Beth Mertz, PhD
@bethmertz.bsky.social
Dental Sociologist, mom, wife, daughter, all that stuff. Sarcasm for free.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Cycling like the Dutch would slash the world’s carbon footprint
If everybody cycled like the Dutch, we could offset the UK or Australia’s entire carbon footprint.
www.euronews.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:01 PM
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
The destruction of the enterprise of US academic science has been one of the most confounding aspects of a hugely confounding year. My @statnews.com colleagues are writing about the consequences for individuals & the country.
You want to read this series.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
You want to read this series.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
American Science, Shattered
An eight-decade partnership between universities and the federal government made U.S. science preeminent. It took Trump less than a year to shred that
www.statnews.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The destruction of the enterprise of US academic science has been one of the most confounding aspects of a hugely confounding year. My @statnews.com colleagues are writing about the consequences for individuals & the country.
You want to read this series.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
You want to read this series.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
The debt, deportation, and death bill has passed. Congress further decimates care work to fund violence work.
Vital services eviscerated and ICE becomes the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency ever known. It hasn’t been sold this way, but it’s a massive public jobs program for fascists.
Vital services eviscerated and ICE becomes the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency ever known. It hasn’t been sold this way, but it’s a massive public jobs program for fascists.
July 3, 2025 at 6:55 PM
The debt, deportation, and death bill has passed. Congress further decimates care work to fund violence work.
Vital services eviscerated and ICE becomes the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency ever known. It hasn’t been sold this way, but it’s a massive public jobs program for fascists.
Vital services eviscerated and ICE becomes the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency ever known. It hasn’t been sold this way, but it’s a massive public jobs program for fascists.
Same here
saw this while walking the dogs and same, neighbor, same
July 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Same here
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
June 22, 2025 at 10:00 PM
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
I did the arithmetic. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act would cut federal spending for Medicaid and the ACA by just over $1 trillion over a decade.
www.kff.org/quick-take/t...
www.kff.org/quick-take/t...
The Biggest Rollback in Federal Support for Health Care Ever
Republicans are not talking about repealing and replacing the ACA anymore, and the budget reconciliation bill doesn't do that, at least not directly. However, the bill would restrict health insurance ...
www.kff.org
June 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I did the arithmetic. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act would cut federal spending for Medicaid and the ACA by just over $1 trillion over a decade.
www.kff.org/quick-take/t...
www.kff.org/quick-take/t...
This is just insane.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Here Are the Nearly 2,500 Medical Research Grants Canceled or Delayed by Trump (Gift Article)
Some cuts have been starkly visible, but the country’s medical grant-making machinery has also radically transformed outside the public eye.
www.nytimes.com
June 4, 2025 at 3:43 PM
This is just insane.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
my god i'm hard to shock but holy fuck
Trump and Kennedy are killing children. Right in front of our eyes.
May 3, 2025 at 12:46 AM
my god i'm hard to shock but holy fuck
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
If every university, law firm, governor, federal judge, CEO, member of the press… banded together in solidarity against the current tyrannical regime we would be rid of it. The United States is falling because our most powerful institutions and individuals are also the most cowardly and complicit.
April 15, 2025 at 1:22 AM
If every university, law firm, governor, federal judge, CEO, member of the press… banded together in solidarity against the current tyrannical regime we would be rid of it. The United States is falling because our most powerful institutions and individuals are also the most cowardly and complicit.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
Illegal attempts to access IRS data was an article of impeachment against Nixon.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting IRS commissioner to resign over deal to share immigrants’ tax data with ICE to help deport them, AP sources say.
April 9, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Illegal attempts to access IRS data was an article of impeachment against Nixon.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
They are going to deport American citizens to camps. They are telling us they are going to do it.
The overton window is moving RIGHT NOW.
The overton window is moving RIGHT NOW.
April 8, 2025 at 6:02 PM
They are going to deport American citizens to camps. They are telling us they are going to do it.
The overton window is moving RIGHT NOW.
The overton window is moving RIGHT NOW.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
We tried mass tariffs in 1828, and it crashed the economy. We tried again in 1930, and it crashed the economy.
Third time’s the charm, I guess.
Third time’s the charm, I guess.
April 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM
We tried mass tariffs in 1828, and it crashed the economy. We tried again in 1930, and it crashed the economy.
Third time’s the charm, I guess.
Third time’s the charm, I guess.
It’s criminal and cruel - like everything else about current administration.
Apart from…everything else…this just makes me made in a you-don’t-treat-people-like-this sense.
These are humans. With families and lives. It is just so shameful.
These are humans. With families and lives. It is just so shameful.
Hearing from all corners of HHS this morning about a total bloodletting — firings of scientists, analysts and many more as delayed RIFs take effect.
Many folks didn’t see early AM email and showed up, only to be turned away when badges didn’t work. Was sent this photo of long lines at one HHS site.
Many folks didn’t see early AM email and showed up, only to be turned away when badges didn’t work. Was sent this photo of long lines at one HHS site.
April 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
It’s criminal and cruel - like everything else about current administration.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
People let go everywhere you turn at NIH today, carrying in empty boxes. Both the people in the elevator with me. Multiple IC directors. The HR people who are supposed to process all the early retirements. All of the people who respond to data calls that we are legally required to answer.
April 1, 2025 at 12:41 PM
People let go everywhere you turn at NIH today, carrying in empty boxes. Both the people in the elevator with me. Multiple IC directors. The HR people who are supposed to process all the early retirements. All of the people who respond to data calls that we are legally required to answer.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
I’m heading to the Senate floor because Donald Trump and Elon Musk have shown a complete disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the needs of the American people. You can tune in on CSPAN, YouTube, X, and Facebook.
March 31, 2025 at 11:00 PM
I’m heading to the Senate floor because Donald Trump and Elon Musk have shown a complete disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the needs of the American people. You can tune in on CSPAN, YouTube, X, and Facebook.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
When are #HigherEd leaders across the country going to stand up?! Our students are being disappeared! Concerns are not enough, we need action! Teaching and learning cannot continue under these terrorizing, repressive conditions! 😡😡😡
A University of Minnesota graduate student was detained by ICE on the Twin Cities campus
In an email to students, university officials called it a “deeply concerning situation.”
In an email to students, university officials called it a “deeply concerning situation.”
International graduate student at U detained by ICE agents
In an email to students, university officials called it a “deeply concerning situation.”
www.startribune.com
March 29, 2025 at 1:41 PM
When are #HigherEd leaders across the country going to stand up?! Our students are being disappeared! Concerns are not enough, we need action! Teaching and learning cannot continue under these terrorizing, repressive conditions! 😡😡😡
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
all these elite universities capitulating to authoritarian bullying because they're afraid of losing federal funds. What are endowments for if not insurance against stressful conditions??
NYU canceled a planned speech by the former president of Doctors Without Borders because she planned to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and cuts to US AID.
This is what actual campus censorship looks like.
This is what actual campus censorship looks like.
‘Climate of fear’: Montreal doctor says NYU cancelled her presentation
A Montreal doctor says her presentation at NYU was abruptly cancelled and believes the university did so out of fear of being pressured by the Donald Trump administration.
www.ctvnews.ca
March 31, 2025 at 3:56 AM
all these elite universities capitulating to authoritarian bullying because they're afraid of losing federal funds. What are endowments for if not insurance against stressful conditions??
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
So we could lose $200B in tourism, $100B in immigrants paying taxes, $100B in weapons manufacturing, $500B in lost tax revenue from firing IRS employees… is it sinking in yet?
International tourism is worth $200 billion every year to the US economy.
Sorry, *was.
Sorry, *was.
March 29, 2025 at 11:20 PM
So we could lose $200B in tourism, $100B in immigrants paying taxes, $100B in weapons manufacturing, $500B in lost tax revenue from firing IRS employees… is it sinking in yet?
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
Working with an interdisciplinary team, we have developed a website to communicate how the White House's proposed cuts to health research would cause losses of $16B and 68,500 jobs.
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
March 28, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Working with an interdisciplinary team, we have developed a website to communicate how the White House's proposed cuts to health research would cause losses of $16B and 68,500 jobs.
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
This is, literally, setting faculty and classrooms full of students up as targets for violence, and providing a map and schedule for the bigots that threaten them.
Under this new law, we must post our syllabi publicly & they must be keyword-searchable by anyone -- without logging in. The syllabi must have our contact information, office location, classroom location, and our phone numbers. The syllabi must also include a list of all assigned readings.
2/4
2/4
March 29, 2025 at 2:28 PM
This is, literally, setting faculty and classrooms full of students up as targets for violence, and providing a map and schedule for the bigots that threaten them.
Ummmmmm….
NEW: The Trump administration pulled funding for research to protect pregnant women from domestic violence, citing it as a “DEI” initiative.
Trump Admin Pulls Research Funding To Protect Pregnant Women From Domestic Violence
Homicide by an abusive partner is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the U.S. – and researchers are gutted by the sudden cuts.
www.huffpost.com
March 28, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Ummmmmm….
So. Much. Worse.
The situation at the NIH and for all biomedical and cancer cure research in the United States is MUCH MUCH WORSE than you realize.
Ruining studies and potentially harming research subjects...
Abruptly terminating clinical trials...
Ignorant and evil
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
Abruptly terminating clinical trials...
Ignorant and evil
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
March 28, 2025 at 1:28 AM
So. Much. Worse.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
Today I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
March 22, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Today I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
Reposted by Beth Mertz, PhD
A new analysis reveals that Trump’s tax plan will “actively transfer money from low-income people to the top 0.1% of income earners.”
🔗: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
🔗: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
March 19, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A new analysis reveals that Trump’s tax plan will “actively transfer money from low-income people to the top 0.1% of income earners.”
🔗: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
🔗: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...