A development milestone that I'm proud to share is that we've now generated over 200 research disclosure reports for individuals with Down syndrome and their families! Each report is automatically generated through an R package (with Quarto) I've been developing over the past few years. #RStats

In case you ever wondered about the differences between magrittr pipe and base pipe 🤔 This table is taken from a great stackoverflow answer by @GeorgKindermann https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67633022/what-are-the-differences-between-rs-native-pipe-and-the-magrittr-pipe #rstats #dataviz #phd

I’m excited to meet this cohort of scientists committed to learning R. I’m especially looking forward to the diverse research interests this group will bring and seeing how participants use R to solve real-world problems in lifestyle and brain health research. #RStats

Brian Helsel@bchelsel.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Are you an early-career scientist working in lifestyle and brain health research? Learning R has helped me build practical, career-advancing programming skills that have strengthened my research. I'm leading a small group through the R for Data Science and Advanced R books this summer. Come join us!

Dreaming of a #Shiny app that turns report building into an interactive experience. Imagine being able to choose variables interactively, apply custom filters, edit variable labels, and then render the tables in a #Quarto report. #RStats

I’ve been experimenting with embedding a Shiny app directly inside my Quarto presentations. Instead of moving through static slides, the audience can now actively engage with data in real time. It changes the dynamic from “here’s what I found” to “let’s explore this together.” #RStats #Quarto

Are you an early-career scientist working in lifestyle and brain health research? Learning R has helped me build practical, career-advancing programming skills that have strengthened my research. I'm leading a small group through the R for Data Science and Advanced R books this summer. Come join us!

Recently had a great experience using {rlang} in #RStats. I had over 50 equations for scoring cognitive tests that needed checking across hundreds of participants. Instead of writing checks for each one, parse_expr + eval_tidy let me map through equations and flag discrepancies. A simple example:

Counting as high as you can in 10 seconds: Me: 41 R: 1,152,791 C++: 448,971,124 Same task. Very different speeds. Programming is fun. #RStats

I’ve just published {typeR}, a small R package that lets you simulate live typing. It prints code To install: devtools::install_github("fgazzelloni/typeR") If you teach or demo R, I’d love your feedback on how it works for you. #rstats #rpackages

# tweak to avoid running both branches `%?%` <- function(test, yes) { t <- function() test y <- function() yes list(test = t, yes = y) } `%:%` <- function(lhs, no) { if (lhs$t()) lhs$y() else no } if (TRUE) 1 else 0 if (FALSE) stop() else 0 TRUE %?% 1 %:% stop() FALSE %?% stop() %:% 0

Brian Helsel@bchelsel.bsky.social · 6mo ago

R is a flexible programming language. You can even shape function syntax to resemble other languages. Here is an example of a ternary style operator with infix functions—the same logic as ifelse. Is this something you need? Probably not. But it is fun to explore these ideas within your code. #RStats

R is a flexible programming language. You can even shape function syntax to resemble other languages. Here is an example of a ternary style operator with infix functions—the same logic as ifelse. Is this something you need? Probably not. But it is fun to explore these ideas within your code. #RStats

One of my favorite parts of R is that there are many paths to the same result. A simple task can be written with a for loop, the apply family, purrr, vectorized base R, or even Rcpp. The real skill isn’t memorizing syntax—it’s knowing when to choose each option. #RStats

I am always amazed by the amount of useful tools that R can provide. Truly a multipurpose programming language! #RStats

Andrew Barnas@andrewbarnas.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Took me way too long to realize that its super easy to just merge pdfs in R rather than fussing with Adobe #rstats library(pdftools) pdf_combine( input = c("file1.pdf", "file2.pdf"), output = "merged.pdf" )

I’ve been experimenting with tidyverse and the idea of an interactive console for data exploration. This would let you quickly explore, filter, and summarize data without writing code. The idea is to support a fast, conversational-style data workflow, especially useful for early exploration. #RStats

tidyheatmaps.org just got a hex logo refresh 🤩 Happy heatmapping! #rstats #dataviz #phd

I found that I was rewriting the same R function to read in data for a research study. A function factory returns a function and allows you to reuse logic, creating consistent readers that still allow custom processing. Less duplication, clearer intent, and much easier to extend. #rstats

Last 2025 post, on @python.org & @carpentries.carpentries.org values, a great @posit.co conf session feat @mchow.com @richmeister.bsky.social @davisvaughan.bsky.social, the magic of #rstats #python dev cultures sharing best practices, and random #rstats history www.emilyriederer.com/post/py-rgo-...

R + Python: From polyglot to crosspolination | Emily Riederer

A combined reflection on 2025, posit::conf(2025), and the necessity of diversity in open source

emilyriederer.com

We're hiring @umkines.bsky.social - two open searches for new faculty with expertise in the Social and Behavioral Science of Physical Activity (one open-rank tenure-line, one academic clinical asst/assoc). Details at myumi.ch/A1DDM

Truly a unique and innovative position! I don’t think I’ve seen a Data Science & AI focus within a Kinesiology program but it will be interesting to read the research that results from these hires.

David Conroy@conroylab.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Join an emerging national center of excellence in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence in Kinesiology at a great university. @umkines.bsky.social has multiple open-rank faculty positions available. Join us in using advanced technology to challenge the idle state! Details at myumi.ch/8qnnD

I’m always amazed by what you can do with maps in R. They’re not part of my everyday workflow, but I’ve started learning more and want to dive deeper.

Kyle Walker@kylewalker.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Visualizing US electric power transmission lines for Day 26 of #30DayMapChallenge: Transport A few mapgl tips in this one: - To achieve a "glow effect" for the lines, first add a blurred line using the `line_blur` parameter then add the same layer over it as an opaque line

Dr. Amy Bodde, PhD, MPH and I were recently awarded the Frontiers CTSI Integrating Special Populations Trailblazer Award to support our team’s work with the Community Health Improvement Program for Intellectual Disabilities (CHIP-ID). Through this project, we will translate evidence from clinical…

www.linkedin.com/posts/bchels...

Social stories are short, simple narratives that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) understand our research studies. They are a vital tool for supporting participation…...

Social stories are short, simple narratives that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) understand our research studies. They are a vital tool for supporting participation ...

linkedin.com

I enjoyed presenting at the 2025 annual meeting for the National Down Syndrome Congress this year. The energy and excitement at this conference is unmatched! Presenting for families and self-advocates was an honor.

New research published in the past month by team on physical activity, Alzheimer's, and Down syndrome: 1. A 12-month remote group exercise trial increased physical activity and fitness and showed promise for Alzheimer’s prevention in adults with Down syndrome. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40520478/

New pubication! Resting metabolic rate (RMR) equations often overestimate energy needs in adults with #DownSyndrome. Our study found that most equations over-predicted RMR, except the Bernstein fat-free mass equation, which showed statistical equivalency. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

A Comparison of Commonly Used Prediction Equations for Estimating Resting Metabolic Rate in Adults With Down Syndrome

Background Resting metabolic rate (RMR), the energy required by the body at rest, is the largest part of total daily energy expenditure. Commonly used prediction equations may overestimate RMR in ad.....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

New research from our team! Adults with Down syndrome (DS) who had congenital heart disease (CHD) may have low activity levels but not impaired cardiovascular fitness. Thus, we need for inclusive programs promoting movement regardless of CHD status! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

✨ Exciting December publications! Our team published 3 studies exploring how diet, physical activity, and fitness impact the health of adults with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers. Read on for highlights and links! 🌟 #Inclusion #HealthResearch

I made one earlier. Feel free to combine! go.bsky.app/91HPwva

Someone had to do it! I created a starter pack for #Alzheimer’s #dementia #ADRD researchers on Bluesky. Please let me know who I left out! Hoping more and more of us will join Bluesky go.bsky.app/22DpUEy