Erin Hotchkiss
LightNews LightNews
banner
fluvialbenthos.bsky.social
Erin Hotchkiss
@fluvialbenthos.bsky.social
2.2K followers 1.3K following 130 posts
I am a scientist who works (& plays) in waterways to understand their health & function.

Associate Professor in Biological Sciences & Global Change Center Faculty Affiliate @ Virginia Tech. UWYO/Emory alum. she/her. Posts=my opinions. www.hotchkisslab.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
brandontbishop.bsky.social
The slow grinding down continues.

Will we have the ambition and capability to rebuilt what this administration tears down?
ljrissler.bsky.social Leslie Rissler @ljrissler.bsky.social · 16h
The National Science Foundation sign on our Eisenhower Av building is now gone.

The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets.

We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.
NSF building on Eisenhower Av. HUD now owns. Destroying the NSF mural in the foyer. Of the Eisenhower building.
January 18, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
amuzi.blacksky.app
If you are in Seattle, please go patronize this store because this is amazing content/promo 😂 (laughing to keep from crying, and I do kind of low-key want that orange spider plant I have never seen that before)

Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DTQrTqZ...
January 17, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
npr.org
Thousands of people rallied in Copenhagen to push back on President Trump's rhetoric that the U.S. should acquire Greenland.
'Not for sale': Massive protest in Copenhagen against Trump's desire to acquire Greenland
Thousands of people rallied in Copenhagen to push back on President Trump's rhetoric that the U.S. should acquire Greenland.
n.pr
January 17, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
propublica.org
🚨 Reminder: Apply to be part of our Local Reporting Network by Feb. 5!

If selected, we cover your salary (up to $80K, plus benefits) and partner with your newsroom to help you dive deep into a project that matters to your community. All newsrooms are eligible.

More info 👇
Local Reporting Network Fellow
Remote, United States
grnh.se
January 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
freshwaterscience.bsky.social
Submit your application for the Graduate Student Conservation Research Awards by Jan 26

🏆 One or more awards totaling $1,000 to support the best graduate student research proposal(s) addressing at least one of the following criteria (1/3)
January 15, 2026 at 1:28 AM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
pondgator.bsky.social
Human-made freshwaters are everywhere, let’s talk about how they function! We’re hosting a special session at #2026SFS on biogeochemical cycling in artificial aquatic ecosystems & welcome abstracts, due Jan 26.
Organized by @jgerson.bsky.social, Anika Bratt, myself & @ajreisinger.bsky.social
January 16, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
napaaqtuk.bsky.social
As you talk about Greenland, please make sure you are talking about the >56,000 Inuit who have called the Island their home for thousands of years. Here are 2 stories that include their voices, concerns, and hopes.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

canadiangeographic.ca/articles/buy...
‘Buying countries is Stone Age mentality:’ Inuit speak up on Greenland
Indigenous Greenlanders, who endured centuries of colonialism from Denmark, now face a new threat from Donald Trump’s United States
canadiangeographic.ca
January 16, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
mrdanzak.com
Stunning photos from Minneapolis, including this one by John Locher for the Associated Press. www.theatlantic.com/photography/...
A family member reacts after a federal immigration officer used a battering ram to break down a door before making an arrest on January 11, 2026, in Minneapolis.
January 15, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
jessicacalarco.com
"The sweeping study... found that using AI in education can 'undermine children's foundational development' and that 'the damages it has already caused are daunting.'"

They include limiting kids' cognitive, social, and emotional developmen, and increasing inequity.

www.npr.org/2026/01/14/n...
The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says
A new report warns that AI poses a serious threat to children's cognitive development and emotional well-being.
www.npr.org
January 15, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
freshwaterscience.bsky.social
🚨 Deadline extended! 🚨 Abstracts for the 2026 SFS Annual Meeting in Spokane, WA, will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, January 26. Learn more about the conference, register & submit your abstract today: www.sfsannualmeeting.org/abstracts
Individual Abstract Submissions — SFS 2026 Annual Meeting
SFS 2026 committee invite you to participate in SFS 2026 Annual Meeting by submitting an abstract for consideration as an oral or poster presentation.
www.sfsannualmeeting.org
January 14, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
eos.org
Most studies of groundwater microbes focus on free-floating microbes, but they make up less than 10% of an aquifer’s microbial population.

Research out of @unikassel.bsky.social + @unituebingen.bsky.social in @jgrbiogeo.bsky.social focuses on microbes attached to sediment. eos.org/research-spo...
Microbial Genes Could Improve Our Understanding of Water Pollution - Eos
New research in Germany’s Ammer floodplain examines microbial biomarkers to help improve modeling of denitrification.
eos.org
January 13, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
minedogucu.com
📖 Big news! We just released the first five chapters of our new book, Hello Data Science. It is a fully open-access resource written for beginners. Please help us spread the word! A few points about the book are below 👇

🔗 www.hellodata.science

#rstats #datascience #tidyverse
A hex sticker with a text that reads Hello Data Science with green, yellow and pink scatterplot points in the background. There is a web address www.hellodata.science
January 14, 2026 at 5:34 AM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
sifill.bsky.social
It is impossible to properly calculate the depth and breadth of the courage and sacrifice of those prepared to confront white supremacy and assert their right to full citizenship.

We - and by that I mean ALL Americans - owe them a great debt. Rest in Peace & Power Claudette Colvin.
thebookwizard.bsky.social Barbara Gordon @thebookwizard.bsky.social · 4d
"I knew then and I know now, when it comes to justice, there is no easy way to get it. You can't sugarcoat it. You have to take a stand and say, 'This is not right.' And I did."

Rest in power, Ms. Claudette Colvin.

The fight for equality continues.

❤️
A young Claudette Colvin circa 1950s A photo of Claudette Colvin in her 80s in black and a vibrant lime green and black floral top
January 13, 2026 at 11:21 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
propublica.org
NEW: Civilians have had apparent seizures. One had his eyes roll back. Another had ribs broken.

“I felt like I was going to pass out and die,” said a 16-year-old citizen put in a chokehold.

The government won’t say if any agents have been punished.
We Found More Than 40 Cases of Immigration Agents Using Banned Chokeholds and Other Moves That Can Cut Off Breathing
Civilians have had apparent seizures. One had his eyes roll back. Another had ribs broken. “I felt like I was going to pass out and die,” said a 16-year-old citizen put in a chokehold. The government ...
www.propublica.org
January 13, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
coreyryung.bsky.social
This isn't just a casual observation. Fascism scholars have long made this point. It's why calling them "weird" was a more effective strategy than talking about the prices of eggs. Fascism is an aesthetic political movement - you need to make people feel embarassed and horrified by it.
ndrew.bsky.social Andrew Lawrence @ndrew.bsky.social · 6d
one of the most effective weapons we have against fascism is mockery, especially when its really funny
isibb.bsky.social Isi Baehr-Breen @isibb.bsky.social · 6d
It occurs to me all the yelling at ICE in MPLS isn't merely funny. Getting made fun of like this is awful for morale. ICE is losing field officers faster than it can wave them through training, and a big part of it is how little of this these little weasels can take.
January 12, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
alexwild.bsky.social
When thinking about the news that Trump's EPA no longer views American deaths as a problem, it isn't a few lives here or there. It is hundreds of thousands.
Study: Air pollution causes 200,000 early deaths each year in the U.S.
New MIT study finds vehicle emissions are the biggest contributor to these premature deaths.
news.mit.edu
January 12, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
nytimes.com
Breaking News: The EPA will stop considering lives saved when setting pollution limits and instead calculate only the cost to businesses.
E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved by Limiting Air Pollution
In a reversal, the agency plans to calculate only the cost to industry when setting pollution limits, and not the monetary value of saving human lives, documents show.
nyti.ms
January 12, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
pnas.org
Coastal communities in southern Alaska rely on dozens of wild food species across land and sea. A new study shows that access to diverse wild foods stabilizes harvests over time and makes food systems more resilient to species declines. In PNAS: https://ow.ly/QnwY50XUcyb
Schematic of wild food systems in southern coastal Alaska. Artwork by Cecil Howell.
January 9, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
politico.com
States move to rein in ICE after fatal Minnesota shooting
States move to rein in ICE after fatal Minnesota shooting
Legislators nationwide are advancing bills to curb immigration enforcement and limit cooperation with federal agents.
dlvr.it
January 11, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
paulkardol.bsky.social
Less than one month left to apply for this WIFORCE #PhDposition on soil food webs in Swedish forests. We welcome applicants from all walks of life 🌈 and from all corners of the world🌏 Deadline: 10 February 2026!
paulkardol.bsky.social Paul Kardol @paulkardol.bsky.social · Nov 26
Explore how soil food webs withstand droughts and heatwaves, and what this means for tree regeneration in Swedish forests! 🌲🪱🌳🍄Become a PhD student in the WIFORCE Research School and work with us at SLU-Uppsala @mycopat.bsky.social #climate #forest #microbes #nematodes

www.slu.se/en/about-slu...
January 11, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
meadekrosby.bsky.social
There were 23 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in the US in 2025.

And we only know this because @climatecentral.org hired the NOAA employee who led this vital tracking effort, which was decommissioned by the administration last spring.
zacklabe.com Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 10d
Just in - "According to @climatecentral.org, 2025 ranks as the third-highest year (after 2023 and 2024) for billion-dollar weather and climate disasters..."

+ Interactive graphics/data: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
+ Climate Matters article: www.climatecentral.org/climate-matt...
Map showing the U.S. 2025 Billion-Dollar Weather & Climate Disasters and highlights wildfires and severe weather through December 2025. Graphic is produced by Climate Central.
January 8, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
ipbes.net
“We cannot withdraw from the fact that over 1 million species of plants and animals face extinction.” 🧪

IPBES remains committed to its mandate to provide the most credible science and evidence about biodiversity to all decision makers and actors. 🌍
January 8, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
bobkopp.net
The Trump Administration's announced withdraw from the IPCC is disappointing, but not surprising. US scientists will continue to play key roles in the @ipcc.bsky.social. A statement from the US Academic Alliance for the IPCC:
The US Academic Alliance for the IPCC (USAA-IPCC) was formed in March 2025 in part to prepare for this possibility and to ensure that US scientists remain able to engage in IPCC work regardless of the status and role of the US government. With the support of the USAA-IPCC, more than 70 US citizens and US-based experts who are currently serving the IPCC as coordinating lead authors, lead authors, review editors and committee members will continue to play these roles. “US climate scientists have made incredible contributions to understanding our planet’s life support systems and the impacts and risks of climate change. Their role as key players in IPCC reports have helped the US maintain our preeminent position in science and technology, and this global scientific cooperation will continue despite this unfortunate decision,” said Dr. Pamela McElwee, Professor of Human Ecology at Rutgers University, who serves as chair of the steering committee of the Alliance. “There is a reason we call our community the global scientific enterprise. We cannot grow, innovate, or advance unless we are linked together sharing, analyzing, and deliberating on vital climate data through critical international organizations like the IPCC. In the wake of this devastating move, AGU pledges to do all it can to bridge global partnership, research, and dialogue,” said Dr. Brandon Jones, President of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), which hosts the Alliance. The Trump Administration began disengaging from IPCC prior to yesterday’s formal announcement. Since February of 2025, the US State Department has not nominated experts for involvement in IPCC work, nor supported travel to IPCC meetings for selected authors, a role they have played in all prior administrations. The US government also did not participate in either of the IPCC business sessions in 2025, the first time the US has not been in attendance since the IPCC’s founding in 1988. As a result, the USAA-IPCC has assumed a key leadership role in nominating US scientists for consideration as authors for IPCC reports, including for the Seventh Assessment Report (nominating 282 authors in April 2025) and the Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (nominating 33 authors in December 2025), as well as for roles on the IPCC Task Group on Data Support and for participation in several expert workshops. AGU and the USAA-IPCC have also raised funds to support travel for US scientists and technical experts selected by IPCC to attend author meetings and workshops. Since the founding of the IPCC over four decades ago, US scientists and other experts have made critical contributions, leading formal processes as Working Group co-chairs as well as filling vitally important author and reviewer roles. IPCC findings have shaped science-based policy at all levels—from global climate agreements to local resilience plans—and strengthen the ability of policy communities to make informed decisions. Ensuring US scientists remain fully engaged in the IPCC and the global climate science community will lead to important new research opportunities and international collaborations that benefit the US in substantial ways. The USAA-IPCC looks forward to continuing our support of US climate experts, climate science research, and the IPCC. —-- The USAA-IPCC (https://www.usaa-ipcc.org/) is composed of all the US academic institutions that have observer status with the IPCC – Colby College, College of the Atlantic, Dickinson College, Emory University, Indiana University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of California San Diego, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Yale University – together with the American Geophysical Union (AGU), which hosts the Alliance.
January 8, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
freshwaterscience.bsky.social
The Southwest Chapter is offering travel assistance to students for SFS 2026. To apply for assistance, submit your answers to the questions below to Dr. Fred Govedich ([email protected]) by March 20, 2026 (1/3).
SFS participants standing in a stream
January 7, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Reposted by Erin Hotchkiss
phoenix-rogers.bsky.social
Consider joining #SFS2026 and our special session on carbon dynamics in lentic systems! Abstracts due January 16th.

@sfs-src.bsky.social @freshwaterscience.bsky.social
January 8, 2026 at 2:19 PM