Theo Masters-Waage
@masterswaage.bsky.social
Incoming research scientist at UC Merced.
Living my dream of being a nomadic psychologist, studying group decision making with location, time, and intellectual freedom.
Living my dream of being a nomadic psychologist, studying group decision making with location, time, and intellectual freedom.
Pinned
Women advocates and men critics: How referees' gender influences candidates' likelihood of receiving a promotion
External review letters (ERLs) play a critical role in the promotion and tenure (P&T) process. However, recently, scholars have questioned their valid…
www.sciencedirect.com
Promotion and tenure (P&T) systems rely on external evaluations by arms-length reviewers.
Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters...
So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters...
So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
The paper highlights actionable steps to help improve these double standards, including more RESEARCH RELATED LANGUAGE in P &T letters for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous women to improve their outcomes.
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions - Nature Human Behaviour
Masters-Waage et al. report that underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in the USA face barriers in the promotion and tenure process, receiving more negative votes and fewer unanimous positive decisi...
www.nature.com
August 15, 2025 at 12:52 PM
The paper highlights actionable steps to help improve these double standards, including more RESEARCH RELATED LANGUAGE in P &T letters for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous women to improve their outcomes.
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Six talks in 90 minutes last week at #aom2025 offered lots of valuable + efficient + international exchange on “New Insights into the Science of Science and Scientists”
Big thx to co-organizer @masterswaage.bsky.social (pic) & presenters incl @inaganguli.bsky.social w full roster in pics
Big thx to co-organizer @masterswaage.bsky.social (pic) & presenters incl @inaganguli.bsky.social w full roster in pics
August 4, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Six talks in 90 minutes last week at #aom2025 offered lots of valuable + efficient + international exchange on “New Insights into the Science of Science and Scientists”
Big thx to co-organizer @masterswaage.bsky.social (pic) & presenters incl @inaganguli.bsky.social w full roster in pics
Big thx to co-organizer @masterswaage.bsky.social (pic) & presenters incl @inaganguli.bsky.social w full roster in pics
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Important read:
“In sum, the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T
decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions.”
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
“In sum, the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T
decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions.”
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 6, 2024 at 5:27 PM
Important read:
“In sum, the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T
decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions.”
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
“In sum, the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T
decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions.”
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
“the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions”
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions - Nature Human Behaviour
Masters-Waage et al. report that underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in the USA face barriers in the promotion and tenure process, receiving more negative votes and fewer unanimous positive decisi...
www.nature.com
October 6, 2024 at 2:44 PM
“the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions”
Thank you for sharing our research on this timely issue!
Evidence #7564 of why we need to rethink the tenure and promotion process as a culmination of support and celebration of success rather than a gauntlet to navigate or a gate to restrict people.
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
April 26, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Thank you for sharing our research on this timely issue!
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions - Nature Human Behaviour
Masters-Waage et al. report that underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in the USA face barriers in the promotion and tenure process, receiving more negative votes and fewer unanimous positive decisi...
www.nature.com
October 6, 2024 at 1:20 PM
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Why can't a man be more like a woman?......."Women advocates and men critics: How referees' gender influences candidates' likelihood of receiving a promotion"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social @aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social @aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social
March 18, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Why can't a man be more like a woman?......."Women advocates and men critics: How referees' gender influences candidates' likelihood of receiving a promotion"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social @aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social @aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social
Promotion and tenure (P&T) systems rely on external evaluations by arms-length reviewers.
Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters...
So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters...
So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Women advocates and men critics: How referees' gender influences candidates' likelihood of receiving a promotion
External review letters (ERLs) play a critical role in the promotion and tenure (P&T) process. However, recently, scholars have questioned their valid…
www.sciencedirect.com
March 11, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Promotion and tenure (P&T) systems rely on external evaluations by arms-length reviewers.
Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters...
So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters...
So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Nature Editorial Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere. US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere
US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks.
www.nature.com
February 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Nature Editorial Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere. US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Sounds a lot like Gerd Gigerenzer...
Decision biases are not flaws, they are adaptations that work well in the environment they were designed for, but not when applied to new domains.
Great to see that people are adjusting their use of these Fast-and-Frugal heuristics to the environment though!
Decision biases are not flaws, they are adaptations that work well in the environment they were designed for, but not when applied to new domains.
Great to see that people are adjusting their use of these Fast-and-Frugal heuristics to the environment though!
New WP!
The illusory truth effect (repetition -> belief) is core to psych of beliefs, & thought to be a deep bias impacting misinfo, persuasion & advertising
Why would cognition include such a flaw? We argue it is a rational adaptation to high-quality info environments 🧵1/
The illusory truth effect (repetition -> belief) is core to psych of beliefs, & thought to be a deep bias impacting misinfo, persuasion & advertising
Why would cognition include such a flaw? We argue it is a rational adaptation to high-quality info environments 🧵1/
February 3, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Sounds a lot like Gerd Gigerenzer...
Decision biases are not flaws, they are adaptations that work well in the environment they were designed for, but not when applied to new domains.
Great to see that people are adjusting their use of these Fast-and-Frugal heuristics to the environment though!
Decision biases are not flaws, they are adaptations that work well in the environment they were designed for, but not when applied to new domains.
Great to see that people are adjusting their use of these Fast-and-Frugal heuristics to the environment though!
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
“Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.”
Staffing was ‘not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report.
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2025 at 6:47 PM
“Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.”
Completely agree, in times of uncertainty focus on evidence.
Our Center is trying to do this for racial inequities in promotion and tenure.
We have evidence identifying the problem: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We have two papers under review examining solutions:
[Preprints Soon]
Our Center is trying to do this for racial inequities in promotion and tenure.
We have evidence identifying the problem: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We have two papers under review examining solutions:
[Preprints Soon]
How can we save DEI?
You can't defend a policy if you don't have good evidence for what works.
Let's do some social science:
1. Define measurable anti-racism outcomes
2. Measure them
3. Make data public (whenever possible)
4. Focus on policies that make positive differences in the outcomes
You can't defend a policy if you don't have good evidence for what works.
Let's do some social science:
1. Define measurable anti-racism outcomes
2. Measure them
3. Make data public (whenever possible)
4. Focus on policies that make positive differences in the outcomes
January 30, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Completely agree, in times of uncertainty focus on evidence.
Our Center is trying to do this for racial inequities in promotion and tenure.
We have evidence identifying the problem: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We have two papers under review examining solutions:
[Preprints Soon]
Our Center is trying to do this for racial inequities in promotion and tenure.
We have evidence identifying the problem: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We have two papers under review examining solutions:
[Preprints Soon]
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
This account is for sharing info with US scientists, both extramural and intramural to NIH, about attacks on science in the US.
Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪
We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.
Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪
We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.
January 30, 2025 at 1:18 AM
This account is for sharing info with US scientists, both extramural and intramural to NIH, about attacks on science in the US.
Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪
We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.
Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪
We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.
One thing critics of diversity initiatives (including DEI) fail to understand is that the goal is NOT to support minorities at the cost of majority group members.
Very often it is about improving a SYSTEM in ways that benefits minorities without influencing outcomes for non-minorities.
Very often it is about improving a SYSTEM in ways that benefits minorities without influencing outcomes for non-minorities.
January 30, 2025 at 7:49 PM
One thing critics of diversity initiatives (including DEI) fail to understand is that the goal is NOT to support minorities at the cost of majority group members.
Very often it is about improving a SYSTEM in ways that benefits minorities without influencing outcomes for non-minorities.
Very often it is about improving a SYSTEM in ways that benefits minorities without influencing outcomes for non-minorities.
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Buttigieg’s response to Trump vis Twitter, on multiple levels:
January 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Buttigieg’s response to Trump vis Twitter, on multiple levels:
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Somewhere in the U.S., there’s a scientist staring at their NSF/NIH grant application wondering why they bother. This post is for you. Science and society both need you. Hang in there and know there is a whole community supporting you.
January 29, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Somewhere in the U.S., there’s a scientist staring at their NSF/NIH grant application wondering why they bother. This post is for you. Science and society both need you. Hang in there and know there is a whole community supporting you.
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
Posting this update since a lot of researchers follow me here. As to what this actually means for NSF grants, I have no clue yet.
Source: new.nsf.gov/executive-or...
Source: new.nsf.gov/executive-or...
January 29, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Posting this update since a lot of researchers follow me here. As to what this actually means for NSF grants, I have no clue yet.
Source: new.nsf.gov/executive-or...
Source: new.nsf.gov/executive-or...
Those poor #tenure-track faculty who had #COVID and this... A lot of considerations to take into account in those tenure decisions...
From my research on over 2,000 promotion and tenure decisions my guess is it will only harm their chances.
From my research on over 2,000 promotion and tenure decisions my guess is it will only harm their chances.
January 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Those poor #tenure-track faculty who had #COVID and this... A lot of considerations to take into account in those tenure decisions...
From my research on over 2,000 promotion and tenure decisions my guess is it will only harm their chances.
From my research on over 2,000 promotion and tenure decisions my guess is it will only harm their chances.
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waage
This is my favorite picture of Stonewall.
They knew they were getting arrested just for being LGBTQ+.
Yet... they're still here, standing outside of the boarded up Stonewall Inn, smiling as the world was at a fever pitch of hatred against them.
I think about it a lot in moments like this.
They knew they were getting arrested just for being LGBTQ+.
Yet... they're still here, standing outside of the boarded up Stonewall Inn, smiling as the world was at a fever pitch of hatred against them.
I think about it a lot in moments like this.
January 29, 2025 at 3:18 AM
This is my favorite picture of Stonewall.
They knew they were getting arrested just for being LGBTQ+.
Yet... they're still here, standing outside of the boarded up Stonewall Inn, smiling as the world was at a fever pitch of hatred against them.
I think about it a lot in moments like this.
They knew they were getting arrested just for being LGBTQ+.
Yet... they're still here, standing outside of the boarded up Stonewall Inn, smiling as the world was at a fever pitch of hatred against them.
I think about it a lot in moments like this.
Just outrageous!
I hope the @bsky.app academic community can be the catalyst for an academic revolt against these journals.
We hold all the power, we just fail to coordinate.
Can't we just create our own public-domain journals called [JournalName]_1 and mentally transfer the prestige??
I hope the @bsky.app academic community can be the catalyst for an academic revolt against these journals.
We hold all the power, we just fail to coordinate.
Can't we just create our own public-domain journals called [JournalName]_1 and mentally transfer the prestige??
Between 2019 and 2023, researchers paid $8.968 billion to make papers open access. Imagine what else could be done with this money if it wasnt paid to for profit publishing companies...
👉 arxiv.org/abs/2407.16551
👉 arxiv.org/abs/2407.16551
January 27, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Just outrageous!
I hope the @bsky.app academic community can be the catalyst for an academic revolt against these journals.
We hold all the power, we just fail to coordinate.
Can't we just create our own public-domain journals called [JournalName]_1 and mentally transfer the prestige??
I hope the @bsky.app academic community can be the catalyst for an academic revolt against these journals.
We hold all the power, we just fail to coordinate.
Can't we just create our own public-domain journals called [JournalName]_1 and mentally transfer the prestige??