North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
LightNews LightNews
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
@naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
270 followers 31 following 240 posts
Account by NAASC Executive Director. Posts are mine. https://www.arabidopsiscommunity.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee @naascarabidopsis.bsky.social · May 15
I’m happy that our commentary is out! (It would be wonderful if this made a difference!)
In defense of funding foundational plant science academic.oup.com/plcell/artic...
In defense of funding foundational plant science
academic.oup.com
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
NAASC is happy to share the newly elected:
1- faculty: Anna Dobritsa, Ohio State University, Tomo Kawashima, University of Kentucky, USA
2- early career scholars: Maria Gómez Méndez, UC Riverside, USA Daniela DeLa Mora, CINVESTAV Mexico, Julia Zheku, UBC, Canada!
Thanks to all on the ballot! 💚
November 20, 2025 at 10:45 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
Check out this new blog- WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN PLANT SCIENCE- by Vincent Cerbantez Bueno, elected early career member of NAASC! www.arabidopsiscommunity.org/news-events/...
WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN PLANT SCIENCE — Arabidopsis Community as supported by NAASC
A career in plant science sounds exciting, right? You get to grow plants, take care of them, and study how they work. But the truth is, a career in plant science involves much more than just work...
www.arabidopsiscommunity.org
November 18, 2025 at 8:12 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
There's still time to RSVP and receive the Zoom link for the Philip N. Benfey Arabidopsis Community Lifetime Achievement Awards webinar featuring Detlef Weigel, Mark Estelle, and Maarten Koornneef!
RSVP---> bit.ly/naascawards
@plantevolution.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
A must read!
rachelscience.bsky.social Rachel Ehrenberg @rachelscience.bsky.social · 22d
Arabidopsis, a little weed in the mustard family, joined the celebrity ranks of Drosophila, E. coli and other model organisms in the 1980s. There was a lot of pushback-- in some circles it was referred to as the "A-word" (!)
knowablemag.bsky.social Knowable Magazine @knowablemag.bsky.social · 22d
Arabidopsis thaliana was always an unlikely candidate for the limelight. But 25 years ago, the diminutive thale cress launched the botanical world into the molecular era.

✍️ Rachel Ehrenberg

knowmag.org/4hImL8e
November 4, 2025 at 5:32 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
YAY! this is excellent! From Knowable Magazine: How Arabidopsis thaliana, a humble weed, became a superstar of plant biology | Knowable Magazine knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
How a humble weed became a superstar of biology
Arabidopsis thaliana was always an unlikely candidate for the limelight. But 25 years ago, the diminutive thale cress launched the botanical world into the molecular era.
knowablemagazine.org
November 4, 2025 at 12:23 AM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
Watch the Community Impact Awards Presentations!
Times: 5:20-15:06: Jose Dinneny.
19:35-30:07: Jade Bleau.
33:30-15:06: Joanna Friesner.
46:40-1:01: Q&A by Mary Gehring
@jadebleau.bsky.social @jfriesner.bsky.social @josedinneny.bsky.social
@stanfordstomata.bsky.social @spoel-lab.bsky.social
2025 Community Impact Awards: Jose Dinneny, Jade Bleau & Joanna Friesner
YouTube video by NAASC
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 11:05 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
Strengthening the future of science: Why joining a scientific society has never been more important - Ryan - 2025 - Plant Biotechnology Journal - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:41 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
University admin & faculty- read this and consider what your core beliefs are- are they: free expression, rewarding merit, and inclusion?
chanda.blacksky.app Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · Oct 10
MIT President Sally Kornbluth just issued a statement to the campus community saying NO to Trump’s authoritarian compact

“And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.”
Dear Madam Secretary, I write in response to your letter of October 1, inviting MIT to review a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." I acknowledge the vital importance of these matters. I appreciated the chance to meet with you earlier this year to discuss the priorities we share for American higher education. As we discussed, the Institute's mission of service to the nation directs us to advance knowledge, educate students and bring knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. We do that in line with a clear set of values, with excellence above all. Some practical examples: • MIT prides itself on rewarding merit. Students, faculty and staff succeed here based on the strength of their talent, ideas and hard work. For instance, the Institute was the first to reinstate the SAT/ACT requirement after the pandemic. And MIT has never had legacy preferences in admissions. • MIT opens its doors to the most talented students regardless of their family's finances. Admissions are need-blind. Incoming undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000 a year pay no tuition. Nearly 88% of our last graduating class left MIT with no debt for their education. We make a wealth of free courses and low-cost certificates available to any American with an internet connection. Of the undergraduate degrees we award, 94% are in STEM fields. And in service to the nation, we cap enrollment of international undergraduates at roughly 10%. • We value free expression, as clearly described in the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. We must hear facts and opinions we don't like - and engage respectfully with those with whom we disagree. These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they're right, and we live by them because they support our mission - work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law. The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone. In our view, America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that tree marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education. As you know, MIT's record of service to the nation is long and enduring. Eight decades ago, MIT leaders helped invent a scientific partnership between America's research universities and the U.S. government that has delivered extraordinary benefits for the American people. We continue to believe in the power of this partnership to serve the nation. Sincerely, Sally Kornbluth CC Ms. May Mailman Mr. Vincent Haley
October 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
plantaeofficial.bsky.social
#JustIn on Plantae — Staying Sane in the Lab: Tips for Mental Health Strategies for Researchers. In this new piece, ASPB Plantae Fellows Katarina K., Nibedita P., and Ann-Kathrin R. explore realistic strategies for building resilience and protecting your mental health. buff.ly/lI8coP3

#plantscience
Staying Sane in the Lab: Tips for Mental Health Strategies for Researchers | Plantae
This blog post explore realistic strategies for building resilience and protecting your mental health while sustaining your passion for research.
buff.ly
October 10, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
plantaeofficial.bsky.social
📣 Join us for the upcoming Plantae webinar on October 23 at 9 am Eastern time, hosted by the 2025 Plantae Fellows.🌱

👉 Free registration at buff.ly/YRoRap9

#PlantScience
Image Text: Plantae Presents - Rooted in Balance: Building Healthy Work-Life Balance as a Plant Scientist. Featuring Kevin Cope, Jessica Erickson, Gnanesh Nanjappa, and Vojtěch Schmidt. Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 6:00 AM PDT | 9:00 AM EDT | 2:00 PM BST | 9:00 PM Beijing. Featuring the Plantae logo and image of a plant scientist working on an experiment.
October 10, 2025 at 3:15 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
I’m looking forward to reading this! The title alone caught my eye 👀 l do want the boxed set!
somssich.bsky.social Marc Somssich @somssich.bsky.social · Oct 9
Our article "Guns in Rosettes: The Arabidopsis chemical weapons arsenal" is finally published @plantphys.bsky.social!
You can download the #OpenAccess PDF here:

doi.org/10.1093/plph...

But real connoisseurs of #AntimicrobialCompounds will want to get the vinyl boxset: #PlantScience #PlantImmunity
A vinyl box with six colored vinyl LPs sticking out of its right side. The Title "Guns in Rosettes" is on top, with the subtitle "The Arabidopsis chemical weapons arsenal" just below. Then there is an Arabidopsis plant with machine guns sticking out. Below is the statement "6-LP LIMITED EDITION COLORED VINYL BOX SET" The back cover of the vinyl box set showing the tracklist: 1. Methionine-derived compounds Aliphatic GSLs 2. Tryptophan-derived compounds (trptonites) Indolic GSLs Camalexin Hycanite (4-OH-ICN) 3. Phenylalanine-derived compounds (phenylpropanoids) Benzenic GSLs Coumarins Hydroxycinnamates Flavonoids 4. Terpenoids (E)-β-caryophyllene α- and β-pinene Thalianin, arabidin, and DMNT And the statement "Recorded live in front of an audience in 2025"
October 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
newphyt.bsky.social
Apply for the New Phytologist Tansley Medal!

'It was exciting to have a chance, as an early career researcher, to write something in my voice, with my take on where my field is going.' – Matthew Naish, 2024 #TansleyMedal winner

Deadline 1 November 2025:
New Phytologist Tansley Medal for excellence in plant science
The New Phytologist Tansley Medal is awarded annually in recognition of an outstanding contribution to research in plant science by an early career researcher.
www.newphytologist.org
October 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
cambiochem.bsky.social
There is still time to apply for an Independent Research Fellowship in our Department. Join us: www.bioc.cam.ac.uk/research/ind...
October 7, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
msupri.bsky.social
We're excited to welcome Christopher Topp to the Plant Resilience Institute! Dr. Topp uses powerful imaging tools to envision the future of sustainable agriculture, and he will soon bring his expertise in root biology to MSU. Read the full story: plantresilience.msu.edu/pri-news/202...
The graphic features a background image of roots over a green gradient. The title says "Chris Topp Puts Down Roots at MSU PRI." There is a headshot of Chris Topp on the righthand side with the following text on the left, "Christopher N. Topp, Ph.D., Professor, Plant Resilience Institute, Department of Plant Biology, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University” and the MSU PRI logo underneath.
October 8, 2025 at 2:45 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
RSVP for this upcoming (Oct 23, register by Oct 21) Workshop:
Quantifying Plant Morphogenesis: 4D Insights with MorphoGraphX with Dr. Ya Min & Dr. Shuyao Kong.

Brought to you by PMEX, @plantpostdocs.bsky.social, and NAASC. RSVP @ https:/tinyurl.com/PMEXOctober
@mingyuanzhu.bsky.social
October 6, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
plantsciencedbg.bsky.social
#PlantSciJobs #PlantSciJob

Group Leader Position

Molecular Plant Sciences: Cell biology and biochemistry to unravel fundamental processes in plant development and biology

School of Life Sciences @TU Muenchen in Freising-Weihenstephan
www.deutsche-botanische-gesellschaft.de/stellenangeb...
Stellenangebote
Stellenausschreibungen in Pflanzenwissenschaften und Botanik
www.deutsche-botanische-gesellschaft.de
September 30, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
somssich.bsky.social
I never saw this beautiful video about Joanne Chory, published in 2024 in honor of her receiving the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhP1...

In case somebody else missed it too...

#PlantScience #FranklinMedal
Joanne Chory | 2024 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science
YouTube video by The Franklin Institute
www.youtube.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
tairnews.bsky.social
"Postdoctoral and PhD positions in Plant Evolutionary Developmental Biology at Yunnan University, Yunnan, China
*Application Deadline: 10/31/2025"

Read more here: https://arabidopsis.org/news/jobs/view?file=168745.pdf

#PlantSciJobs
September 30, 2025 at 11:06 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
New MASC initiative to support early career colleagues in need- especially in the U.S. & Argentina - please take a look & send comments to MASC President Thorsten Hamann by Oct 15
tairnews.bsky.social The Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR) @tairnews.bsky.social · Sep 29
📣Magnifying a new initiative from MASC (Multi-national Arabidopsis Steering Committee) to support colleagues in need
tinyurl.com/MASC-initiat...
Please read the document and return comments to Thorsten Hamann ([email protected]) by Oct. 15th. Please share.
#arabidopsis #community #plantscience
A png of people holding hands
October 1, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
environment.theguardian.com
Meat is a leading emissions source – but few outlets report on it, analysis finds
Meat is a leading emissions source – but few outlets report on it, analysis finds
Sentient Media reveals less than 4% of climate news stories mention animal agriculture as source of carbon emissions
www.theguardian.com
September 27, 2025 at 11:04 AM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
this year's applicants - now limited to 1st YEAR GRAD STUDENTS- “will have just over 6 weeks—& that’s only after earlier this week the agency extended the posted deadlines by about 2 weeks, from late October to early November, with no announcement or explanation.”
www.science.org/content/arti...
‘Completely shattered.’ Changes to NSF’s graduate student fellowship spur outcry
The announcement comes months later than usual, leaving many would-be applicants stranded
www.science.org
September 28, 2025 at 5:43 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
Summary of the recent Joanne Chory Symposium!
Dr. Chory was also an inaugural recipient of a PN Benfey Arabidopsis Community Lifetime Achievement award.
More about her extraordinary career 👉🏼https://www.arabidopsiscommunity.org/news-events/joanne-chory
September 28, 2025 at 4:12 PM
naascarabidopsis.bsky.social
Peak success? Being cited by an article about Taylor Swift’s videos and learning in Botany 😜
@josedinneny.bsky.social @plantteaching.bsky.social @bradylabs.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
September 28, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
igemhq.bsky.social
Engineering flowers as a means for public outreach and art!

Dr. @nickdesnoyer.bsky.social reimagines Arabidopsis with new colors and shapes, blending plant biology, synthetic biology and creative arts!

Hear him speak at SB 8.0 at the iGEM Grand Jamboree! jamboree.igem.org/2025/program...
September 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
jxbotany.bsky.social
⏰ Don’t forget – applications for the JXB 2026 Editorial Internships closes next Tuesday (30 Sept)! 🌱✍️

⚠️ Don’t leave it to last minute – the application takes some work:
📄 CV
📝 Cover letter
🔍 Commentary (Insight style, max 1500 words, based on a JXB paper ≥ July 2024)

Apply now: bit.ly/jxbinterns
jxbotany.bsky.social Journal of Experimental Botany @jxbotany.bsky.social · Sep 22
🚨 Calling all #PlantScience ECRs! 🚨

JXB is now inviting applications for its 2026 Editorial Internships 🌱✍️ 🧪

✨ You’ll gain:
🌿 Behind-the-scenes publishing experience
📝 Write commentary pieces
🤝 Join our 2026 Editorial Board meeting 👩‍💻

🗓️ Deadline: 30 Sept
👉 bit.ly/jxbinterns @sebiology.bsky.social
September 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM