Ian Medeiros
@iandmedeiros.bsky.social
Postdoctoral Fellow at National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Lichens, symbiosis, phylogenetics, genomics.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Resolving this took me 2 hours, and my New York colleague at least one hour.
Scale that up to all museum records and that's why there isn't more available digitally.
Support museum folks. Cite the collections data.
Scale that up to all museum records and that's why there isn't more available digitally.
Support museum folks. Cite the collections data.
During audit week I found a record of a curious pigeon. It was from a collector (Mathews) and location (Queensland) that was entirely plausible, and the record was created before 2004. Sounds easy, right?
I couldn't find it.
I couldn't find it.
November 14, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Resolving this took me 2 hours, and my New York colleague at least one hour.
Scale that up to all museum records and that's why there isn't more available digitally.
Support museum folks. Cite the collections data.
Scale that up to all museum records and that's why there isn't more available digitally.
Support museum folks. Cite the collections data.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Applications are OPEN for the 2026 MSA Award Period! Deadline 1 February 2026. New this year is the "Don Pfister Graduate Fellowship Award", for graduate students requiring work in fungaria. msafungi.org/application-... #MSAfungi #mycology
November 2, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Applications are OPEN for the 2026 MSA Award Period! Deadline 1 February 2026. New this year is the "Don Pfister Graduate Fellowship Award", for graduate students requiring work in fungaria. msafungi.org/application-... #MSAfungi #mycology
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
#Fire avoidance & long-term population decline in the endangered Florida ground #lichen #Cladonia perforata within a pyrogenic habitat
New #AJB research by @sterlingherron.bsky.social, Katherine Charton, Sarah Haller Crate, Stacy Smith, et al.
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2... #botany #plantscience
New #AJB research by @sterlingherron.bsky.social, Katherine Charton, Sarah Haller Crate, Stacy Smith, et al.
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2... #botany #plantscience
October 29, 2025 at 3:09 PM
#Fire avoidance & long-term population decline in the endangered Florida ground #lichen #Cladonia perforata within a pyrogenic habitat
New #AJB research by @sterlingherron.bsky.social, Katherine Charton, Sarah Haller Crate, Stacy Smith, et al.
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2... #botany #plantscience
New #AJB research by @sterlingherron.bsky.social, Katherine Charton, Sarah Haller Crate, Stacy Smith, et al.
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2... #botany #plantscience
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
This is an INCREDIBLE advance in our understanding of coral diversification. 🪸🎉 Fantastic new work led by @claudiavaga.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A global coral phylogeny reveals resilience and vulnerability through deep time - Nature
The most recent common ancestor of the stony coral Scleractinia dates to about 460 million years ago and was probably a solitary, heterotrophic and free-living organism.
www.nature.com
October 23, 2025 at 1:52 PM
This is an INCREDIBLE advance in our understanding of coral diversification. 🪸🎉 Fantastic new work led by @claudiavaga.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
my first story back as a freelancer is a fun one: a quick hit for @science.org about the electrostatic tricks that parasitic worms take to infect their hosts... featuring very cool videos! 🧪
Bull’s-eye! Static electricity pulls worm through air to its insect victim
Electrostatic charges may help roundworms infect a wide variety of hosts
www.science.org
October 19, 2025 at 11:08 PM
my first story back as a freelancer is a fun one: a quick hit for @science.org about the electrostatic tricks that parasitic worms take to infect their hosts... featuring very cool videos! 🧪
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
I am positively impressed by the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin! Their cycad collection is quite stunning, and their Wood's cycad is healthy (and huge!) 🌱🌾🧪
March 2, 2024 at 11:55 AM
I am positively impressed by the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin! Their cycad collection is quite stunning, and their Wood's cycad is healthy (and huge!) 🌱🌾🧪
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
New, from me: it is amazing we have been told for years about the danger of identity politics, but that narrative excludes the most powerful identity politics shaping our politics and government.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/white-chri...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/white-chri...
White Christian nationalism: the most powerful identity politics
A vision of government centered on controlling the lives of others
donmoynihan.substack.com
February 28, 2024 at 1:19 PM
New, from me: it is amazing we have been told for years about the danger of identity politics, but that narrative excludes the most powerful identity politics shaping our politics and government.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/white-chri...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/white-chri...
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
I see several mentions in this piece about “efficiency”. I’m assuming efficiency here means monetary ROI (because of course it does).
Equating efficiency with importance is an incredibly shortsighted and damaging way to view universities, and we will regret letting that mindset fester.
Equating efficiency with importance is an incredibly shortsighted and damaging way to view universities, and we will regret letting that mindset fester.
February 29, 2024 at 1:14 AM
I see several mentions in this piece about “efficiency”. I’m assuming efficiency here means monetary ROI (because of course it does).
Equating efficiency with importance is an incredibly shortsighted and damaging way to view universities, and we will regret letting that mindset fester.
Equating efficiency with importance is an incredibly shortsighted and damaging way to view universities, and we will regret letting that mindset fester.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
This whole thing is gutting.
Faculty allege decision to close Duke Herbarium motivated by departmental competition, ‘limited resources’
Herbarium faculty members say that administrators ultimately decided that the department’s limited funds would be better spent in support of more productive initiatives, namely the Duke University Phy...
www.dukechronicle.com
February 28, 2024 at 9:26 PM
This whole thing is gutting.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Duke is closing its legendary herbarium—the oldest and largest ever to be abandoned by its host.
the decision is "just appalling" given the "diabolical crisis regarding diversity and climate," the herbarium director said.
Hannah Seo on why this matters for all of us, scientist or not 🧪🌎
the decision is "just appalling" given the "diabolical crisis regarding diversity and climate," the herbarium director said.
Hannah Seo on why this matters for all of us, scientist or not 🧪🌎
The Lady Gaga Ferns Are Losing Their Home. It's Surprisingly Tragic for Science and Society.
Duke University is closing its century-old herbarium—a legendary plant collection and training ground—to the outcry of many.
atmos.earth
February 26, 2024 at 2:37 PM
Duke is closing its legendary herbarium—the oldest and largest ever to be abandoned by its host.
the decision is "just appalling" given the "diabolical crisis regarding diversity and climate," the herbarium director said.
Hannah Seo on why this matters for all of us, scientist or not 🧪🌎
the decision is "just appalling" given the "diabolical crisis regarding diversity and climate," the herbarium director said.
Hannah Seo on why this matters for all of us, scientist or not 🧪🌎
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Every project proposal should have a voucher specimen management plan!
2) a wakeup call for all plant and fungal researchers - we must make continuous and substantial efforts to integrate collections into our research and teaching?
are we actively depositing specimens in herbaria?
are we putting specimens in front of every undergrad?
are we communicating their value?
are we actively depositing specimens in herbaria?
are we putting specimens in front of every undergrad?
are we communicating their value?
February 26, 2024 at 3:00 AM
Every project proposal should have a voucher specimen management plan!
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Don't forget that today is the first of two Drop-In Office Hours to learn more about the PLANTS program, a mentored Botany Conference experience for underrepresented undergraduates.
Drop in between 2–3pm EST.
For Zoom link visit: www.botany.org/calendar/dis...
Drop in between 2–3pm EST.
For Zoom link visit: www.botany.org/calendar/dis...
February 23, 2024 at 4:17 PM
Don't forget that today is the first of two Drop-In Office Hours to learn more about the PLANTS program, a mentored Botany Conference experience for underrepresented undergraduates.
Drop in between 2–3pm EST.
For Zoom link visit: www.botany.org/calendar/dis...
Drop in between 2–3pm EST.
For Zoom link visit: www.botany.org/calendar/dis...
The "We are a university with limited resources" line is purely dissembling. The key quote is right before that, when Dr. Alberts comes closer than I have seen in any other public statement to admitting that the biologists with political power at Duke just don't want to hire systematists anymore.
Duke Shuts Down Huge Plant Collection, Causing Scientific Uproar www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/s...
Duke Shuts Down Huge Plant Collection, Causing Scientific Uproar
University officials say they cannot afford to maintain one of the largest herbariums in the United States. Researchers are urging Duke to reconsider.
www.nytimes.com
February 22, 2024 at 5:19 AM
The "We are a university with limited resources" line is purely dissembling. The key quote is right before that, when Dr. Alberts comes closer than I have seen in any other public statement to admitting that the biologists with political power at Duke just don't want to hire systematists anymore.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Botanical Society of America urges Duke University to reconsider decision to disperse Duke Herbarium.
Read letter here: cms.botany.org/file.php?fil...
Read letter here: cms.botany.org/file.php?fil...
February 21, 2024 at 10:22 PM
Botanical Society of America urges Duke University to reconsider decision to disperse Duke Herbarium.
Read letter here: cms.botany.org/file.php?fil...
Read letter here: cms.botany.org/file.php?fil...
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
THREAD! Duke Herbarium and its importance. Of course some bean counter wants to shut it down.
Some people may be wondering—if the collections are going to end up in another herbarium, what is the big deal? The specimens and their data will still be protected, right? But that isn't the whole story... 1/n
I was just forwarded communications from Duke admins that this is true: one of the largest and most active herbaria in the United States is being closed in the middle of an extinction crisis, because Duke leadership does not wish to support the infrastructure costs.
February 19, 2024 at 4:59 PM
THREAD! Duke Herbarium and its importance. Of course some bean counter wants to shut it down.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
If you're looking for a positive story about herbaria these days, I'll re-share this excellent photo essay by TTU Photographer Justin Rex on our work in the Guadalupe Mountains, connecting 50-year old specimens with modern collections.
texastechuniversity.exposure.co/peak-botanyn...
texastechuniversity.exposure.co/peak-botanyn...
Peak Botany
Peak Botany
texastechuniversity.exposure.co
February 16, 2024 at 9:25 PM
If you're looking for a positive story about herbaria these days, I'll re-share this excellent photo essay by TTU Photographer Justin Rex on our work in the Guadalupe Mountains, connecting 50-year old specimens with modern collections.
texastechuniversity.exposure.co/peak-botanyn...
texastechuniversity.exposure.co/peak-botanyn...
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
A university with a notoriously humongous endowment and megadonors won’t (not can’t) keep one of our greatest 🌱 biodiversity resources operating. A bad omen for those of us who curate & manage smaller collections... #CollectionsAreEssential 🧪
February 16, 2024 at 3:22 PM
A university with a notoriously humongous endowment and megadonors won’t (not can’t) keep one of our greatest 🌱 biodiversity resources operating. A bad omen for those of us who curate & manage smaller collections... #CollectionsAreEssential 🧪
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
For sure the greater tragedy is that closing the herbarium signals the end of plant/fungal biodiversity research at Duke. If you start there, the decision to close logically follows. I have two aims:
1) to make sure Duke is publicly shamed for its abandonment of basic science
1) to make sure Duke is publicly shamed for its abandonment of basic science
February 17, 2024 at 4:33 PM
For sure the greater tragedy is that closing the herbarium signals the end of plant/fungal biodiversity research at Duke. If you start there, the decision to close logically follows. I have two aims:
1) to make sure Duke is publicly shamed for its abandonment of basic science
1) to make sure Duke is publicly shamed for its abandonment of basic science
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
This is the key point of this thread 🧪
It's that if this goes through, and Duke ceases to be a training center for plant and fungal systematics, we will have a future with even fewer scientists who know how to study the biodiversity of ferns, lichens, mosses, etc. ... 8/n
February 18, 2024 at 2:42 PM
This is the key point of this thread 🧪
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
This is a great thread on the essential training mission of university herbaria, DUKE in particular
Some people may be wondering—if the collections are going to end up in another herbarium, what is the big deal? The specimens and their data will still be protected, right? But that isn't the whole story... 1/n
I was just forwarded communications from Duke admins that this is true: one of the largest and most active herbaria in the United States is being closed in the middle of an extinction crisis, because Duke leadership does not wish to support the infrastructure costs.
February 18, 2024 at 2:22 PM
This is a great thread on the essential training mission of university herbaria, DUKE in particular
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
Beyond disappointed by the news at Duke University. Though I haven’t collected many specimens myself, it would be impossible to study the mechanisms underlying species range limits, variation among species in range size, and spatial and temporal patterns of biodiversity without herbaria.
Some people may be wondering—if the collections are going to end up in another herbarium, what is the big deal? The specimens and their data will still be protected, right? But that isn't the whole story... 1/n
I was just forwarded communications from Duke admins that this is true: one of the largest and most active herbaria in the United States is being closed in the middle of an extinction crisis, because Duke leadership does not wish to support the infrastructure costs.
February 18, 2024 at 1:53 PM
Beyond disappointed by the news at Duke University. Though I haven’t collected many specimens myself, it would be impossible to study the mechanisms underlying species range limits, variation among species in range size, and spatial and temporal patterns of biodiversity without herbaria.
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
I learned what a species is because I worked in an (underfunded) herbarium. My research focuses on plant variation because I was responsible for a tiny portion of our shared botanical history. I could hold a century's worth of change in my hands + I realised how fascinating that was.
🧪🌾🌎 #research
🧪🌾🌎 #research
Herbaria, especially university herbarium like DUKE, contribute to the study of biodiversity in two complementary ways. Being an archive for specimens is one of their objectives, but an equally important objective is training scientists. 2/n
February 18, 2024 at 4:44 AM
I learned what a species is because I worked in an (underfunded) herbarium. My research focuses on plant variation because I was responsible for a tiny portion of our shared botanical history. I could hold a century's worth of change in my hands + I realised how fascinating that was.
🧪🌾🌎 #research
🧪🌾🌎 #research
Reposted by Ian Medeiros
As the botany and natural collections communities react to the closure of Duke Herbarium, now's a great time to think about how we can raise awareness on the value of collections for all disciplines, not just students already invested in biology. 🧪🌾🌎 #research
Agreed! That’s my plan in my non-majors botany course, 144 students every year have to think through why some data is better than others for their distribution mapping project. Great data science lesson, better awareness for collections!
February 18, 2024 at 4:37 AM
As the botany and natural collections communities react to the closure of Duke Herbarium, now's a great time to think about how we can raise awareness on the value of collections for all disciplines, not just students already invested in biology. 🧪🌾🌎 #research
Some people may be wondering—if the collections are going to end up in another herbarium, what is the big deal? The specimens and their data will still be protected, right? But that isn't the whole story... 1/n
I was just forwarded communications from Duke admins that this is true: one of the largest and most active herbaria in the United States is being closed in the middle of an extinction crisis, because Duke leadership does not wish to support the infrastructure costs.
sad news - Duke University decided to dump their herbarium, which has over 800,000 plant specimens, one of the largest among in America, and includes many type specimens of Lady Gaga ferns. What a shame. Please stop Duke admins for making this horrible mistake!!
February 18, 2024 at 3:54 AM
Some people may be wondering—if the collections are going to end up in another herbarium, what is the big deal? The specimens and their data will still be protected, right? But that isn't the whole story... 1/n