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Katelyn Butler

@katelynjbutler.bsky.social

710 followers 770 following 220 posts

Instructional professor & plant pathologist committed to inclusive, evidence-based teaching. Also mom to the best F1s (n=2), easily distracted by mosses & lichens, overly competitive at board games & always up for a little treat. (she/her)

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Sep 8

First day back working on campus and already mistaken for a student even though I dressed up today.

Then I met a new faculty 6 years younger than me and remembered this is my 8th year teaching.

So, I’m confused.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Aug 12

Well, my three year old asked if the specks on the outside of the strawberry were seeds. Time for a botany lesson. 🍓

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Jun 24

Nothing has made me think before I speak more than having a 3 year old.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Jun 4

And not just because I don’t want them to cheat (I don’t) but because I DO want them to think and more and more seems like I have to facilitate the space for them to do that.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Jun 4

I keep moving more and more to in class - like a final proposal they used to write in their own, I had them write in class during finals. but that’s impossible with everything in the current structure - like genetics problem sets I want them to think deeply about and puzzle through.

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 31

So fun!

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 28

My son’s exact reaction when I told him to put his shoes on this morning.

(We’ve been in a Frog and Toad phase, I love it)

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 23

I also almost didn’t know about it because I’m on maternity leave and only checked my work email to find a gift card some friends sent.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 23

I won a teaching award on campus. It’s student nominated AND for my teaching in the core curriculum (so, nonmajors) which just feels special. 🥺

college.uchicago.edu/news/uchicag...

UChicago 2025 Undergraduate Teaching Award Winners Announced

Recognizing the Swogger, Booth and Undergraduate Student teaching prizes

college.uchicago.edu

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 23

I won a teaching award on campus. It’s student nominated AND for my teaching in the core curriculum (so, nonmajors) which just feels special. 🥺

college.uchicago.edu/news/uchicag...

UChicago 2025 Undergraduate Teaching Award Winners Announced

Recognizing the Swogger, Booth and Undergraduate Student teaching prizes

college.uchicago.edu

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Reposted by Katelyn Butler

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 16

Is there a German word for choosing an inanimate object (mug, spoon, pair of socks) that you haven’t used in a while to make sure its feelings don’t get hurt?

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · May 16

Is there a German word for choosing an inanimate object (mug, spoon, pair of socks) that you haven’t used in a while to make sure its feelings don’t get hurt?

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Reposted by Katelyn Butler

Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · Apr 21

Forget touching grass, try touching some forest moss.

a small green damselfly sits on a stick on a bed of moss on the forest floor

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 21

Food or store gift cards (like for diapers). We just had our second and that’s what’s been most useful. I found getting more stuff to be overwhelming.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 18

My toddler learned giraffes have purple tongues at daycare and so we spent all of lunch looking up animal tongue colors.

Do any of you have some good animal tongues I can share with him?

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 17

I just checked my Field Museum volunteer discord for the first time in weeks and bummed I missed out on so many good “dire wolf” memes back when they were relevant.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 15

In grad school I participated in a potato taste test for potato breeders and there was one potato that distinctly tasted like stinky shoes.

🥔

Sarah Taber @sarahtaber.bsky.social · Apr 15

For every new apple variety that shows up at the grocery store, there are thousands of godawful, mushy, bitter, acid "spitters" that never made it off the research farm.

And plant scientists eat them all. To make sure you never have to 🫡

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 1

😞 thought we had it there for a minute. Feeling adrift in a sea of defeat (get it?) #TeamAutotrophForLife #2025MMM

Katie Hinde @mammalssuck.bsky.social · Apr 1

POLAR BEAR OUTLASTS GINKGO & RHIZZO!!!! #2025MMM

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 28

Plant induced carnage! Love to see it. 🌱 #TeamAutotrophAndFriends #2025MMM

Katie Hinde @mammalssuck.bsky.social · Mar 28

GINKGO & RHIZZO CRUSH ALLIGATOR GAR!!! #2025MMM

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 27

Can we please get books with picture inserts to use Figure References so we know to go look at the picture at the right time and see them in context?

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 26

I sold 10 books to the local bookstore today and only came home with 4. This feels like a victory. 📕

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 25

Are those arteries and veins coming out of the tronk? Revolutionary, if true.

Zach Weinersmith @zachweinersmith.bsky.social · Mar 25

OpenAI’s new image model is great at botany

Reposted by Katelyn Butler

ASPB Early Career Plant Scientists Section @ecps.bsky.social · Mar 25

Exciting news, ECPS members!
The ASPB ECPS Travel Award applications are OPEN for #PlantBio2025, July 26–30, 2025 in Milwaukee! Get up to $500 to present, network & grow!
Deadline: April 4, 2025, 11:59 PM PT
Apply now! 👉
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PlantScience #TravelAward #ASPB

ECPS Travel Award for PB25

The Early Career Plant Scientists section of ASPB is currently accepting applications for travel awards for the annual meeting in Milwaukee, July 26-30. Fifteen Awards of up to $500 will be distribute...

docs.google.com

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 25

They had them in the kids?! I got mine from the men’s. I need to find one for my kiddo so we can be the photosynthesis phamily.

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 25

I have that shirt! And I made my husband get a matching one. ☀️ 🌱

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Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 21

#2025MMM

Katelyn Butler @katelynjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 21

SEED Sixteen? Sweet SEED-teen?

Either way, an exciting victory for #TeamAutotroph #AndFriends

Katie Hinde @mammalssuck.bsky.social · Mar 21

Gingko (& Rhizo) OUTLAST Asian Forest Tortoise!!! #2025MMM