Gabriel Lovinger

@maria__violaris I am genuinely confused by the "subjective entropy" conclusion from the coffee/green milk thought experiment and I hope I am missing something profound that you can clarify so I can learn something cool. Either way, thanks for building engagement with science.

@maria__violaris This sounds like the philisophical misinterpretation of the uncertainty principle/double slit experiment as involving an observer. "Observation" just means measurment/interaction, no observer is required to collapse a state. Misinterpretation does not imply entropy is subjective.

Is entropy subjective? Entropy is core to the laws of thermodynamics and the arrow of time. And yet, some physicists argue that entropy actually depends on who is measuring it. Could it really be the case that such a fundamental aspect of the laws of physics is subjective?! I addressed this question in my talk at the Rationalist Festival (Rat Fest) 2025, organised by @ConjectureInst. Watch here or on the YouTube link below!

If you care about controlling a country, not its health, breaking everything makes sense. 100% of a broken US appeals more than 33% of a prosperous US. Running the US like a private equity firm means hostile takeover, followed by "buy, strip, flip" tactics, are logical practice.

@thee_munashe Immediately, at once ... I'm definitely going to mix something with something else today after teaching Phys. Org.

@GabrielLovinger When are we starting some cool science…

New year, new group website! 0-11 members in a semester. A newly renovated lab; stay tuned for shiny pictures of the space and toys. LovingerLab.com

Congratulations Eric! Clarity in thought and scientific communication inspires and educates.

@PurdueChemistry really knows how to make a guy feel special, knocking down an entire building to put in a green space just to make my lab's view better. Talk about Midwestern charm.

Yesterday 1/2 of the chem department vacated so the Lovinger Lab Air handlers could go up safely. Heading towards unboxing the lab toys day.

@awhspeed Many of the MOTf salts are pretty inexpensive, and while drying them before use was helpful, they came pretty dry already. I couldn't find solubility data for metal salts in organic solvent so I could predict RMgCl+NaOTf->RMgOTf+NaCl propensity, so I ended up generating the data.

@GabrielLovinger Funny, we didn't think to try that. One of my first independent projects (even before your 2017 paper) was trying to make RMgOTf "Grignard" reagents. I think we have NaOTf or can easily get it, so worth a try. Thanks also re. comment for table of other additives.

Long ago I had a twitter conversation asking about the bulkiest primary amine....... left unsatisfied, my student Emily Burke embarked on making more. We didn't like titanium-based methods, so she developed a lanthanum-based one that might be convenient! chemrxiv.org/engage/chemrxi…

@awhspeed Your system is already really nice but I would love to see a table of the catalysts/additive that you tried and the reaction outcomes organized in the SI since that kind of systematic data is sparse in the lit but really nice for additive wonks.

@awhspeed Hi Alex, I have a fondness for papers getting into modulation Grignard addition reactions. Sorry if I missed it but did you ever try adding NaOTf, KOTf, or LiOTf? I found they can give you a "halide-free" Turbo Grignard effect (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b12663.).

(4) avoid generalities like the plague "I'm interested in your research", (5) articulate clearly/concisely/with specifics what your career goals are, why they would be advanced by the position in that specific group, and what skills/experience you bring/why it would be valuble.

Unsolicited Postdoc app advice; (1) before applying identify all funding mechanisms to fund your position=initiative/effort, (2) apply 1-2year before graduation=planning skills/time to make space in group and craft projects and apply for funding, (3) use graphics not words ...

@ItaiYanai Some responses to the original post point out real issues worth talking about and addressing. The balance between seaking resources to keep a lab running vs. pursuing interesting but challenging-to-fund topics is definitely worth thinking about rather than glib statements.

@ItaiYanai As stated, this is an over simplified false dichotomy (no one just weighs a "big breakthrough" vs. a "big grant" and just chooses). This statement is well-formulated to elilicit reaction but is insuficently articulated to be informative. More elaboration, less frustration please.

A problem in science academia unfortunately is that many scientists would rather get a big grant than make a big discovery

I am indeed an expert at speaking ...... re Biocatalysis & Enzyme Engineering, I am an enthusiastic speaker looking to humbly proffer some ideas from Synthetic Phys. Org. Chem. (SPOC) and learn from the community.

I'm excited to welcome the first official Lovinger Lab member, incomparable chemist, and equine aficionado Dr. Anna Davis! @radscientist_ thanks for agreeing to unbox the toys and explore the liminal space between imagination and reality.

I appreciate the warm welcome and neighborly treatment. I'm excited to start working with the bright graduate student I've been meeting.