The @paleosoc.bsky.social Collections Committee is gathering responses from anyone who works in a paleontological/geological collection in the US about the current state of funding. It can be submitted in as little as 5 minutes (but the more detail the better)! Link here: forms.gle/6C5E5GS4MZ58....

In a shocking turn of events, I recently found out that I was awarded my first NSF research grant as a PI! And while I'm ecstatic, it is definitely a conflicting feeling to celebrate right now when so many others have seen their funding pulled for no reason at all.

Day 1 and 2 of #SPNHC2025!

🧪 The NSF grant terminations hit women, racial & ethnic minorities, and those with disabilities the hardest. E.g.: --Female PIs were 58% of canceled grants (but 34% of all active grants) --Black PIs were 17% of canceled grants (but 4% as base rate) A closer look shows this is structural... 🧵

NSF’s entire Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EDU/EES), which “aims to provide opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to actively participate and excel in STEM disciplines” and some of it congressionally mandated, was just notified they will be RIFed. www.nsf.gov/edu/ees/about

“Save the US NSF” Take Action Toolkit www.savensf.com

It's the last day of classes! Congratulations to all those graduating and good luck on your exams. Go Bears! 🐻🐻🐻🦖🐻🐻🐻

Apply for Senior Museum Scientist in Paleobotany at the UCMP. Learn more: ucmp.berkeley.edu/2025/04/appl...

NSF halts grant awards while staff do second review | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

“It’s a wonderful time to be alive,” said the tri-lobed creature, its protruding feelers and antennules twitching spasmodically with anticipation. “To be born during this, the Cambrian Explosion—why, I couldn’t imagine a better period, really.”

On Wisconsin!

UC continues to stand in the way of meaningful negotiations to address the staffing crisis hurting patients, research, and students, opting instead for illegal divide-and-conquer tactics and unfair labor practices. Enough.

"UC leadership needs to ask itself if they want to side with the billionaires trying to dismantle public healthcare, research, and education, or the frontline workers who are fighting to protect our services and the people who depend on them."

IMLS, the primary source of federal support for U.S. libraries and museums, is one of seven independent agencies that President Donald Trump wants to dismantle because he believes what they do is “unnecessary.” scim.ag/4iryNlY

As the Trump administration threatens to pull federal funds from universities, including those for medical and scientific research, the University of California has announced a hiring freeze and additional cuts.

A recent Executive Order would gut the only federal agency dedicated to America’s museums. The Institute of Museum & Library Services makes up only 0.0046% of the federal budget. Take action now: www.congressweb.com/aam/95/

can't believe it's 2025 and i'm stressed about tariffs and measles, like am i a character in an american girl book

Day 3 of our strike against UC's refusal to negotiate a fair contract #UPTE #UC #UCBerkeley #UnionStrong

“UC has tremendous resources — $20 billion in reserves. They should be supporting research as we face federal attacks." UC, your time is better spent protecting public healthcare, research & education—not undermining workers' rights & bargaining in bad faith. www.mercurynews.com/2025/02/27/u...

Day 2 of our strike against UC's refusal to negotiate a fair contract #upte #UC #AFSCME #UCBerkeley #UnionStrong

Absolutely massive march of strikers in Westwood at UCLA @afscme3299.bsky.social @uptecwa.bsky.social. Biggest protest I’ve seen in some years. Quite a show of solidarity!

It's a lovely morning to strike 😎 #upte #UC #strike #asfcme

Utterly devastating....

"Contract negotiations between UPTE and UC, the state’s third-largest employer, began eight months ago. However, both parties remain far apart on the union’s goal of fixing a recruitment and retention crisis that is harming patients, research and students."

Late for Darwin's big day, but a new paper adding to his great theory, addressing the persistence of ecological systems on long timescales. "Selection, evolution and persistence of paleoecological systems" www.frontiersin.org/journals/ear... #evolution #paleontology #selection

UC's representatives have made it increasingly clear: UC administrators will not engage with the urgent demands set out by clinicians, researchers, and frontline staff without the pressure of a strike. UPTE members: vote yes NOW at upte.org/vote #strike #1u

After 7 months of bargaining, UC continues to bargain in bad faith, commit unfair labor practices, and refuse to engage with our bargaining priorities meaningfully. We'll be holding a statewide ULP strike vote on February 3—get the latest at upte.org/uofcalifornia,

How does #digitizing “dark data”—data locked in collections—help answer questions about the past, present, and future of our world? Go behind the scenes at our #Invertebrate Collections and uncover how the process helped bring a groundbreaking #extinction study to life: bit.ly/Amntes

🎄🎵 Deck the halls with tri-lo-bites 🎵🎄

🎄🎅🦖🎵 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....🎵🦖🎅🎄