Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
@coereba.bsky.social
Ornithologist, evolutionary ecologist, morphologist, mom, knitter, reader, lover of bananaquits. she/her 🏳️🌈 Associate Professor of Biology at Kenyon College. wrightlab.org
Pinned
Hi! I’m an ornithologist at a small liberal arts college studying the ecology & evolution of bird anatomy & flight. Follow for fun bird trivia, discussions on effective teaching & mentoring, knitting, & my kids’ hijinks.
Yes, I AM holding a kingfisher sternum in my profile pic. Thanks for noticing!
Yes, I AM holding a kingfisher sternum in my profile pic. Thanks for noticing!
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
the thing about extra-time accommodations is that either they help you a lot or they don't matter much, and if they help you a lot that is evidence that you should get them
Even by the standards of The Atlantic, this is an extraordinarily weak evidence base for an article.
Data from a tiny handful of schools that isn't measuring the variable at issue and a few thin, secondhand anecdotes.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
Data from a tiny handful of schools that isn't measuring the variable at issue and a few thin, secondhand anecdotes.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
December 2, 2025 at 7:53 PM
the thing about extra-time accommodations is that either they help you a lot or they don't matter much, and if they help you a lot that is evidence that you should get them
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Help out an undergraduate student researcher with their survey project on patients' and providers' perspectives on treatments for PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Further description and contact info in opening page at the survey URL or QR code. Thank you!
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Help out an undergraduate student researcher with their survey project on patients' and providers' perspectives on treatments for PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Further description and contact info in opening page at the survey URL or QR code. Thank you!
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
If your man doesn't treat you like a white-breasted nuthatch, LEAVE HIM
December 2, 2025 at 12:18 AM
If your man doesn't treat you like a white-breasted nuthatch, LEAVE HIM
At age 75, Wisdom’s smoky eye remains unparalleled.
December 1, 2025 at 12:33 PM
At age 75, Wisdom’s smoky eye remains unparalleled.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Wisdom update! Her mate is back, too! Wisdom is *at least* 75 years old, the oldest living wild bird that we know of. Birds are amazing!
#birds #albatross #conservation
#birds #albatross #conservation
November 30, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Wisdom update! Her mate is back, too! Wisdom is *at least* 75 years old, the oldest living wild bird that we know of. Birds are amazing!
#birds #albatross #conservation
#birds #albatross #conservation
My 5yo daughter: “I don’t remember what the sun looks like. I haven’t seen it in so long.”
Same, kid. Why are you like this, Ohio??? I miss Florida. And New Mexico.
Same, kid. Why are you like this, Ohio??? I miss Florida. And New Mexico.
November 30, 2025 at 11:39 PM
My 5yo daughter: “I don’t remember what the sun looks like. I haven’t seen it in so long.”
Same, kid. Why are you like this, Ohio??? I miss Florida. And New Mexico.
Same, kid. Why are you like this, Ohio??? I miss Florida. And New Mexico.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Big 12: love my teammates god is good!
SEC: keep grindin
Big Ten: the enemy speaks kindly & holds a knife
ACC: you can eat a lot of things that aren’t food
SEC: keep grindin
Big Ten: the enemy speaks kindly & holds a knife
ACC: you can eat a lot of things that aren’t food
Thank you ACC for always being yourself
November 30, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Big 12: love my teammates god is good!
SEC: keep grindin
Big Ten: the enemy speaks kindly & holds a knife
ACC: you can eat a lot of things that aren’t food
SEC: keep grindin
Big Ten: the enemy speaks kindly & holds a knife
ACC: you can eat a lot of things that aren’t food
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Thank you ACC for always being yourself
November 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Thank you ACC for always being yourself
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Nativism comes from a place of insecurity and cowardice. You have to believe in your core that you can't compete with talented immigrants and that you've failed to build a strong enough community to welcome in more neighbors.
we have to get out of this framing that the hard right has a point about immigration numbers, but they're saying it in a mean & racist way
even if they weren't racist at all (& they very much are), what they are calling for is still national suicide
even if they weren't racist at all (& they very much are), what they are calling for is still national suicide
November 28, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Nativism comes from a place of insecurity and cowardice. You have to believe in your core that you can't compete with talented immigrants and that you've failed to build a strong enough community to welcome in more neighbors.
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild.
Andean cock-of-the-rock
Bornean orangutan
Gray wolf
Indian paradise flycatcher
Cheetah
Andean cock-of-the-rock
Bornean orangutan
Gray wolf
Indian paradise flycatcher
Cheetah
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild
Moose
Grizzly bear
Elk
American bison
Pronghorn antelope
Moose
Grizzly bear
Elk
American bison
Pronghorn antelope
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild
Black bear
White tailed deer
Coyote
Snow shoe hare
Bald eagle
Black bear
White tailed deer
Coyote
Snow shoe hare
Bald eagle
November 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild.
Andean cock-of-the-rock
Bornean orangutan
Gray wolf
Indian paradise flycatcher
Cheetah
Andean cock-of-the-rock
Bornean orangutan
Gray wolf
Indian paradise flycatcher
Cheetah
My Emotional Support Beagle and Lap Puppy takes his jobs very seriously.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
November 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
My Emotional Support Beagle and Lap Puppy takes his jobs very seriously.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
This morning, my sugar-filled gremlins are arguing over whether today (Nov 1) is Halloween.
5yo: it’s not just ONE DAY! It’s a season.
7yo: It’s LITERALLY one day!
husband: both fair points.
5yo: it’s not just ONE DAY! It’s a season.
7yo: It’s LITERALLY one day!
husband: both fair points.
November 1, 2025 at 1:54 PM
This morning, my sugar-filled gremlins are arguing over whether today (Nov 1) is Halloween.
5yo: it’s not just ONE DAY! It’s a season.
7yo: It’s LITERALLY one day!
husband: both fair points.
5yo: it’s not just ONE DAY! It’s a season.
7yo: It’s LITERALLY one day!
husband: both fair points.
My daughter dressed up as Elsa & I dressed as Anna (from Frozen). We ran into another little girl dressed as Elsa, who ran up to me, grinning, & gave me a big hug, squealing “Anna!”
I asked “Do you want to build a snowman?” She replied, “and ride our bikes around the halls?” It was so sweet.
I asked “Do you want to build a snowman?” She replied, “and ride our bikes around the halls?” It was so sweet.
November 1, 2025 at 2:03 AM
My daughter dressed up as Elsa & I dressed as Anna (from Frozen). We ran into another little girl dressed as Elsa, who ran up to me, grinning, & gave me a big hug, squealing “Anna!”
I asked “Do you want to build a snowman?” She replied, “and ride our bikes around the halls?” It was so sweet.
I asked “Do you want to build a snowman?” She replied, “and ride our bikes around the halls?” It was so sweet.
lol sob.
October 31, 2025 at 7:20 PM
lol sob.
It’s amazing to me how many people who have never taught think LLMs will replace professors/teachers. Even if they didn’t get basic stuff wrong regularly, at least half of teaching is building relationships, human connections.
October 30, 2025 at 12:20 PM
It’s amazing to me how many people who have never taught think LLMs will replace professors/teachers. Even if they didn’t get basic stuff wrong regularly, at least half of teaching is building relationships, human connections.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
I have a number of colleagues who think that LLMs will be very useful as individualized tutors.
One of their arguments is that unlike previous generations of AI tutors, LLMs have the full context window of the conversation and that’s better understand what a student knows and doesn’t know.
One of their arguments is that unlike previous generations of AI tutors, LLMs have the full context window of the conversation and that’s better understand what a student knows and doesn’t know.
October 30, 2025 at 10:37 AM
I have a number of colleagues who think that LLMs will be very useful as individualized tutors.
One of their arguments is that unlike previous generations of AI tutors, LLMs have the full context window of the conversation and that’s better understand what a student knows and doesn’t know.
One of their arguments is that unlike previous generations of AI tutors, LLMs have the full context window of the conversation and that’s better understand what a student knows and doesn’t know.
Now is a great time to donate to your local food pantry.
Here it comes, folks. I volunteer at a food pantry twice a month. We got slammed today - twice our usual number of households, a bunch we'd never seen before, and people lined up waiting for us to open. It's gonna get bad fast.
October 28, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Now is a great time to donate to your local food pantry.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Are you looking for a PhD position and want to spend your summers in the Rocky Mountains?
My lab @cudenverclas.bsky.social is looking for 1 PhD student to work on a NSF-funded project to study elevational range shifts in Colorado! 🧪🌍🐙
Apply by Nov 1!
Details here docs.google.com/document/d/1...
My lab @cudenverclas.bsky.social is looking for 1 PhD student to work on a NSF-funded project to study elevational range shifts in Colorado! 🧪🌍🐙
Apply by Nov 1!
Details here docs.google.com/document/d/1...
2025 - Hypoxia PhD job ad
The Moore lab at the University of Colorado Denver is searching for 1 Ph.D. student to study the elevational limits of dragonflies in Colorado (http://moore-evo-eco.weebly.com). This position is fully...
docs.google.com
August 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Are you looking for a PhD position and want to spend your summers in the Rocky Mountains?
My lab @cudenverclas.bsky.social is looking for 1 PhD student to work on a NSF-funded project to study elevational range shifts in Colorado! 🧪🌍🐙
Apply by Nov 1!
Details here docs.google.com/document/d/1...
My lab @cudenverclas.bsky.social is looking for 1 PhD student to work on a NSF-funded project to study elevational range shifts in Colorado! 🧪🌍🐙
Apply by Nov 1!
Details here docs.google.com/document/d/1...
My kindergartener was repeating the step of her active shooter drill today. Apparently they’re supposed to look, listen, throw things at the shooter, then run away.
What a fucked up country we live in that we teach kindergartners to take on people with guns instead of regulating the fucking guns.
What a fucked up country we live in that we teach kindergartners to take on people with guns instead of regulating the fucking guns.
October 14, 2025 at 1:13 AM
My kindergartener was repeating the step of her active shooter drill today. Apparently they’re supposed to look, listen, throw things at the shooter, then run away.
What a fucked up country we live in that we teach kindergartners to take on people with guns instead of regulating the fucking guns.
What a fucked up country we live in that we teach kindergartners to take on people with guns instead of regulating the fucking guns.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
As an educator, I agree with all of this.
I actually don't really care if AI is useful/interesting/good for some things in education actually - it is besides these things clearly a big problem already that maybe need listing yet again:
October 11, 2025 at 10:42 PM
As an educator, I agree with all of this.
I have never been jealous of a Nobel prize winner before….
October 7, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I have never been jealous of a Nobel prize winner before….
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
The new Wiley journal review system is an absolute nightmare. Editorial assistants have been replaced by a clunky, AI-enabled website that makes it harder to find and invite reviewers. Associate editor workloads have increased. I'm not convinced the invitations to reviewers are even going through.
October 6, 2025 at 3:22 PM
The new Wiley journal review system is an absolute nightmare. Editorial assistants have been replaced by a clunky, AI-enabled website that makes it harder to find and invite reviewers. Associate editor workloads have increased. I'm not convinced the invitations to reviewers are even going through.
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
"Sorry I was late to class, professor, there's a moose charging people by the student union" god I missed Alaska
October 6, 2025 at 9:58 PM
"Sorry I was late to class, professor, there's a moose charging people by the student union" god I missed Alaska
Reposted by Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
Don’t use ChatGPT to reach out to prospective PhD advisors.
October 1, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Don’t use ChatGPT to reach out to prospective PhD advisors.