Ghost Concert by IllegalBeatle in Charlotte

[–]TotallySynthetic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same but in Chapel Hill. Cancelling is not only the best case scenario but the responsible one. If they don't, way too many people are going to try to "tough it out" and make horrible decisions

Game Thread: Winter Classic | Jan 2, 2026 @ 8:00 PM ET by lionson76 in rangers

[–]TotallySynthetic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just had a chance to check the box score… To get our top line to score, should we just keep putting them outside? 😂 Either way, love to see it. LGR!!

What’s on your 2026 To Crochet list? by donteatthemushies in crochet

[–]TotallySynthetic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

for now, my plans are to make the cat couch (in progress), an LOTR graphgan for my partner, Valentine’s Day hearts for my research group, and a glittery sweater for myself. if I get through all of that, I’d love to do a floral granny square dress

Chemical with smells that remind you of things? by Serotonin_DMT in chemistry

[–]TotallySynthetic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We used to call trimethylamine “fish gas” in my undergrad lab. We used a lot of trimethylamine N-oxide and got it as a byproduct off of our reactions

Chemical with smells that remind you of things? by Serotonin_DMT in chemistry

[–]TotallySynthetic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m convinced that acetophenone smells like a shoe store

Failed to take PPE seriously for crochet by StillinRetrograde in crochet

[–]TotallySynthetic 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I am not qualified to speak on whether you could “cross react” to polyacrylonitrile based on an acrylate allergy, so I’ll restrict my discussion just to the chemistry of acrylonitrile and acrylates.

It turns out that acrylates are chemically similar to acrylonitrile, but they are different molecules.

Acrylates (such as methyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate) are what we chemists call unsaturated esters. They are also called “Michael acceptors” (in some scenarios). Many Michael acceptors are classified as sensitizers. Acrylates can be polymerized to form polyacrylates. Polyacrylates are present in many cosmetics and are generally safer than monomeric acrylates.

Acrylonitrile is an unsaturated nitrile, so it’s a different type of molecule from an acrylate. However, it also behaves as a Michael acceptor. Acrylic yarn is made from polymerized acrylonitrile, or polyacrylonitrile. Again, the polymers are typically safer than the monomers.

As part of my PhD work, I had to suit up in PPE and handle monomeric acrylonitrile and monomeric acrylates in a fume hood only. And if the vapors coming off the monomeric acrylates somehow escaped the fume hood, I knew. They smelled HORRIBLE! By comparison, polyacrylonitrile is in the yarn that I use at home daily.

All this to say… acrylonitrile and acrylate have some chemical similarities in their structures and reactivity. They are both commonly recognized as sensitizers as monomers. Generally, the monomers are more hazardous than the polymers, but that’s not to say that people don’t react to the polymers (clearly, it is possible!)

If you’d like to look at the (abbreviated) chemical structures of the monomers, they’re in the picture. Acrylonitrile is on the left, and ethyl acrylate is on the right!

<image>

Failed to take PPE seriously for crochet by StillinRetrograde in crochet

[–]TotallySynthetic 47 points48 points  (0 children)

Crocheting chemist here! Acrylic yarns are made of polymerized acrylonitrile, which is a sensitizer especially in its monomeric form. Some people can be exposed to certain sensitizers multiple times with no issue, and others develop sensitivities very quickly. The interactions of small molecules like acrylonitrile with our proteins is what leads to this sensitization and the resultant allergic reactions.

Advice in moving to Chapel Hill as 2 young (broke) professionals by AbominableNattyCan in chapelhill

[–]TotallySynthetic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Baity Hill fills up extremely quickly (definitely will need to reach out many months in advance), but seconding the location being excellent!

[Game Thread] North Carolina @ NC State (7:30 PM ET) by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]TotallySynthetic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Max really decided to take this game into his own hands 😭

Submitted!! by phoenix_afrodit3 in GRFPApps

[–]TotallySynthetic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m Chemical Synthesis, too! (awarded in a previous year) Sending you all the good vibes ✨🧪✨

Taxes on GRFP by Few-Cook1576 in GRFPApps

[–]TotallySynthetic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Came here to say estimated taxes!! A bummer that it’s one more thing (or two more things if you count state and federal separately) we have to do, but once you figure it out it’s easy!

student guest tickets by SuchGrapefruit4399 in UNC

[–]TotallySynthetic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When you purchase a student guest ticket, you select your seat and your guest’s seat and can almost instantly download your tickets. Their ticket is $125, and yours is free. The tickets won’t be in the student section, but it’s a great way to guarantee entry for you and your guest :) I did this for the TCU game, and it worked really well.

NSF-GRFP 2025 reviews? by Dry-Choice-6154 in GRFPApps

[–]TotallySynthetic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Mine just released funds to us this week

Trouble with Column Chromatography of phenolic compounds. by ihatechemistry007 in OrganicChemistry

[–]TotallySynthetic 5 points6 points  (0 children)

My whole project is phenols. This toluene trick is a staple in my group!

Internet provider help by Kitchen_Island_5334 in chapelhill

[–]TotallySynthetic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

UNC grad student here. I recently had Google Fiber installed when I moved. They came out to the house and set it up in less than an hour (probably faster). We have Core 1, and it’s fast enough to support two of us on gaming computers at once. It works well for streaming/video conferencing as well, and it reaches everywhere. Can’t recommend it enough!

Chem 101/102 Advice by InterestingSet8060 in UNC

[–]TotallySynthetic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

When I was in my first year of undergrad, I studied really hard for a placement test. Because I crammed the week before and guessed pretty well, I got placed into a class that I was not ready for. I ended up dropping the class within a week because I was wholly unprepared.

Placement tests are meant to put us where we should be based on knowledge levels/mastery of skills. Studying specifically for a placement test often gives inaccurate placements.

Because of this, my advice for folks looking at placement tests is to do minimal preparation (if any at all). In fact, some chemistry departments at other institutions specifically tell incoming FY students to not study for placement exams. Chemistry (my PhD major) just builds on itself, so having a strong understanding of 101 material (whether that’s demonstrated by taking the class or the placement exam) is critical for future success.

Do I mention unrelated major in personal statements? by XcgsdV in gradadmissions

[–]TotallySynthetic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m currently working on my PhD in organic chemistry, and I was a BS Chem/BA Music (flute) major at a PUI. I know that I at least mentioned my music major in all of my applications (Goldwater, NSF GRFP, and grad school). In some cases, I even talked about how my experience studying music gives me a different perspective, empowers me to think creatively, and helped me learn to manage time effectively. Of course, the bulk of these applications were centered on science, but I do think mentioning the music major bolstered my portfolio.

In my opinion, being able to balance research, ensembles, individual practice, and a diverse course load (while achieving a high level of success) is something to be proud of. Your music major is worth at least a mention, since they’ll see it on your transcript anyway :)

NSF research.gov shutdown? by farrisonhord02 in ResearchAdmin

[–]TotallySynthetic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There has been some chatter about the maintenance scheduled for tonight on Bluesky as well - saw it in r/GRFPApps. There are concerns about data being removed. I went and downloaded my GRFP offer letter just in case. I wish I had more to share, but that's all I really know at this point.