Edmond O’Connell Professor of Organic Chemistry
husband, father, marathoner, gardener,
driftwood
birdhouse builder, observer of climate
science and other topics related to the modern world
By John Shanahan 2025
- Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Yale University
- Married Genevieve Shanahan, RN
Children: Edmond, Jr., Shannon, Daniel, Kevin, Sean,Timothy
- Professor at Fairfield andYale Universities with a chemistry laboratory named in his honor
- Studies climate change science
- Expert gardener and driftwood birdhouse builder
This is dedicated to Ed’s expertise in science and his exceptional gardening and driftwood birdhouses.
Ed and Genevieve live in Branford, Connecticut, USA.Their home is different than homes with manicured lawns that need cutting, fertilizer and weed killer.The perennials and wildflowers support insects that are food for bird families. When squirrels move into the birdhouses, osprey attack and carry the squirrels away for their dinner. Natural harmony.
Flowers, Shrubs and Birdhouse Art
The climate change game
They live on the shore of Long Island Sound, part of theAtlantic Ocean.This is important in order to understand the role of oceans and air movement in determining local weather and climate that changes everywhere, all the time!
Determining national energy policies for use of fossil fuels and wind and solar energy systems by calculating a questionable small change of an artificial, static, global-average temperature based on interaction of infrared radiation with water vapor and similar molecules in the atmosphere is not the best science. In many cases, it is a fraudulent numbers game by pseudoscientists and people desperate for power.
Driftwood from tidal mudflats
Ed O’Connell is an outstanding retired professor of organic chemistry at Fairfield andYale Universities.After age 50, he ran marathons around the United States.
Some of his greatest talents are in creating perennial and wildflower gardens to attract insects to support large communities of songbirds.They prefer to raise their families in his custom driftwood birdhouses.
He personally goes out in the tall grass mudflats to search for large pieces of driftwood, including long poles and thick boards.They become his birdhouse art.
Early spring before greening with 20 driftwood birdhouses.
After spring growthearly summer
The perennials, wildflowers, shrubs and grasses
Life goes on!
Ed O’Connell creates marvelous gardens of perennials, wildflowers, shrubs and tall grasses. It is a natural setting for driftwood birdhouses. Some birdhouses are occupied twice a year.
Climate science is about life. It is about weather, oceans, large-scale air and water currents and intense meso meteorology tornadoes and thunderstorms. Weather and climate change is about a lot more than just infrared radiation, water vapor and carbon dioxide.
