci Vollbrecht @cvollbrecht.bsky.social · Jul 11

Thrilled to have receive this fellowship to help add new skills to the chemistry curriculum that will help my students become better scientists! And thanks to the college for highlighting it! www.kzoo.edu/news/faculty...

That Computes: Faculty Member's Fellowship to Benefit Students

Cecilia Vollbrecht is one of just 10 faculty members from around the country to earn a fellowship that will help students learn new skills.

www.kzoo.edu

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Chemjobber @chemjobber.bsky.social · Jul 9

Followers of the Church of Chemjobber, I'm delighted to endorse Dr. Chris Cramer for President of the United States in 2028. Now let us pray.

Well-tarred Flask 🇮🇹🇺🇦🇨🇦 @chemprofcramer.bsky.social · Jul 8

wtaf?
www.npr.org/2025/07/08/n...

IRS says churches can now endorse political candidates

Since 1954, an IRS rule had barred houses of worship from explicitly endorsing political candidates.

www.npr.org

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Jul 6

I can see an argument that lots of places put too much cream cheese now, but no cream cheese at all? 🤯

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Carol Parish @carolaparish.bsky.social · Jul 2

URichmond is hiring two tenure-track faculty. One in biochemistry/chemical biology and the other in experimental physical chemistry. This is a terrific place to work - our focus is on our talented undergraduates and we have robust research resources. chemistryjobs.acs.org/job/assistan...

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Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonald

Heidi Klem @drklemistry.bsky.social · Jul 2

The Klem Lab at LSU is hiring a postdoctoral researcher in computational biochemistry!
Application info: klem-research-group.github.io/join/
♻️ Please share with anyone who might be interested! #chemjobs #postdoc #compchem #biochemistry #enzymes

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Jun 17

Max ALSO tried to give everyone an A this morning.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Jun 4

Our college communications director sent out a shared spreadsheet and asked people to fill it in with any cancelations, such that if there was a media request (which would come to his office) asking if a particular grant was canceled or how many cancellations we had, he would have the info.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Jun 1

I know there is nothing yall love more than filling out the annual DFT poll!

Marcel Swart 🟥 @marcelswart.bsky.social · Jun 1

Guys, you can.

The annual #DFTPoll is open:
https://dftpoll.fillout.com/2025

More info:
https://www.marcelswart.eu/dft-poll/index.html

#CompChem #ChemSky

DFT Poll 2025

Made with Fillout, the best way to make forms, surveys and quizzes your audience will answer.

dftpoll.fillout.com

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · May 23

I am voting for laundry folding as the task I am most looking forward to the AI doing for me.

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Apr 15

Maybe we could get @everywherechem.bsky.social to send an officially ACS letter to Will Shortz to rectify the situation?

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Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · Apr 15

I know! I tried it at least three times, thinking surely I had just accidentally misspelled it because there was no way it wouldn’t be included.

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