Joanna Rifkin they/them
joannarifkin.bsky.social
Joanna Rifkin they/them
@joannarifkin.bsky.social
920 followers 1.3K following 520 posts
Computational biologist, plant geneticist, gardener, SFF enthusiast, rock climber, not that kind of doctor, transplanted to Toronto, nonbinary, trans, Jewish, and more! Opinions my own.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
Come work with us!!

We have a great group of plant biologists already, and there are FOUR searches for new plant biologists of different flavours across campus. We also have an outstanding group of animal physiologists (including @mstager.bsky.social ). Please apply!!
Just a few days left to apply to our TT position in Plant Physiology in the Dept. of Biology @UMassAmherst! Join a great group of plant scientists (and physiologists 😉) AND fall in love with small town New England! Please repost. careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-u...
Details - Assistant Professor - Plant Physiology | Human Resources | UMass Amherst
careers.umass.edu
(Context: I have no context. I just had the idea and couldn't stop giggling so I made the meme.)
May I offer you a meme in this troubling time.
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
These terrifying bats are looking forward to #Halloween 🦇🦇🦇😱
Bodl. Library MS. Ashmole 304; 13th century; England, St. Albans; f.47v @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
writers and artists will go "this isn't good enough." my brother in christ, you're creating something new out of nothing and expressing yourself creatively. your productivity and unrealistic standards of perfection do not define you or the worth of your art. you're doing great.
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
If you're an artist wanting to break through in TTRPG illustrations and feel like you need an Art Directors feedback on your current portfolio. Feel free to reach out, comment or DM me here.
I feel like the industry is hard enough as is. I will reply slow but I'll do my best to support! 💜
It was tremendously fun! Just also deep and abiding body horror. (I mean, a lot of science is body horror for nematodes but ...)
The only vertebrate genomes that make plant biologists sit up and take notice 😄
She brought in fruit as a visual aid ....
I have a friend who did her whole PhD on sperm gigantism and there are concepts from that dissertation talk that I will never recover from.
Honestly, amusing pitch. Consider dating this individual from Austin, I guess!
Since this post has blown up... if any cute guys wanna go out on a date and can effectively communicate without ChatGPT, DM me. 😉
I'm a plant biologist but also ... YEAST?! Seriously?!?! So much of our basic understanding of the fundamental biology of eukaryotes is yeast! It's one of the OG model systems. What the hell??
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
hey i know things are hard but just remember YOU are charismatic megafauna
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
How many plant species are buzz pollinated? After more than six years in the making, our paper on the convergent evolution of buzz pollinated flowers is out in @journal-evo.bsky.social. Thanks @draverbee.bsky.social @roszenil.bsky.social and all co-authors for your hard work! doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
a work of art is a creature that wants to destroy you and replace you with something else. it is in your interest that you allow this to happen, sometimes
counterpoint: it is good and correct to view engaging with a piece of art as an act of consumption. you just have it backwards. *you* are the thing being consumed
Gonna go even further: don't refer to it as "consuming media" when doing this. You aren't a consumer - it's not a product. You read books. You look at art. You watch movies and/or videos. Be careful about word choice.

Reject "consume" and REJECT "CONTENT."
IT IS ART.
YOU ARE ENGAGING WITH ART.
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
Support the 2026 @apexmag.bsky.social Kickstarter! Apex publishes amazing SF, dark fantasy, and horror and we need their stories now more than ever.

I'll give an Apex gift subscription and dedication to one random person who promotes this Kickstarter! 1/
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...
Apex Magazine 2026
An award-winning digital literary magazine of science fiction, dark fantasy, and horror.
www.kickstarter.com
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
Dream Job Alert !

Herpetology Collections Manager at the University of Michigan - manage one of the largest reptile and amphibian collections in the world in state-of-the-art facilities in the best college town in the world. #herpetology

careers.umich.edu/job_detail/2...
Res Museum Collection Manager | U-M Careers
careers.umich.edu
I got the blues
I got the blues
I got the too-many-chromosomes blues
My Polyommatini she left me
With nothing except what you can see
Those chop-chop-chop too-many-chromosome bluuuuues ...
Lepidopterans must be stopped.
And look at this graphic abstract….. 😱🤯
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
A Brief History of Men are Becoming Less Manly

🧵
Reposted by Joanna Rifkin they/them
This is how I want to be awarded the Nobel Prize.
Sure but at least you can recommend a durable shirt brand ....