Really, really, really proud of Eli for this fantastic study (his master's thesis). So much effort to sort out just one thorny evolutionary history problem in California plants.

Botanical Society of America@botsocamerica.bsky.social · 4w ago

A case of budding speciation in the California Floristic Province & infraspecific divergence in desert-sand #verbena New #AJB research by Eli Allen, Eric LoPresti, Matthew Johnson & Oscar Vargas doi.org/10.1002/ajb2... #botany #plantscience

🍄 INVAM is launching a fundraising campaign! We maintain the world’s largest living collection of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi—microscopic partners that support plant health, soils, and ecosystems. Help keep this unique resource alive 🌱 launchku.org/campaigns/su...

OK, people. It takes 2 minutes to write a letter to Congress, a few extra if you personalize it. Russ Vought's attempt to take over ALL federal grant funding is anti-democratic and dangerous. We need MORE letters. Let's tip it over 2000 today. actionnetwork.org/letters/oppo...

Oppose OMB Proposal to Put ALL Federal Government Funding Decisions in the Hands of Political Appointees

On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), OMB-2026-0034, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance. The scope of this proposed regulation is...

actionnetwork.org

A federal judge just ordered the Trump administration to reinstall exhibits and signs relating to slavery ​and climate change that it ⁠had removed from ​parks and monuments nationwide

Trump administration must restore history, science materials at parks, US judge rules

A federal judge ordered the ​Trump administration on ‌Friday to reinstall exhibits and signs touching on ​topics like slavery ​and climate change that it ⁠had removed from ​parks and monuments nationw...

reuters.com

New: NSF is tightening its conflict of interest rules in what could be a headache for the understaffed agency. Starting in August, reviewers will no longer be able to participate in a panel with any proposals from their own institution. My reporting for @science.org:

NSF imposes stricter conflict-of-interest rules for grant-review panels

Researchers say changes could further burden the understaffed agency

science.org

Me 🫱🏾‍🫲🏼 Virginia Tech’s Color Guide

Prepping for root exudate collection!

Some good news around the lab! Mary, an undergrad, received an Anne McNabb Fellowship to conduct summer microbiology research Christian, an MS student, just received a scholarship from the National Horticulture Foundation Congratulations!!!

Communal living is a strategy that helps many organisms survive under stress and so can a social and solidarity bioeconomy! Read More: doi.org/10.1093/icb/...

Bio-Based Communities of Practice: Primed for the Social and Solidarity Bioeconomy

Abstract. The social and solidarity bioeconomy (SSB) is an adaptive strategy that facilitates collective persistence and sustainable use of biological reso

doi.org

Even though its been out on early view our publication is now officially included in the Plant, Cell & Environment special issue Legumes adaptations and interactions with the environment! Check out here: doi.org/10.1111/pce....

Non‐Additive Interactions Between Multiple Mutualists and Host Plant Genotype Simultaneously Promote Increased Plant Growth and Pathogen Defence

This study finds that plant genotypes with high-quality symbioses from multiple microbial mutualists are larger/more robust and most likely to survive pathogen stress. This provides novel evidence th...

doi.org

Jasmine Clark will become the first Black woman with a science Ph.D. to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. https://scim.ag/4dDZe6P

Microbiologist wins Georgia primary for U.S. House seat

Jasmine Clark is set to become the first Black congresswoman with a science Ph.D.

scim.ag

More details on the firing of the National Science Board. The NSF now has no director, deputy director, or board. They have issued almost no new awards in 2026. The plan appears to be to completely destroyed the agency. The details are horrifying and have Russ Vought written all over them.

Board Ouster Raises Further Concerns About NSF’s Future

The White House axed all members of the board overseeing the National Science Foundation Friday, leaving the agency with no board, director or deputy director. It finally provided a reason Monday afte...

insidehighered.com

Wonderful conversations at #wundergrad posters during today's Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research Conference. I enjoyed seeing what many of my Ecology students were up to while celebrating the posters of our lab members & research students! 💧🌎👩‍🔬 @globalchangevt.bsky.social @vt-science.bsky.social

We're looking for a junior specialist to work on a fun project exploring seagrass local adaptation across the whole state of California! It should be a good mix of field and molecular work. Please share with folks you think would be interested! recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07605

Jr. Specialist - Stachowicz/Bay Lab

University of California, Davis is hiring. Apply now!

recruit.ucdavis.edu

Happy belated earth day! Pando and the Banyan tree grove near Kolkata begs the question: is it still a forest if it’s just one tree? #EarthDay #ATLA

Pls share: A postdoctoral researcher position is available in the Scharf lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech to study motility and chemotaxis in the symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti. jobs.apply.vt.edu/jobs/postdoc...

Postdoctoral Associate - Blacksburg, Virginia, United States

Job Description A full-time postdoctoral researcher position is available in the Scharf lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech to study motility and chemotaxis in the symbioti...

jobs.apply.vt.edu

Send us your or your students’ research article, perspective, or vignette!! Check out tinyurl.com/sicbauthorguide for information about the different types of articles you can submit

Late job posting: My department is hiring a tenure-track faculty member in microbiology! Please share with anyone interested in working at a PUI. We have a preference for someone who can teach Medical Microbiology, but other than that the focus is open-ended. Happy to answer qs.

Today #WorldSoilDay we’re shining a light on the most hidden and underrated part of plants: 🌱 ROOTS 🌱 But not just any roots… let’s talk about SUPER ROOTS 🦸

The Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech is hiring a full-time laboratory-specialist for our microbiology teaching laboratory operations. Check out the position! careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us...

Details | Laboratory Specialist | Careers | Division of Human Resources | Virginia Tech

careers.pageuppeople.com

My department at California State University Northridge is hiring! We're looking for a new colleague studying microbiology or molecular/cellular biology. I'm not on the search committee, but happy to answer questions about the department and campus, and life in LA buff.ly/Pc1KOaC

Career Opportunities

Applicant Log-In

careers.pageuppeople.com

The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored all previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge "Restoration of these grants is a massive win for libraries of all kinds in all states."

ALA welcomes reinstatement of all federal IMLS grants to libraries

Today, the American Library Association (ALA) greeted an announcement by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that it had reinstated all the agency’s grants.

ala.org

EEB Postdoctoral Fellowship @ U.Toronto app deadline Jan 15 2026. Opportunity for independent research, encourages collab across labs/disciplines. Lots of great folks to interact with, Come join us! eeb.utoronto.ca/employment-2/

Employment - Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

eeb.utoronto.ca

Happy Giving Tuesday! ⭐ Join us in supporting @blackinmicro’s mission by donating here: blackinmicrobiology..... Your generosity makes a difference! Thank you!

Grant rejection before the break 😭

Please reshare! My department at the University of Vermont is hiring for an Assistant Professor of #Soil #Ecology! Here is the link: www.uvmjobs.com/postings/83858

Y’all need to learn how to 'yes AND'. There’s a lot of rejecting or dismissing facts because the framing is incorrect/immoral/trite, etc. but that’s doesn’t change the FACT. You can still use and share the FACT while altering or arguing against the framing in which said information was shared.

¿Hiciste tu doctorado en México? ¿Quieres hacer un postdoc en California? ¿Te interesa la genética evolutiva? ¡Checa esta beca y mándame un mensaje! alianzamx.universityofcalifornia.edu/research-and...

ROOT & SHOOT 2026 travel awards are open for SACNAS, MANRRS, or AISES student/mentor pairs. Up to $3,000 per pair (US) / $4,000 (intl) to attend select plant-science conferences. Apply by Dec 5, 2025. Details & application: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

NSF Research Coordination Network: ROOT & SHOOT. 2026 travel award application for members of SACNAS, MANRRS, or AISES

The NSF-funded LEAPS: RCN: ROOT & SHOOT (Rooting Out Oppression Together and SHaring Our Outcomes Transparently) aims to strengthen plant science to become more welcoming to all. Part of this mission ...

docs.google.com