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Alex J. Stirk

@alexjstirk.bsky.social
514 followers 529 following 106 posts

Ph.D in rotaxane containing MOFs. Now in solid state pharma. Interested in all things solid state and interlocked.

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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Derek Lowe @dereklowe.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Thread. The close personal details of how this government is pulling the plug on a generation of scientific progress.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Employees write their performance review with AI. Managers use AI to read the performance review. What has been learnt here.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
These fucking people are the real barbarians. Yet they've convinced themselves to be the ones preserving Alexandria.
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Halifax ReTales @halifaxretales.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
News Headline N.S. businesses dealing with labour shortages due to immigration cuts Rewrite NS Businesses Finding It Hard to Exploit Locals, The Same Way They Could Temporary Foreign Workers
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Nature Synthesis @natsynth.nature.com · 20/07/2026
Now online: Q&A with @supersciencegrl.co.uk, an Associate Principal Scientist at AstraZeneca, who talks to @natsynth.nature.com about the challenges in developing self-driving labs and overcoming barriers for the adoption of these labs in industry. www.nature.com/articles/s44... ($) #Chemsky
nature.com
Autonomous laboratories and digital chemistry in industry - Nature Synthesis
Nature Synthesis - Autonomous laboratories and digital chemistry in industry
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Guess I'll just do some research and watch Bluey to see if it's suitable for my 13 month old. *15 episodes later* This is the greatest TV show ever created.
static.klipy.com
Bluey with a Bandage
ALT: Bluey with a Bandage
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
YES / OUI www.canada.ca/en/canadian-...
canada.ca
Government of Canada celebrates Eurovision announcement
The Government of Canada is pleased that CBC/Radio-Canada has decided to take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Chemjobber @chemjobber.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
This is quite an interesting look at WuXi. It would be interesting to know how accurate it is in the details: www.chinatalk.media/p/the-empire...
chinatalk.media
The Biotech Empire of Wuxi
*Not* the TSMC of biotech
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Nikolay Tumanov @ntumanovxray.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Nature: - I will take one TMP cation, than I will add phenolate. And three phenol molecules, because why not. #Chemsky #chemchat #crystallography
An asymmetric unit of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-ium phenolate triphenol crystal structure.
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
CrystEngComm @crystengcomm.rsc.org · 04/06/2026
🚨We are pleased to share our Editors' Choice Collection! This specially curated collection highlights some of our most popular articles published in 2025, handpicked by our Editorial Board. Read the full collection 👀👇 pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/... #Chemsky 🧪
CrystEngComm promotional graphic for the Editors' Choice Collection.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Anyone here going to the CSC? (X2026). Been a long time since I've been to a conference and even longer for a talk! This'll actually be my first CSC talk ever.
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Emilio M. Pérez @emiliomperezlab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
We caught a chemically-driven molecular shuttle in the act! 🤫 Read @angewandtechemie.bsky.social how we use optical-tweezers with @3mlab.bsky.social to track how a two-station shuttle becomes a single-station rotaxane upon Diels-Alder reaction! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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Noel Research Group @noelgroupuva.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Self-driving labs are transforming chemistry; but high cost & complexity limit access to a few well-funded labs. We wanted to change that. Our new paper in #NatureSynthesis introduces RoboChem-Flex 🧪🤖 🔗https://nature.com/articles/s44160-026-01053-0 #selfdrivinglab #flowchemistry #optimization
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
I very much agree. But try and explain this to obstinate people who believe that publication metrics *objectively* prove a scientists worth. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Reckoning with my ‘ghost years’: why a low publication rate doesn’t always reflect failure
I have a five-year gap in my publication record. Last year, I published seven academic articles as either the first or corresponding author. Here’s why one level of output isn’t better than any other.
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
IUCr2026 @iucr2026.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Big ideas need strong partners 🚀 Thank you to the sponsors who make IUCr2026 in Calgary possible and help strengthen the Congress each year. 🔗 Meet our sponsors: event.fourwaves.com/... Interested in sponsoring? Dan Cooke (APS): cooke@aps.org
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Checking the @ccdc.cam.ac.uk , I'm really surprised that no one seems to have reported a crystal structure of naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid tetrahydrate or any other polymorph/hydrate/solvate of NDSA. If I've missed any, let me know! #crystallography #chemistry
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MOF Papers @mofpapers.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
A dynamic pcu MOF(Zn) containing a ditopic T-shaped [2]rotaxane linker pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLand…
TOC Graphic
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
New paper! One of the hardest structures I ever worked on back in the day. Took a while to convince myself that the SBU was real! #chemistry pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org
A dynamic pcu MOF(Zn) containing a ditopic T-shaped [2]rotaxane linker - CrystEngComm (RSC Publishing) DOI:10.1039/D5CE01108F
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
I swear, any kind of product made after the launch of generative AI is going to be completely worthless in the future.
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Dr Stephen Hendry @drstephenhendry.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Disabled scientists shouldn’t have to self-advocate just to do their jobs @rsc.org Accessible labs = innovation #ChemSky #DisabledInSTEM Adjustable fume hoods to assistive tech, solutions are here NOW we need action #InclusiveLabsRSC How can we drive meaningful change? www.rsc.org/news/disabil...
Front cover of the report Disability-inclusive Laboratories in the Chemical Sciences. Making chemistry accessible for everyone.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Good article. I came to Canada as an international PhD student in 2012. PR in 2020. How international students are exploited by the government and colleges is awful. Then they get blamed for all of Canada's recent problems. If you build a system, people will use it. thewalrus.ca/canada-held-...
thewalrus.ca
Canada Held the Door Open for International Students. Then Slammed It in Their Face | The Walrus
They contributed more to the GDP than the entire auto industry. Now the country doesn’t want them anymore
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Darren Broom @darrenbroom.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
This paper on "Inflatable porous organic crystals", by Len Barbour & his collaborators, looks rather excellent. #ChemSky
nature.com
Inflatable porous organic crystals - Nature Materials
Reversible and unidirectional expansion of an acicular porous molecular crystal is observed with gas uptake. Using in situ structural and photomicrographic techniques, a molecular-level insight is obt...
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
What a treat of a day! Carys had her first ferry ride, and I became a Canadian citizen. Sworn in by Dr. Mary White no less! A materials chemist welcomes in another.
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Stefano Canossa @stecanossa.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
My tutorial review on single crystal diffraction analysis is now online @crystengcomm.rsc.org! Students, supervisors, and reviewers: Please consider this thought-provoking read to discover many facets of the crystallographic practice that are often overlooked or misunderstood 💎 #crystallography
pubs.rsc.org
Useful practices in single crystal diffraction analysis of reticular structures
Single crystal diffraction analysis remains the gold standard for the three-dimensional atomic structure characterization of framework materials such as metal–organic frameworks, covalent organic fram...
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Chemistry World @chemistryworld.com · 08/10/2025
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi are this year's winners of the Nobel prize in chemistry for their work on MOFs – just a few grams of these materials can have the same surface area as a football pitch. Julia Robinson with the details.
chemistryworld.com
2025 chemistry Nobel prize goes to the scientists behind metal–organic frameworks
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi take top prize for discovery and development of versatile materials with a huge surface area
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Yeeesss!!! Since many Loeb group PhDs mixed rotaxanes with MOFs I therefore claim double Nobel status and should be treated as such. You're very welcome.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Ok, I know I'm really liking my new board, but I'm not sure it has an outboard motor.
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Stefano Canossa @stecanossa.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
In case someone was wondering about the origin of those frequences... 😌 I admit this is pretty challenging to decipher in terms of real-space to reciprocal-space relationship, without knowing know how it is made. #FourierTransform #Crystallography #Braggyourpattern
An aperiodic tiling formed by the intersection of two square tilings of squares, one tilted by 43° with respect to the other. Many shapes are visible, diamonds, triangles, irregular octagons, and many other.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
Taken me so long to get to this point of owning my own board, but it's here! Torq 9'1". All waxed and ready to go on its maiden voyage!
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Reposted by Alex J. Stirk
Daryl Yee @dryeeseeks.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
TIL that you can get hydrochloric acid like this. I have no idea why we bought this. It’s giving boxed wine / to-go vibes.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
To all of those going to ICCOSS '25. Just know that I'm extremely jealous and dying of envy. I hope none of your projector adaptors work and they reschedule it to a more convenient date for me.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
New Stirk just dropped. She's so little! Mom is doing great. Looking forward to taking a break from chemistry for a little bit!
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Andy Bowers @evilpez4.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
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Zhichang Liu @zhichangliu.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
🔗Medieval Chainmail meets Modern Materials! Our 2D [c2]daisy chain polymer (think: molecular-scale armor!) self-assembles into chainmail-like networks, achieving shape-shifting superpowers under stimuli. ⚡️ Breakthrough for soft robotics & smart textiles! #MaterialsScience 👉https://rdcu.be/ehOa6
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Cursed chemdraw.
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
www.chemistryworld.com/news/molecul...
chemistryworld.com
Molecular machines won a Nobel prize nine years ago, but we still can’t decide what one is
World authority on chemistry nomenclature aims to clean up molecular machine terminology
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
Anyone else use a planetary mill for cocrystals? I'm seeing a wide range of rpm/solvent volume/ball loadings. Anyone have a magic combination?
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Stefano Canossa @stecanossa.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Remember those patterns? Our article is finally out on @naturecomms.bsky.social and you can read what disordered marvels caused them! Thanks to @nchampness.bsky.social @ellamschmidt.bsky.social & all the great scientists I joined in this journey 🎆 #MOF #crystallography #totalscattering #3DdeltaPDF
nature.com
A lanthanide MOF with nanostructured node disorder - Nature Communications
The synthesis and structural characterization of a metal-organic framework, UoB-100(Dy), reveals a complex nanodomain structure in which strong correlations between nonanuclear metal clusters are obse...
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Joseph Moran @moranlabchem.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
🇨🇦 Come be our colleague! @uottawascience.bsky.social is hiring a supervisor for our X-Ray Core Facility, with new high end equipment coming soon. Ottawa is a beautiful place to live. Please share widely! 10 days left to apply: uottawa.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/uOttaw...
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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
I'm not sure I agree, but I do think there is a point here. One could argue that experts in areas from public health to economics to (gasp) political science have been too confident that the public should follow their recommendations because they are 'right'. But that's an odd form of democracy. 4/n
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Frederik Haase @frederikhaase.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
So, hear me out:
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Ivana Brekalo @ibrekalo.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
What an incredible loss for the crystallography community and science in general. Prof Sheldrick was truly a giant and such a nice person. May he rest in peace 🕯️
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Not just artists. Scientists too. Has anyone questioned about who can actually afford to move and do graduate school/post-docs now? Yes scholarships exist, but sometimes the upfront moving cost is too much. www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
theguardian.com
Working-class creatives don’t stand a chance in UK today, leading artists warn
Exclusive: Analysis by the Guardian shows a third of major arts leaders were educated privately
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Ok. Now I've seen it corrected as a possessive and non-possesive. Do you say:"pKas", "pKa's" or pKas'" In the context of: "their low pKas led to..blah blah".
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Luca Fusaro @lfusaro-nmr.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
We are looking for a PhD candidate in Chemistry @UNamur! 🧪 The project focuses on NMR and X-ray crystallography of complex crystalline phases of simple salts, building on our Nature 2021 work: doi.org/10.1038/s415.... 🔗 Apply here: euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/316363 www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/41...
doi.org
Complex structures arising from the self-assembly of a simple organic salt - Nature
Frank–Kasper phases are observed in small organic molecules from the crystallization of fampridine hydrochloride into two distinct structures, indicating that complex self-assembled structures can ari...
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Neil Champness @nchampness.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
Delighted to see this review published. We discuss two of my favourite areas of chemistry, MOFs and supramolecular chemistry – what could be more interesting! Thanks to @eugemiguel.bsky.social , @georgiaorton.bsky.social and Danielle Schier. doi.org/10.1002/adma.202414509
doi.org
Supramolecular Chemistry in Metal–Organic Framework Materials
This review highlights synergies between reticular chemistry and supramolecular chemistry. The role of supramolecular interactions in determining framework…guest interactions and attempts to understa...
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Georgia Orton @georgiaorton.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Our latest review is out on two of our favourite topics! Here we discuss 'chemistry beyond the framework', highlighting the role that Supramolecular Chemistry plays in Metal–Organic Framework Materials. doi.org/10.1002/adma... @nchampness.bsky.social
Cartoon representation of a MOF showing various supramolecular interactions and components, including linker-bound metals and catenanes.
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Shao-Liang Zheng @shaoliangzheng.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
📢 Proud to share our journey in #crystallography #education over past 15 years, spanning #K12 initiatives, #undergraduate #graduate education & groundbreaking #research #methodologies 😀https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576724011373 🌟 @japplcryst.iucr.org @acastructuralsci.bsky.social #STEM #Innovation
doi.org
Integrating fundamental concepts with practical skills: consolidating small-molecule crystallography education
By integrating fundamental crystallography concepts with hands-on experiences, our comprehensive educational strategy empowers students to master small-molecule crystallography and apply it effectivel...
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Alex J. Stirk @alexjstirk.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Say it with me now: Everyday spectacles do not count as safety eyewear in a chemistry lab.
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