We have gotten the funds to renovate our general chemistry laboratories that were originally built in 1974. We are overwelmed at the possibilities. Do you keep the original layout or do we get creative? Do we keep the hoods against the walls or do we get two-sided hoods? I would welcome any advice, horror stories, success stories, or wish we had done this instead?

This post is prompted from a conversation with my CUR mentee, a relatively new faculty member who asked for advice on finding time to write. Though I am not necessarily the best role model for this, one thing that has worked for me (at least when I've been able to do it!) is a regular research writing session with a colleague, not a chemist, but another faculty member in a different discipline. Since our second year as faculty members, we set aside one afternoon per week to have lunch and then sequester ourselves away in the library or other out of the way place to write for the afternoon.

I need to do a reaction with dry pyridine.  I know I can buy it dry, but I want to be able to keep it dry for future use.  (The lab that I'm currently working in is poorly set up to do this type of thing; that's what I get for doing a sabbatical in a Materials Science and Metallurgy Department.)  Can I just throw in some molecular sieves and blanket it with nitrogen after use in a glove bag?

I'm on sabbatical leave this year and have discovered that I'm the person in the group who knows the most about glove boxes.  I've picked up a few things over the years, but I'm not sure what is important and what's irrelevant.  (I'm a solid state chemist and don't have that much use for glove boxes on a regular basis.)  Can anyone recommend some resources on "care and feeding" of a glove box?  Better yet, do you have any suggestions for general rules of use and maintenance for a glove box?