Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · 28d

Welcome to the September 2025 Sharon Dunwoody Science Journalism Mentoring Program cohort at The Open Notebook! www.theopennotebook.com/2025/09/12/w...

Welcome to Our Newest Sharon Dunwoody Science Journalism Mentoring Program Cohort - The Open Notebook

Welcome to the September 2025 Sharon Dunwoody Science Journalism Mentoring Program cohort! This program brings together 16 early-career science journalists for a three-month peer-mentoring experience.

www.theopennotebook.com

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Kendall Powell @kendallsciwrite.bsky.social · Jul 7

Next in the #Changemaker series @nature.com, chemist @drdaisyrosasv.bsky.social says at a time when US programs are pulling back on #DEI, Latinx researchers need to be even louder about the supports they need to succeed in #STEM. As told to @becroldan.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

I help to build support systems for Latina researchers

After leaving academia, chemist Daisy Rosas Vargas starting leading outreach to encourage Latina people in pursuit of science careers.

www.nature.com

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Jul 2

Can life persist even in the most polluted places? The answer is yes. These places are even home to organisms that detoxify contaminants! More on the microbes living in Superfund sites - and what they mean for environmental cleanup - in my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/environment/...

Learning from the life living in Superfund sites

Thriving microbe communities living in the most-polluted spots in the US offer insight into how to clean up the mess of pollution

cen.acs.org

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Krystal Vasquez @kvasquez.bsky.social · Apr 18

“NSF says it’s OK to research technologies to help those with disabilities…But a training program serving only those with a disability would not be acceptable because it would be based on “broadening participation in STEM on the basis of a protected characteristic.””

Science Magazine @science.org · Apr 18

NSF has spent decades—and billions of dollars—trying to attract more women and members of underrepresented groups into STEM. Not anymore. scim.ag/3RUtgZg

NSF starts to kill grants that violate Trump’s war on diversity efforts

Attracting women and minorities into science and studying misinformation are no longer priorities, agency says

scim.ag

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Science Magazine @science.org · Apr 18

NSF has spent decades—and billions of dollars—trying to attract more women and members of underrepresented groups into STEM. Not anymore. scim.ag/3RUtgZg

NSF starts to kill grants that violate Trump’s war on diversity efforts

Attracting women and minorities into science and studying misinformation are no longer priorities, agency says

scim.ag

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Apr 18

This week, NSF launched a sexual misconduct crisis hotline for researchers, as an expansion of the agency's efforts to address sexual misconduct in the U.S. Antarctic Program. My first news piece for @science.org: www.science.org/content/arti...

Sexual misconduct helpline offers support for NSF community

The resource is an expansion of the agency’s efforts to address harassment in the U.S. Antarctic Program

www.science.org

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Lisa Jarvis @lisamjarvis.bsky.social · Apr 17

In terminating hundreds of NIH grants, the Trump administration dumped years of investment down the drain. In my latest @opinion.bloomberg.com column, we analyzed the cancelled projects & talked to scientists to understand just how much the public loses out. It's a lot: tinyurl.com/bdey86su

A beeswarm chart of canceled NIH grants showing the years into each project when the funding was pulled. Each dot represents a terminated grant and is colored by the number of publications associated with the project: none, one to four or five or more. The grants are separated into thee rows based on the award type (R01, U01, U54). RO1 research projects had the most terminations, which occurred at all stages of research, from the project onset to 7+ years in. Most grants were canceled short of the 4-5 year lifespan of a typical grant, and 40% of R01s had no publications at the time of termination. Projects that had been active for longer had more publications, suggesting that more findings are disseminated in the later stages of these grants.

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Apr 3

My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social: How Nicole Dickson-Karn, an analytical teaching professor at the Ohio State University, used the East Palestine train derailment disaster to teach her students about the real-world applications of chemistry. cen.acs.org/education/un...

How to learn from a disaster

Nicole Dickson-Karn uses the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment to teach her students about the real-world applications of analytical chemistry

cen.acs.org

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Andryj Borys @andryjborys.bsky.social · Mar 6

Check out this great article from @becroldan.bsky.social!

Thanks for including me and the Schlenk Line Survival Guide!

Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Mar 6

My first "big" feature is out in C&EN! It highlights how open educational resources are hard to find for advanced chemists, but there *are* chemists who are committed to creating these free resources for others. #ChemSky👇 💡
cen.acs.org/education/gr...

Open-access chemistry lags other fields. Here’s how scientists are changing that

For advanced students and researchers, finding technical educational resources can be challenging. These chemists are fixing the problem.

cen.acs.org

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Mar 6

My first "big" feature is out in C&EN! It highlights how open educational resources are hard to find for advanced chemists, but there *are* chemists who are committed to creating these free resources for others. #ChemSky👇 💡
cen.acs.org/education/gr...

Open-access chemistry lags other fields. Here’s how scientists are changing that

For advanced students and researchers, finding technical educational resources can be challenging. These chemists are fixing the problem.

cen.acs.org

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Katelyn Boo-urns @katelynburns.com · Feb 18

It is horrifying watching the government erase a demographic in real time and most people just not really caring.

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Feb 7

Excellent reporting by @hencarnell.bsky.social for @motherjones.com on how trans health care has always been conservative and difficult to access

Henry Carnell @hencarnell.bsky.social · Feb 7

On transgender healthcare: "Medical transition is not something people are free to choose but something that has to be subject to incredibly strict, conservative investigation and assessment."

from:

The hidden history of trans health care

Trump calls gender-affirming care a "dangerous trend." It's older than he is—and way less dangerous.

www.motherjones.com

Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · Dec 19

"Siloing science journalism is dangerous because it leaves the public vulnerable to misinformation. ... It allows powerful actors to manipulate public understanding by filling the void left by a lack of evidence-based reporting." www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/scie... by @siricarpenter.bsky.social

Science journalism becomes plain old journalism

"For too long, science journalism has been treated as something distinct, something <em>extra</em> — the domain of specialists writing for audiences who are already deeply interested in and informed a...

www.niemanlab.org

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Nate Cardin (he/him) @naytnaytnayt.bsky.social · Dec 14

The ever amazing @becroldan.bsky.social wrote about me for @cenmag.bsky.social! 👨‍🔬

Chem teacher creates crosswords to inspire students

This high school chemistry instructor crafts diverse crossword puzzles in between teaching and competing on game shows

cen.acs.org

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Dec 14

I first met Nate Cardin on this queer podcast I ran in grad school. It was such a joy to profile him for @cenmag.bsky.social about his crosswording and game show adventures. He even created a chem-themed crossword to go along with the piece! Check it out!! #ChemTwitter👇
cen.acs.org/people/profi...

Chem teacher creates crosswords to inspire students

This high school chemistry instructor crafts diverse crossword puzzles in between teaching and competing on game shows

cen.acs.org

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

National Association of Science Writers (NASW) @sciencewriters.org · Dec 11

Did you miss our #SciWri24 national meeting this year? Read a recap of the "Tools, Toys, or Trouble: Can A.I. Help Science Communicators?" workshop in Raleigh filed by NASW conference travel fellow Bec Roldan (@becroldan.bsky.social): www.nasw.org/article... 💚🧪📝

ScienceWriters2024 panel interrogates concerns, potential, and shortfalls of generative artificial intelligence in science communication

SciWri24 travel grantee Bec Roldan reports on the “Tools, Toys, or Trouble: Can A.I. Help Science Communicators” NASW workshop session in Raleigh organized by Abigail Eisenstadt and Matt Shipman.

www.nasw.org

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Dec 13

I had an incredible time attending my first NASW conference hashtag#SciWri24 last month and I want to thank @younglandis.bsky.social and the folks at @sciencewriters.org for sponsoring me as a travel fellow. Check out my coverage of a conference session below 👇 if you weren't able to attend!

National Association of Science Writers (NASW) @sciencewriters.org · Dec 11

Did you miss our #SciWri24 national meeting this year? Read a recap of the "Tools, Toys, or Trouble: Can A.I. Help Science Communicators?" workshop in Raleigh filed by NASW conference travel fellow Bec Roldan (@becroldan.bsky.social): www.nasw.org/article... 💚🧪📝

ScienceWriters2024 panel interrogates concerns, potential, and shortfalls of generative artificial intelligence in science communication

SciWri24 travel grantee Bec Roldan reports on the “Tools, Toys, or Trouble: Can A.I. Help Science Communicators” NASW workshop session in Raleigh organized by Abigail Eisenstadt and Matt Shipman.

www.nasw.org

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Nov 21

Whoops, changed my DM settings so should be good to go now!

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Nov 21

DM me if you've ever lacked the educational tools to learn a research-specific technique and/or have created your own educational tool (like a Youtube vid, How-to guide, tutorial, etc) to learn or teach a technique. Looking for stories from grad students/post docs/PIs

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Nov 21

Hi #Chemsky! I'm looking for sources for a story I'm working on about technical and research-relevant open source educational resources. 👇More below

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Nov 20

".. some science is polarizing. But that does not make it not science." 💯 great piece from @sabs.bsky.social

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Reposted by Bec Roldan, PhD

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · Nov 20

It's trans day of remembrance where we remember all of our siblings we've lost this year to violence and hate. We know we've lost at least 350 trans and nonbinary people have been murdered in the last year.

We honor the dead and fight like hell for the living.

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Nov 19

Hi! Could you add me?

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Nov 16

I can’t say enough good things about this fellowship! Apply! Seriously do it.

And any queer & trans folks out there — DM me and I’ll read over your application! 🦋

AAAS Mass Media Fellowship @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social · Nov 14

Are you ready to try something new and work in #SciComm?
Apply by Jan 1, 2025 to be a part of #MMF50th and join an alumni cohort of over 850 as you spend the summer using your STEM background as a journalist writing the news!

aaas.org/mmf

The 2025 AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship Application closes January 1, 2025. Apply now to be a part of the 50th class.

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Bec Roldan, PhD @becroldan.bsky.social · Sep 23

In my third profile, I spoke with pharmaceutical executive Anabella Villalobos about her career redefining how we treat neurological diseases. At Biogen, she's finally finding success in bringing disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's to the clinic.
cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...

Anabella Villalobos has redefined how we treat neurological diseases

This medicinal chemist has led decades of research on the central nervous system, pushing dozens of compounds into the clinic

cen.acs.org