Help Wanted: The Chemical Names Project

I have a bit of down time whilst waiting for Big New Job to start. After writing about the confusing naming for the aromatic compound nootkatone over at SciAm, I became curious: How do we learn chemical names? Is there some sort of definitive reference point for how to pronounce tricky compounds?

To-MAY-to, To-MAH-to

I propose a fun little experiment: Send me names of strange-looking chemicals, and I'll record myself attempting to pronounce them. Where possible, I'll consult NIST, the Merck Index, the dictionary, and the IPA system to try and provide the best possible answer.*

Ground Rules: The name should be no more than a few syllables long; I'm not looking to pronounce the full IUPAC name for maitotoxin! Regional differences (aluminum / aluminium) won't be accepted. Where possible, try to give me some sort of feel for the origin or etymology of the compound, so I can make a quality recording.

Here's my (short) list of contenders: nootkatone, phenolphthalein, azide, linalool, geissoschizine

Don't Delay! Submit your unpronounceable compounds in the comments today!

*For those who've never heard me speak, I pride myself on clear diction and a relatively flat American accent

Podcast: Calcium Redux

My post on calcium catalysis didn't really engage a wide audience of readers the way I had wanted it to. A few kind souls helped me refine my approach, which I thought might work better as a radio blurb.

Dear Jake: Thanks, I took on your challenge. Here's my new entry:

Music: Hall & Oates, Bird and the Bee

Readers, whaddaya think? More accessible, less? Please let me know in the comments!

Also Appearing at...

Chad and Sam, brain trust over at The Collapsed Wavefunction, recently decided to have me over for some podcast magic. You'll have to go over there to experience the full effect, but let's just say it includes all of the following: Breaking Bad, Mythbusters, The Matrix, Jar-Jar Binks, Battlestar Galactica, Samuel L. Jackson, pending summer blockbusters, Jurassic Park, Francis Crick, and general tomfoolery.

What are you waiting for? Go have a listen!

Bonus: Make sure you stay through the end credits!

Podcast: Chemjobber, Stu, and SAO Discuss Plagiarism (Part 1)

Way back in February, Chemjobber and I sat down with Stuart Cantrill, Chief Editor of Nature Chemistry, for a chat about plagiarism in scientific publishing. We had so much fun talking that the recording ballooned into a 2-h epic podcast; I didn't know where to start editing!
Mea culpa - the conversation languished on my desktop, and I made excuses each week not to get it done.

Finally, Part 1 of the CJ / SC / SAO "Epic Podcast" arrives!



0:07 - Special guests
1:29 - Stu's day job: What happens to papers submitted to Nature Chem?
4:29 - How do you define #1?
8:19 - "Actually, actually, actually..."
10:42 - Journals already use plagiarism-checking software!?!
12:10 - (and get way too many submissions)
16:22 - Cantrill, automated.
18:47 - Who bears the cost of plagiarized papers?
22:50 - CJ's curious: What happens to the person caught copying?
28:12 - The self-correcting scientific literature
28:58 - Bloggers: A small group of people who care too much...
30:17 - Why publish or perish? Shouldn't it be quality, not quantity?
32:09 - Indexes (Indices?)
33:18 - Opening the door to Hour 2...

P.S. - If you need a primer, the earlier podcast CJ and I refer to is here.

Friday Fun: Traveling Salesman

"Let's add some more zeroes to that number..."
Source: Mad Men | AMC

Out shilling for funds again. I've packed my book of spells, a suit, my voodoo doll, the rain stick, and a thesaurus. #phdlife #startup

— See Arr Oh (@SeeArrOh) August 8, 2013

Suit pressed.

Hair cut.

Shoes shined.

Marketing done.

Presentation saved to (one, two...) multiple USB drives.



...maybe I'll even have time for some chemistry today...

Wish me luck! 
Happy Friday, everyone.
-SAO

Friday Fun: Artemisinin on NPR

NPR Story

2012 Keasling lab article in PNAS

Wikipedia: Artemisinin

Something Different

Podcast: Deborah Blum talks to CJ and SAO, Part II

A few weeks back, Chemjobber and I spoke with esteemed science writer Deborah Blum, of Wired and Poisoner's Handbook fame, among many other things.

Half of the chat appears over at CJ's place, go have a listen!



Timepoints:

0:01 - Introduction
0:35 - Science Writing "Death Grip"
2:07 - Navigating life through science
4:45 - "Chemical-free" (oh, boy...)
8:58 - The Great Golden Day of the Newspaper
12:42 - Crowdfunding newspapers?
14:35 - Advice for new science writers: "It's a lot of fun!"
15:34 - The thousand mealworm cookies
17:38 - Now appearing at your local Kroger - insects!

Thanks again to Deb for a fantastic conversation.

Podcast: CJ and SAO Talk Plagiarism

After the latest Xi Yan / Dalton story broke, Chemjobber was gracious enough to sit down with me to hash out our feelings about plagiarism, peer review, and what we hoped might happen when the next batch of purloined text comes around.

Timepoints:

0:02 - Introduction
0:56 - You say "incensed," I say "attracted"
2:29 - Bogus!
3:09 - CJ steals my Great Idea
3:40 - Playing 'Editor' with SAO
5:32 - Is it true? Is it new?
7:01 - Entering the 'gray area'
8:12 - Azaspiracids: Three papers, three different intros
9:30 - Doris Kearns Goodwin
10:44 - Please don't copy word-for-word!
12:23 - Being an Asst. Professor is hard
13:55 - We need a cultural context guidebook...
15:05 - World Science - Impact Factor 35.0
16:20 - Language / Science Barriers
18:09 - Peer Review - Get 'em while they're young!
19:57 - $$ Entrepreneurial Idea! $$
21:33 - How much time do you spend reviewing?
22:45 - CJ's Dangerous Game
23:07 - Conclusions

24:32 - Bonus track

Thanks, as always, to CJ for some stimulating conversation!

Elsewhere...

Chemophobia got you down? Need a laugh? Call the Chemistry Avengers!

Hey, check it out: Blog Syn #002 is live!
(And I hear that #003 is well on its way...)

More to come at JLC in the next few days. Stay tuned!

'Tis the Podcast Season

So, whatcha doin' for the next 30 minutes?

Want to listen to three chemists cynically dismember the ACS grad report? Sure you do!

Head on over to CJ's place, and criticize our critique.

Frost Flowers
Source: Matthias Wietz | NPR.org

On the Air with CJ

Over the weekend, CJ and I got together on some podcasty goodness. We recapped the high points of the last ACS Webinar: Doctoral Glut Dilemma: Are There Solutions?

Go on over to Chemjobber to listen to our logical leaps, witty repartee, and bon mots. Tell us, who do we most resemble on air? Howard Stern and Robin Quivers? Robert Siegel and Melissa Block? Hannity and Colmes? Rocky and Bullwinkle?

I'm the one in the tux.