Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
LightNews LightNews
banner
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
@afloback.bsky.social
190 followers 180 following 53 posts
🌊🧪 Post-Doc at UH Manoa thinking about how to link trace metal biogeochemistry to microbial biogeography • PhD from USC • proud cat mom • PADI divemaster • amateur photographer
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
brittanytrang.com
Brittany Trang @brittanytrang.com · 1d
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.

Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."

Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
110 2K 5.9K
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · 1d
This week, I cleaned 100L of carboys, 36 L of bottles, and 360 McLane pump filters 🙀. Trying to catch up on desk work today, and...

#CatsOfScience
1
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
oceanandclimate.bsky.social
Patrick Rafter @oceanandclimate.bsky.social · 12d
💥California marine biogeochemists!

So Cal BOOM* is at UCLA on November 22, 2025 (*Biogeochemical Ocean Obs & Models). This is an event for grad student and post-doc marine biogeochemists of all kinds. More senior peeps (like me) are also welcome!
💥
Register here: socalboom.wordpress.com
5 6
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · 17d
Check out this write up describing what we're working on to understand biogeochemical cycling across different layers of the euphotic zone. The SUBSEA team is currently out on HOT-360 deploying SIX sediment trap crosses and McLane pumps this time 🎉
nautil.us/modeling-the...
Modeling the Deep
Modeling the Deep: An ambitious mission seeks to map the flow of crucial chemicals through marine food webs in far-flung oceanic gyres.
nautil.us
1
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
cnbc.com
CNBC @cnbc.com · 27d
NASA unit JPL to lay off about 550 workers, citing restructure
NASA unit JPL to lay off about 550 workers, citing restructure
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a research and development lab funded by NASA — the federal space agency — and managed by the Caltech.
cnb.cx
10 72 120
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
sanders.senate.gov
Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · 29d
11 days into a government shutdown.

This is where we are:
Eleven Days Into a Shutdown. This Is Where We Are | Sen. Bernie Sanders
YouTube video by Senator Bernie Sanders
youtu.be
64 450 1.5K
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Oct 9
Some views from HOT-359! 🌊
5
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Oct 6
Getting ready for HOT-359, featuring double the niskins! Working on testing a new rosette before shipping it off 🎉
5
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
jcamthrash.bsky.social
Cameron Thrash @jcamthrash.bsky.social · Oct 2
Photosynthetic electron, carbon, and oxygen fluxes within a mosaic of Fe limitation in the California Current upwelling system bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/... #jcampubs 🌊
Photosynthetic electron, carbon, and oxygen fluxes within a mosaic of Fe limitation in the California Current upwelling system
Abstract. We compare primary productivity estimates based on different photosynthetic “currencies” (electrons, O2, and carbon) measured in the dynamic coastal upwelling waters of the California Curren...
bg.copernicus.org
1 3
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 30
Well that's a new one for me... 🤣 (No Niskins were irreparably harmed)
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
amandasmith.bsky.social
Rick Caruso’s Private Fire Crew @amandasmith.bsky.social · Sep 28
California! Set a reminder in your phone to call the gov’s office to tell Newsom to sign these five bills.

The guy’s mercenary as hell so if he thinks the wind is shifting in favor of trans rights (it never shifted! Trans rights are human rights!) we could flip him. Info below.

Call: 916.445.2841
170 280
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
tom-joolery.bsky.social
Jule | Mal (they/them) @tom-joolery.bsky.social · Sep 19
If you are American faculty and aren't loudly speaking out against what's happening at @tamu.bsky.social right now, I suggest you read the news. Absolutely despicable actions by their admin and true loss for reliable, unbiased higher education.

Acknowledging trans people exist is not "ideology".
1
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
nytimes.com
The New York Times @nytimes.com · Sep 12
Breaking News: The EPA moved to stop requiring polluters to report their emissions of greenhouse gases. The proposal would end a key tool the government uses to track carbon dioxide, methane and other gases that are driving climate change.
E.P.A. to Stop Collecting Emissions Data From Polluters
The data, from thousands of coal-burning power plants, oil refineries, steel mills and other industrial facilities, is the country’s most comprehensive way to track greenhouse gases.
nyti.ms
49 170 230
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 11
That's a wrap on HOT358! Featuring the... fun... wire angle on my last trace metal cast post hurricane Kiko passing through
3
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 10
Successfully recovered our 5 sediment trap crosses (60 PITs!) and spent the rest of the day homogenizing, subsampling, and filtering for macronutrients, trace metals, organics, DNA, et al. 🌊
1 7
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 9
Another day at ALOHA, feat. a glider search party and recovery 🌊
3
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 8
Lots of tricho out here at station ALOHA 🦠🌊
3
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 7
Busy day of deployments on the R/V Kilo Moana at station ALOHA. Seaglider, wire walker, and 5 sediment trap crosses spanning 75-300 m (including two optical sed traps ‼️). We're working to understand export and recycling across the euphotic zone 🌊🧪
2
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 6
After much delay, HOT358 is officially underway 🌊👩🏻‍🔬
1 3
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Sep 4
Finally loading for HOT358 tomorrow (after it's been continuously delayed since April), and I'm beginning to think this cruise is cursed 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
carlosmoffat.com
Carlos Moffat @carlosmoffat.com · Aug 29
🌊With the Fall semester upon us, it's time to start thinking about recruiting/applying to grad school for 2026.

If you are a marine scientist looking for a graduate student, I've created a form where you can add your name and other info:

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Please share widely! (1/2)
Oceanography MS/PhD Positions for Fall 2026
This is an effort to collect the **contact information of potential advisors** for MS/PhD students in Oceanography. Please note that if you answer **you are agreeing to have your contact information...
docs.google.com
1 20 20
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
loyteam.bsky.social
Alex Loy @loyteam.bsky.social · Aug 27
📢 New paper in @nature.com

Microbes rock 🎸🤘 with sulfide and iron minerals

I am very excited to share our recent study, which describes a previously unknown microbial energy metabolism ⚡⚡⚡🦠🧫⚡⚡⚡

🆕 Microbial iron oxide respiration coupled to sulfide oxidation - MISO

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Microbial iron oxide respiration coupled to sulfide oxidation - Nature
Genomic and biochemical analyses of prokaryotic sulfur metabolism identify diverse microorganisms with the capacity to oxidize sulfide using iron(iii).
www.nature.com
5 44 120
afloback.bsky.social
Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her) @afloback.bsky.social · Aug 26
As the school year begins again, I was reminded how utterly stressed I was one year ago because I had no clue what my next step was. Crazy to think how much changes in a year!
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
carlosmoffat.com
Carlos Moffat @carlosmoffat.com · Aug 22
🌊 ❄️ A running thread on press coverage of the decommissioning of the Research Vessel/Ice Breaker N.B. Palmer (in rough chronological order):

1.- NSF plans abrupt end to lone U.S. Antarctic research icebreaker (Science, July 28th, 2025):
NSF plans abrupt end to lone U.S. Antarctic research icebreaker
Imminent termination of the RV Nathaniel B. Palmer shocks polar scientists
www.science.org
2 11 19
Reposted by Alexis Floback, PhD (she/her)
sciam.bsky.social
Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · Aug 19
The National Science Foundation will stop operating the Nathaniel B. Palmer icebreaker and slash polar science funding by 70 percent, devastating Antarctic research
U.S. Researchers May Never Probe Deep into Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ Again Without This Ship
The National Science Foundation will stop operating the Nathaniel B. Palmer icebreaker and slash polar science funding by 70 percent, devastating Antarctic research
www.scientificamerican.com
10 160 240