Resonance: Issue two

The University of Sheffield’s Chemistry News Team Issue 2 : October 2014

The elusive Glassblower Politics of the lecture theatre Behind the scenes insights The chemistry of brewing Resonance, October 2014

1

October 2014 Resonance is a biannual newsletter produced by chemistry students at the University of Sheffield. It aims to provide insights into unheard stories from the Department and University, and to engage you with issues in the wider scientific world.

Team members and contributing authors: Heather Carson, Michaela Fitzpatrick-Milton, Maya Singer Hobbs, Cate O’Brien, Friederike Dannheim, Gobika Chandrakumar Design:

Editor-in-Cheif:

Kieran Chadwick

Alex Stockham

Secretary:

Jenna Spencer-Briggs

Copy edited and reviewed by:

Cate, Jenna, Rike, Michaela, Dr Simon Jones & Prof. Mike Ward

NEWS

FEATURES

LOCAL FOCUS

INSIGHT

Environmental success for chemistry technicians

The Department’s elusive glassblower brought into light

A graduate’s success in the House of Commons

ACCOUNT

Prof. Armes flying high

W

elcome, one and all, to this second issue of Resonance. Hello also to the Department’s newcomers; students from around the world, academics, support staff, and especially the first students from Nanjing.

The year is 2014, the location is Sheffield. What a beautiful place to be.

This edition is fresh off the press, bigger and bolder than before. In it we present news from far and near, and stories from within the Department.

Read further and you’ll find our features: the elusive glassblower; the chemistry of brewing; a take on the politics of lectures; and a review of chemical Apps.

This edition will be my last as its Editor. I started this project just under two years ago, with no experience of writing or media production. All it took was a leap of faith, some hard work, and a team of dedicated students. I hope the foundations have been laid for the future of Resonance; to sustain all it needs are new contributors - of ideas, articles, and co-operation.

Other than these - Thank you for reading, and writing, and smiling - my final words now follow. Engage with matter in its context – material, biological and social. Merge ideas from across the sciences. Take care with absolutes, rules and assumptions. And most importantly, stay curious.

2

Resonance, October 2014

Department bestowed with Athena SWAN Bronze

INSIGHT

Sterotype-challenging video production by SciCommSoc

GLOBAL FEATURES Nurturing the atmosphere with catalytic poetry Finding the enigmatic Element 117 Geochemists find evidence for the ‘Big Smash’

Cover picture: Dan Jackson, the Department’s glassblower, Taken by Alex Stockham

Image courtesy of net_efekt / Flickr : DNA Molecule, Oxford University

A Note From the Editor

A take on the undertones of lecture theatre politics

Dr Grant Hill reveals the chemical complexities behind our favourite tipple

REVIEW Four close-to-home Apps tested and reviewed by Rike

INTERVIEW A close encounter with Dr Ed Warminski

Resonance, October 2014

3

October 2014 Resonance is a biannual newsletter produced by chemistry students at the University of Sheffield. It aims to provide insights into unheard stories from the Department and University, and to engage you with issues in the wider scientific world.

Team members and contributing authors: Heather Carson, Michaela Fitzpatrick-Milton, Maya Singer Hobbs, Cate O’Brien, Friederike Dannheim, Gobika Chandrakumar Design:

Editor-in-Cheif:

Kieran Chadwick

Alex Stockham

Secretary:

Jenna Spencer-Briggs

Copy edited and reviewed by:

Cate, Jenna, Rike, Michaela, Dr Simon Jones & Prof. Mike Ward

NEWS

FEATURES

LOCAL FOCUS

INSIGHT

Environmental success for chemistry technicians

The Department’s elusive glassblower brought into light

A graduate’s success in the House of Commons

ACCOUNT

Prof. Armes flying high

W

elcome, one and all, to this second issue of Resonance. Hello also to the Department’s newcomers; students from around the world, academics, support staff, and especially the first students from Nanjing.

The year is 2014, the location is Sheffield. What a beautiful place to be.

This edition is fresh off the press, bigger and bolder than before. In it we present news from far and near, and stories from within the Department.

Read further and you’ll find our features: the elusive glassblower; the chemistry of brewing; a take on the politics of lectures; and a review of chemical Apps.

This edition will be my last as its Editor. I started this project just under two years ago, with no experience of writing or media production. All it took was a leap of faith, some hard work, and a team of dedicated students. I hope the foundations have been laid for the future of Resonance; to sustain all it needs are new contributors - of ideas, articles, and co-operation.

Other than these - Thank you for reading, and writing, and smiling - my final words now follow. Engage with matter in its context – material, biological and social. Merge ideas from across the sciences. Take care with absolutes, rules and assumptions. And most importantly, stay curious.

2

Resonance, October 2014

Department bestowed with Athena SWAN Bronze

INSIGHT

Sterotype-challenging video production by SciCommSoc

GLOBAL FEATURES Nurturing the atmosphere with catalytic poetry Finding the enigmatic Element 117 Geochemists find evidence for the ‘Big Smash’

Cover picture: Dan Jackson, the Department’s glassblower, Taken by Alex Stockham

Image courtesy of net_efekt / Flickr : DNA Molecule, Oxford University

A Note From the Editor

A take on the undertones of lecture theatre politics

Dr Grant Hill reveals the chemical complexities behind our favourite tipple

REVIEW Four close-to-home Apps tested and reviewed by Rike

INTERVIEW A close encounter with Dr Ed Warminski

Resonance, October 2014

3

Resonance News

Professor Armes steals the show of 2014

Environmental success in the chemistry stores Peter Farran and Nick Smith, two of the Department’s Green Impact Team, have been bestowed with awards, honours and gifts for their environmental responsibility.

Peter received the Environmental Hero award, and a signed Sheffield Wednesday shirt which he said “takes pride of place in my office”.

The team received a Silver Green Impact award, which follows on from their success last year as

the best recyclers in the Faculty.

Peter was honoured with the award from a scheme he began 18 years ago returning polystyrene chip packaging to suppliers for reuse. Roughly 7500 bags of polystyrene have been recycled since then.

What’s more, over the past year, everything from waste solvents (14,145 litres), to electrical waste (700 items), and pipette tip boxes (4 bins-full) have been recycled.

2014 has been a year of multiple achievements for Steve Armes, the Department’s Professor of Colloid and Polymer Chemistry.

It started off with his research being featured on the cover of Advanced Functional Materials, and a £653,000 grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to create polymers for

The challenges faced by six female academics during their careers have been documented in a short video compilation.

The video, entitled ‘The Progression of Women in STEM’ was filmed and produced by students of the MSc Science Communication course and SciCommSoc. It aims to bring to light some of the issues and

barriers faced by female academics in their career progression, and how they can be dealt with.

The video was published in conjunction with International Women’s Day – which is due to happen next on the 8th of March 2015.

It can be watched via: http://youtu.be cI2UidxV6-0

Peter (left) and Nick being presented with a signed football shirt

Department welcomes first Nanjing students

Another step towards gender equality in the Department

From this September, our Department will be home to the first cohort of students from the Nanjing Tech University.

The 20 students, who arrived during the summer, have studied for three years in China with classes given by visiting

The Department of Chemistry and Faculty of Science and have been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze Award.

The Award is designed to promote gender equality in academic institutions, and support the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine.

Professor Jane Grasby, chair of the Faculty’s Equality Diversity Committee and Professor of Biological Chemistry,

staff from Sheffield.

They will join our Level 3 cohort for a year of study to complete their BSc degrees.

Resonance News would like to wish all the new students joining us for the new academic year a warm welcome to Sheffield!

stem cell storage.

May was a bonanza.

Prof Armes was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society - the highest honor avaialable in UK academia- and received an Interdisciplinary Award and the Tilden Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry.Who knows what he’s got in store for 2015?

SciCommSoc create ‘Women in STEM’ video

said “The Department is delighted that the Athena Swan Award has recognized its good practice in supporting women in Science.”

This year also saw the launch of the Sprint Women’s Development Programme. This intensive course is designed to prepare female undergraduates for potential gender issues that may arise through their studies and careers.

Professor Armes: A master in the field of polymer science

The title shot from the new SciCommSoc video

Chemistry graduate honored in House of Commons After presenting his research in the House of Commons, a graduate from the Department won the bronze award at this year’s Science Engineering and Technology (SET) for Britain competition.

Daniel Toolan, who is now a PhD student in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, won the award and a £1,000 prize for his research into the self assembly of thin-film polymers for photovoltaic cells.

Until recently, this area has been restricted by a lack of knowledge of the self-assembly process. However, Dan’s research has led to a development of a new analysis technique called stroboscopic microscopy, which enables direct observation of the assembly process.

These insights and methods will be used to develop the production of photovoltaic cells. Dan explained that his research will hopefully lead to

the production of more efficient solar cells, which could aid in the transition away from fossil fuel dependency.

SET for Britain is a poster competition held every year in the House of Commons. It offers a chance for early-career researchers in Britain to present their research to government officials.

Awards are given based on the quality of the research and results, as well as the researcher’s ability to communicate

their work to audiences with limited scientific knowledge.

Dan’s award-winning poster was praised for showing ‘the pathway to the development of this technique’, and the insights it has provided.

Dan graduated from the Chemistry Department in 2011. He completed his 4th year research project with Professor Tony Ryan, which focused on recycling elastomers for use as scaffolds in stimulated tissue growth.

The first cohort of Nanjing students getting settled into Sheffield

1

Resonance, October 2014

Resonance, October 2014

2

Resonance News

Professor Armes steals the show of 2014

Environmental success in the chemistry stores Peter Farran and Nick Smith, two of the Department’s Green Impact Team, have been bestowed with awards, honours and gifts for their environmental responsibility.

Peter received the Environmental Hero award, and a signed Sheffield Wednesday shirt which he said “takes pride of place in my office”.

The team received a Silver Green Impact award, which follows on from their success last year as

the best recyclers in the Faculty.

Peter was honoured with the award from a scheme he began 18 years ago returning polystyrene chip packaging to suppliers for reuse. Roughly 7500 bags of polystyrene have been recycled since then.

What’s more, over the past year, everything from waste solvents (14,145 litres), to electrical waste (700 items), and pipette tip boxes (4 bins-full) have been recycled.

2014 has been a year of multiple achievements for Steve Armes, the Department’s Professor of Colloid and Polymer Chemistry.

It started off with his research being featured on the cover of Advanced Functional Materials, and a £653,000 grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to create polymers for

The challenges faced by six female academics during their careers have been documented in a short video compilation.

The video, entitled ‘The Progression of Women in STEM’ was filmed and produced by students of the MSc Science Communication course and SciCommSoc. It aims to bring to light some of the issues and

barriers faced by female academics in their career progression, and how they can be dealt with.

The video was published in conjunction with International Women’s Day – which is due to happen next on the 8th of March 2015.

It can be watched via: http://youtu.be cI2UidxV6-0

Peter (left) and Nick being presented with a signed football shirt

Department welcomes first Nanjing students

Another step towards gender equality in the Department

From this September, our Department will be home to the first cohort of students from the Nanjing Tech University.

The 20 students, who arrived during the summer, have studied for three years in China with classes given by visiting

The Department of Chemistry and Faculty of Science and have been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze Award.

The Award is designed to promote gender equality in academic institutions, and support the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine.

Professor Jane Grasby, chair of the Faculty’s Equality Diversity Committee and Professor of Biological Chemistry,

staff from Sheffield.

They will join our Level 3 cohort for a year of study to complete their BSc degrees.

Resonance News would like to wish all the new students joining us for the new academic year a warm welcome to Sheffield!

stem cell storage.

May was a bonanza.

Prof Armes was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society - the highest honor avaialable in UK academia- and received an Interdisciplinary Award and the Tilden Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry.Who knows what he’s got in store for 2015?

SciCommSoc create ‘Women in STEM’ video

said “The Department is delighted that the Athena Swan Award has recognized its good practice in supporting women in Science.”

This year also saw the launch of the Sprint Women’s Development Programme. This intensive course is designed to prepare female undergraduates for potential gender issues that may arise through their studies and careers.

Professor Armes: A master in the field of polymer science

The title shot from the new SciCommSoc video

Chemistry graduate honored in House of Commons After presenting his research in the House of Commons, a graduate from the Department won the bronze award at this year’s Science Engineering and Technology (SET) for Britain competition.

Daniel Toolan, who is now a PhD student in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, won the award and a £1,000 prize for his research into the self assembly of thin-film polymers for photovoltaic cells.

Until recently, this area has been restricted by a lack of knowledge of the self-assembly process. However, Dan’s research has led to a development of a new analysis technique called stroboscopic microscopy, which enables direct observation of the assembly process.

These insights and methods will be used to develop the production of photovoltaic cells. Dan explained that his research will hopefully lead to

the production of more efficient solar cells, which could aid in the transition away from fossil fuel dependency.

SET for Britain is a poster competition held every year in the House of Commons. It offers a chance for early-career researchers in Britain to present their research to government officials.

Awards are given based on the quality of the research and results, as well as the researcher’s ability to communicate

their work to audiences with limited scientific knowledge.

Dan’s award-winning poster was praised for showing ‘the pathway to the development of this technique’, and the insights it has provided.

Dan graduated from the Chemistry Department in 2011. He completed his 4th year research project with Professor Tony Ryan, which focused on recycling elastomers for use as scaffolds in stimulated tissue growth.

The first cohort of Nanjing students getting settled into Sheffield

1

Resonance, October 2014

Resonance, October 2014

2

Nurturing the atmosphere with poetry How an encounter between a scientist and an artist at a party led to the creation of the world’s first pollution-destroying poem On the empty face of a University building, standing proud 20 at metres tall, is the world’s first catalytic poem; In Praise of Air. The poem, which now dominates the campus skyline, has a dual purpose as art and science: It is an ode to the beauty of air and the perils of pollution.

Whilst being static and admired, it will purify its surroundings by catalysing the destruction of pollutants.

Air pollution is a major problem in the UK, especially in Sheffield

where it is estimated to cause 500 premature deaths per year and costs the local economy £160 million in lost days from work.

The primary culprit is motor vehicles. The inefficient combustion of oil in engines results in the emission of nitrogen oxides and carbon particulates.

The material that the poem is printed on is coated in nanoparticles of titanium dioxide.

These particles are usually used as white pigments in paints and suncream, but act as a catalyst in the presence of light.

Praising air on the side of the Alfred Denny building at the University of Sheffield, erected on the 14th of May 2014

Light provides energy for the catalyst to become reactive. So when sun shines on the poem, it initiates the breakdown of pollutants in contact with it.

It is estimated that the poem will remove the pollution of 20 cars per day.

The poem’s author is Simon Armitage, a literary don amongst UK students, and the university’s Professor of Poetry. The idea to make it catalytic came from Professor Tony Ryan, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Science.

In a conversation with Professor Ryan, he revealed how the poem came about: “It was a conversation at a party about two years ago basically”.

“Simon came over to apologise for me getting moved out of his reserved seats. The conversation came around to CatClo, which eventually resulted in the poem being on the wall”, he said.

CatClo, short for Catalytic Clothing, is a business venture that Professor Ryan has been leading over the last few years. So far it has taken him across the UK and China in the hunt for potential buyers, but unfortunately without much luck.

His idea is to get titanium dioxide added as an ingredient to washing detergents, so that everyone can destroy atmospheric pollutatnts as they go about their daily lives.

Hunting Element 117: Narrowing in on the Island of stability On the 1st of May 2014, the existence of the elusive Element 117 was confirmed by a team of international scientists in Darmstadt, Germany.

Under the lead of Christoph Dullmann, the researchers at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research carried out a nuclear fusion of radioactive Berkelium-249 and Calcium-48.

In the evaporation residues of the fusion, they detected two atoms of the superheavy Element 117 - known under its temporary systematic name as ‘Ununseptium’ (Uus117).

Not only does the team’s synthesis confirm the existence of Element 117, which was initially discovered in 2010, but further analysis of the evaporation residues and their radioactive decay products unveiled a completely new isotope: Lawrencium-266.

This Lr266 isotope was found to be a product of a previously unknown alpha-decay branch of The Island of Stability: A 3D Histogram of neutron and proten numbers mapped against nuclear stability

Dubnium-270 – the most stable alpha emitter with an atomic number greater than 102.

Confirming the existence of Element 117, and the new insights into the behaviour of Db270, are a massive step towards narrowing in on the evasive ‘Island of Stability’.

Under everyday conditions, elements with an atomic number greater than lead (Z = 82) are unstable. What’s more, the stabilities (half-lives) of heavier elements usually decrease as atomic numbers rise.

However, in accordance with observed quantum effects, scientists have predicted that certain isotopes of superheavy elements will break with the trend and display an enhanced stability of up to several days.

These predictions are based on a model which states that the nucleus, similar to the atom itself, is made up of individual quantum energy levels.

Isotopes which contain a

‘magic number’ of neutrons and protons - that completely fill one of these levels - are predicted to display enhanced stabilities. This is the Island of Stability: a series of relatively stable superheavy isotopes.

The scientific community has invested huge efforts in locating the Island of Stability. It is predicted that its elements will be useful for various applications, such as particle accelerator targets or neutron sources.

These types of technology currently find use in a number of research areas, including drug development, semi-conductors and nuclear energy.

Controversially, if sufficiently stable isotopes could be found, the very small critical mass of the superheavy elements would also enable the production of smaller and more compact nuclear bombs, which would require urgent and serious ethical discussions about their use.

Written by Rike Dannheim

Image courtesy of InvaderXan / Wikipedia

News Features

Written by Alex Stockham 3

Resonance, October 2014

Resonance, October 2014

4

Nurturing the atmosphere with poetry How an encounter between a scientist and an artist at a party led to the creation of the world’s first pollution-destroying poem On the empty face of a University building, standing proud 20 at metres tall, is the world’s first catalytic poem; In Praise of Air. The poem, which now dominates the campus skyline, has a dual purpose as art and science: It is an ode to the beauty of air and the perils of pollution.

Whilst being static and admired, it will purify its surroundings by catalysing the destruction of pollutants.

Air pollution is a major problem in the UK, especially in Sheffield

where it is estimated to cause 500 premature deaths per year and costs the local economy £160 million in lost days from work.

The primary culprit is motor vehicles. The inefficient combustion of oil in engines results in the emission of nitrogen oxides and carbon particulates.

The material that the poem is printed on is coated in nanoparticles of titanium dioxide.

These particles are usually used as white pigments in paints and suncream, but act as a catalyst in the presence of light.

Praising air on the side of the Alfred Denny building at the University of Sheffield, erected on the 14th of May 2014

Light provides energy for the catalyst to become reactive. So when sun shines on the poem, it initiates the breakdown of pollutants in contact with it.

It is estimated that the poem will remove the pollution of 20 cars per day.

The poem’s author is Simon Armitage, a literary don amongst UK students, and the university’s Professor of Poetry. The idea to make it catalytic came from Professor Tony Ryan, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Science.

In a conversation with Professor Ryan, he revealed how the poem came about: “It was a conversation at a party about two years ago basically”.

“Simon came over to apologise for me getting moved out of his reserved seats. The conversation came around to CatClo, which eventually resulted in the poem being on the wall”, he said.

CatClo, short for Catalytic Clothing, is a business venture that Professor Ryan has been leading over the last few years. So far it has taken him across the UK and China in the hunt for potential buyers, but unfortunately without much luck.

His idea is to get titanium dioxide added as an ingredient to washing detergents, so that everyone can destroy atmospheric pollutatnts as they go about their daily lives.

Hunting Element 117: Narrowing in on the Island of stability On the 1st of May 2014, the existence of the elusive Element 117 was confirmed by a team of international scientists in Darmstadt, Germany.

Under the lead of Christoph Dullmann, the researchers at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research carried out a nuclear fusion of radioactive Berkelium-249 and Calcium-48.

In the evaporation residues of the fusion, they detected two atoms of the superheavy Element 117 - known under its temporary systematic name as ‘Ununseptium’ (Uus117).

Not only does the team’s synthesis confirm the existence of Element 117, which was initially discovered in 2010, but further analysis of the evaporation residues and their radioactive decay products unveiled a completely new isotope: Lawrencium-266.

This Lr266 isotope was found to be a product of a previously unknown alpha-decay branch of The Island of Stability: A 3D Histogram of neutron and proten numbers mapped against nuclear stability

Dubnium-270 – the most stable alpha emitter with an atomic number greater than 102.

Confirming the existence of Element 117, and the new insights into the behaviour of Db270, are a massive step towards narrowing in on the evasive ‘Island of Stability’.

Under everyday conditions, elements with an atomic number greater than lead (Z = 82) are unstable. What’s more, the stabilities (half-lives) of heavier elements usually decrease as atomic numbers rise.

However, in accordance with observed quantum effects, scientists have predicted that certain isotopes of superheavy elements will break with the trend and display an enhanced stability of up to several days.

These predictions are based on a model which states that the nucleus, similar to the atom itself, is made up of individual quantum energy levels.

Isotopes which contain a

‘magic number’ of neutrons and protons - that completely fill one of these levels - are predicted to display enhanced stabilities. This is the Island of Stability: a series of relatively stable superheavy isotopes.

The scientific community has invested huge efforts in locating the Island of Stability. It is predicted that its elements will be useful for various applications, such as particle accelerator targets or neutron sources.

These types of technology currently find use in a number of research areas, including drug development, semi-conductors and nuclear energy.

Controversially, if sufficiently stable isotopes could be found, the very small critical mass of the superheavy elements would also enable the production of smaller and more compact nuclear bombs, which would require urgent and serious ethical discussions about their use.

Written by Rike Dannheim

Image courtesy of InvaderXan / Wikipedia

News Features

Written by Alex Stockham 3

Resonance, October 2014

Resonance, October 2014

4

News Feature

Insight

The mysterious art of the glassblower

Geochemists find evidence of celestial smash with Earth

Ever wondered where all that broken glassware goes?

Their findings suggest the moon was born from a collision between two proto-planets early in the solar system’s history

D

Image courtesy of Katya / Flickr

Evidence for the Big Smash theory of the Moon has been found in isotopic differences between the lunar body and Earth.

Geochemists from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, found that rocks on the Moon’s surface contain 12 parts per million more of the Oxygen-17 isotope than those on Earth.

They claim that this slight difference adds further support to the Big Smash, or Ejecting Ring, theory of the creation of the moon.

The Ejecting Ring Theory is based on the idea that the Moon was formed over 4 billion years ago, by a collision between an early Earth and a planetesimal roughly the size of Mars.

The debris ejected from the impact is thought to have been captured by the Earth’s gravity forming a disk of orbiting material which coalesced into the lunar body we see today.

By comparing the unique oxygen fingerprints of the Earth and Moon, the scientists deduced information about the oxygen environments in which they were born.

Their findings suggest that the planetesimal involved in the collision developed in similar

Moonrise at sunrise, Myshkin, Russia. It is though that the moon formed as close as 16,000 miles from Earth, which would have made it appear 17 times bigger than today.

but notably different oxygen environments.

An exceptionally accurate laser was created specifically for the purpose of measuring the isotopic oxygen contents in clusters of Earth, lunar, and meteorite rock.

However, not everyone is convinced. Some scientists suggest that the geochemists have done little more than establish a precise method of measuring chemical levels on different planets. These findings certainly add to the complex debate about the creation of the Moon.

Written by Cate O’Brien

5

Resonance, October 2014

Other potential theories for the creation of the Moon:

eep in the basement of the Department, in a cavernous workshop full of tools and machines, resides Dan Jackson, a Glassblower. He is one of a kind in South Yorkshire, and one of only 100 scientific glassblowers in the country.

Glassblowing flourished during the Renaissance. To maintain a monopoly on the trade, Venetian glassblowers were forced by threat of death onto the Island of Murano.

Fortunately, some managed to escape and share their techniques across Europe and Asia. Nowadays, glassblowing is mostly used for art, although a few choose to specialise in the sciences.

In a break between fixing the relentless flow of star-cracked round bottomed flasks, Dan lent us some time to discuss his life, profession, and passion.

Originally from South Yorkshire,

Dan studied fine art in Leeds where he specialised in pottery. After seeing an advert in the Sheffield Star, he entered the University of Sheffield’s Chemistry Department in 2001 as an apprentice glassblower.

He confessed that star cracks are the most common malady to mend. Each takes about 10 minutes to fix. More complicated jobs, such as Schlenk lines, can take a day.

These require specialist carbon tools to withstand the heat, which he has to construct before even starting on the glassware itself.

Dan explained that he was attracted to the job due to the artistic elements involved.

Although fixing star-cracks doesn’t sound particularly artistic, after watching him skilfully manipulate fire, air and molten glass, we were forced to change our minds.

Opportunities arise for Dan to

impart his flair. Over the last few years, raffle prizes at the ChemSoc Ball have been crafted by his hands - wine glasses made from Liebig condensers and measuring cylinder stems.

He guesses that his work saves the Department thousands of pounds each year, not only in repairs, but also in the design of bespoke equipment; the environmental impact of mending, rather than disposing of, the thousands of pieces of glassware that all of us are guilty of breaking is huge.

Despite the demand, and temperatures of up to 2000 oC, he still manages to keep his cool.

Written by Jenna Spencer-Briggs and Maya Singer-Hobbs

How to fix a star crack:

- The Earth and the Moon were created from materail in the same region of space

1. Fit RBF onto a glass pipe 2. Heat the damaged area directly 3. Remove ingrained dirt with tweezers 4. Replace the damaged glass by melting fresh glass from a rod onto the area 5. Even out the surfaces using a slightly cooler flame 6. Use an oxygen rich flame to clean up the sooty blackened details on the glass

- The Moon was originally a part of the Earth which separated off - The Moon was an alreadyformed floating body captured by the Earth’s gravitational pull - The Moon was formed by collisions between Earth and Sun orbiting debris Learning the tools of the trade: Dan’s apprentice practices aligning molten glass

Resonance, October 2014

6

News Feature

Insight

The mysterious art of the glassblower

Geochemists find evidence of celestial smash with Earth

Ever wondered where all that broken glassware goes?

Their findings suggest the moon was born from a collision between two proto-planets early in the solar system’s history

D

Image courtesy of Katya / Flickr

Evidence for the Big Smash theory of the Moon has been found in isotopic differences between the lunar body and Earth.

Geochemists from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, found that rocks on the Moon’s surface contain 12 parts per million more of the Oxygen-17 isotope than those on Earth.

They claim that this slight difference adds further support to the Big Smash, or Ejecting Ring, theory of the creation of the moon.

The Ejecting Ring Theory is based on the idea that the Moon was formed over 4 billion years ago, by a collision between an early Earth and a planetesimal roughly the size of Mars.

The debris ejected from the impact is thought to have been captured by the Earth’s gravity forming a disk of orbiting material which coalesced into the lunar body we see today.

By comparing the unique oxygen fingerprints of the Earth and Moon, the scientists deduced information about the oxygen environments in which they were born.

Their findings suggest that the planetesimal involved in the collision developed in similar

Moonrise at sunrise, Myshkin, Russia. It is though that the moon formed as close as 16,000 miles from Earth, which would have made it appear 17 times bigger than today.

but notably different oxygen environments.

An exceptionally accurate laser was created specifically for the purpose of measuring the isotopic oxygen contents in clusters of Earth, lunar, and meteorite rock.

However, not everyone is convinced. Some scientists suggest that the geochemists have done little more than establish a precise method of measuring chemical levels on different planets. These findings certainly add to the complex debate about the creation of the Moon.

Written by Cate O’Brien

5

Resonance, October 2014

Other potential theories for the creation of the Moon:

eep in the basement of the Department, in a cavernous workshop full of tools and machines, resides Dan Jackson, a Glassblower. He is one of a kind in South Yorkshire, and one of only 100 scientific glassblowers in the country.

Glassblowing flourished during the Renaissance. To maintain a monopoly on the trade, Venetian glassblowers were forced by threat of death onto the Island of Murano.

Fortunately, some managed to escape and share their techniques across Europe and Asia. Nowadays, glassblowing is mostly used for art, although a few choose to specialise in the sciences.

In a break between fixing the relentless flow of star-cracked round bottomed flasks, Dan lent us some time to discuss his life, profession, and passion.

Originally from South Yorkshire,

Dan studied fine art in Leeds where he specialised in pottery. After seeing an advert in the Sheffield Star, he entered the University of Sheffield’s Chemistry Department in 2001 as an apprentice glassblower.

He confessed that star cracks are the most common malady to mend. Each takes about 10 minutes to fix. More complicated jobs, such as Schlenk lines, can take a day.

These require specialist carbon tools to withstand the heat, which he has to construct before even starting on the glassware itself.

Dan explained that he was attracted to the job due to the artistic elements involved.

Although fixing star-cracks doesn’t sound particularly artistic, after watching him skilfully manipulate fire, air and molten glass, we were forced to change our minds.

Opportunities arise for Dan to

impart his flair. Over the last few years, raffle prizes at the ChemSoc Ball have been crafted by his hands - wine glasses made from Liebig condensers and measuring cylinder stems.

He guesses that his work saves the Department thousands of pounds each year, not only in repairs, but also in the design of bespoke equipment; the environmental impact of mending, rather than disposing of, the thousands of pieces of glassware that all of us are guilty of breaking is huge.

Despite the demand, and temperatures of up to 2000 oC, he still manages to keep his cool.

Written by Jenna Spencer-Briggs and Maya Singer-Hobbs

How to fix a star crack:

- The Earth and the Moon were created from materail in the same region of space

1. Fit RBF onto a glass pipe 2. Heat the damaged area directly 3. Remove ingrained dirt with tweezers 4. Replace the damaged glass by melting fresh glass from a rod onto the area 5. Even out the surfaces using a slightly cooler flame 6. Use an oxygen rich flame to clean up the sooty blackened details on the glass

- The Moon was originally a part of the Earth which separated off - The Moon was an alreadyformed floating body captured by the Earth’s gravitational pull - The Moon was formed by collisions between Earth and Sun orbiting debris Learning the tools of the trade: Dan’s apprentice practices aligning molten glass

Resonance, October 2014

6

Account

Insight

Politics of the lecture theatre

The chemistry of brewing

Who ever said science wasn’t political?

Dr Grant Hill reveals the chemical tales of ale

or undergrads, lectures constitute a significant portion of university life. That is, for those who are sober enough to attend them...

The lecture experience comprises many factors. In terms of the lecturers themselves, we all learn early on how to differentiate between those not to mess with, the ones that love a bit of banter, and those we can follow on Twitter.

Lecture styles vary accordingly.

From physical chemists’ chalk and talk that petrifies every first year, to frantically filling in the gaps of inorganic hand-outs between the rapid passage of slides, and lest we forget the never ending curly arrows of organic mechanisms.

I was asked recently: how many benzene rings do you reckon you’ve drawn in your life so far?

The answer is probably nowhere near as many as Professor Jackson.

Though the academic and their choice of lecture style are key elements of a lecture, the major, and albeit most curious component is of course us, the students.

In social sciences, a realm which most chemists dare not usually venture, the word “clique” is used to describe a group of two to twelve ‘persons who interact with each other more regularly and intensely than others in the same setting’. Although most of us may only associate this phenomenon with our school days, this social trend emerges, from freshers’ week right the way through to our final year. All of which leads to some 7

fascinating in-lecture behaviours.

Right from the start, a year group’s arrangement in the lecture theatre is inadvertently and subconsciously decided.

Usually, the back rows are reserved for those partial to napping, or dominated by those who consider themselves too ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ to associate with the main body of students. The front few rows, sometimes referred to as the splash zone, are rarely or sparsely populated. Most associate this region with risk of death by humiliation from questioning by the lecturer.

‘an unwritten law forbids the occupancy of another cliques territory’ It is no coincidence that to questions like, “how many electrons does oxygen have?” a painful silence may ensue for minutes that feel like hours. We’ve all been there, fake note taking in a desperate attempt to avoid eye contact with an academic. In many unfortunate cases where eye contact is engaged, a student usually responds in inaudible decibels, or simply, overcome with distress, can succumb to a state of denial, shaking their head and shrugging in their seat.

As for the middle and side rows, an unwritten law forbids

Resonance, October 2014

the occupancy of another clique’s territory, and further prohibits the sitting amongst peers that have yet to befriend us on Facebook.

The lecture theatre itself has a drastic effect on seating arrangements and general lecture ambience. Some, like lecture theatre 1, are saunas disguised as theatres. Others, like lecture theatre 6, require attire for all weather conditions.

For lecture theatres with a front entrance, like in the Hicks building or the Arts Tower, we are given extra incentive to arrive on time.

There is no better way to begin the day than for Dr Meijer to demand, in much kinder words but along the same lines, ‘were you born in a barn?’, after you’ve attempted to sneak unnoticed ten minutes late into a statistical thermodynamics lecture.

No matter how small a lecture theatre may appear, or the capabilities of our huge, scientific brains in determining the logistics of fitting an entire year group inside such a space, we still choose to leave empty seats between other friendship groups. This is likely to stem from our inherent stereotype, whereby unfamiliar social circumstances and the invasion of personal space can stimulate discomfort. Thus leaving the poor, late stragglers to awkwardly request an entire row to shuffle up, or reduced to sitting alone, on the dreaded front row.

Written by Michaela Fitzpatrick-Milton

A

brewing renaissance is taking hold and Sheffield is at its heart. Due to the city’s reputation as a hub of ale production, Yorkshire ranked 22nd in the New York Times ‘Places to Go in 2014’.

But from hop to tap to tongue, the creation and consumption of beer is essentially chemical.

Whilst beer has a long history

in the University lives of many a student, the brewing process should resonate with every Chemist; the mixing and heating of liquid solutions; the timed addition of ingredients; the cleanliness and purity of equipment of products The links between the two become more obvious if we examine the experimental methods:

Experiment 1: Making an ale Mix the mash: Crushed malt grains (wheat and barley) are

added to water at about 70°C and left for about an hour. This converts starches from the grain into sugars.

Sparge: This step involves rinsing the grains with hot water to

release the sugars into the water.

Boil with hops: The resulting solution is then heated and

boiled. Hops are added at various intervals during the boil, with the amount, variety and timing determining the flavour, bitterness and aroma of the beer.

Cool: The hopped solution is then cooled to around 20 °C, usually as quickly as possible. This helps prevent the beer from becoming infected.

Ferment Here’s where biochemistry comes into play; yeast is

Image courtesy of Tim Dobson / Flickr

F

There’s a world of chemistry to be found out there, in the abundance of pubs and breweries in Sheffield.

Many of the local Master Brewers learnt their trade as students of chemistry. What’s more, with access to cheap equipment and ingredients, there’s plenty of room for the experimental chemist.

Varying the main ingredients is an obvious place to start, but have you ever wondered what adding nettles or cucumber might taste like?

Written by Dr Grant Hill, Lecturer in Theoretical Chemistry

added and the mixture is left for about a week. The yeast converts the sugars into alcohol, releasing carbon dioxide as a by-product.

Prime and bottle: Extra sugar can be added before bottling.

This allows some fermentation to occur in the bottle, and carbonates the beer. The final product is a heterogeneous aqueous suspension of malted barley, sugars, hops and alcohol.

Drink: Sip by sip; the sensory stimulation of flavours and alcohol

takes hold through the tongue and the bloodstream.

Humulone; an organic acid which is partly responsible for the bitter flavours of beer

Resonance, October 2014

8

Account

Insight

Politics of the lecture theatre

The chemistry of brewing

Who ever said science wasn’t political?

Dr Grant Hill reveals the chemical tales of ale

or undergrads, lectures constitute a significant portion of university life. That is, for those who are sober enough to attend them...

The lecture experience comprises many factors. In terms of the lecturers themselves, we all learn early on how to differentiate between those not to mess with, the ones that love a bit of banter, and those we can follow on Twitter.

Lecture styles vary accordingly.

From physical chemists’ chalk and talk that petrifies every first year, to frantically filling in the gaps of inorganic hand-outs between the rapid passage of slides, and lest we forget the never ending curly arrows of organic mechanisms.

I was asked recently: how many benzene rings do you reckon you’ve drawn in your life so far?

The answer is probably nowhere near as many as Professor Jackson.

Though the academic and their choice of lecture style are key elements of a lecture, the major, and albeit most curious component is of course us, the students.

In social sciences, a realm which most chemists dare not usually venture, the word “clique” is used to describe a group of two to twelve ‘persons who interact with each other more regularly and intensely than others in the same setting’. Although most of us may only associate this phenomenon with our school days, this social trend emerges, from freshers’ week right the way through to our final year. All of which leads to some 7

fascinating in-lecture behaviours.

Right from the start, a year group’s arrangement in the lecture theatre is inadvertently and subconsciously decided.

Usually, the back rows are reserved for those partial to napping, or dominated by those who consider themselves too ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ to associate with the main body of students. The front few rows, sometimes referred to as the splash zone, are rarely or sparsely populated. Most associate this region with risk of death by humiliation from questioning by the lecturer.

‘an unwritten law forbids the occupancy of another cliques territory’ It is no coincidence that to questions like, “how many electrons does oxygen have?” a painful silence may ensue for minutes that feel like hours. We’ve all been there, fake note taking in a desperate attempt to avoid eye contact with an academic. In many unfortunate cases where eye contact is engaged, a student usually responds in inaudible decibels, or simply, overcome with distress, can succumb to a state of denial, shaking their head and shrugging in their seat.

As for the middle and side rows, an unwritten law forbids

Resonance, October 2014

the occupancy of another clique’s territory, and further prohibits the sitting amongst peers that have yet to befriend us on Facebook.

The lecture theatre itself has a drastic effect on seating arrangements and general lecture ambience. Some, like lecture theatre 1, are saunas disguised as theatres. Others, like lecture theatre 6, require attire for all weather conditions.

For lecture theatres with a front entrance, like in the Hicks building or the Arts Tower, we are given extra incentive to arrive on time.

There is no better way to begin the day than for Dr Meijer to demand, in much kinder words but along the same lines, ‘were you born in a barn?’, after you’ve attempted to sneak unnoticed ten minutes late into a statistical thermodynamics lecture.

No matter how small a lecture theatre may appear, or the capabilities of our huge, scientific brains in determining the logistics of fitting an entire year group inside such a space, we still choose to leave empty seats between other friendship groups. This is likely to stem from our inherent stereotype, whereby unfamiliar social circumstances and the invasion of personal space can stimulate discomfort. Thus leaving the poor, late stragglers to awkwardly request an entire row to shuffle up, or reduced to sitting alone, on the dreaded front row.

Written by Michaela Fitzpatrick-Milton

A

brewing renaissance is taking hold and Sheffield is at its heart. Due to the city’s reputation as a hub of ale production, Yorkshire ranked 22nd in the New York Times ‘Places to Go in 2014’.

But from hop to tap to tongue, the creation and consumption of beer is essentially chemical.

Whilst beer has a long history

in the University lives of many a student, the brewing process should resonate with every Chemist; the mixing and heating of liquid solutions; the timed addition of ingredients; the cleanliness and purity of equipment of products The links between the two become more obvious if we examine the experimental methods:

Experiment 1: Making an ale Mix the mash: Crushed malt grains (wheat and barley) are

added to water at about 70°C and left for about an hour. This converts starches from the grain into sugars.

Sparge: This step involves rinsing the grains with hot water to

release the sugars into the water.

Boil with hops: The resulting solution is then heated and

boiled. Hops are added at various intervals during the boil, with the amount, variety and timing determining the flavour, bitterness and aroma of the beer.

Cool: The hopped solution is then cooled to around 20 °C, usually as quickly as possible. This helps prevent the beer from becoming infected.

Ferment Here’s where biochemistry comes into play; yeast is

Image courtesy of Tim Dobson / Flickr

F

There’s a world of chemistry to be found out there, in the abundance of pubs and breweries in Sheffield.

Many of the local Master Brewers learnt their trade as students of chemistry. What’s more, with access to cheap equipment and ingredients, there’s plenty of room for the experimental chemist.

Varying the main ingredients is an obvious place to start, but have you ever wondered what adding nettles or cucumber might taste like?

Written by Dr Grant Hill, Lecturer in Theoretical Chemistry

added and the mixture is left for about a week. The yeast converts the sugars into alcohol, releasing carbon dioxide as a by-product.

Prime and bottle: Extra sugar can be added before bottling.

This allows some fermentation to occur in the bottle, and carbonates the beer. The final product is a heterogeneous aqueous suspension of malted barley, sugars, hops and alcohol.

Drink: Sip by sip; the sensory stimulation of flavours and alcohol

takes hold through the tongue and the bloodstream.

Humulone; an organic acid which is partly responsible for the bitter flavours of beer

Resonance, October 2014

8

Interview

Review

How apps can make studying easier It’s fair to say that we’ve all had a fair share of experiences with chemistry software.

After all, we’re introduced to ChemDraw - everyone’s favourite molecular drawing tool - only a week into our undergraduate lives. However, what most students often overlook is the vast power of a different format of technological aid: Mobile applications, or for short, ‘Apps’. Rike Dannheim has tested and reviewed four special apps which are sure to take your chemical education to a new level.

Made in Sheffield

A Tip from the Developer

‘Symmetrix’ is the product of one of the Department’s recent graduates, Eliot Fisher.

This web-based app follows Professor Mike Ward’s 2nd year Group Theory module, offering symmetry tutorials (including 3D animations of important molecules and their symmetry elements), an interactive flow chart for pointgroup assignment, and quizzes to prepare for the exam season.

The app is free and can be downloaded to a smartphone by following this simple process: Step 1: Go to winter-alchemy.group.shef.ac.uk/symmetrix/ Step 2: Bookmarks and select ‘add to home screen’

The app which Eliot recommends for 1st and 2nd years is ‘Named Reactions Lite’.

This free app, developed by Synthetiq Solutions, contains all the essential mechanisms of organic chemistry; complete with Grignard Reaction and Robinson Annulation. For the curious chemist, the app provides links to detailed explanations of the mechanisms and related research at the bottom of every page.

Alternatively, the app can be used directly in an online browser.

Academics’ Choice An app highly valued by organic chemists, including our own Dr. Jim Reid, is ‘PyMOL’, a molecular-visualisation app capable of displaying 3D images of complex proteins and creating high-definition molecular animations.

This beauty even allows the user to analyse protein behaviour with their smartphone and share their results with chemists across the world.

(Available for iPad only / Requires a license)

9

Resonance, October 2014

(Available for iOS only / Download from the app store)

Sightseeing for Chemists Straight from the Royal Society of Chemistry comes ‘Places of Chemistry’, a free app which enables you to find famous chemistry landmarks in your vicinity.

Our favourites are Michael Faraday’s grave, and the lab where rechargeable batteries were designed. All locations are displayed on a comprehensible map with easy-to-read directions.

This is hands down one of the most original chemistry apps available; a great travel companion for anyone who enjoys chemical history, or who simply wants to boast with a bit of unconventional geographic knowledge.

For now the app almost exclusively contains locations in the London area.However there’s an in-app function which allows users to submit new locations of interest.

(Available for iOS and Android: Download from the app store)

A conversation with Ed Dr Edward Warminski is an academic known by all. Notorious for his lab drills, popcorn, gases and footballs, Ed is a University Teacher, Head of Undergraduate Labs, and Disabilities Officer all at once. For you, Maya Singer-Hobbs unravels the enigma Congratulations on the Senate Teaching Award! Could you tell me a little more about it?

Well, I was nominated by staff in the Chemistry Department and received support from referees in the Faculties of Science and Engineering. All nominations (this year there were 20 to 30) are then scrutinised by a panel. Those that pass muster are presented with an award; mine was in the category of sustained excellence in learning and teaching. However, I am not the only chemist to have been received this accolade, before me came Dr Jenny Burnham, Dr Simon Jones and Prof Mark Winter.

Well, I’m so glad you’ve had your contribution recognised! How did you end up teaching in Sheffield in the first place?

After graduating with a BSc in chemistry from Leicester I moved up to Sheffield as a research assistant, but after a few years I decided to take a gap year in London and do something different. However, I found myself going into a library and searching out chemical journals and thinking, “I really like this stuff! I want to go back and do more!”

So, I came back to Sheffield in 1990 to do some further research.

The teaching happened almost by

accident, my academic supervisor burst into the office one day and said “can you do some teaching?!”

I was dragged out into the Level 2 labs and told to get on with it.

How has the department changed since you’ve been here?

Oh, in many ways! We use fume cupboards now! Joking apart… in terms of the teaching labs, my mindset has changed from ‘let’s do this cool experiment’, to an emphasis on the skills the student will take away from the experiment - which is a far more difficult task to realise. Overall I would say the teaching has become more progressive and the learning more integrated. I also like that I have the freedom to change and develop what I teach to keep it up-to-date with current research.

What goes on behind the scenes in terms of laboratory preparation?

Oh, absolutely shed loads of stuff! The lab technicians; David, Alison, Richard and Adam do all the practical set-up in the labs.

The logistical side of the operation requires a lot of work; organising everyone, pre-labs, post-labs, marking...

How do you manage it all?!

So, a non-chemistry related question, have you got any unusual hobbies?

I like to potter around in the garden, and I read a LOT. Anything I can get my hands on. Although, at present I developed a taste for “hard sci-fi”, which means it’s scientifically valid. Just now, I’m reading Robert Fisk’s huge tome about the Middle East (funny how it appears that History can repeat itself!). I live in Chesterfield and am a member of their astronomical society which is great because they have a great telescope just down the road! I like staring at the moon (I’m not much good at the howling bit, though)!

Ask my wife! Long hours and hard work!

Resonance, October 2014

10

Interview

Review

How apps can make studying easier It’s fair to say that we’ve all had a fair share of experiences with chemistry software.

After all, we’re introduced to ChemDraw - everyone’s favourite molecular drawing tool - only a week into our undergraduate lives. However, what most students often overlook is the vast power of a different format of technological aid: Mobile applications, or for short, ‘Apps’. Rike Dannheim has tested and reviewed four special apps which are sure to take your chemical education to a new level.

Made in Sheffield

A Tip from the Developer

‘Symmetrix’ is the product of one of the Department’s recent graduates, Eliot Fisher.

This web-based app follows Professor Mike Ward’s 2nd year Group Theory module, offering symmetry tutorials (including 3D animations of important molecules and their symmetry elements), an interactive flow chart for pointgroup assignment, and quizzes to prepare for the exam season.

The app is free and can be downloaded to a smartphone by following this simple process: Step 1: Go to winter-alchemy.group.shef.ac.uk/symmetrix/ Step 2: Bookmarks and select ‘add to home screen’

The app which Eliot recommends for 1st and 2nd years is ‘Named Reactions Lite’.

This free app, developed by Synthetiq Solutions, contains all the essential mechanisms of organic chemistry; complete with Grignard Reaction and Robinson Annulation. For the curious chemist, the app provides links to detailed explanations of the mechanisms and related research at the bottom of every page.

Alternatively, the app can be used directly in an online browser.

Academics’ Choice An app highly valued by organic chemists, including our own Dr. Jim Reid, is ‘PyMOL’, a molecular-visualisation app capable of displaying 3D images of complex proteins and creating high-definition molecular animations.

This beauty even allows the user to analyse protein behaviour with their smartphone and share their results with chemists across the world.

(Available for iPad only / Requires a license)

9

Resonance, October 2014

(Available for iOS only / Download from the app store)

Sightseeing for Chemists Straight from the Royal Society of Chemistry comes ‘Places of Chemistry’, a free app which enables you to find famous chemistry landmarks in your vicinity.

Our favourites are Michael Faraday’s grave, and the lab where rechargeable batteries were designed. All locations are displayed on a comprehensible map with easy-to-read directions.

This is hands down one of the most original chemistry apps available; a great travel companion for anyone who enjoys chemical history, or who simply wants to boast with a bit of unconventional geographic knowledge.

For now the app almost exclusively contains locations in the London area.However there’s an in-app function which allows users to submit new locations of interest.

(Available for iOS and Android: Download from the app store)

A conversation with Ed Dr Edward Warminski is an academic known by all. Notorious for his lab drills, popcorn, gases and footballs, Ed is a University Teacher, Head of Undergraduate Labs, and Disabilities Officer all at once. For you, Maya Singer-Hobbs unravels the enigma Congratulations on the Senate Teaching Award! Could you tell me a little more about it?

Well, I was nominated by staff in the Chemistry Department and received support from referees in the Faculties of Science and Engineering. All nominations (this year there were 20 to 30) are then scrutinised by a panel. Those that pass muster are presented with an award; mine was in the category of sustained excellence in learning and teaching. However, I am not the only chemist to have been received this accolade, before me came Dr Jenny Burnham, Dr Simon Jones and Prof Mark Winter.

Well, I’m so glad you’ve had your contribution recognised! How did you end up teaching in Sheffield in the first place?

After graduating with a BSc in chemistry from Leicester I moved up to Sheffield as a research assistant, but after a few years I decided to take a gap year in London and do something different. However, I found myself going into a library and searching out chemical journals and thinking, “I really like this stuff! I want to go back and do more!”

So, I came back to Sheffield in 1990 to do some further research.

The teaching happened almost by

accident, my academic supervisor burst into the office one day and said “can you do some teaching?!”

I was dragged out into the Level 2 labs and told to get on with it.

How has the department changed since you’ve been here?

Oh, in many ways! We use fume cupboards now! Joking apart… in terms of the teaching labs, my mindset has changed from ‘let’s do this cool experiment’, to an emphasis on the skills the student will take away from the experiment - which is a far more difficult task to realise. Overall I would say the teaching has become more progressive and the learning more integrated. I also like that I have the freedom to change and develop what I teach to keep it up-to-date with current research.

What goes on behind the scenes in terms of laboratory preparation?

Oh, absolutely shed loads of stuff! The lab technicians; David, Alison, Richard and Adam do all the practical set-up in the labs.

The logistical side of the operation requires a lot of work; organising everyone, pre-labs, post-labs, marking...

How do you manage it all?!

So, a non-chemistry related question, have you got any unusual hobbies?

I like to potter around in the garden, and I read a LOT. Anything I can get my hands on. Although, at present I developed a taste for “hard sci-fi”, which means it’s scientifically valid. Just now, I’m reading Robert Fisk’s huge tome about the Middle East (funny how it appears that History can repeat itself!). I live in Chesterfield and am a member of their astronomical society which is great because they have a great telescope just down the road! I like staring at the moon (I’m not much good at the howling bit, though)!

Ask my wife! Long hours and hard work!

Resonance, October 2014

10

Say hello to the new Chemistry Society!

NEEDS YOU! As Resonance News enters its second year of existence, we are looking for enthusiastic people to join our team. Whether it’s writing, designing, photography, editing or social media, we need your help to keep Resonance going into the future!

What’s more, if you’re a first or second year, getting involved counts towards your Higher Education Acheivement Report.

Anyone can join, regardless of experience. If you’re interested, contact us on facebook or drop us an email: chem-news@sheffield.ac.uk

“I would love to welcome new undergrads and postgrads to really get involved with all the events ChemSoc are planning for this year.

The committee is comprised of PhDs and undergrads alike. We’re aiming to put on a wide range of events and activities, including our football and netball teams which play in the intra-mural leagues! In the second week of term we will be holding a book sale at lunch time, so come and grab your essential textbooks and more at bargain prices!

ChemSoc membership is only £5 per year. We have swanky new membership cards which give you some great deals with local bars: Bloo88 and Basement.”

- A message from Bryony Cotterell, ChemSoc’s Chairwoman for 2014/15

Resonance Recommends:

The new ChemSoc committe warming up for the year ahead

Here we present you with a selection of our favourite sources of science commmunication to peruse at your leisure.

The Editor’s Pick: BBC Horizon

Horizon documentaries explore contemporary ideas in science and philosophy, provide insights into the brilliant thinkers of our times, and address social issues with a scientific approach. My favourites are: ‘Feynman, the pleasure of finding things out’, and ‘What makes us human?’.

Jenna: Focus

The BBC’s monthly science and technology magazine communicates all aspects of science at a level which anyone can understand. The monthly Q&A section will teach you things you didn’t even know you didn’t know!

Join the Department on

11

Resonance, October 2014

Rike: I f**king love science

ChemSoc Fireworks Lecture November Date and lecturer still TBC

‘Revealing the Colours of Science’ 3rd – 10th November The Winter Gardens

TEDx Sheffield 15th November St. George’s Church

‘Chemistry throughout the Ages’ A lecture by Charles Stirling December

Cate: Inside the Ethics Committee

We use LinkedIn to let our graduates and staff learn more about new innovations and news from the Department.

LinkedIn is one of many professional social media sites which appear to be becoming ever important in professional and career development. A number of alumni have even secured jobs through LinkedIn pages and contact.

So don’t delay; join the Department’s LinkedIn group today!

Bloo 88, West Street, The Union Tickets £5 from ChemSoc, with free t-shirt and entry to the Union night.

The Edge, Endcliffe Village

On this regular radio 4 programme, Professor Jim Al-Khalili probes into the lives, thoughts and opinions of leading scientists from across the world. All 78 episodes are free on iPlayer; a great one to start with is Jim’s interview with our very own Professor Tony Ryan.

A thought-provoking insight into the life-changing decisions made by a clinical ethics committee. With reallife situations considered, this show is great for anyone interested in the ethical dimensions of science.

ChemSoc Freshers Bar Crawl 29th September

Sheffield Science in Policy Conference 7th November

Maya: The Life Scientific

Of the new wave mode of science communication; this blog and facebook page provides a buzzfeed of bite-sized nuggets of scientific knowledge.

Events Listings

A review of Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science

by Maya Singer-Hobbs Bad Science is a brilliant and at times terrifying insight into the interplay between science, healthcare and the media. No-one comes away unscathed; the journalists who sometimes ignorantly, or perhaps wilfully, misrepresent results to get a headline; researchers funded by sources with vested interests; medical practitioners who believe in what they’re doing despite mounting evidence of no medicinal benefit; and even the scientific bodies which refuse to change outdated practices.

It’s well written and thoroughly researched, and will leave you wondering at what else you don’t know about the relationship between medical research, the media, corporations and the government.

Date and location still TBC

Other events still due to be announced by: Science Brainwaves

facebook.com/Science Brainwaves

Inspiration and Co. facebook.com/ inspirationandco

ChemSoc

facebook.com/sheffieldchemsoc

Resonance, October 2014

12

Say hello to the new Chemistry Society!

NEEDS YOU! As Resonance News enters its second year of existence, we are looking for enthusiastic people to join our team. Whether it’s writing, designing, photography, editing or social media, we need your help to keep Resonance going into the future!

What’s more, if you’re a first or second year, getting involved counts towards your Higher Education Acheivement Report.

Anyone can join, regardless of experience. If you’re interested, contact us on facebook or drop us an email: chem-news@sheffield.ac.uk

“I would love to welcome new undergrads and postgrads to really get involved with all the events ChemSoc are planning for this year.

The committee is comprised of PhDs and undergrads alike. We’re aiming to put on a wide range of events and activities, including our football and netball teams which play in the intra-mural leagues! In the second week of term we will be holding a book sale at lunch time, so come and grab your essential textbooks and more at bargain prices!

ChemSoc membership is only £5 per year. We have swanky new membership cards which give you some great deals with local bars: Bloo88 and Basement.”

- A message from Bryony Cotterell, ChemSoc’s Chairwoman for 2014/15

Resonance Recommends:

The new ChemSoc committe warming up for the year ahead

Here we present you with a selection of our favourite sources of science commmunication to peruse at your leisure.

The Editor’s Pick: BBC Horizon

Horizon documentaries explore contemporary ideas in science and philosophy, provide insights into the brilliant thinkers of our times, and address social issues with a scientific approach. My favourites are: ‘Feynman, the pleasure of finding things out’, and ‘What makes us human?’.

Jenna: Focus

The BBC’s monthly science and technology magazine communicates all aspects of science at a level which anyone can understand. The monthly Q&A section will teach you things you didn’t even know you didn’t know!

Join the Department on

11

Resonance, October 2014

Rike: I f**king love science

ChemSoc Fireworks Lecture November Date and lecturer still TBC

‘Revealing the Colours of Science’ 3rd – 10th November The Winter Gardens

TEDx Sheffield 15th November St. George’s Church

‘Chemistry throughout the Ages’ A lecture by Charles Stirling December

Cate: Inside the Ethics Committee

We use LinkedIn to let our graduates and staff learn more about new innovations and news from the Department.

LinkedIn is one of many professional social media sites which appear to be becoming ever important in professional and career development. A number of alumni have even secured jobs through LinkedIn pages and contact.

So don’t delay; join the Department’s LinkedIn group today!

Bloo 88, West Street, The Union Tickets £5 from ChemSoc, with free t-shirt and entry to the Union night.

The Edge, Endcliffe Village

On this regular radio 4 programme, Professor Jim Al-Khalili probes into the lives, thoughts and opinions of leading scientists from across the world. All 78 episodes are free on iPlayer; a great one to start with is Jim’s interview with our very own Professor Tony Ryan.

A thought-provoking insight into the life-changing decisions made by a clinical ethics committee. With reallife situations considered, this show is great for anyone interested in the ethical dimensions of science.

ChemSoc Freshers Bar Crawl 29th September

Sheffield Science in Policy Conference 7th November

Maya: The Life Scientific

Of the new wave mode of science communication; this blog and facebook page provides a buzzfeed of bite-sized nuggets of scientific knowledge.

Events Listings

A review of Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science

by Maya Singer-Hobbs Bad Science is a brilliant and at times terrifying insight into the interplay between science, healthcare and the media. No-one comes away unscathed; the journalists who sometimes ignorantly, or perhaps wilfully, misrepresent results to get a headline; researchers funded by sources with vested interests; medical practitioners who believe in what they’re doing despite mounting evidence of no medicinal benefit; and even the scientific bodies which refuse to change outdated practices.

It’s well written and thoroughly researched, and will leave you wondering at what else you don’t know about the relationship between medical research, the media, corporations and the government.

Date and location still TBC

Other events still due to be announced by: Science Brainwaves

facebook.com/Science Brainwaves

Inspiration and Co. facebook.com/ inspirationandco

ChemSoc

facebook.com/sheffieldchemsoc

Resonance, October 2014

12

13

Resonance, October 2014