Natalia Vélez
@natvelali.bsky.social
Cognitive scientist at Princeton, personally & scientifically interested in collaboration | science sketcher | thinking in non-English 🇵🇷
Congrats Dr. Witt!! 🥳
Over the moon to announce that, as of last Friday, I’m officially #PhDone! I’d like to thank everyone who supported me along the way, including, but not limited to, my amazing supervisor @thecharleywu.bsky.social, and all members (past or present) of the HMC lab and the @velezcolab.bsky.social 🎓
November 26, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Congrats Dr. Witt!! 🥳
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
starting fall 2026 i'll be an assistant professor at @upenn.edu 🥳
my lab will develop scalable models/theories of human behavior, focused on memory and perception
currently recruiting PhD students in psychology, neuroscience, & computer science!
reach out if you're interested 😊
my lab will develop scalable models/theories of human behavior, focused on memory and perception
currently recruiting PhD students in psychology, neuroscience, & computer science!
reach out if you're interested 😊
November 25, 2025 at 9:36 PM
starting fall 2026 i'll be an assistant professor at @upenn.edu 🥳
my lab will develop scalable models/theories of human behavior, focused on memory and perception
currently recruiting PhD students in psychology, neuroscience, & computer science!
reach out if you're interested 😊
my lab will develop scalable models/theories of human behavior, focused on memory and perception
currently recruiting PhD students in psychology, neuroscience, & computer science!
reach out if you're interested 😊
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
Things I currently think you should be considering in your proposals. Although this thread will be NIH-centric, my guess is that some of this applies to NSF, etc. Much is synthesized from public information. Much of this is what we've advised all along, just with, um, more emphasis.
Here we go:
Here we go:
November 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Things I currently think you should be considering in your proposals. Although this thread will be NIH-centric, my guess is that some of this applies to NSF, etc. Much is synthesized from public information. Much of this is what we've advised all along, just with, um, more emphasis.
Here we go:
Here we go:
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Early Career Rescue Fellowship
www.uni-konstanz.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
UK science and technology is suffering from a lack of investment, a hostile immigration system, and fragile university finances, reports @cathleenogrady.bsky.social 🧪 #scipolicy
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
U.K. science sector is ‘bleeding to death,’ lawmakers say in report
House of Lords committee urges government to stem exodus of science and technology companies
www.science.org
November 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
UK science and technology is suffering from a lack of investment, a hostile immigration system, and fragile university finances, reports @cathleenogrady.bsky.social 🧪 #scipolicy
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
I am excited to share my PhD work on head-direction cells recorded in the wild, now published in @science.org, where we recorded neurons in bats flying outdoors on an island.
doi.org/10.1126/sci...
With @ray-neuro.bsky.social, Shir Maimon, Liora Las, Nachum Ulanovsky and many others
doi.org/10.1126/sci...
With @ray-neuro.bsky.social, Shir Maimon, Liora Las, Nachum Ulanovsky and many others
October 16, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I am excited to share my PhD work on head-direction cells recorded in the wild, now published in @science.org, where we recorded neurons in bats flying outdoors on an island.
doi.org/10.1126/sci...
With @ray-neuro.bsky.social, Shir Maimon, Liora Las, Nachum Ulanovsky and many others
doi.org/10.1126/sci...
With @ray-neuro.bsky.social, Shir Maimon, Liora Las, Nachum Ulanovsky and many others
Sooo proud 🥰 I've so enjoyed discussing this paper with Bella throughout our projects together, glad to see it get the spotlight!
Honored to contribute a Journal Club piece to @natrevpsychol.nature.com!
I explore Robert White's seminal "competence motivation" framework (1959) and why it remains relevant over 60 years later—from why toddlers insist on doing things themselves to designing intrinsically motivated AI. 🤖
I explore Robert White's seminal "competence motivation" framework (1959) and why it remains relevant over 60 years later—from why toddlers insist on doing things themselves to designing intrinsically motivated AI. 🤖
October 7, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Sooo proud 🥰 I've so enjoyed discussing this paper with Bella throughout our projects together, glad to see it get the spotlight!
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
We’re recruiting a postdoctoral fellow to join our team! 🎉
I’m happy to share that I’ve opened back up the search for this position (it was temporarily closed due to funding uncertainty).
See lab page and doc below for details!
I’m happy to share that I’ve opened back up the search for this position (it was temporarily closed due to funding uncertainty).
See lab page and doc below for details!
The Visual Learning Lab at UC San Diego is looking for a postdoctoral research fellow to join our lab!
Read more about our lab at www.vislearnlab.org
Read more about our lab at www.vislearnlab.org
Home | The Visual Learning Lab at UCSD
Lab webpage for the Visual Learning Lab at UCSD, lead by Dr. Bria Long, Ph.D. Launching in July 2024!
www.vislearnlab.org
October 7, 2025 at 2:39 AM
We’re recruiting a postdoctoral fellow to join our team! 🎉
I’m happy to share that I’ve opened back up the search for this position (it was temporarily closed due to funding uncertainty).
See lab page and doc below for details!
I’m happy to share that I’ve opened back up the search for this position (it was temporarily closed due to funding uncertainty).
See lab page and doc below for details!
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
Really cool, conceptually simple approach here: cross-referencing grant proposal scores with literature citations and explicit acknowledgments in drug patents to identify patents linked to projects that wouldn't have been funded given a smaller budget
This may be the most important paper ever published about NIH funded research.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
What if NIH had been 40% smaller?
Replaying history with less NIH funding shows widespread impacts on drug-linked research
www.science.org
September 25, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Really cool, conceptually simple approach here: cross-referencing grant proposal scores with literature citations and explicit acknowledgments in drug patents to identify patents linked to projects that wouldn't have been funded given a smaller budget
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
My statement on Ai from the mini-comic as syllabus i made for new class I'm teaching that starts tomorrow! It robs you of your decisions & struggles - and the joy of being surprised. We won’t to be robbed of our learning - this is essential. This & the full mini at post:
bsky.app/profile/nsou...
bsky.app/profile/nsou...
August 24, 2025 at 7:26 PM
My statement on Ai from the mini-comic as syllabus i made for new class I'm teaching that starts tomorrow! It robs you of your decisions & struggles - and the joy of being surprised. We won’t to be robbed of our learning - this is essential. This & the full mini at post:
bsky.app/profile/nsou...
bsky.app/profile/nsou...
Happy 3²/4²/5² to all who celebrate :)
September 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Happy 3²/4²/5² to all who celebrate :)
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
🚨 New paper alert! (slightly belated)
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Complex technology requires cultural innovations for distributing cognition
Over the last decade, new research has shown how human collectives can develop technologies that no single individual could discover on their own. How…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 9, 2025 at 2:48 PM
🚨 New paper alert! (slightly belated)
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
Americans: it takes just a minute to submit a comment to the EPA asking them to preserve the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which finds carbon dioxide emissions to be dangerous to public health/welfare..it underpins all subsequent federal regulation of CO2 emissions www.regulations.gov/commenton/EP...
Regulations.gov
www.regulations.gov
August 14, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Americans: it takes just a minute to submit a comment to the EPA asking them to preserve the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which finds carbon dioxide emissions to be dangerous to public health/welfare..it underpins all subsequent federal regulation of CO2 emissions www.regulations.gov/commenton/EP...
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
Come work with us! @princetonneuro.bsky.social and the Department of Psychology at Princeton University are searching for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of human cognitive neuroscience, to be hired jointly in Psychology and Neuroscience: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
puwebp.princeton.edu
August 13, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Come work with us! @princetonneuro.bsky.social and the Department of Psychology at Princeton University are searching for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of human cognitive neuroscience, to be hired jointly in Psychology and Neuroscience: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
We're hiring!!! Princeton Psych has an Assistant Prof search in cog neuro (joint with @princetonneuro.bsky.social). Apply apply apply! puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
puwebp.princeton.edu
August 15, 2025 at 1:33 AM
We're hiring!!! Princeton Psych has an Assistant Prof search in cog neuro (joint with @princetonneuro.bsky.social). Apply apply apply! puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
We got too much dim sum! If you’d like egg custard tarts, sesame buns, or pork buns, come down to the lobby! :) #cogsci2025
August 1, 2025 at 4:26 PM
We got too much dim sum! If you’d like egg custard tarts, sesame buns, or pork buns, come down to the lobby! :) #cogsci2025
Notes from @noranewcombe.bsky.social 's beautiful Rumelhart Prize "tasting menu" - congratulations Nora!!! #CogSci2025
August 1, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Notes from @noranewcombe.bsky.social 's beautiful Rumelhart Prize "tasting menu" - congratulations Nora!!! #CogSci2025
Tomorrow, P1-H-244 ☺️
Because nothing says “ready to present” like literally wearing your findings at #CogSci2025
Ham Huang leveled up from poster session to superhero mode! 🦸
Ham Huang leveled up from poster session to superhero mode! 🦸
July 30, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Tomorrow, P1-H-244 ☺️
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
(please share widely!) With the start of August quickly approaching, I wanted to announce that the usual slack for fellow people on the Psych Academic Job Market for the coming cycle has been activated. If you are interested, feel free to fill out this form to join!
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
Psych Academic Job Market Slack Interest Form
forms.gle
July 29, 2025 at 2:27 PM
(please share widely!) With the start of August quickly approaching, I wanted to announce that the usual slack for fellow people on the Psych Academic Job Market for the coming cycle has been activated. If you are interested, feel free to fill out this form to join!
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
Excited to see old friends and new science - see you in San Francisco! 🎉
The CoLab is headed to #CogSci2025!! 🥳 Here's where to find us!
July 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Excited to see old friends and new science - see you in San Francisco! 🎉
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
Alexandra Petri's writing has such punch to it, not only in terms of content but form. In her best stuff, you can *hear* her voice, and this is one of her best.
Are You Laughing Yet?
Everyone can say exactly what they want, free of the fear of censorship, except by the government.
www.theatlantic.com
July 22, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Alexandra Petri's writing has such punch to it, not only in terms of content but form. In her best stuff, you can *hear* her voice, and this is one of her best.
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
New episode!! 🎙️📣
A chat w/ @sheinalew.bsky.social & @dorsaamir.bsky.social about childhood across cultures.
Humans everywhere go through childhood—a time of learning, growth, and play. But this universal stage of life can look very different in different places.
Listen: disi.org/varieties-of...
A chat w/ @sheinalew.bsky.social & @dorsaamir.bsky.social about childhood across cultures.
Humans everywhere go through childhood—a time of learning, growth, and play. But this universal stage of life can look very different in different places.
Listen: disi.org/varieties-of...
July 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
New episode!! 🎙️📣
A chat w/ @sheinalew.bsky.social & @dorsaamir.bsky.social about childhood across cultures.
Humans everywhere go through childhood—a time of learning, growth, and play. But this universal stage of life can look very different in different places.
Listen: disi.org/varieties-of...
A chat w/ @sheinalew.bsky.social & @dorsaamir.bsky.social about childhood across cultures.
Humans everywhere go through childhood—a time of learning, growth, and play. But this universal stage of life can look very different in different places.
Listen: disi.org/varieties-of...
Y'know, I used to think I was saving so much time with LaTeX. But~manually~specifying~which~words~should stay~together~and~which~words~should~break~a~line every~time~I~wrap~text~around~a~figure~in~this~grant because~the packages~that~do~this~are~not~ideal is more absurd than ANYTHING Word could do.
July 15, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Y'know, I used to think I was saving so much time with LaTeX. But~manually~specifying~which~words~should stay~together~and~which~words~should~break~a~line every~time~I~wrap~text~around~a~figure~in~this~grant because~the packages~that~do~this~are~not~ideal is more absurd than ANYTHING Word could do.
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
New published paper with Ham Huang and @actlab.bsky.social! @cognitionjournal.bsky.social
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
July 11, 2025 at 11:51 PM
New published paper with Ham Huang and @actlab.bsky.social! @cognitionjournal.bsky.social
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Reposted by Natalia Vélez
HAPPY 75th, NSF!
We’re celebrating this milestone by highlighting some of NSF’s most transformative accomplishments—innovations that have shaped our world and continue to drive progress in health, technology, the environment, and beyond.
Read on 🧵(1/11):
We’re celebrating this milestone by highlighting some of NSF’s most transformative accomplishments—innovations that have shaped our world and continue to drive progress in health, technology, the environment, and beyond.
Read on 🧵(1/11):
May 10, 2025 at 8:19 PM
HAPPY 75th, NSF!
We’re celebrating this milestone by highlighting some of NSF’s most transformative accomplishments—innovations that have shaped our world and continue to drive progress in health, technology, the environment, and beyond.
Read on 🧵(1/11):
We’re celebrating this milestone by highlighting some of NSF’s most transformative accomplishments—innovations that have shaped our world and continue to drive progress in health, technology, the environment, and beyond.
Read on 🧵(1/11):