Prof Ben Britton
@bmatb.expmicromech.com
Dyslexic atomic sorcerer @ UBC, Vancouver 🍁 (he/him & 🏳️🌈). 🐕 dad.
Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (🔬⚛️), Clean Tech, Academic Governance (UBC Senate & Faculty Assoc.), EDI.
Leads @expmicromech.com.
Has too many hills to die on. Views own.
Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (🔬⚛️), Clean Tech, Academic Governance (UBC Senate & Faculty Assoc.), EDI.
Leads @expmicromech.com.
Has too many hills to die on. Views own.
These 3 reports are not glowing of my teaching - I get pretty rubbish scores, and the comments don't do me favors. The comments rile me (more later).
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
January 13, 2026 at 8:46 PM
These 3 reports are not glowing of my teaching - I get pretty rubbish scores, and the comments don't do me favors. The comments rile me (more later).
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
Made my Christmas present.
Feels poignant for closing out the year that was 2025.
🖤🤎♥️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🤍🩷
Feels poignant for closing out the year that was 2025.
🖤🤎♥️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🤍🩷
December 28, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Made my Christmas present.
Feels poignant for closing out the year that was 2025.
🖤🤎♥️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🤍🩷
Feels poignant for closing out the year that was 2025.
🖤🤎♥️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🤍🩷
Waffles does festive cheer under duress (except if there is snow, and then he's all there for it!).
December 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Waffles does festive cheer under duress (except if there is snow, and then he's all there for it!).
Waffles wishes you a very merry Christmas
December 24, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Waffles wishes you a very merry Christmas
Waffles in the snow, because it's the season 🧇❄️
December 21, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Waffles in the snow, because it's the season 🧇❄️
Waffles would like you to celebrate his fresh floof-cut
December 21, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Waffles would like you to celebrate his fresh floof-cut
The season has officially begun
December 14, 2025 at 10:47 PM
The season has officially begun
Moments I wish my dog could talk and tell me what he wants, number 9374738
November 28, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Moments I wish my dog could talk and tell me what he wants, number 9374738
A belated reminder of the trans day of remembrance when spotting the painted engineering Cairn, also poignant as it's #LGBTQinSTEM day
November 19, 2025 at 5:39 AM
A belated reminder of the trans day of remembrance when spotting the painted engineering Cairn, also poignant as it's #LGBTQinSTEM day
So yesterday - I managed to run a marathon. It's a hard & type ~2.5 activity. It wasn't helped by the cold rain, & yes, I am unsure if I will do it again.
Chosen to do because it's a thing grown people can do at a certain age & I hang out with too many runners.
A representative self at the end.
Chosen to do because it's a thing grown people can do at a certain age & I hang out with too many runners.
A representative self at the end.
October 13, 2025 at 8:34 PM
So yesterday - I managed to run a marathon. It's a hard & type ~2.5 activity. It wasn't helped by the cold rain, & yes, I am unsure if I will do it again.
Chosen to do because it's a thing grown people can do at a certain age & I hang out with too many runners.
A representative self at the end.
Chosen to do because it's a thing grown people can do at a certain age & I hang out with too many runners.
A representative self at the end.
Me: oh I am quite tired at the moment...
Also me: let's run 2x 10 km laps for a relay.
Waffles was obliging for one of the laps though, which did make it more fun 🐕
(He got more cheers than I did, obviously)
Also me: let's run 2x 10 km laps for a relay.
Waffles was obliging for one of the laps though, which did make it more fun 🐕
(He got more cheers than I did, obviously)
October 5, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Me: oh I am quite tired at the moment...
Also me: let's run 2x 10 km laps for a relay.
Waffles was obliging for one of the laps though, which did make it more fun 🐕
(He got more cheers than I did, obviously)
Also me: let's run 2x 10 km laps for a relay.
Waffles was obliging for one of the laps though, which did make it more fun 🐕
(He got more cheers than I did, obviously)
And he's a very good boy when it comes to microscopy 🔬🐕
October 2, 2025 at 2:44 PM
And he's a very good boy when it comes to microscopy 🔬🐕
He also accepts that we have to go into work...
October 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
He also accepts that we have to go into work...
Proof of sleepy floof.
October 2, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Proof of sleepy floof.
You also might like SEM micrograph set - showing the different detectors. T1 = BSE heavy; T2 = ~near surface SE; T3 = very surface SE, and high contrast. From the same titanium alloy sample/area - just with the immersion lens on, and contrast well balanced etc.
(These are quite small areas, 😅)
🧪🔬
(These are quite small areas, 😅)
🧪🔬
September 24, 2025 at 2:15 PM
You also might like SEM micrograph set - showing the different detectors. T1 = BSE heavy; T2 = ~near surface SE; T3 = very surface SE, and high contrast. From the same titanium alloy sample/area - just with the immersion lens on, and contrast well balanced etc.
(These are quite small areas, 😅)
🧪🔬
(These are quite small areas, 😅)
🧪🔬
One joy from my job is that I still get to do some hands on microscopy.
Here we have the microstructure structure of a titanium alloy, as revealed with our new scanning electron microscope.
The width of this image is the same as the width of human hair. 🔬🧪
Here we have the microstructure structure of a titanium alloy, as revealed with our new scanning electron microscope.
The width of this image is the same as the width of human hair. 🔬🧪
September 24, 2025 at 3:04 AM
One joy from my job is that I still get to do some hands on microscopy.
Here we have the microstructure structure of a titanium alloy, as revealed with our new scanning electron microscope.
The width of this image is the same as the width of human hair. 🔬🧪
Here we have the microstructure structure of a titanium alloy, as revealed with our new scanning electron microscope.
The width of this image is the same as the width of human hair. 🔬🧪
Sometimes it's all doom and gloom, and then you catch sunrise.
September 23, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Sometimes it's all doom and gloom, and then you catch sunrise.
I always have this quotation in mind when I, purposefully, Out myself to a class of engineering students.
(Quote from Cech and Waidzunas 2011
doi.org/10.1080/1937...)
(Quote from Cech and Waidzunas 2011
doi.org/10.1080/1937...)
![Text that reads:
Eric’s responses illustrate the pressures he faced to pass as straight:
Before I was out . . . I happened to laugh in a very gay way and [another student] mocked my laugh in the same kind of gay way that I laughed and then asked me, with obvious hostility, ‘are you gay?’ Other people were around him at the same time. And I said, ‘no,’ I was not gay. (respondent looks visibly uncomfortable at this point; he grimaced as he said this line, tugged at his shirt, shifted in his seat between ‘no’ and ‘I was not gay.’) Fortunately, the conversation ended there, but he really hurt me by that. He made me feel unsafe, and denigrated based on my sexuality. I never forgave him for that. (Eric)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rleo4i4q7co6w53dwecgsdcz/bafkreiepbwj3uat37qesjdud4c2skplx25fpwwnf2ds3swsbcg2moyfzda@jpeg)
September 3, 2025 at 2:25 AM
I always have this quotation in mind when I, purposefully, Out myself to a class of engineering students.
(Quote from Cech and Waidzunas 2011
doi.org/10.1080/1937...)
(Quote from Cech and Waidzunas 2011
doi.org/10.1080/1937...)
I think Waffles likes the adventures here.
September 2, 2025 at 3:22 AM
I think Waffles likes the adventures here.
We can also talk about the IP theft that was performed to train many of the "successful" LLMs - and I seem to recall that most Universities try really hard to protect the IP of their members, and yet, roll over in buying into some of the AI-hype...
www.wired.com/story/anthro...
www.wired.com/story/anthro...
August 29, 2025 at 6:29 PM
We can also talk about the IP theft that was performed to train many of the "successful" LLMs - and I seem to recall that most Universities try really hard to protect the IP of their members, and yet, roll over in buying into some of the AI-hype...
www.wired.com/story/anthro...
www.wired.com/story/anthro...
Forgot to celebrate #InternationalDayOfTheDog, except I did manage to adventure with him 🐕💕
August 27, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Forgot to celebrate #InternationalDayOfTheDog, except I did manage to adventure with him 🐕💕
I stand with workers and their right to withhold their labour via a strike.
I appreciate the intent of Federal Powers that can curtail strikes in a national interest, but invoking then only 12 hrs into a strike feels like an overreach.
#AirCanada
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
I appreciate the intent of Federal Powers that can curtail strikes in a national interest, but invoking then only 12 hrs into a strike feels like an overreach.
#AirCanada
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
August 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I stand with workers and their right to withhold their labour via a strike.
I appreciate the intent of Federal Powers that can curtail strikes in a national interest, but invoking then only 12 hrs into a strike feels like an overreach.
#AirCanada
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
I appreciate the intent of Federal Powers that can curtail strikes in a national interest, but invoking then only 12 hrs into a strike feels like an overreach.
#AirCanada
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Waffles would like to wish you a happy Sunday 🐾
August 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Waffles would like to wish you a happy Sunday 🐾
If you are in Vancouver, Waffles and I would like to wish you a Happy Pride 🌈
August 4, 2025 at 7:03 PM
If you are in Vancouver, Waffles and I would like to wish you a Happy Pride 🌈