John Protasiewicz

Logo for the 55th Inorganic Discussion Weekend at Western University, London, Ontario. Image contains a tree with a ferrocene molecule.

We're excited to announce that the 55th Inorganic Discussion Weekend will take place November 7th-9th, 2025 at Western University! Registration and abstract submission are NOW OPEN on our website: idw2025.ca

More details of the event can be found on our website!

Social Media Pitch!

Social Media Reality?

www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/

To all of my friends at NASA, NSF, & NOAA - thank you for all that you do.

Wonderful science showcased on BlueSky daily! But usually no mention of who funded the work. At a time when federal agencies such as NSF, NIH, etc. are facing challenges & uncertainties, scientists should also acknowledge sponsors to communicate to general public great science the agencies enable!

I understand reviewers concerns. A large number of young scientists worked hard to write and submit NSF CAREER proposals very recently. Their future livelihoods depend on the greater scientific community for qualified reviews and panelists for critical assessment. Do we simply abandon them?

Overview of the NSF Proposal and Award Process Understand the lifecycle of a proposal to the NSF, from preparation and submission to review and award processing.

I can't speak with certainty to future possible reorganization(s), but currently (as in past), panel and individual reviewers are advisory. POs make recommendations using this input, but these must be concurred by director(s), and final decisions and awards made by DGA
www.nsf.gov/funding/over...

Amid Fear of Retaliation, N.S.F. Workers Sign Letter of Dissent

To add one more point, the recent (negative) changes are outside NSF program officers control, and arrive with no advance notice. There are limited or no way to communicate messages upward. Hence, carefully worded letters aimed to protect jobs are crafted. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/s...

Letters to the editor on AI, Chemical Safety Board, and more Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN): Keeping you up to date with the chemistry news that matters most. Published by the American Chemical Society.

Declining to serve on an NSF panel does not make a statement, it makes the program officers job harder. I wrote a letter to editor on this specific topic. Another potential outcome of collective declines is that helps justify the use of AI to replace human reviews, IMHO.

tinyurl.com/yc2xtc2d

Here's a short PSA for those invited by NSF program officers to serve as reviewers or panelists for the National Science Foundation. #NSF #chemsky Thanks!
tinyurl.com/yc2xtc2d

(last letter to the editor in series)

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

BIG: A new executive order changes fundamentally how the U.S. awards research grants, giving oversight to political appointees in coordination with OMB.

All new grant opportunities are paused until these appointees are in place.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Professors Robert Gilliard and John Protasiewicz standing in front of NSF headquarters building.

Had a great visit from my former postdoc @rjgilliard.bsky.social this week! Good to introduce him to some other program officers as well.

With the upcoming heat wave, I’ll need some of that cyclopentane flavored ice cream I saw the other day. #chemsky

Jumbleberry Crumble Since you never know when you might be in urgent need of a crumble, I make up enough topping for at least 4 of these and let it sit safely in the freezer until required. Sprinkle it over your fruit of...

Jumbleberry Crumble is #RecipeOfTheDay! Which is absolutely how it should be www.nigella.com/recipes/jumb...

Outstanding and well deserved!

Many of you may have known Greg Hillhouse, who passed away in 2014. A memorial fellowship has been set up in his honor at the U. of Chicago chemistry department. Here is the link if you are interested in finding out more.
www.trailblazers.psd.uchicago.edu/gregory-hill...

Infographic on suppressing wildfires with chemistry. The graphic looks at Phos-chek, a fire retardant which contains ammonium phosphates or sulfates as the active ingredient. The red colour comes from iron(III) oxide. While Phos-Chek only causes mild skin and eye irritation for humans, it’s hazardous to aquatic organisms. When applied in front of wildfires, Phos-Chek forms phosphate esters which form a protective char that slows wildfires’ spread.

As wildfires rage in LA, this graphic in @cenmag.bsky.social looks at one way chemistry can be used to tackle them: cen.acs.org/environment/...

#ChemSky 🧪

The Thanksgiving and Christmas time lines have officially crossed and we are all now doomed to strange mutations

Have you looked at these kits as possibility? www.zometool.com

I am working on a Phosphorus Chemistry starter pack. Happy for any suggestions! #ChemSky

go.bsky.app/J7TFAPk

Couple inches snow in past half hour so far tonight in Cleveland Heights.