iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Today I got the entire first year cohort to throw paper planes at me & it met all expectations! Happy week one folks 🤩

Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Ran home at lunch as our eldest has an inset day. There are now somehow four 11 year-olds in the house and I am hiding upstairs to work while they direct a zombie movie (??) which appears to require that everything be everywhere. This is my life now isn’t it

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Inadvertently did an experiment this morning on whether a Nokia 3210 can survive a wash and spin cycle. It cannot.

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Many congratulations to all, particularly Yannick Ulrich at Liverpool & my former Cooper group colleagues @fiszczyp.bsky.social and Cath Aitchison!

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I am not ready for the abrupt return to work tomorrow, but today’s last minute quest for school shoes with two *exceptionally* pissed-off children (my own) is making it seem more appealing, for which I suppose I am grateful?

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Ben and I are on a short holiday - today I particularly enjoyed this painting of two extremely sassy owls

Oil painting of two extremely sassy owls, one wearing a Batman like cape, one wearing a fuzzy blue hat, both with shoes with curly bits on the end, walking towards the observer like they’re here to Sort Out Any Shit That Needs Sorting

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Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

This alert popped up just as I was writing this post. Everything we can do to minimise climate change and *also* to prepare for the environment of the future is worth it. We don't have to hide, or avoid, or wait for others to act - it's much better for us and the future to change things now.

Text message: "Severe Alert
Issued by the UK Government
now
There is a very high risk of wildfires nationally. Residents, landowners and visitors should not undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks.
Even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk.
Follow official updates and report signs of fire immediately by calling 999. Search gov.uk/alerts for more information."

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I was cooking, phone in pocket, and for a horrible few seconds thought the oven was making that noise to warn me of an impending gas fire-related catastrophe 😬

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Really looking forward to this! news.liverpool.ac.uk/2026/08/11/e... - a mammoth effort from Esther, who led the bid - it's so lovely to see her & the team's hard work rewarded 🌟

news.liverpool.ac.uk

€4.4M Horizon Europe funding to train the materials innovators of the future - University of Liverpool News

€4.4M Horizon Europe funding to train the materials innovators of the future

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Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I wrote about a reason not to use generative AI in your writing that I haven't seen anyone talking about. Once I realized this, banning GenAI in our lab's writing became a no-brainer. Feel free to share, I think this is probably useful especially for trainees: www.carlsonlab.bio/thoughts/the...

carlsonlab.bio

The only reason you’ll ever need not to write with AI — The Carlson Lab

Over the last year, our lab has been developing a policy on AI use. To do this, we did three main things: We read a lot of academic publications and tech news. We set up an #ai channel on our la...

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Morning bluesky! Today I am on my way to work on the bus having immense fun trying to work out what time signature this is in: tidal.com/track/497937...

tidal.com

Angine de Poitrine - Fabienk

Listen to Fabienk on TIDAL

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

We are hiring! tinyurl.com/4nstwsr3 2 year PDRA on flow synthesis & crystallisation of organic materials. Alongside the specific project focus, we are excited to work with you on your ideas to use flow in supramolecular chemistry. Closing date 21st August.

tinyurl.com

Job Specification

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Climbing achievement unlocked - climbed a V5 (slab)! Also this week: unwanted climbing achievement unlocked: injured obscure muscle in hand, now giving Vulcan 🖖🙃

Photo of my left palm in enforced Vulcan “live long and prosper” salute, ring and pinky fingers taped together for buddy taping purposes to try to address likely lumbrical muscle strain

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Nessa Carson @supersciencegrl.co.uk · 15/07/2026

Hej #chemchat, Yuka is looking for our views on working with chemistry automation. Non-automation chemists especially wanted for balance! It doesn't take long to complete ✨✨

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Steve Goldup @sgoldup.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Thanks @ismsc2026.bsky.social team for an amazing time in sunny (!) Bordeaux! ☀️ @annagslater.bsky.social, our scientific committee and I look forward to welcoming you in the UK next year at @unibirmingham.bsky.social, for #ISMSC2027 organised by @rsc.org 🤩 www.rsc.org/events/find-...

rsc.org

21st International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry (ISMSC)

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ISMSC2026 conference @ismsc2026.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Perfect ending to of the day. Rendez vous à Birmingham 2027 for next épisode…#ismsc2026

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WISC Network @wisuprachem.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Putting the Inclusion into WISC @ismsc2026.bsky.social What can we do to make supramolecular chemistry more inclusive? Help shape our upcoming panel discussion by sharing your questions, experiences, and ideas: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/S2E6vECMgA #ISMSC2026 #WISC #SupramolecularChemistry

forms.cloud.microsoft

Microsoft Forms

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

@ismsc2026.bsky.social - anyone fancy some bouldering along with their supramolecular chemistry next week? 😊🧗

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

this may be a bit niche - anyone going to #ISMSC in #Bordeaux next week who climbs? wondering whether to pack my shoes for some (indoor) bouldering...

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Sometimes you come up with a witty comeback, sometimes a soft lad yells “BUS WANKER” at you and the two pensioners at the bus stop like it’s 2008 - and before you know it you’ve used your full RP projection stage voice to yell “CAR WANKER” at him in return…oops 😅

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Ben appears to be showing E (7) classic internet treasures like m.youtube.com/watch?v=FavU.... Between giggles: “how did you FIND this?!”

m.youtube.com

cows & cows & cows

YouTube video by cyriak

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Jim Thomas @homomoleculus.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

I don't usually post about my day job, but the University of Sheffield is planing a restructure and compulsory staff redundancies within Chemistry. 20% of staff are under threat. You can sign an open letter opposing this decision here #SaveSheffieldChemistry savesheffieldchemistry.netlify.app

savesheffieldchemistry.netlify.app

An Open Letter

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Anna McConnell @annajmcconnell.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Our group has 2 PhD positions (funded 3 years) available from October 1 working on stimuli-responsive and spin-crossover cages. Details and how to apply are in the links below (deadline June 30) jobs.uni-siegen.de/job/Research... jobs.uni-siegen.de/job/Research...

jobs.uni-siegen.de

Researcher - organic chemistry I

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Beilstein-Institut @beilstein-institut.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

📢 Submission reminder: July 31, 2026 Invitation to submit to the thematic issue #GreenChemistry III edited by Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social, Luigi Vaccaro and Yanlong Gu in #BJOC 💎 🔓: 🔗 tinyurl.com/yrc2nftt #sustainability #synthesis #HealthierPlanet 🌱 ♻️ 🌍

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

It’s my birthday! Didn’t have any meetings so took the day off. Thus far: climbed some walls & got a free bday coffee. Life is good.

An indoor bouldering wall - I’m climbing a purple route which runs along the underside of an arch before going upwards. I’m horizontal on the arch, about 5ft in the air, demonstrating that I’ve finally figured out how to heel hook.

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Before it gets ruined by climbing I wanted to share the incredible tiny sushi sticker manicure bestowed on me by the 11 year old 💅

My left hand - the fingernails are holographic glitter with the centre covered by deep blue nail stickers clearly made for nails half the size of mine. Each one has a tiny California roll looking up at you with cutesy eyes. I am a serious scientist!

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Good morning to the neighbour’s orange chonk ineffectually flailing at windows with his eyes closed, we’ve all been there

Cat fight through a glass door. A ginger cat is up on his hind legs, eyes screwed shut, flailing paws to attack a puffed up grey cat on the inside who is striking at him with one curled paw: no one is winning

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

I'd like to read this but we have no institutional subscription to NatRevChem...

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Minor success club: through patient decoding of syntax I have managed to get Origin to display the labels I wanted it to on my 3D plot. This took longer than it should have but is still probably quicker than me relearning Python & matplotlib for this damn paper 😅

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Michael O’Neill @michaeloneill.org · 03/06/2026

Not being dramatic, but this probably signals the effective end of Chemistry in English Universities. An *efficient* Department loses something like £2k per Chemistry student per year; this change will roughly double that loss. Universities would be mad to keep teaching Chemistry.

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

If you are not subscribed to @mirya.bsky.social Mirya Holman's Aggressive Winning Scholars Newsletter (#MHAWS), you should be. An absolute touchstone for my navigation of academia which I am endlessly grateful for. open.substack.com/pub/miryahol...

Text title: "Get help being feral"
Text body: "I remain fully and utterly convinced that the only way to survive modern academia (maybe just modern life generally) is be at least moderately feral. Constantly surprise authorities with your bites and hisses. Be calm for a great period and then freak the fuck out because of a loud sound. But it is hard to remain feral in an environment that constantly tries to tame you!!"

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David Slack @slack2thefuture.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Hilarious and deeply insightful writing by @brianphillips.lol.

Because the truth is, tech doesn't have an image problem. It doesn't have a message problem. It has an intention problem. What's wrong with the axe murderer who broke into my house is not that he hasn't successfully persuaded me to buy into his narrative. What's wrong is that he's trying to kill me with an axe. Similarly, when you launch a product that's designed to put millions of people out of work, block access to sources of verifiable truth, replace human creativity with slop, and lower the barriers to every sort of atrocity, the problem isn't that you haven't told the public a good story about those things. The problem is that you are trying to do them.

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Back from a wonderful week at the @suprasummerschool.bsky.social - huge thanks to all the organisers! The cat is expressing her displeasure at her abandonment by being a camouflaged trip hazard at the top of the stairs.

A grey-brown cat is lying supine across the whole of the top step of a grey-brown carpeted stair.

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

as this comes from someone selling a product a) based on scraping peer reviewed papers and b) relying on universities “embracing AI”, you’ll forgive me if I think it’s poisonous shite. What gives, @resprofnews.bsky.social ?

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

For our trip today I got the kids an mp3 player and loaded a selection of my uni days mp3 collection onto them - as such, we are now being treated to E loudly singing “ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOOOOLD, ONLY SUPERSTARS, BREAK A LOAAAN” 😂

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Ok just what exactly am I supposed to do with this

A red “pedestrians” sign on a pavement. Under the word PEDESTRIANS is a double headed white arrow. Not only does the sign appear to require me to split into two, the left side of the arrow points directly to a brick wall.

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Side effect of doing a bunch of climbing: when a gent in a group of cheerful blokes accidentally clattered into me on my walk to the post office he kind of bounced off, and I’d checked he was ok before I realised that this may have made him a target of later mirth…oops 😅

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

I am finding this molecule a little too relatable

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Moved my “you are welcome here” sticker from the top of the door so visitors can be greeted and welcomed at the same time 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Photo of a stick man drawn in the glass panel of a door, with a speech bubble saying HELLO - below the bubble is a sticker of the LGBTQ+ progress pride flag with text “YOU ARE WELCOME HERE”

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Further consequences of yesterday’s office buddy

An office door with a glass panel insert in the top half - at the bottom of the glass panel is a stick figure drawing with a speech bubble that says HELLO

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Had a grant writing buddy in for some of the afternoon and now my office is quite a bit more colourful

Photo of Im (11 year old) drawing on the glass in an office internal window, photo doesn’t show her face

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Tanja Junkers @polymerreaction.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Some 2 years ago I was approached to write an article about being trans. Took a year to write, with many rewrites to keep up to date with the world. Long story short, got rejected. Was devastated. Took me over a year to recollect myself. Now it can be read: #idahobit medium.com/@Tanja.Junke...

medium.com

Hidden Lives: Transcending Academia

A Pre-Preface?

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Michael O’Neill @michaeloneill.org · 16/05/2026

Direct link to the petition: nottinghamchemistry.github.io/Open_Letter/

nottinghamchemistry.github.io

Save Nottingham Chemistry

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Michael O’Neill @michaeloneill.org · 16/05/2026

I've tried to collate the public data on Nottingham's teaching to help everyone make some noise about the proposed redundancies. Please sign the petition if you feel able. www.michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2026/5/16/nottingham-redundancies-briefing-data

michaeloneill.org

Nottingham Redundancies: Briefing Data — Michael O'Neill

The University of Nottingham has served notice to staff in its Chemistry Department that they are at risk of redundancy. This blog is intended to do two things: Publicise the petition to oppose t...

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Dr Kerry Elgie @kerryasynt.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Join us on Monday 18th May at 11am UK time for the latest Asynt webinar. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/seeing-che... #FlowUV #AnalyticalChemistry #FlowChemistry #Chemsky

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Dave Leigh @profdaveleigh.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Online petition and open letter to the University of Nottingham in response to its plans for redundancies in the School of Chemistry. nottinghamchemistry.github.io/Open_Letter/

nottinghamchemistry.github.io

Save Nottingham Chemistry

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Anna Slater @annagslater.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I am enjoying Tidal's daily discovery, although it does mean that I've had to briefly pause frantic grant writing (is there any other kind) for a dance break to Kelis' Milkshake

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