Marie van Staveren
@chemdrv.bsky.social
They/them. Chemistry teaching faculty at UMBC. LongCOVID. Programming, equity, and non-traditional paths in chemistry education. Centering humans and hope. Opinions very much my own.
Clearly having an odd work day, started an impromptu re-read of Pedagogy of the Oppressed midafternoon
November 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Clearly having an odd work day, started an impromptu re-read of Pedagogy of the Oppressed midafternoon
My heat is on the fritz so I just keep roasting squash and throwing it into everything I'm eating and honestly 10/10 would recommend
November 18, 2025 at 3:54 PM
My heat is on the fritz so I just keep roasting squash and throwing it into everything I'm eating and honestly 10/10 would recommend
Today's theme is colleagues saying that students didn't listen the first five times they said something so they repeated it five more times and me trying to figure out how to turn my internal scream into something professionally useful
November 18, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Today's theme is colleagues saying that students didn't listen the first five times they said something so they repeated it five more times and me trying to figure out how to turn my internal scream into something professionally useful
I skimmed an annoying reading for journal club because I thought I had to leave early for a student thing, but then the student rescheduled. Should I actually do the reading?
November 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I skimmed an annoying reading for journal club because I thought I had to leave early for a student thing, but then the student rescheduled. Should I actually do the reading?
By any chance does one of y'all keep a list of news reports of Rainbow Flames accidents?
November 17, 2025 at 12:18 PM
By any chance does one of y'all keep a list of news reports of Rainbow Flames accidents?
City living this morning looks like shelling beans on my front stoop while listening to the wind gusts grab the last of the leaves off the trees
November 16, 2025 at 1:37 PM
City living this morning looks like shelling beans on my front stoop while listening to the wind gusts grab the last of the leaves off the trees
This is your irregularly scheduled reminder that college students are not kids
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
This is your irregularly scheduled reminder that college students are not kids
Thinking about a talk I saw recently from a red state faculty member whose slides contained very few banned words but who clearly was talking around them the whole talk
November 14, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Thinking about a talk I saw recently from a red state faculty member whose slides contained very few banned words but who clearly was talking around them the whole talk
It's possible I've never actually focused on anything in my life
November 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM
It's possible I've never actually focused on anything in my life
Row house living is my heat being out and thanking my neighbors for the heat coming through the walls so it doesn't get too cold in my house
November 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Row house living is my heat being out and thanking my neighbors for the heat coming through the walls so it doesn't get too cold in my house
My happy thought for the day:
Two students who took pchem with me last year are doing biochem this fall. They tend to study for biochem quizzes in my conference room.
Now, they are *not* biochemists. It's a requirement that they're taking with much complaining...
Two students who took pchem with me last year are doing biochem this fall. They tend to study for biochem quizzes in my conference room.
Now, they are *not* biochemists. It's a requirement that they're taking with much complaining...
November 11, 2025 at 9:32 PM
My happy thought for the day:
Two students who took pchem with me last year are doing biochem this fall. They tend to study for biochem quizzes in my conference room.
Now, they are *not* biochemists. It's a requirement that they're taking with much complaining...
Two students who took pchem with me last year are doing biochem this fall. They tend to study for biochem quizzes in my conference room.
Now, they are *not* biochemists. It's a requirement that they're taking with much complaining...
A student dropped by with a statement of purpose for feedback and I'm suddenly remembering that it's about to be letter of rec season. Putting this out there for anyone else who'd forgotten it was coming...
November 11, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A student dropped by with a statement of purpose for feedback and I'm suddenly remembering that it's about to be letter of rec season. Putting this out there for anyone else who'd forgotten it was coming...
Anyone else picture the Goddess Boys when they wipe down their kitchen counter or is it just me?
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Anyone else picture the Goddess Boys when they wipe down their kitchen counter or is it just me?
A change for me that predates chatgpt is doing more mental math. For years I've been pausing before I reach for a calculator and pushing myself to do the work in my own brain. Not all math all the time, just more than I used to.
I became very conscientious about this during COVID. I do puzzles, read hard things or read and watch programming with different normative (or cultural) assumptions etc. I would like to keep what I can. Bananas to come out of the forced mediated world of COVID…and jump into AI.
Exactly, including for the long term for health benefits. Friend of mine did Parkinson’s research at Mayo for decades and he tells me all the time how important it is to stay mentally active to reduce the chances of a whole lot of cognitive decline.
November 8, 2025 at 1:49 PM
A change for me that predates chatgpt is doing more mental math. For years I've been pausing before I reach for a calculator and pushing myself to do the work in my own brain. Not all math all the time, just more than I used to.
Latest LMS feature: "Automate encouragement"
November 7, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Latest LMS feature: "Automate encouragement"
The joy on social media this morning is invigorating. Next steps for me: wake up my kid, donate to a good bank, check in on a neighbor who needs a hand, then get to work.
November 5, 2025 at 11:38 AM
The joy on social media this morning is invigorating. Next steps for me: wake up my kid, donate to a good bank, check in on a neighbor who needs a hand, then get to work.
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
I’ll never support Donald Trump or his administration’s aims and actions. But I know too that they’d rather have people like me just give up instead and become apathetic and cynical so they can do what they want without opposition.
I’m doing the reverse instead. (11/11)
I’m doing the reverse instead. (11/11)
October 31, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I’ll never support Donald Trump or his administration’s aims and actions. But I know too that they’d rather have people like me just give up instead and become apathetic and cynical so they can do what they want without opposition.
I’m doing the reverse instead. (11/11)
I’m doing the reverse instead. (11/11)
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
Man, do you know what rules? Actually loving other people, reminding us that we deserve a government that cares for us, and inspiring us to meet our neighbors.
November 5, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Man, do you know what rules? Actually loving other people, reminding us that we deserve a government that cares for us, and inspiring us to meet our neighbors.
I have a colleague who is retiring while he's young enough to enjoy it and it's really throwing some coworkers for a loop
November 4, 2025 at 8:17 PM
I have a colleague who is retiring while he's young enough to enjoy it and it's really throwing some coworkers for a loop
I know gifts like this are negotiated and thoughtful, but I like to imagine her flipping through a deck of HBCU cards, picking a random number, and then picking up the phone to call the school. Always a bright spot to hear of another donation.
Again Mackenzie Scott ftw www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/11/03/s...
Spelman College receives $38 million ‘unrestricted’ gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott
The university says Scott’s gift lets it address expanding financial aid and scholarship support and investing in a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure “to enhance the academic experience.”
www.atlantanewsfirst.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:11 PM
I know gifts like this are negotiated and thoughtful, but I like to imagine her flipping through a deck of HBCU cards, picking a random number, and then picking up the phone to call the school. Always a bright spot to hear of another donation.
My lunch sandwich this week is salmon salad with fried eggplant and thyme and it's so good you all should try it
November 3, 2025 at 3:23 PM
My lunch sandwich this week is salmon salad with fried eggplant and thyme and it's so good you all should try it
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
In which I check out "Perkins Square," think about housing prices and development and displacement, and then ride over to Patterson Park, Canton Waterfront Park, and then north until North, flying down the bus/bike lane all the way home. whatisawridingmybikearoundtoday.com/2025/11/02/f...
Fall Tree Against a Backdrop of Blue Skies and Construction at Bank & Caroline
I had the time, energy, and weather for a bike ride today, and wow, it had been a long time since I got to do that. I started with a quick ride down the hill to meet friends for brunch, in celebrat…
whatisawridingmybikearoundtoday.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:31 AM
In which I check out "Perkins Square," think about housing prices and development and displacement, and then ride over to Patterson Park, Canton Waterfront Park, and then north until North, flying down the bus/bike lane all the way home. whatisawridingmybikearoundtoday.com/2025/11/02/f...
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
This thread is heartbreaking, this ending picture even more so.
The author is brave.
The US has betrayed so many people we promised to support.
thank you for sharing @wwenneuro.bsky.social
The author is brave.
The US has betrayed so many people we promised to support.
thank you for sharing @wwenneuro.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 12:49 PM
This thread is heartbreaking, this ending picture even more so.
The author is brave.
The US has betrayed so many people we promised to support.
thank you for sharing @wwenneuro.bsky.social
The author is brave.
The US has betrayed so many people we promised to support.
thank you for sharing @wwenneuro.bsky.social
Is there any movie that is both as terrible and with as great of a soundtrack as Streets of Fire?
October 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Is there any movie that is both as terrible and with as great of a soundtrack as Streets of Fire?
It never fails: when I realize I'm having a hard time prioritizing what to work on, it turns out I'm anxious about my inbox.
Seven emails in there, and I've been avoiding all seven. Maybe I can clean them out today? And then I'll be able to get work done again.
Seven emails in there, and I've been avoiding all seven. Maybe I can clean them out today? And then I'll be able to get work done again.
October 30, 2025 at 2:50 PM
It never fails: when I realize I'm having a hard time prioritizing what to work on, it turns out I'm anxious about my inbox.
Seven emails in there, and I've been avoiding all seven. Maybe I can clean them out today? And then I'll be able to get work done again.
Seven emails in there, and I've been avoiding all seven. Maybe I can clean them out today? And then I'll be able to get work done again.