“We don’t trust scientists because of the letters after their names or because they hold appointed positions. We trust them because they participate in a process designed precisely to minimize bias and political influence” Read our latest blog from @dramandar open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

Science is under attack—but our strength is in our connections with each other. Join me at the Philly Science Action Social to connect with the Philly science community and build the power we need together. Come for the drink discount, stay for the solidarity! 🍺💪

PSA was honored to speak at the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good at Ursinus College. @amandastherrien.bsky.social and @dramandar.bsky.social had an inspiring day speaking with and learning from students about the threats facing biomedical science—and what we can do to protect it.

Instead of addressing the greatest risks to children’s health, the MAHA report leans on long-disproven conspiracy theories and undermines trust in science and medicine when kids need protection most. Read the latest from @dramandar.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

“Our Ivy League–educated President and Vice President have made it their mission to cast universities as enemies of the state.” Our latest blog post from @dramandar.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

Black box antidepressant warnings designed to promote fear and hesitancy among expecting parents is just one step on a larger path toward undermining access to psychiatric medication more broadly. Our latest blog by @dramandar.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

📢 followers in the DC area: Please consider attending this rally happening TODAY! The brave NIH civil servants who are standing up against the destruction of U.S. science need our support.

“Many said they had already had funding slashed or programs terminated, while others fear that cuts are inevitable and are beginning to search for alternative work.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... ‘A disaster for all of us’: US scientists describe impact of Trump cuts | US news | The Guardian

Good on The DP for calling out my alma mater’s capitulation to Trump’s illogical and unlawful demands for what it is—a descent into fascism. There’s always a choice. Powerful institutions like Penn owe it to their community to stand up for their people and the values they claim to hold.

The case for investing in biomedical science is so clear it shouldn’t need defending. Yet here we are. Read and share our latest blog from @amandastherrien.bsky.social & @dramandar.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

There is not a person in this world that I respect more than Weird Al Yankovic

“It doesn’t matter if you were born here or not, when one community is under attack, we are all under attack,” Leary said. She questioned why the city wasn’t doing more to protect its immigrants. “What is happening right now is not OK,” she said.” www.inquirer.com/news/juntos-...

Dr. Francis Collins speaks to the dire state of affairs at our government agencies. "Predictions are that since the plug was pulled on USAID, 90,000 children have died unnecessarily... And yet, where is the outrage?..Where is our compassion?" www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW9c...

Hey you! 👋 Are you a scientist with something to say? We want to hear from you! The @philadelphiascienceaction.substack.com Substack is looking for contributors! Bring your voice — let’s defend science together. 🧬✊ DM us if you’d like to write for us!

"Emotional influence isn’t a glitch. It’s a core feature of large language models (LLMs). If we celebrate their ability to comfort or advise, we must also confront their capacity to mislead or manipulate." 🤖😇😈 🔗Read here: nature.com/articles/d41... 📰Full PDF: rdcu.be/eugi1 Thank you @nature.com 🙏

Feeling overwhelmed by climate change? Join @sarahmackattack.bsky.social for Climate Change Crafting Night 🎨✨ — an evening of community, creativity, and action in Philly! 📍 Indy Hall Clubhouse 📅 Wed, July 23 | 6–9 PM 🎟️ $10 — supplies included Make art, make friends, make change. 💚 lu.ma/edq742p1

Trading academic integrity for short-term safety is a losing strategy. We must stand up to an administration determined to dismantle U.S. higher education, not surrender the power we still hold.

"Penn essentially accepted the slap-down for following regulations and federal guidance in place during the 2021-22 season, when Thomas competed... That could pave the way for other universities to face, and possibly succumb to, the same pressure." www.inquirer.com/education/up...

AI may deskill labor in the coming years, just as tech has done for many trades. But even if the human hand may not always produce a better product, it may be special for the sake of craft. Either way, when shopping for a suit, now you know to flip over the lapel to see if there are dimples.

This idea of craft can be increasingly important as AI replaces much of human labor. As a tailor friend put it: it's the difference between a hand painted Mona Lisa and a computer copy. Even if others can't tell the difference, some people may value the handmade version bc it represents human skill.

When research promises to “restore normal” and save costs by eliminating disabled lives, who gets left behind? Read my latest article on @philadelphiascienceaction.substack.com

New post: July 16-17: Good Trouble Events (Philly, Montco, Virtual) https://phillyactivist.com/july-16-17-good-trouble-events-philly-montco-virtual/

I am not happy with the fact that whenever a new NOFO is issued from NIH or FDA we must wonder if it is some sort of Trojan Horse designed to undercut existing safety regulations, disrupt science, create fake data to support the political agenda, etc.

Thrilled to share that Dr. Allie Tracey has joined my lab as a postdoc. Allie’s expertise in concussion recovery, psychological outcomes, and digital health is a perfect fit for our work. She will be leading projects to advance EMA for personalized TBI recovery. Welcome to the team, Allie!

transgender people are the core demographic trumpism is targeting as a wedge. if you are unable or unwilling to see this now, by the time they come for you it will be too late

I signed @watchpartyphl.bsky.social and Philadelphia Science Action's letter to the University of Pennsylvania expressing our support for trans athletes and inclusive sports. Stand with us!

🚨 BREAKING 🚨 The National Science Foundation has sent an email out to its members to collect signatures for a dissent declaration similar to the NIH’s Bethesda Declaration and the EPA’s Declaration of Dissent. This comes on the heels of Lee Zeldin putting 139 EPA declaration signers on admin leave

It bears repeating that the new paper showing that the U.S. has significantly higher rates of pediatric deaths than similar countries demonstrates that these deaths are primarily caused by: Firearms Motor vehicle crashes Substance use Homicide And are driven by: Economic and racial disparity

✉️ READ the open letter. ✍️ SIGN it. 🔄 SHARE it. Let’s show the world that #Philly stands up for science, for inclusion, and for every athlete’s right to belong. open.substack.com/pub/philadel... 10, end of🧵

4️⃣ We stand in solidarity with trans athletes at Penn and across the nation, who are now forced to navigate a sporting environment made more hostile by this resolution. 9/n

2️⃣ We oppose the rescinding of Lia Thomas' records and honors, which were earned fairly. 3️⃣ We condemn the rewriting of athletic policies to erase trans athletes from participation, recognition, and public life. 8/n

Science and sports build community. When one of us is under attack, we are all under attack. Let’s make clear to Penn and President Jameson that: 1️⃣ Trans women are women, and they deserve the same dignity, support, and opportunity in sports as any other student-athlete. 7/n

As a sports town, we reject the false premise that transgender participation threatens women’s sports. As a science town, we reject Penn’s alignment with an EO that seeks to narrow the definitions of "woman" and "man" based on an incomplete understanding of biological sex. 6/n

Together with @watchpartyphl.bsky.social, we're circulating an open letter in support of trans athletes and inclusive sports. We’re calling on current and former college athletes, college sports fans, and all concerned members of the public to sign on. 5/n

That's why, when UPenn President Jameson reached an agreement with the Trump administration that effectively validates anti-trans discrimination, we had to act. 4/n

By linking federal science and higher education funding to anti-trans athletic policies, the Trump administration is trying to divide us, weaponizing science to marginalize one community while threatening another. But in #Philly, we stand united. 3/n

In #Philly, we know this well. We're a science town. We’re a sports town. And we reject the cynical attempt to use pseudo-science about sex and gender to exclude trans athletes from women’s sports. 2/n

Philly wants the Trump administration out of our college sports. We won’t let an administration that misuses and distorts science to justify transphobia dictate what happens in our athletic communities. Science is a part of our everyday lives, and that includes sports. 🧵 1/n

Don’t exclude trans athletes in the name of science funding. Please consider signing and resharing this open letter to the University of Pennsylvania, condemning the deal struck with the Trump administration to bar trans athletes from women’s sports: open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

Children in the US, including infants, have a shockingly high number of deaths from a range of preventable problems including gun violence and chronic health issues. GOP cuts to Medicaid & SNAP will only make this crisis worse. www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/h...

“Penn’s acquiescence here is troubling…not least of which is condoning the scapegoating, revisionism, & transphobia…also bc it adds credence to an interpretation of biological sex that flies in the face of current science.” @philadelphiascienceaction.substack.com open.substack.com/pub/philadel...

Hey @upenn.edu, y'all gonna delete this from your website, or is capitulating to a transphobic authoritarian who makes policy based on bigotry "intellectual rigor."

We're excited to announce that our Institute's Associate Director @dramandar.bsky.social was selected to receive ACRM's 2025 Mitchell Rosenthal Award. The award will be presented on October 28th during the ACRM Meeting. @acrmrehab.bsky.social

American scientists must gear up for the coming federal discretionary spending debate, which will decide the fate of Trump’s proposed cuts to federal science funding. In our latest article @amandastherrien.bsky.social, discusses the importance of storytelling in the fight for science.

It's not just #NIH. It's not just #NSF. It's not just #NASA. The whole scientific community has to make clear that all science across fed agencies is being destroyed in the US. We can't just ask for our particular piece of the pie. The whole pie is being thrown out - saving your bit won't work.

Just in: NIH staff have been instructed to REINSTATE these ~900 grants to comply with the court order, per sources. This comes after staff were also directed to cease any further terminations. You can see the lists grants to be reinstated in my post below.

We are hosting this virtual community event this evening! If you are a science supporter in the greater Philadelphia region who is interested in getting more involved in science advocacy, please join us!!

It's not just academia that will be affected by the disruptions to research funding https://go.nature.com/4khYPIA