Luka guarding our home.

NEW: A lot of bad has happened to American science over the last year but nothing comes even close to what’s about to happen if we don’t speak out in opposition to the OMB rule changes and I hope @aaas-socsci.bsky.social @apsphysics.bsky.social and others will launch public campaigns about this. 🧪🔭⚛️

The National Science Foundation is terminating and suspending grants again, and at Grant Witness we need you to help to track them! 🧪 We can only identify research being suppressed by under-the-radar suspensions directly from researchers. Please report! grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0... #NSF

It's time to tax AI and invest in people.

NEW: “Anti-tech extremism” is now actively being monitored by US law enforcement as frustration over AI and data centers percolate across the country, according to records obtained by @wired.com. @drboguslaw.bsky.social has the scoop. No paywall bc FOIA www.wired.com/story/us-law...

“It’s just burning. I just wanted to try to keep people safe.” ICE fired pepper spray at Senator Andy Kim and protesters outside a detention facility in New Jersey. Not another penny should go to these out-of-control agencies — and when we regain power, we will hold all of these thugs accountable.

Families belong together. Period.

On the one-year anniversary of EMPIRE OF AI, I am so, so excited to announce The AI Resist List, a new project that documents examples of resistance to the AI empires around the world 😍 airesistlist.org

Folks, it’s a real mess out there:

Indigenous researchers and communities are reshaping how Western science thinks about data ownership. Learn more during #AANHPIHeritageMonth. ⬇️ https://scim.ag/4txYYMC

Do you see how quickly elected officials are moving to take power away from Black voters in the South? Join the National Day of Action for Voting Rights this Saturday –in Selma, Montgomery, or wherever you are! AllRoadsLeadToTheSouth.com

There’s a strange and under-discussed side effect of the AI boom: what it’s doing to family dynamics. By which we mean: how it’s potentially destroying family dynamics. www.wired.com/story/meet-t...

Breaking: Congress is pushing back on the Trump administration's termination of National Science Board members, with the House calling for their reinstatement and the Senate asking pointed questions about OMB's political interference. My reporting for @science.org:

The latest from our work. I was glad that part of the hope has had happened- @saradoesscience.bsky.social reviewed for us and then joined a cohort to do similar work.

Luka is a lot like our program- he's gone through a lot and still keeps on going. He was almost 2 when I adopted him, and I'm his third home.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do-good... I saw this on Reddit, and it's giving me a lot to think about regarding a lot of interactions and various parts of change work in education and elsewhere. This does a nice job of describing something I've noticed but haven't really been able to put into words

#AAPT has released a statement on the dismissal of the National Science Board. We are dismayed by the Administration’s decision. Access statement here ➡ ow.ly/VqPh50YTz5V #NSB #NSF

A bit about the work I do- it was a good opportunity to revisit what we're doing, what I hope we are (and will be) doing, etc. Many thanks to Stella Kafka and @aas.org

I don't often discuss what we're up to for many reasons, but we keep going. There's always a lot of be said about physics and astro learning environments. One good thing is there are still people around, working towards addressing the root causes and creating a better present and future.

Trump removes a thorn in his side by firing all 24 members of the National Science Board, NSF's oversight body. www.science.org/content/arti...

A lot goes into these moments (and a lot more work will continue esp. as they implement their action plan), but we celebrate our wins. Penn State Physics is our first awardee in PA, our second Big 10 department, and I believe the largest department who earned this recognition to date.

men can’t understand what it’s like for women to see story after story after story of women being victims of sexual violence in a culture where it’s routine; what it’s like to live in a world that is fundamentally hostile to our existence. it’s a wonder we leave the fucking house, let alone thrive.

The AAS Policy team has published a detailed breakdown of the proposed FY27 budgets for NASA, NSF, and DOE. aas.org/posts/news/2... Take action now by asking your Senators to sign letters in support of NSF and NASA Science: 1️⃣ aas.org/urge-your-se... 2️⃣ aas.org/urge-your-se... @policy.aas.org 🔭

I envy one of my cats. He doesn't worry about anything except treats, which he gets on demand. He has good health care, food, shelter, and a union. I bought him a kitten to raise once. People think he's great for just showing up to a Zoom meeting.

SCOOP The Iranian group producing the Trump LEGO videos have a secret weapon.....Americans who send them tips and ideas to make their content better www.wired.com/story/inside...

While a lot more goes into these moments, it's nice to celebrate when we can. P/A SEA Change is a large group project- from the societies & reps working together to the participating departments to reviewers & other volunteers to funders. The work is hard, & I'm glad we are working together on this.

I was having a conversation with a friend, who was trying to figure out why something happened to rationalize why someone was being terrible. Sometimes, Occam's razor is at play and it's not complicated or deep.

Luka and I wish everyone a happy Lunar New Year

festival.sundance.org/blogs/give-m... Excited for my friend whose film will be showing at Sundance. He's also going to work on our promo video for SEA Change.

AAS 2026 Congressional Visits Day This year, in partnership with @aapthq.bsky.social, we're bringing scientists to DC from 13–15 April to advocate for the importance of science and education. No prior policy experience is required. Apply by 1 February 2026: ow.ly/mb4x50XKV87 @policy.aas.org

To ease the burden on a staff that has shrunk significantly since President Donald Trump took office, the National Science Foundation is reducing the role of outside experts in reviewing grant proposals. https://scim.ag/4oUfVhO

Thinking about how people say that no one is a monster and many things can be true at once. It's usually to not treat others as irredeemable. I'm thinking about how it also means that "good" people are also fully capable, and sometimes are, doing bad things yet people refuse to believe that.

Support AAPT this #GivingTuesday! When you donate, you contribute to every part of physics education, helping students and educators, in shaping the future of science. AAPT is proud to match every dollar you donate, dollar for dollar. Donate now! 🔗 tinyurl.com/isupportaapt #PhysicsEducation

This calendar year has been a lot, and we are still doing the work in physics and astronomy.

Rest and joy are acts of resistance! This holiday season, we encourage you to use resources from our Dinners for Democracy program to reconnect and reflect on the holidays, the past year, and the hopes you’re carrying into the next.

We are still working to improve physics and astronomy learning spaces! Consider joining our program- we remain dedicated to our work and keep on keeping on. We have some good exciting announcements in near future.

I'm still pleasantly surprised that the name REV UP stuck, even though we never officially agreed on it and we never, unofficially or officially, decided what "REV" stood for. UP = Undergraduate Physics.

New: The FBI is quietly urging ICE agents to properly ID themselves in the field. In a bulletin to law enforcement last month, it warned of criminals posing as ICE to rob, rape, kidnap—a problem it says now demands national coordination to confront. By me & @carolinehaskins.bsky.social:

It’s a federal crime for anyone, including government officials, to intimidate or threaten someone in order to interfere with their right to vote. Know your rights when you head to the polls.

His portrait is also up at ACP-DC.

National cat day! The hardest working cats at @aapthq.bsky.social . They were running things last week and part of this week.

Last year, two teams have independently found the long-awaited mutation and discovered a protein that influences hair color in a way never seen before in any animal. Learn more on #NationalCatDay: https://scim.ag/3LdWP8b

Dream Big with Medical Physics! The 10-week DREAM Program welcomes undergraduates from diverse backgrounds to explore medical physics through research, mentorship & outreach. 💫 Apply by Feb 9, 2026, for Summer 2026! 🔗 https://ow.ly/A4ip50XcnYm

We’d also love to know what happened to the $50,000 Tom Homan allegedly took from FBI agents. Luckily, we’ve sued for the receipts.

@physastroseachange.bsky.social is my primary work. Amidst the chaos, heartbreak, cruelty, and disappointment that has been in my sphere, there are people who are doing their part to show up and do the right thing.

AAS members are on the Hill today to #SaveNASAScience and advocate for sustained funding for NASA, NSF, and our nation's other science agencies! Help us amplify their voices by calling and writing to your Congressional offices today: aas.org/action-alert...

Department of Education employees set out-of-office email responses to inform recipients they'd be unable to respond until after the shutdown hours later, many people realised their response message had been changed to blame Senate Democrats for the entire shutdown www.wired.com/story/govern...

As the Trump administration threatens them, liberal nonprofits have been quietly preparing to do everything from surrendering 501(c)(3) status to relocating outside the US.

Ohio State just advised all staff and students not to attend the SACNAS (Society for the advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) annual meeting of 6000+ scientists -- which is in Columbus, OH this year! -- saying it may be exclusionary, even though it is open to all.