Michael O’Neill
@michaeloneill.org
Inorganic Chemistry || University of Liverpool || Education || Blogging || Textbooks || www.michaeloneill.org || PERIODically Podcast supporter
Been doing very quick storyboard sketches to help students connect with the wider story of a lecture course in magnetism. I think it works ok.
November 20, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Been doing very quick storyboard sketches to help students connect with the wider story of a lecture course in magnetism. I think it works ok.
Interesting piece on the university structures relating to (?causing?) student loneliness. 10min read.
November 14, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Interesting piece on the university structures relating to (?causing?) student loneliness. 10min read.
Hello. I realise this isn't your article, but might you know where the estimated cost data comes from? I can't find it anywhere, so is it an estimate the newspaper has created itself?
November 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Hello. I realise this isn't your article, but might you know where the estimated cost data comes from? I can't find it anywhere, so is it an estimate the newspaper has created itself?
I was teaching in Engineering this morning, and saw this sign about the invention of the goal net by the @evertonfc.com fan the building is named after.
November 10, 2025 at 11:20 AM
I was teaching in Engineering this morning, and saw this sign about the invention of the goal net by the @evertonfc.com fan the building is named after.
Prepping for teaching magnetism next week, and discovering in an idle google that the word “quench” comes from an old English word for “extinguish”.
November 4, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Prepping for teaching magnetism next week, and discovering in an idle google that the word “quench” comes from an old English word for “extinguish”.
Something I have found interesting over the last few years is how first year students are so keen to draw Hess cycles in ways which reflect the energies of each system. Sheer horror in the workshop when I draw cycles like this.
October 31, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Something I have found interesting over the last few years is how first year students are so keen to draw Hess cycles in ways which reflect the energies of each system. Sheer horror in the workshop when I draw cycles like this.
Liverpool’s lab induction activity is making soap, so here is my 2025 soap.
September 17, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Liverpool’s lab induction activity is making soap, so here is my 2025 soap.
FT piece on the decline of Chemistry (from January). www.ft.com/content/563f...
September 15, 2025 at 10:17 AM
FT piece on the decline of Chemistry (from January). www.ft.com/content/563f...
yeah no worries I got one right here
July 7, 2025 at 1:47 PM
yeah no worries I got one right here
Reading about how people choose Universities.
![What do you mean the atmosphere, you mean-
. . . as in, when I visited it [Leeds] did seem quite kind of, as if they were constantly living in a Sunday afternoon where it was very kind of slow pace and [sighs] it just seemed quite miserable if I’m being honest](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ymn5qcq7hzp3ctlisdg43t6r/bafkreigqiixoe23ad5wotrgvxrnmki66uq44kprhc3npgeog6xqiyxk25i@jpeg)
June 18, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reading about how people choose Universities.
You think those are problems you’re solving?
June 15, 2025 at 3:39 PM
You think those are problems you’re solving?
How it feels to join the meeting remotely when people in the room are chatting amicably
June 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM
How it feels to join the meeting remotely when people in the room are chatting amicably
Exam question I tried this year. Worked well, I think.
May 30, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Exam question I tried this year. Worked well, I think.
While googling for images I found a helpful guide for meeting horses, in case you want to be a horse meeter. www.wikihow.com/Meet-a-Horse...
May 20, 2025 at 8:30 PM
While googling for images I found a helpful guide for meeting horses, in case you want to be a horse meeter. www.wikihow.com/Meet-a-Horse...
I finished my first academic year at Liverpool today.
I really like it! This has been a good move for me.
I really like it! This has been a good move for me.
May 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
I finished my first academic year at Liverpool today.
I really like it! This has been a good move for me.
I really like it! This has been a good move for me.
Commons library report on Student Mental Health is out. Formal disclosure rate graph is pretty striking, and discussion lays out the way that formal reporting under-measures true incidence of MH issues. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
April 30, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Commons library report on Student Mental Health is out. Formal disclosure rate graph is pretty striking, and discussion lays out the way that formal reporting under-measures true incidence of MH issues. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
I have been using skeleton PowerPoint presentations this year. It lets me ask students to do things before showing them how I do it (e.g. electron counting).
I think it’s working well, and it has saved me *so* much time. The blog’s point about responding to student questions really resonates, too.
I think it’s working well, and it has saved me *so* much time. The blog’s point about responding to student questions really resonates, too.
April 22, 2025 at 9:46 AM
I have been using skeleton PowerPoint presentations this year. It lets me ask students to do things before showing them how I do it (e.g. electron counting).
I think it’s working well, and it has saved me *so* much time. The blog’s point about responding to student questions really resonates, too.
I think it’s working well, and it has saved me *so* much time. The blog’s point about responding to student questions really resonates, too.
Went to Easter mass at Liverpool’s Catholic cathedral, which is an amazing building.
April 20, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Went to Easter mass at Liverpool’s Catholic cathedral, which is an amazing building.
Was looking up library times and encountered this glowing Google review for the Cohen Library. @livunilibrary.bsky.social
April 9, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Was looking up library times and encountered this glowing Google review for the Cohen Library. @livunilibrary.bsky.social
Checking back in on Brat. Still holds up.
March 30, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Checking back in on Brat. Still holds up.
I’m lecturing by visualiser this semester. I think it’s good to draw things out in lectures; it usefully slows things down.
I have been mapping out what I want to draw using post-it notes. On the day I remove the note and draw it live.
I have been mapping out what I want to draw using post-it notes. On the day I remove the note and draw it live.
March 14, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I’m lecturing by visualiser this semester. I think it’s good to draw things out in lectures; it usefully slows things down.
I have been mapping out what I want to draw using post-it notes. On the day I remove the note and draw it live.
I have been mapping out what I want to draw using post-it notes. On the day I remove the note and draw it live.
I still love Mingos for this. Colour can’t code the number of the oxidation state as clearly as his table, for my money.
March 10, 2025 at 9:16 AM
I still love Mingos for this. Colour can’t code the number of the oxidation state as clearly as his table, for my money.