Jonathan Pritchard
pritchardjr.bsky.social
Jonathan Pritchard
@pritchardjr.bsky.social
520 followers 320 following 560 posts
Bewildered vagabond and student of the stars. Professor of uncertain opinions. Radio cosmologist at MPIfR. (Opinions mine, not employers)
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Dear Committee. I recommend X as a fine chap. By the way, I see that you hired Y to your faculty - a very peculiar choice. Did you see Y’s latest paper - totally lost the plot. Well, I really think you should hire X. Your Colleague. P.S. Hope to see you at AAS for a real knees up.
It’s problematic that, as we come to letter writing season, I’m reading “Dear Committee Members” and tempted to write a livelier style of reference letter.
Reposted by Jonathan Pritchard
Do you know an outstanding woman astronomer based in Germany? We want to hear about them! 🔭👩🔬

Together with the @germanastrosoc.bsky.social we're now welcoming nominations for the prestigious Caroline Herschel Medal.🏅

Don't delay, get those nominations in via: ras.ac.uk/awards-and-g...
+1 for holding on to my iPhone 13 mini and wishing they still made one hand sized phones.
Reposted by Jonathan Pritchard
Reposted by Jonathan Pritchard
🔊Announcing a new Physics/Astro PhD scholarship scheme in Edinburgh, for students from a Black heritage, inc mixed Black background. Please help me spread the word. The scholarship covers all tuition fees, living costs & research travel. #blackinSTEM 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

ℹ️: www.ph.ed.ac.uk/studying/pos...
“Protest is when I say I don’t like this, resistance is when I put an end to what I don’t like”
It’s a tough year for knowing what to tell students that ask about PhDs in the US. So much funding instability…
Repeat later in the year for “Wellness Week”…
Very struck by German museum staff telling a Chinese tourist that China is the future and Germany is the past. More politicians need to articulate the dream of a European future.
Reposted by Jonathan Pritchard
Keep Portland weird.
Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...
That would be some impressive ego stroking!
Reposted by Jonathan Pritchard
'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said as it announced Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize
Reposted by Jonathan Pritchard
UT Austin is hiring faculty in cosmology (Physics department), astronomy, and scientific machine learning (Oden Institute; 2 positions). Feel free to contact me for more details! 🧪🔭☄️

apply.interfolio.com/175261
aas.org/jobregister/...
apply.interfolio.com/174445
apply.interfolio.com/174449
It’s amazing, and pretty terrifying, how much the war in Ukraine has changed the nature of war. Drones everywhere.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...
The Army’s Race to Catch Up in a World of Deadly Drones
www.nytimes.com
I keep seeing some variation of
(1) Idea!
(2) ChatGPT!
(3) Fame & Glory!
It’s depressing how easily GenAI produces plausible looking output with no underlying logic.
Yellow barrette or fingerless gloves. Fingerless gloves is a fantastic photo. Feels playful and creative.
Two years of the most appalling destruction and death in Gaza. Far beyond anything proportionate to the initial violence on this day in 2023. A dark time for both nations that needs to be ended.