The @umdleadlab.bsky.social and the world lost a bright star this week. Victoria was such a kind, dedicated, and passionate person. She was one of my first students, helping me set up my lab from scratch, and I am honored to have worked with her. There aren't words for how much we will miss her. ❤️

This is so concerning. I believe it is our responsibility as developmental scientists to warn about the dangers of AI with young children. (And no I'm not a luddite -- Claude is my buddy! But I deeply think this is alarming for developing brains.)

Thrilled to share our new @NatureComms paper: "Exploration is associated with socioeconomic disparities in learning and academic achievement in adolescence." www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧵1/7

We are looking to hire a new post-bac MRI tech! Great opportunity pre grad school! umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UMCP/job/Uni...

Alert! ... for the child development world! @fluxsociety.bsky.social @fitngin.bsky.social ‪ The Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study has released its first data wave - it’s massive. Check here: docs.hbcdstudy.org and here: nbdc-datahub.org Here’s why it matters 🧠🍼

@angelicaalonso.bsky.social, @rachelromeo.bsky.social, and I wrote one of the top 10 papers (by citations) published in Child Development Perspectives in 2023! 🎉✨ How parent-child brain-to-brain synchrony can inform the study of child development: doi.org/10.1111/cdep...

must be incredibly frustrating and disheartening to have federal funding that was promised to you for important work suddenly and arbitrarily ripped away

Yesterday I had the immense honor of hooding my first PhD graduate! I only cried twice. Somehow I think this will never get old. Congrats Dr. McDorman @alexamcd.bsky.social !!

🧪 Basic science boosts the economy: "The proposed dismantling of NSF [and NIH] raises an urgent question: do these cuts actually save money or merely delay spending until the bill gets larger? The answer is clear: these cuts will cost the economy billions."

There are ways to keep crucial research going https://go.nature.com/3GWY3m3

Today, our client Rümeysa Öztürk was released on bail from ICE detention in Louisiana, and she will return to New England to continue her studies. 📸 Giancarlo D’Agostaro

Despite everything going on, I may have funds to hire a postdoc this year 😬🤞🧑‍🔬 Open to a wide variety of possible projects in social and cognitive neuroscience. Get in touch if you are interested! Reposts appreciated.

I had a great time sharing my work today at the @upenn.bsky.social Center for Neuroscience and Society! I forgot to take a picture so instead here’s my freshman dorm that I passed on my way over from the train station. 😂

I spend a lot of time disparaging those who are failing us in this moment - but today I want to shine a light on all of those who are helping to make the threats to science and universities legible for other scientists and the public🧪 1/

So proud of the @umdleadlab.bsky.social (and GARD lab adoptees) for crushing their #SRCD2025 presentations! I’m so lucky to work with this amazing team!!

Have been moving full steam ahead and trying to take action since the first round of NSF grant cancellations hit on April 18th and I just finally broke down in front of our dean of research when talking about the early career researchers affected by these terminations 😭

So good to see you!

Amidst all the turmoil, I’m excited to be heading to #SRCD2025 to see friends and share the joy and fascination of working in our field. Can’t wait to see folks!

In 100 days in office, US President Donald Trump has destabilized eight decades of government support for science. This has included terminating more than 1,000 grants in areas such as climate change, cancer, and HIV prevention. Will US science survive Trump 2.0? www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Sending lots of support to the NSF and NIH program officers who have been serving the science community in so many ways. Thank you 🙏

🧪 Tip: You have the right to contest a grant termination, even though NSF says you don't. 🧵 On Friday, NSF terminated 402 grants (per Musk's DOGE). The notification letters had one of the most egregious violations of fed regulations I've seen so far in these cases: "not subject to appeal"

At 10pm Tuesday, I got notice that my 3yr IMLS grant was terminated. No reason given & termination *backdated* a week (I’m told the official termination is lost in the mail). This is absolutely devastating & totally meaningless. I can’t email my PO because the entire agency is on admin leave. 1/n

But isn't "diversity" banned now? 🤔

I'm offering a new advice/Q&A session to help support our newest colleagues facing extraordinary conditions: How to start a lab during an (inter)national crisis? I began in 2020 COVID, I believe I've learned some translational tips. Please fill out if interested: forms.gle/6DPoZRWop1rY...

"IMLS makes up .0046% of the federal budget"

I interrupt your doomscrolling with a moment of joy: I made a doctor! CONGRATS to the first graduate of the @umdleadlab.bsky.social, DOCTOR Alexa McDorman! @alexamcd.bsky.social I couldn't be more proud 🥰 I'm so lucky you took a risk on me and our little fledgling lab!

🚨 ALL my remaining NIH grants were just terminated Without philanthropic gifts, this is the end of 1️⃣ my career (as I know it) 2️⃣ @lgbtqhealthexce.bsky.social 3️⃣ our LGBTQ health equity work Yet, reading about LGBTQ families in my kid's class reminded me: love knows no bounds 🌈 You with us?

IMLS gave out $266.7 million in grants last year. They help support myriad library services, particularly in rural and underprivileged libraries (like HBCUs). It is the largest federal funding source for museums and libraries in the US. www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

And before it is wiped from existence, here is our grant that received a *perfect score* last year. I really do hope we get to continue this awesome work. www.imls.gov/grants/award...

This isn't getting nearly the coverage it should. IMLS uses 0.0046% of the federal budget, while generating $50 billion in economic impact. Where's the efficiency??

Dear trainee friends (et al.), 'Tis true that parts of the sky are falling & this is distracting. However, if you happen to have done A THING (paper, etc.), we want to support you. Don't hold back from letting us know. So we can learn and 👏. We're still here for the science. Sincerely, Everyone

With everyone (understandably) afraid of putting things in writing, there are going to be so many more meetings that could have been an email. RIP productivity, whatever was left of you! #meetingthatcouldhavebeenanemail

Would you like to work at Max Planck Society tenured? A new round of the Lise Meitner Excellence Program for #tenuretrack group leaders opened today - pls consider applying! The program aims to recruit and promote exceptionally qualified female scientists. mpg.de/lise-meitner-e…#LiseMeitnerGroupsps

Being a Latina, immigrant, & 🏳️‍🌈 in science/academia is exhausting. And w/ shifting politics, the weight of it all feels heavier. I’m tired of proving my worth & fighting for a seat @ the table. To every immigrant, Latiné, & 🏳️‍🌈 scholar feeling this exhaustion—you're not alone. We BELONG. Always have.

Erasing our history won't erase us. Transgender people have always been here — and we always will be.

POSTDOC POSITION at @kingsioppn.bsky.social The postdoc will work on an @ukri.org funded project on disadvantage, the pace of neurodevelopment, and cognitive outcomes using openly available infant and adolescent data. See the job ad here: fluxsociety.org/postdoctoral... Please share and repost 🙏

Get in dorks, we're going protesting! STAND UP FOR SCIENCE WITH US ON MARCH 7TH, 2025 WASHINGTON DC AND EVERY STATE CAPITOL Because science is for everyone! Find us at standupforscience2025.org #standupforscience2025 #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

Now do the same for the postdoc ones: K01, K99, and F99. My postdocs grant is still “unassigned”.

Hearing from a govt contractor that Dept of Education is terminating What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) contracts. WWC is a website that rigorously evaluates education policies, programs, and products to determine what's effective and not. It's an invaluable tool for school, district, state leaders

F99/R00 AND K99/R00 DIVERSITY AWARD APPLICANTS If you have applied for a F99/R00 or K99/R00 Diversity award and the study section for review is not listed on your eRA Commons page, please reach out to me. DM me, email [email protected], Signal jeremymberg.78 THANK YOU

Does anyone know if there are any class action lawsuits about diversity F and K grants being pulled? We would like to join.

Can confirm that this is happening to a diversity grant application I am a mentor on. This is BLATANT DISCRIMINATION.

🚨BREAKING. From a program officer at the National Science Foundation, a list of keywords that can cause a grant to be pulled. I will be sharing screenshots of these keywords along with a decision tree. Please share widely. This is a crisis for academic freedom & science.

It would be fantastic if major federal institutions would acknowledge that the executive branch cannot legally unilaterally cancel or redistribute congressionally appropriated funding on ideological grounds and thus they have no legal obligation to comply with such directives

Now more than ever, intentional inclusion is paramount. I’m so proud of this amazing team!

Very excited to share a new preprint from the LEAD lab on Inclusive Practices for fNIRS Research with Participants with Afro-Textured Hair, an amazing mixed methods study by Abria Simmons, @gavkhar-a.bsky.social & @elliektaylor.bsky.social! Check it out and share! osf.io/preprints/ps...

Because of my expertise, I've mostly posted about the ways in which this administration is attacking the US science and technology ecosystem. We can't all focus on everything all the time—that's part of their plan—but be certain: I am sickened by this utter abuse of human rights and dignity.