Candice Johnson
@cyjohnson.bsky.social
She/Her • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Michigan State University • Former CDC/NIOSH Employee • Work, Pregnancy, Multiracial Populations • Personal Account
For #Episky programs allowing (and encouraging) students to use AI in their programming courses: some new evidence from a randomized trial.
"We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average."
"We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average."
The latest from Anthropic: using Anthropic's products makes you worse at your job
How AI assistance impacts the formation of coding skills
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
www.anthropic.com
January 31, 2026 at 11:41 AM
For #Episky programs allowing (and encouraging) students to use AI in their programming courses: some new evidence from a randomized trial.
"We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average."
"We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average."
Reposted by Candice Johnson
#HealthInequalities are exacerbated in the health system when women’s symptoms are considered to be “atypical” or explained-away as being not ‘true’ physical symptoms. When building research projects on health this issue needs to be addressed in the design phase
Despite the call being driven by well-known inequities in cardiovascular health care, the idea that women’s symptoms are “atypical” is still in the vocabulary of practicing clinicians.
They are not atypical. so don’t bake that into your design or you’re perpetuating avoidable inequalities
They are not atypical. so don’t bake that into your design or you’re perpetuating avoidable inequalities
January 31, 2026 at 8:34 AM
#HealthInequalities are exacerbated in the health system when women’s symptoms are considered to be “atypical” or explained-away as being not ‘true’ physical symptoms. When building research projects on health this issue needs to be addressed in the design phase
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Texas A&M ends its women's & gender studies program while hundreds of syllabi remain flagged and censored under top-down review policies.
“I have never seen anything like this.”
— Dr. Leonard Bright, @tamu-aaup.bsky.social President
@texasaft.org
@texasaaup.bsky.social
@cwa-tseu.bsky.social
“I have never seen anything like this.”
— Dr. Leonard Bright, @tamu-aaup.bsky.social President
@texasaft.org
@texasaaup.bsky.social
@cwa-tseu.bsky.social
Texas A&M Ends Women’s Studies and Overhauls Classes Over Race and Gender
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Texas A&M ends its women's & gender studies program while hundreds of syllabi remain flagged and censored under top-down review policies.
“I have never seen anything like this.”
— Dr. Leonard Bright, @tamu-aaup.bsky.social President
@texasaft.org
@texasaaup.bsky.social
@cwa-tseu.bsky.social
“I have never seen anything like this.”
— Dr. Leonard Bright, @tamu-aaup.bsky.social President
@texasaft.org
@texasaaup.bsky.social
@cwa-tseu.bsky.social
Reposted by Candice Johnson
New NIH funding strategy has been formalized.
I really do hope scientists understand what this means for the future of science (funding) - it's not subtle.
www.niaid.nih.gov/about/unifie...
I really do hope scientists understand what this means for the future of science (funding) - it's not subtle.
www.niaid.nih.gov/about/unifie...
NIH Unified Funding Strategy
Objective peer review, and HHS- and NIH- specific priorities, and a standardized, transparent process for incorporating NIAID-specific priorities will guide funding selections.
www.niaid.nih.gov
January 30, 2026 at 8:31 PM
New NIH funding strategy has been formalized.
I really do hope scientists understand what this means for the future of science (funding) - it's not subtle.
www.niaid.nih.gov/about/unifie...
I really do hope scientists understand what this means for the future of science (funding) - it's not subtle.
www.niaid.nih.gov/about/unifie...
Reposted by Candice Johnson
🧵Good news out of #NIH today.
(1) NIH is extending #ESI and #K99/R00 eligibility to accommodate researchers whose eligibility would have ended during the previous shutdown. Take a look at NOT-OD-26-020. If your ESI status would have ended in 2025, you get an automatic extension through 2026/03/31.
(1) NIH is extending #ESI and #K99/R00 eligibility to accommodate researchers whose eligibility would have ended during the previous shutdown. Take a look at NOT-OD-26-020. If your ESI status would have ended in 2025, you get an automatic extension through 2026/03/31.
NOT-OD-26-020: Notice of Temporary Extension to Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) Eligibility Period
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Notice of Temporary Extension to Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) Eligibility Period NOT-OD-26-020. OD
grants.nih.gov
January 30, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Reposted by Candice Johnson
POs are being told to limit pushback because the back and forth on trying to justify the use of these words takes more time than just removing them. So thinking program staff are in a position to influence what grants we pick up is just wild to me in this moment.
January 30, 2026 at 6:27 AM
POs are being told to limit pushback because the back and forth on trying to justify the use of these words takes more time than just removing them. So thinking program staff are in a position to influence what grants we pick up is just wild to me in this moment.
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Okay so here’s the thing about Program right now. This admin has turned us into an apparatus of censorship. The job of a PO right now is to get PIs to “renegotiate” words like “racial minority,” “black American,” and “health disparities” out of their research.
January 30, 2026 at 6:27 AM
Okay so here’s the thing about Program right now. This admin has turned us into an apparatus of censorship. The job of a PO right now is to get PIs to “renegotiate” words like “racial minority,” “black American,” and “health disparities” out of their research.
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Just a reminder that your friendly neighborhood POs have been through so some stuff the last 12mo.
And pushing back is not without wins
And pushing back is not without wins
1 year post being forked... still here. Where you at elmo?
January 29, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Just a reminder that your friendly neighborhood POs have been through so some stuff the last 12mo.
And pushing back is not without wins
And pushing back is not without wins
Reposted by Candice Johnson
We’re looking for nominations for the American Statistical Association’s Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award.
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2026/01/29/w...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2026/01/29/w...
We’re looking for nominations for the American Statistical Association’s Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award. | Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu
January 29, 2026 at 11:30 PM
We’re looking for nominations for the American Statistical Association’s Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award.
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2026/01/29/w...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2026/01/29/w...
Reposted by Candice Johnson
👇New biosketch requirement update.
“After evaluating the number and types of recent technical inquiries we received to both the SciENcv and eRA Service Desks, we recognize the difficulties these issues have had on the community’s ability to comply with the original timeline of January 25, 2026.”
👇
“After evaluating the number and types of recent technical inquiries we received to both the SciENcv and eRA Service Desks, we recognize the difficulties these issues have had on the community’s ability to comply with the original timeline of January 25, 2026.”
👇
"NIH will provide a warning when the Common Forms are not used but will not withdraw applications that don’t comply with the use of the Common Forms. We expect the leniency to be in place through May 2026"
grants.nih.gov/faqs#/common...
grants.nih.gov/faqs#/common...
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
January 29, 2026 at 10:08 PM
👇New biosketch requirement update.
“After evaluating the number and types of recent technical inquiries we received to both the SciENcv and eRA Service Desks, we recognize the difficulties these issues have had on the community’s ability to comply with the original timeline of January 25, 2026.”
👇
“After evaluating the number and types of recent technical inquiries we received to both the SciENcv and eRA Service Desks, we recognize the difficulties these issues have had on the community’s ability to comply with the original timeline of January 25, 2026.”
👇
Reposted by Candice Johnson
New and Competitive renewals
These are still be made VERY slowly. Only 75 awards have been made through 1/23/26.
These are now from 7 institutes and centers (NIA (45), NINDS (16), NIDDK (5), NIDCR (4), NIDCD (2), NHLBI (1), and NCATS (1)).
3/3
These are still be made VERY slowly. Only 75 awards have been made through 1/23/26.
These are now from 7 institutes and centers (NIA (45), NINDS (16), NIDDK (5), NIDCR (4), NIDCD (2), NHLBI (1), and NCATS (1)).
3/3
January 29, 2026 at 12:11 PM
New and Competitive renewals
These are still be made VERY slowly. Only 75 awards have been made through 1/23/26.
These are now from 7 institutes and centers (NIA (45), NINDS (16), NIDDK (5), NIDCR (4), NIDCD (2), NHLBI (1), and NCATS (1)).
3/3
These are still be made VERY slowly. Only 75 awards have been made through 1/23/26.
These are now from 7 institutes and centers (NIA (45), NINDS (16), NIDDK (5), NIDCR (4), NIDCD (2), NHLBI (1), and NCATS (1)).
3/3
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Government employees have free speech rights to speak on their areas of expertise. But in the last year we’ve seen the Trump administration put employees who have spoken out on administrative leave or even fire them. So I’m deeply impressed by Mark’s courage here.
New at Can We Still Govern: NIH scientist @markhisted.org reviews the damage done to American biomedical science in the last year and looks ahead:
"Scientists should not be political partisans, but they should be partisans for liberal democratic principles."🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/american-b...
"Scientists should not be political partisans, but they should be partisans for liberal democratic principles."🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/american-b...
American biomedical science in 2026
Where we are, how we got here, and what to do next
donmoynihan.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Government employees have free speech rights to speak on their areas of expertise. But in the last year we’ve seen the Trump administration put employees who have spoken out on administrative leave or even fire them. So I’m deeply impressed by Mark’s courage here.
Looking at you, AJPH special issue on government efficiency in public health.
DOGE destroying the CDC wasn't about government efficiency, it was about destroying the CDC and terrorizing its workers. We don't need a special issue about how the CDC is (or isn't) efficient. That was never the point!
DOGE destroying the CDC wasn't about government efficiency, it was about destroying the CDC and terrorizing its workers. We don't need a special issue about how the CDC is (or isn't) efficient. That was never the point!
Yes! We do not have to accept the terms of bad faith arguments.
It's not an ad hominem attack to address the meta text of the argument.
It's not an ad hominem attack to address the meta text of the argument.
January 29, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Looking at you, AJPH special issue on government efficiency in public health.
DOGE destroying the CDC wasn't about government efficiency, it was about destroying the CDC and terrorizing its workers. We don't need a special issue about how the CDC is (or isn't) efficient. That was never the point!
DOGE destroying the CDC wasn't about government efficiency, it was about destroying the CDC and terrorizing its workers. We don't need a special issue about how the CDC is (or isn't) efficient. That was never the point!
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Time is running out to apply for an RSF Dissertation Grant! Co-sponsored by the Upjohn Institute and the Russell Sage Foundation. (@russellsagefdn.bsky.social) these grants provide support to dissertation research projects that focus on employment-related topics. Apply by Feb 3rd, 2026
#Econsky
#Econsky
January 28, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Time is running out to apply for an RSF Dissertation Grant! Co-sponsored by the Upjohn Institute and the Russell Sage Foundation. (@russellsagefdn.bsky.social) these grants provide support to dissertation research projects that focus on employment-related topics. Apply by Feb 3rd, 2026
#Econsky
#Econsky
As a workplace safety researcher I'm intrigued by this framing. Initial thought:
Safe workplaces require institutional change. Workers don't make the workplace safe, employers do.
Researchers can't fix this themselves. We need journals and the academic industry to change practices and incentives.
Safe workplaces require institutional change. Workers don't make the workplace safe, employers do.
Researchers can't fix this themselves. We need journals and the academic industry to change practices and incentives.
"The research literature is an unsafe workplace" by @jabyrnesci.bsky.social and @aidybarnett.bsky.social
Really insightful framing!
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Really insightful framing!
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
January 27, 2026 at 12:35 PM
As a workplace safety researcher I'm intrigued by this framing. Initial thought:
Safe workplaces require institutional change. Workers don't make the workplace safe, employers do.
Researchers can't fix this themselves. We need journals and the academic industry to change practices and incentives.
Safe workplaces require institutional change. Workers don't make the workplace safe, employers do.
Researchers can't fix this themselves. We need journals and the academic industry to change practices and incentives.
Reposted by Candice Johnson
📢 Hiring: Postdoctoral Fellow in LGBTQ Reproductive Health Disparities at Harvard Medical School 🌈🧬
Focus on rigorous epi methods + big data (longitudinal cohorts, EMR, claims) 📊
Ideal for epi/biostats folks who want rich cross-Harvard collaborations
Details👇 Please boost + tag! 📣
Focus on rigorous epi methods + big data (longitudinal cohorts, EMR, claims) 📊
Ideal for epi/biostats folks who want rich cross-Harvard collaborations
Details👇 Please boost + tag! 📣
www.brittanycharlton.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:38 PM
📢 Hiring: Postdoctoral Fellow in LGBTQ Reproductive Health Disparities at Harvard Medical School 🌈🧬
Focus on rigorous epi methods + big data (longitudinal cohorts, EMR, claims) 📊
Ideal for epi/biostats folks who want rich cross-Harvard collaborations
Details👇 Please boost + tag! 📣
Focus on rigorous epi methods + big data (longitudinal cohorts, EMR, claims) 📊
Ideal for epi/biostats folks who want rich cross-Harvard collaborations
Details👇 Please boost + tag! 📣
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Today is the day!
All abstracts for the SPER Annual Meeting (June 22-23 in Phoenix) and the 2026 SPER Virtual Meeting (April 21) are due today, January 26, by 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Find information and link to abstract submissions below:
lnkd.in/ep7SyU3U
All abstracts for the SPER Annual Meeting (June 22-23 in Phoenix) and the 2026 SPER Virtual Meeting (April 21) are due today, January 26, by 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Find information and link to abstract submissions below:
lnkd.in/ep7SyU3U
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
January 26, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Today is the day!
All abstracts for the SPER Annual Meeting (June 22-23 in Phoenix) and the 2026 SPER Virtual Meeting (April 21) are due today, January 26, by 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Find information and link to abstract submissions below:
lnkd.in/ep7SyU3U
All abstracts for the SPER Annual Meeting (June 22-23 in Phoenix) and the 2026 SPER Virtual Meeting (April 21) are due today, January 26, by 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Find information and link to abstract submissions below:
lnkd.in/ep7SyU3U
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Great piece on prioritizing quality over quantity in scientific publication.
For those of us with labs, this necessarily involves shrinking our group size. After I got tenure I started to downsize my lab and have not regretted it one iota. More time for each student & more time to think & write.
For those of us with labs, this necessarily involves shrinking our group size. After I got tenure I started to downsize my lab and have not regretted it one iota. More time for each student & more time to think & write.
I’m going to halve my publication output. You should consider slow science, too
If we don’t slow down, the research enterprise is going to crash, argues Adrian Barnett.
www.nature.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Great piece on prioritizing quality over quantity in scientific publication.
For those of us with labs, this necessarily involves shrinking our group size. After I got tenure I started to downsize my lab and have not regretted it one iota. More time for each student & more time to think & write.
For those of us with labs, this necessarily involves shrinking our group size. After I got tenure I started to downsize my lab and have not regretted it one iota. More time for each student & more time to think & write.
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Reposted by Candice Johnson
The Senate may choose to vote together on the DHS and LHHS bills. Thus, a filibuster on DHS may mean no funding for NIH. What my colleagues are saying:
“Shut it down, public health will understand. I’ll work without pay again.”
- anonymous NIHer
“Shut it down, public health will understand. I’ll work without pay again.”
- anonymous NIHer
January 25, 2026 at 5:19 AM
The Senate may choose to vote together on the DHS and LHHS bills. Thus, a filibuster on DHS may mean no funding for NIH. What my colleagues are saying:
“Shut it down, public health will understand. I’ll work without pay again.”
- anonymous NIHer
“Shut it down, public health will understand. I’ll work without pay again.”
- anonymous NIHer
Reposted by Candice Johnson
The most important public health story in America right now is that the Trump administration is kidnapping 2-year olds
ICE detained a 2-year-old girl in Minneapolis and put the child on a flight to a detention center in Texas, despite a court ordering her release: www.startribune.com/agents-detai...
January 24, 2026 at 2:16 AM
The most important public health story in America right now is that the Trump administration is kidnapping 2-year olds
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Not a milestone to celebrate.
California just reported its 500th silicosis case (including 28 deaths, & 54 lung tranplants) among artificial stone workers who make kitchen countertops.
Instead of moving to a safer product, the industry is asking Congress for total immunity from lawsuits.
California just reported its 500th silicosis case (including 28 deaths, & 54 lung tranplants) among artificial stone workers who make kitchen countertops.
Instead of moving to a safer product, the industry is asking Congress for total immunity from lawsuits.
California Department of Public Health
Welcome to the California Engineered Stone (ES) Silicosis Dashboard. Engineered stone refers to engineered stone countertops, popularly known as “artificial stone” or “quartz countertops.” This dashboard contains surveillance data for ES Silicosis cases reported to the state since surveillance began in 2019. Data are updated weekly.
www.cdph.ca.gov
January 23, 2026 at 9:47 PM
Not a milestone to celebrate.
California just reported its 500th silicosis case (including 28 deaths, & 54 lung tranplants) among artificial stone workers who make kitchen countertops.
Instead of moving to a safer product, the industry is asking Congress for total immunity from lawsuits.
California just reported its 500th silicosis case (including 28 deaths, & 54 lung tranplants) among artificial stone workers who make kitchen countertops.
Instead of moving to a safer product, the industry is asking Congress for total immunity from lawsuits.
Reposted by Candice Johnson
There is a lot of talk lately about multi-year funding (MYF) at NIH. This is mostly a paperwork issue, but it can have a dramatic impact on the number of grants that get funded. I was curious how this would impact grant numbers over time, so I did some simple modeling. 1/n
January 22, 2026 at 7:19 PM
There is a lot of talk lately about multi-year funding (MYF) at NIH. This is mostly a paperwork issue, but it can have a dramatic impact on the number of grants that get funded. I was curious how this would impact grant numbers over time, so I did some simple modeling. 1/n
Reposted by Candice Johnson
Membership on step #2 (advisory councils) has been dwindling as members serve out their terms without replacements being appointed.
At 12 of the institutes and one of the centres, the last voting member’s term will expire this year, and it typically takes years for new members to be onboarded.
At 12 of the institutes and one of the centres, the last voting member’s term will expire this year, and it typically takes years for new members to be onboarded.
January 22, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Membership on step #2 (advisory councils) has been dwindling as members serve out their terms without replacements being appointed.
At 12 of the institutes and one of the centres, the last voting member’s term will expire this year, and it typically takes years for new members to be onboarded.
At 12 of the institutes and one of the centres, the last voting member’s term will expire this year, and it typically takes years for new members to be onboarded.
Reposted by Candice Johnson
I met an absolutely lovely academic who asked whether my department back home is affected by ICE -- a question dramatizing how little info is getting out.
For the record, the small example I chose:
My dept has a carpool to pick up grad students of color who can't safely commute to campus alone.
For the record, the small example I chose:
My dept has a carpool to pick up grad students of color who can't safely commute to campus alone.
January 22, 2026 at 7:52 PM
I met an absolutely lovely academic who asked whether my department back home is affected by ICE -- a question dramatizing how little info is getting out.
For the record, the small example I chose:
My dept has a carpool to pick up grad students of color who can't safely commute to campus alone.
For the record, the small example I chose:
My dept has a carpool to pick up grad students of color who can't safely commute to campus alone.