Michael Seery

Open Call for Organisers of 10th MICER 2026 ICER runs annually under the auspices of the RSC Chemistry Education Research Group, and the group are issuing a call for organisers of the 2026 meeting. Details are provided below. Submissions sho…

2026 will be (I think) the 10th MICER... we are now looking for expressions of interest to host it rsccerg.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/o...

Something new from me. The Chris Adams symposium prompted me to think the role of virtual laboratories in chemistry and I have been slowly thinking it through since. It turns out that there is a lot to do. Sharing as a preprint and really welcome comments while I work it up. osf.io/preprints/ed...

Ireland, 1485-1798: colonial laboratory? Fri, Sep 26 • 2:00 PM

National Archives (UK) running 3 events on Irish history this month. Yes pleeeeze www.eventbrite.com/cc/finding-i...

Screen grab showing subtitles "This lets some of the salt and minerals evaporate so they don't build up in the soil."

Sometimes it is hard being a chemist and a gardener

Sometimes this is a very difficult country to live in

One of the fascinating if depressing things about “the literature” is the extent to which people cite other work that completely misrepresents what the cited article says. And that’s going to get so much worse with AI “insights”.

Hollow is a great description. I am similarly "figuring out" my thoughts, but "generic that might be useful to someone with expertise" is the best I've got to so far. Given the nun, I am repurposing All Hallows and imagining an AI school called All Hollows.

Separately of course is the body of work that says STEM courses are so choc full that students don’t have time to think.

…less sense of how taught curriculum is changing. Are courses really being dropped? What about core learning hours? (Of course we were too content heavy so this may not be a bad thing). Any thanks for voicing and need more coffee to ponder more.

… so I’m moving to a position where I’d prefer instead a set of core competencies (what I’ve framed elsewhere under ‘doing chemistry’ but would include your Problem Solving) that should be evident in a lab curriculum. And that will take a time but perhaps less rigid than a fixed number. I have…

A lot to ponder here thanks for writing. Core issue is that “300” has somewhat protected labs from prying eyes. They have to be there but who knows (cares) what they are. 300 hours in a lab is very different depending on how many in a group (I’ve heard tales of 6!) and what students do…

Happy Putting those Aspirations for Completing Tasks Back On Ice For Another Year Day to all who celebrate. 🙌

Wow! Looks like it was a great meeting this time. Sorry to miss it.

Isn’t this where we met?! Enjoy!

Plaque for Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society WILLIAM HENRY CLAYFIELD (1772-1837) CHEMIST, BOTANIST, GEOLOGIST, BALLOONIST LIVED HERE 1814-1837

You *can* have it all.

Bring up the bodies took a whole summer! I only came to them after the first TV series which probably helped

Quite a year! While perhaps not as tangible as an output I think that first year in a new place is one where you can tune into differences and so think about things in a different way. Hope you’ve got over that dratted cold!

The academic productivity cost of moving — Michael O'Neill A reflection on the way I became less productive in the year I moved from one University to another.

**New blog post** A reflection on how moving city made me less productive this year. www.michaeloneill.org/blog-1/2025/8/18/the-academic-productivity-cost-of-moving

Amazing thanks! Bradshaw is the one I was after. Now in the queue!

Thanks! Just enjoying yours by return. And yes, despite good taste in abbeys, Watson probably the safer choice.

Thanks. Separately the Venn diagram of Hilary Mantel, all the abbeys & monasteries around here and my own interests have meant that I’m becoming borderline obsessed with dissolution. I’ve read that in Irish context it happened much later. Is there any good reading on it?

It's 4 years since everything upended, and having this month just finished the first year in my new role, I am (over)sharing some reflections. Short version: all is well :D michaelseery.com/reflecting-o...

Paging the #CompChemSky and #iTeachChem communities: Could you please help my MSc student with an education project, exploring how gen AI shapes the way we think, solve problems, and build confidence.

I've spent a bit of time thinking and writing about GRC CERP; how it came together, and how it came to be. Thank you to everyone who played a part and the many messages since. It's long, so a main take away message, it is: *conference organisers should always have a "meal with speakers" system*.

At registration desk waiting for people to arrive

Group picture waiting for bus to leave.

First day//last day of GRC CERP. Who needs sleep?!.Thanks so much to Erin Saitta for photos.

Was an amazing week - thanks for presentation and bringing *all* the gang from Texas 🤣 They made an enormous contribution to the meeting.

Groups of presenters and discussants posing for photo

What an amazing week! Thank you everyone who made it so special. This was a career highlight that will be tough to beat. #GRCCERP #MoonAgents

White horse shape carved out chalk soil on steep hill side

#GRCCERP begins! Setting off on journey with a view of Westbury White Horse from the train (through very murky window).

Yes altho more generally I think the emphasis on discussion shifts the expectation from coming to listen to coming to engage.

Thanks M - the GRC had substantial influence on MICER design. People like to talk! Hope you’re well and ViCEPHEC goes well.