I'm hiring a postdoc to work in theoretical / computational phylogenomics! More info at tinyurl.com/63hb5ew8. Please share!

I now have a document called yard_species.csv and I can only share this information with other eco/evo people. Pic for attention (shout-out Speciation Brewery)

I love this figure in our review of sawflies of eastern North America. Shout out to @flydrocarbon.bsky.social for leading the charge and the @catherinelinnen.bsky.social lab! Check out the paper in the @entsocamerica.bsky.social Journal of Integrated Pest Management: academic.oup.com/jipm/article...

I keep thinking about how I don't post/interact on here much anymore. I was trying to figure out why and I really think the simplest answer is that my first 2 quarters as a teaching professor have just been super busy! I will try and do a post-mortem on my experience sometime soon!

Northwestern has not received any NIH funds since March. No written communication about why or what can be done. Thank you Ben Singer for raising awareness at #ATS2025

Take note: Northwestern hasn't had any funds disbursed from NIH since March. The research crisis isn't coming, it's already here. Call your reps.

The Tufts graduate student detained by federal authorities in Somerville has been sent to a Louisiana detention facility, despite a federal judge’s order telling US Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to remove her from Massachusetts without notice.

I am a new teaching prof with a lot on my plate rn....and all my problems seem so trivial in light of the broader attack on higher education and science in general. Its so demotivating and scary All I can do is focus on the students I have and making sure they learn something. Idk what else to do.

Here is a call script to urge your State Congress members to act against President Trump’s actions potentially violating the Impoundment Control Act: Hello, [Representative/Senator’s Name], Find your members of Congress using your address www.congress.gov/members/find...

Shout-out to that one student who makes faces when they are confused 🫤 surprised 😮 interested 🙂 think I'm funny 🤣 like my example 🥰. and especially when they FINALLY understand something its taken a few lectures to sink in: They make each lecture easier. #pedagogy #professor #teachingevolution

If you are ready to advocate to your representatives (or friends and families) about the economic value of NIH funded research, you can check your state at www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...

I got to meet Todd Young, the Republican (tea party) Senator for Indiana once. When I asked him to support increased NSF funding, he said "Of course, it's critical for helping our military stay ahead" Hard-line Rs absolutely can and will support NIH/NSF if you advocate correctly. Call them 👇

Teaching an evolution course is having "baculum example" on a sticky note on your desk monitor for weeks before needing it, and without batting an eye once. I'm always on the lookout for charismatic examples to discuss in class.

Shout-out to Speciation brewing for the apparel assist for my tree thinking lecture today.

Happy New Year Bluesky! Question for people who have taught a 300 level Evolution course: Anyone have good papers for further reading that are somewhat accessible for those newer to Evolutionary Biology and papers in general? I want to inspire and encourage.

I'm happy to announce I am the newest Assistant Professor of Instruction at Northwestern!! I'm excited to be teaching about evolution, genetics, and more starting this winter!

They saw Gattaca and thought it was an awesome story about the heroism of the genetic overclass bsky.app/profile/thel...

Today is my last day as a postdoc. It's been a wild 4.3 years. ...and yes I scrounged leftover department food on my last day.

...I am losing faith in the review process. I reviewed a paper with some EGREGIOUS errors. A main result was that two of the insect species diverged 1.1 BILLION ya...in the Pre-cambrian. 0.5 MYA before trees. Only 2 of 5 (!!!) rev. caught it (its a main fig) Editor: Revise and resubmit. 🤦

A few years ago I said on Twitter I was surprised I never got review requests when I see complaints about them all the time. Now I get dozens a year, often outside my field and have to turn many down. Ask postdocs!

Check out our new preprint on toxin variation and herbivory in the diverse locoweed Astragalus lentifinosus This toxin is produced by a fungal endophyte and shows geographic patterns distinct from those seen in endogenous plant toxins. See what you think! ⬇️ www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4...

I would be at least 50% less down/demotivated by the academic job search process if I didn't get ghosted by 100% of searches every year--regardless of how far I make it. yes, ik, PR rules, etc....that does not make the process easier.

What possible reason could faculty search committees have for requiring unofficial transcripts??

It's telling that on exam day I don't recognize ~30% of students in my Genetics lecture I have tried to incentivize attendance all semester, but some students just will not come. Anyone have an incentive or tactic they like to improve attendance?

New rule: Anytime I see someone on the internet using genetics/evolution as justification for [insert something racist]... I will be logging off and channeling that rage into my "human genetics and race" lecture. Education CAN fix this.

Halloween is definitely giving Xmas vibes rn. ❄️🌨️🧊

Are Frontiers journals predatory? I've read some good work from FEE, but also have seen info that Frontiers is predatory. Thoughts?

I'm teaching Genetics this semester and Exam I did not go well for a lot of them. I am grading Exam II and have a big grin because they are doing so much better! Teaching can be such a joy.

*Phone buzzes* "Subject: FREE FOOD" ...but it's an email from your old department. Cries in postdoc.

Weevil friend taken on my Samsung with a macro attachment at 25x. Look at that snoot!!

If the government shuts down, does that mean I get an extension on my NSF final report?? 🙃

Why do students say "thank you" to the instructor when they turn in exams?

🔵☁️ intro: 👋 I am a Postdoc at Loyola in Chicago working in the Grillo lab. My work covers: Evolution, adaptation, speciation, pop genomics, museum work, chemical ecology, etc. especially in insects 🐛🐝! I also engage with Science Policy, DEI, and pedagogy topics. Follow me and I will follow back!

Made it to 🔵☁️. Are we dunking on Pruitt over here too?