Powerful piece from two former NIH staffers www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

The 3-Pronged Attack on Scientific Communication (opinion)

At the NIH, political appointees exercise extensive control over scientific communication, and research on health communication is under siege.

insidehighered.com

Reporting live from Chicago, there’s no “hellscape” I’d rather be in.

New paper from the lab from Sriram Garg in my group. We introduce a general substitution matrix for structural phylogenetics. I think this is a big deal, so read on below if you think deep history is important. academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...

A general substitution matrix for structural phylogenetics.

Abstract. Sequence-based maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetics is a widely used method for inferring evolutionary relationships, which has illuminated the

academic.oup.com

Hey #Chicago science folks. It's time to get out there with everyone else fighting. @standupforscience.bsky.social stands together with @indivisiblechicago.bsky.social for No Kings Day this Saturday June 14. Find your rally at www.nokings.org #nokings 👑❌

Harvard will not comply. “No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” — Harvard President Alan M. Garber www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/o...

Opinion | This Is How Universities Can Escape Trump’s Trap, If They Dare (Gift Article)

It’s been tried in other countries facing authoritarian crackdowns. It works.

nytimes.com

My OpEd in @elife.bsky.social “It feels as if we are trying to fight a series of attacks on science with one arm tied behind our back and our lips half sewn shut.” “Yet we are not beaten, and some of us are downright energized.” elifesciences.org/articles/106...

Science Under Threat in the United States: Feeling abandoned but energized

Many individual researchers are frustrated by the response - or the lack of a response - from universities to a growing crisis.

elifesciences.org

The government’s attack on Columbia University has nothing to do with addressing antisemitism. The goal is to force universities to police and punish students and faculty to Trump’s liking — to use our universities against us to obliterate political protest and chill discourse.

This attack on Columbia University is patently illegal, but the bully could still succeed by making other universities cower and pre-submit to the White House's climate of fear. Solidarity!

Carl Zimmer@carlzimmer.com · 2y ago

DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million (government press release) www.gsa.gov/about-us/new...

Letter from the SSE/SSB/ASN councils on the scientific understanding of sex and gender, pls RT

I usually reserve this account for my personal views; but today I want to represent my position as President of @asn-amnat.bsky.social to post a message that will shortly go out to the membership of the American Society of Naturalists from the ASN Executive Council

I see no other institution that has taken a position as unnecessarily restrictive of research, and as submissively precompliant, as that taken by the University of Chicago. bsky.app/profile/jere...

Jeremy Berg@jeremymberg.bsky.social · 2y ago

Academic Skyers: I am compiling a list of policies and statements from various universities about how they are handling the "pause" in terms of stopping expenditures (or not). Please respond to this post with your institution and materials. THANK YOU!

Guidance from Stanford leadership on the OMB memo.

The sword has now been brandished over civil society, including scientists, universities, and other NGOs. Who, including university presidents, will have any backbone in defending their jnstitutions’ missions? Or will they take on the Zuckerberg/ Bezos pose? www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01...

Trump Administration Live Updates: White House Orders Federal Grants Pause (Gift Article)

nytimes.com

Scientists at universities that have raised graduate student stipends: What have your administrations done to mitigate the costs to lab budgets so that the science itself doesn’t have to be curtailed? Examples of best practices would be appreciated.

Midwest seasonal update

The Human Genetics and Genetics, Genomics & Systems Biology PhD programs at UChicago are hosting our second annual info session for prospective applicants. Sign up at bit.ly/GeneticsInfo20… for application tips from a diverse panel of current PhD students and faculty! And please repost! 🧪🧬🖥️

Here’s a powerful and insightful critique of “protecting science from woke-ism” rhetoric and policy. Written for a UK context, it’s very relevant in the US and elsewhere. Please read and consider signing.

Prof Chris Jackson@seismatters.bsky.social · 3y ago

✉️ Some science 🧪 buddies and I have written an open letter to the UK government, strongly opposing their “kicking woke ideology out of science” sentiments, which stand to damage the UK’s scientific standing and ability to deliver for public good. Please read and consider signing ✍🏻 t.co/H7rNzb0wGh