Noam Ross
@noamross.net
7.6K followers 1K following 4.8K posts
Computational disease ecologist. Executive Director of @ropensci.org. Co-founder of https://grant-witness.us/. Brooklynite. One Health, open science, #RStats, cities, civics, bikes, fun, love, progress + justice. he/him
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Reposted by Noam Ross
donmoyn.bsky.social
"Standing up to defend your programs and staff and ending up in the crosshairs of this vindictive administration could be devastating. But many of these leaders seem not to be including the risk of losing the trust of members of the communities they are charged to lead."
Moreover, by remaining so silent, these officials are limiting opportunities for building coalitions with one another and with the public, many of whom would be eager to show their support for scientific research, with its potential to improve so many aspects of our lives and to drive economic growth and stability. Such coalitions may exist “behind the scenes” but they could have been much stronger, and could have helped many institutions and individuals manage the almost daily chaos being imposed on the scientific enterprise. They might have also engaged components of the private sector who have huge stakes in publicly funded research.
noamross.net
Jeremy's essay speaks to something I've been struggling to articulate: How narrow the role of "leadership" is that supposed institutional leaders have taken. There seems a real lack of imagination or moral vision in their defensive posture.
donmoyn.bsky.social
New from @jeremymberg.bsky.social at Can We Still Govern:
"Silence may protect an institution from becoming an early target, but history shows that it increases the likelihood that that institution (and many others) will be become targets over time."
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/deafening-...
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
Leaders are underestimating the risks of not fighting back
donmoynihan.substack.com
Reposted by Noam Ross
donmoyn.bsky.social
New from @jeremymberg.bsky.social at Can We Still Govern:
"Silence may protect an institution from becoming an early target, but history shows that it increases the likelihood that that institution (and many others) will be become targets over time."
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/deafening-...
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
Leaders are underestimating the risks of not fighting back
donmoynihan.substack.com
Reposted by Noam Ross
carlzimmer.com
Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE
nyti.ms
Reposted by Noam Ross
joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Best consideration deadline, Friday Oct 10:

#SCIMaP (scienceimacts.org) seeks to hire a Research Communications and Media Outreach Specialist at U-Maryland to facilitate public engagement related to federal investment in science and health research.

umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UMCP/j...
SCIMaP job opportunity - https://umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UMCP/job/Research-Communications-and-Media-Outreach-Specialist_JR102577
Reposted by Noam Ross
noamross.net
Amelia Knopf, @karmacap.bsky.social and @knelphd.bsky.social write in Pediatrics about how the terminations of clinical trials of children and adolescents represent cracks in the foundation of ethical research, and the moral responsibility to repair them: doi.org/10.1542/peds...
ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF STUDY TERMINATIONS
As of July 2025, the National Institutes of Health has terminated approx-
imately 4700 of the grants it awarded for scientific research, training, and
infrastructure.1 Very little of the public discourse regarding the grant ter-
minations has focused on their implications for research participants who
were or would have been enrolled in the trials the grants supported. The
terminated awards are linked to 200 active registered clinical trials, which
had a total planned enrollment of more than 689 000 human subjects,
approximately 20% of whom are infants, children, and adolescents.1
Nearly all the affected trials that included children and adolescents
focused on stigmatized health issues (eg, HIV, substance use, depression),
and/or persons with marginalized identities (eg, sexual and gender minor-
ity; Black or African American and Latiné). Individuals with marginalized
identities are underrepresented in clinical research,2 even when they are
at greater risk for the illness under study. The issue of underrepresenta-
tion in research is especially relevant for minor adolescents (those youn-
ger than 18 years old) because of ethical and legal barriers to their
participation. Barriers include concerns about minors’ capacity to consent,
confidentiality of sensitive information (sexual behavior, substance use)
when parental consent is required, and researcher and institutional con-
cerns about liability when waivers of parental consent are granted for
minors’ enrollment.3
As adolescent health researchers, we have each invested over a decade
of work to address the complex ethical and legal issues that prevent ado-
lescents from participating in research, especially on sensitive or stigma-
tized health issues. Through meticulous efforts to engage and build trust
with adolescents, parents or guardians, and regulatory personnel, we have
enrolled thousands of adolescents in our studies...
noamross.net
Yes! Thank you!
Reposted by Noam Ross
joho.bsky.social
Bari Weiss and the Free Press published rank covid disinformation and nothing else.

These are the people purging and censoring science today.

She’s not just a fraud, she’s utterly malignant and contemptible, as she lies under the guise of “free thinking.”
• Dr. Jay Bhattacharya: The Government Censored Me and Other Scientists. We Fought Back-and Won
• Dr. Jay Bhattacharya: Free Speech on Trial
• Dr. Marty Makary: Dr. Fauci's Legacy
• Drs. Tracy Hoeg and Marty Makary: U.S.
Public Health Agencies Aren't 'Following the Science,'
• Dr. Marty Makary: Officials Say, Universities' Covid Policies Defy Science and Reason,
• Drs. Vinay Prasad, Stefan Baral, Lucy McBride: Bringing Sanity to the Omicron Chaos, Talking To Three Doctors Who Have Been Islands Of Reason In A Sea Of Confusion.
• Dr. Vinay Prasad: Let Djokovic Play
• Dr. Vinay Prasad: We Have a Tripledemic.
Not of Disease, But of Fear,
• Drs. Vinay Prasad and John Mandrola: The Epidemic of #DiedSuddenly
• Dr. Vinay Prasad: How to Save Science From
Covid Politics
• Dr. Vinay Prasad: What RFK Jr. Gets Right— and What He Gets Wrong,
• Dr. Vinay Prasad: Vinay Prasad: Why Was My Talk at a Medical Conference Canceled?
noamross.net
No, it was a very long list of things like, "use !!! for this case, use enquo() for that case..." I don't think it was from anyone at Posit.
Reposted by Noam Ross
yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
I am teaching a course on ancient trees and tree rings at the NY Botanical Garden on Sunday, October 26th and Sunday, November 2nd.

We will learn about past environments, the amazing lives of trees, and what old trees tend to look like.

Sign up at this link: www.enrole.com/nybg/jsp/ses...
noamross.net
A month or two ago someone posted a link to their really amazing set of LLM system instructions for writing #rstats code with good tidy/NSE patterns. (They were also good for humans!) Does anyone recall who or where that was?
noamross.net
Amelia Knopf, @karmacap.bsky.social and @knelphd.bsky.social write in Pediatrics about how the terminations of clinical trials of children and adolescents represent cracks in the foundation of ethical research, and the moral responsibility to repair them: doi.org/10.1542/peds...
ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF STUDY TERMINATIONS
As of July 2025, the National Institutes of Health has terminated approx-
imately 4700 of the grants it awarded for scientific research, training, and
infrastructure.1 Very little of the public discourse regarding the grant ter-
minations has focused on their implications for research participants who
were or would have been enrolled in the trials the grants supported. The
terminated awards are linked to 200 active registered clinical trials, which
had a total planned enrollment of more than 689 000 human subjects,
approximately 20% of whom are infants, children, and adolescents.1
Nearly all the affected trials that included children and adolescents
focused on stigmatized health issues (eg, HIV, substance use, depression),
and/or persons with marginalized identities (eg, sexual and gender minor-
ity; Black or African American and Latiné). Individuals with marginalized
identities are underrepresented in clinical research,2 even when they are
at greater risk for the illness under study. The issue of underrepresenta-
tion in research is especially relevant for minor adolescents (those youn-
ger than 18 years old) because of ethical and legal barriers to their
participation. Barriers include concerns about minors’ capacity to consent,
confidentiality of sensitive information (sexual behavior, substance use)
when parental consent is required, and researcher and institutional con-
cerns about liability when waivers of parental consent are granted for
minors’ enrollment.3
As adolescent health researchers, we have each invested over a decade
of work to address the complex ethical and legal issues that prevent ado-
lescents from participating in research, especially on sensitive or stigma-
tized health issues. Through meticulous efforts to engage and build trust
with adolescents, parents or guardians, and regulatory personnel, we have
enrolled thousands of adolescents in our studies...
Reposted by Noam Ross
jeremymberg.bsky.social
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

1/14
jeremymberg.github.io
Reposted by Noam Ross
joshuasweitz.bsky.social
More are united around a simple message: RFK Jr should not be HHS Sec. His decisions undermine our public health capacity and put lives and health at risk.

As 6 former Surgeon Generals argue:

"He has rejected science, misled the public and compromised the health of Americans."

🎁
wapo.st/3VTALll
Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans
It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.
wapo.st
Reposted by Noam Ross
standupforscience.bsky.social
📣ACTION HOUR TOMORROW!!!📣

Feeling overwhelmed by the political attacks on science, education, and civil rights? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to face it alone. Join us tmrw @ 8 PM ET to connect with others, make sense of what’s happening, & move into action.

RSVP ➡️ zoom.us/meeting/regi...
A crowd gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial monument in Washington, DC, holding protest signs that read, "Stop This Madness." Bold text with an invitation to "Action Hour" for scientists and allies.
noamross.net
A good paper! One thing I'd note is that your list of focal universities might hide some other effects. Two (Harvard, UCLA) have been subject to institution-wide funding freezes and terminations, and UCSF had the most funding cancelled of a school not specifically targeted in that way.
Reposted by Noam Ross
yabellini.bsky.social
Today, @lizhare.bsky.social gave a spectacular talk at the Big Team Science Conf about the peer review software resources developed by @ropensci.org and how she learned about them during the Champions program.

The slide with the unexpected benefits is my favorite part of the entire presentation!
Unexpected Benefits

Learn new packages and functions,
Learn clearer and more efficient approaches you can use in your own work,
Enjoy the puzzle of figuring out and following the authors' work,
Introduction to object-oriented data structures helped in a future project,
Ways of collaborating apply to private consulting project.
Reposted by Noam Ross
lizneeley.bsky.social
Each Friday, I summarize what is happening to American science & higher ed. 🧪
This was Week 37:
- 9 universities face loyalty oath (“compact”)
- government shutdown - impact on services & fear of further RIFs
- four NIH directors officially fired

& so much more buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Week 37
Sept 27-Oct 2, 2025 - hold the door
buttondown.com
Reposted by Noam Ross
yabellini.bsky.social
Join me and @lizhare.bsky.social at the Big Team Science Conference, where I'll be presenting live via Zoom Today from 16:30 UTC.

Register now (for free or pay-what-you-want) at bigteamscience.github.io to catch our Talk: Big Team Collaboration on Data Management and Analysis with @ropensci.org
bigteamscience.github.io
Reposted by Noam Ross
michelemanos.bsky.social
The momentum to remove RFK Jr. is building and broadening. WE NEED YOUR VOICE!
Scientists, docs, healthcare and public health folks: comment or DM me with name, credentials, city, state and ZIP - I'LL SEND A CARD FOR YOU!
Be assured it won't go to HHS; it'll be handled only by Wyden's staff. Thx!
Help Prove RFK Jr. is Wrong | Defend Public Health
When Senator Wyden stated he’d heard from thousands of doctors and scientists concerned by RFK Jr’s policies, Kennedy responded "I'll put my mailbag against your mailbag any day.” Let's prove Kennedy ...
www.defendpublichealth.org