Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Isn’t one of the big conspiracy theories of this World Cup that the hydration break was in fact created so the US broadcasters could show more commercials? Like I thought that was the whole thing of it. 100
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/07/2026I was in a doctor’s office waiting room today in which THREE people were simultaneously having phone conversations on speakerphone. 220
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 13/06/2026On NextDoor for my neighborhood recently, there was a heated argument about what the components of the canonical 7 layer dip are. There were also people who strongly believed there are not only 7 canonical ingredients but also a canonical order for the layers. 130
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Last year, a fire started in a garbage truck on campus, and we all learned that what they are trained to do is dump the garbage out of the truck so that it won’t cause the vehicle to explode. So then there was just a literal pile of garbage in the middle of the road. 010
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 15/03/2026Happy Pi Day, everyone! I hope the pie police don’t come for me for calling these mini French fruit tarts pies. 050
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldMDAnalysis @mdanalysis.bsky.social · 23/02/2026MDAnalysis is participating in #GSoC 2026! 👉 Read our blog post for details on how you can apply to work with MDAnalysis through GSoC: www.mdanalysis.org/2026/02/19/g... 🗓️ Pre-proposals must be submitted by March 9. ❗For transparency and fairness, use public forums for all #GSoC communications. 054
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldGeoff Hutchison @geoffhutchison.net · 22/02/2026Has @avogadro.cc helped your research? Teaching? As we prepare Avogadro 2.0 for release this spring, I'm hoping to feature some stories (and citations). #compchem #opensource #openscience ⚗️ Let me know: discuss.avogadro.cc/t/avogadro-s...discuss.avogadro.ccAvogadro Stories (for 2.0 Release)As we finish up the 2.0 (final!) release, I’d like to feature some stories (and citations) about how Avogadro has shaped research and teaching. So if Avogadro has helped your research, please let me ... 13215
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldJustin Lemkul @justinlemkulvt.bsky.social · 19/02/2026Please join us for food and drink at the 2026 BPS meeting! Happening on Saturday. Plenty of tickets left! 001
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 11/02/2026I definitely have one in my office. Ping me tomorrow and I can tell you. Also, the entire chapter on molecular interactions is gone!!! 100
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 05/02/2026I had this recipe where I would thaw a carton of it, mix in a packet of onion soup mix, and then pour that over chicken or pork chops and bake it. I thought it was fine dining. 030
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldGeoff Hutchison @geoffhutchison.net · 02/02/2026Come join us in Pittsburgh this summer #chemsky - see why we've gotten great reviews from past REU students Have questions? Ask away... 045
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 12/01/2026Applications are now open for the 2026 MolSSI ACT-CMS Faculty Fellowship. This fellowship supports faculty in molecular science disciplines who are developing curriculum to integrate cyberinfrastructure skills in the undergrad curriculum. Info session on Jan 30. More info: act-cms.molssi.org#/homeact-cms.molssi.orgMolSSI ACT-CMS 032
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 08/01/2026Have any of you watched that show Chad Powers where a guy wears a disguise and pretends to be a college student so he can play football? Can I do that here? What would I need for an early career faculty member disguise anyway? 020
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 02/01/2026Well, well, I guess I’ll be having a very different year than I was expecting. 120
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 27/12/2025On the contrary, I walked to Mordor last year with my sister on one of those Internet fitness challenges and I have a medal to prove it!! 120
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 17/12/2025The banana cream pie there with the special mini bananas that only grow in Hawaii is also not to be missed. 110
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 16/12/2025Maybe they mean they are a free radical. 120
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 09/12/2025I don’t know that anyone in my network is a rattlesnake biologist, but I do know that my colleague @emilytaylorscience.com is awesome and does amazing work in conservation and education and if you DO happen to be an amazing rattlesnake biologist looking for a post-doc, you should definitely apply. 020
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldC&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag.bsky.social · 04/12/2025For the December #Newscripts, @fmorningstar.bsky.social took a look at the chemistry of two pop culture moments from the past year: An explosive scene in 28 Years Later and the GBBO sugar dome disaster. Read more: cen.acs.org/education/sc... #chemsky 🧪 141
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/12/2025I have the original failure video, a later video using PVC plastic wrap that works, and tons of pictures of my finished cake! 120
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/12/2025Is this article about me?!? Did they know about the plastic wrap failure on the GBBO sugar dome thanks to my posts?!?!? @fmorningstar.bsky.social I am available for comment!! 130
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldNick Riley @nmriley.bsky.social · 25/11/2025Do you know outstanding undergraduate researchers who could use up to $1,000 in travel funding to present their work at the Spring @acs.org or @pittcon.bsky.social Meetings? Please encourage them to apply for a Kolthoff award! Deadline is Jan. 12, 2026. acsanalytical.org/undergraduat...acsanalytical.orgAwards for Undergraduate StudentsVisit the post for more. 076
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 30/11/2025I feel like we had the exact same experience this afternoon. After about 15 uploads, I figured out that if you just don’t put anything in the address box, it still submits your letter and you don’t get that annoying “ambiguous address” pop up box. 110
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 24/11/2025I similarly ran over my own toe with a grocery cart recently and also felt it was somehow hugely unfair that no one appreciated how grievous an injury it was. 000
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 21/11/2025Omg, this is the most Baltimore thing to do ever. 010
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldMiranda Andrews @femchemist.bsky.social · 14/11/2025Come be my colleague! We are hiring someone at the Asst. or Assoc. Prof. level to teach undergrad Physical Chemistry. The successful candidate is also encouraged to contribute their expertise to other new or existing courses at UIS. @chemjobber.bsky.social #chemsky uis.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...uis.csod.comAssistant or Associate Professor, Physical ChemistrySummary:The School of Integrated Sciences, Sustainability and Public Health (ISP) in the College of Health, Science and Technology (CHST) at the Un... 045
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 11/11/2025We have 5.5 contact hours per week. We teach in what we call the studio format, where there is no separation between lecture and lab; you just have ~5.5 hours of class per week (either 3 110-minute sessions or 2 170-minute), which includes lecture, problem solving, activities, and labs. 020
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 11/11/2025When I was doing Invisalign, my dentist regularly complimented me on my compliance and that I never lost my trays during the whole process. I was feeling really good about myself until I realized that the majority of her other patients were teenagers. 🤣 140
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 06/11/2025I am very excited! After students stole (by which I mean borrowed and never returned) two copies of the first edition from my office, I got a second edition, which was just recently stolen! Maybe I’ll hold out for a third edition now! 110
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 05/11/2025Now that Timothee Chalamet has been Willy Wonka, I just don’t find him credible in any other role. I can only think of Willy Wonka. It’s particularly bad in the Dune movies, but I thought it was silly when he tried to be a serious Bob Dylan too. 020
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 04/11/2025This is the kind that I had success with. 010
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 04/11/2025This is the kind of plastic wrap you need. 000
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 04/11/2025This brand worked for me. It doesn’t say anywhere on the box that it is actually PVC, but it must be. 010
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 04/11/2025And the video. I should have poured more sugar but by the time I did a second one, my sugar had cooled too much. 000
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025I didn’t even know the name Saran Wrap originated from the actual polymer name! There is so much polymer chemistry to learn here! 010
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025Glad I didn’t make a special trip to Costco to buy any! Thank you for testing it!!!! 150
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025Which is my theory about why the Costco plastic wrap doesn’t clearly state on the box what polymer it is. 140
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025The sugar is about 115 C when you pour it. Polyethylene’s melting point is as low as 105 so it will never work. PVC’s melting point is about 160 C, so it should be fine. But a twist is that lots of people don’t like PVC so consumer products that use it often try to avoid saying that’s what it is. 140
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025Don’t do it unless you can buy some PVC plastic wrap! My internet research suggests that the stretch-tite brand is made from PVC. Some people say the Costco brand in the yellow box is also PVC, but I can’t find any real confirmation of that. 110
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025If anyone needs to know this, most plastic wrap in the US is made from polyethylene, but plastic wrap in Europe is made from PVC. This really matters if you are trying to make a decorative sugar dome for a cake after you saw them do it on a British baking show. #chemsky 78228
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 02/11/2025Omg, the American Girl doll. Amazing. 120
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 25/10/2025In my grad school version, I wouldn’t even have actual garlic, just garlic powder 🤣 100
Reposted by Ashley Ringer McDonaldXuhui Huang @xuhuihuangchem.bsky.social · 16/10/2025I received many requests to share materials from our undergraduate course “Machine Learning in Chemistry” — here you go! A preprint summarizing insights and lessons learned: chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr... A Jupyter Notebook Tutorial Gallery: xuhuihuang.github.io/mlchem/html/... 074
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 10/10/2025Note to self: decrease shrimp consumption for awhile. (Also, this article is super interesting.) 010
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 30/09/2025Undergraduate 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!!! 110
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 18/09/2025I 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. 000
Ashley Ringer McDonald @aringermcdonald.bsky.social · 17/09/2025Cue small world music! I am the physical chemist who was hired to replace Rod (who is of course irreplaceable) when he left. 010