Rachel O'Brien
@reobrien.bsky.social
Environmental Engineer, Atmospheric Chemist, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan. they/she. opinions are my own.🌈
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
www.nsf.gov/news/transit...
I wish I had a good read on this, but I don’t and neither does anyone else right now. Definitely not good, but not clear how bad and how fast things could change now. Still time to respond to the DCL and say NCAR must stay together. If not for NCAR’s sake, for yours…
I wish I had a good read on this, but I don’t and neither does anyone else right now. Definitely not good, but not clear how bad and how fast things could change now. Still time to respond to the DCL and say NCAR must stay together. If not for NCAR’s sake, for yours…
Transitioning NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center operations
The U.S. National Science Foundation has informed the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) that management and operations of the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center are expected to…
www.nsf.gov
February 13, 2026 at 3:53 AM
www.nsf.gov/news/transit...
I wish I had a good read on this, but I don’t and neither does anyone else right now. Definitely not good, but not clear how bad and how fast things could change now. Still time to respond to the DCL and say NCAR must stay together. If not for NCAR’s sake, for yours…
I wish I had a good read on this, but I don’t and neither does anyone else right now. Definitely not good, but not clear how bad and how fast things could change now. Still time to respond to the DCL and say NCAR must stay together. If not for NCAR’s sake, for yours…
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
On a busy day for science policy, it looks like oversight and operations of NCAR’s supercomputing center are transitioning to a third-party operator. www.nsf.gov/news/transit...
Lean more about the costs of dismantling NCAR with this opinion from @carlonimbus.bsky.social.
Lean more about the costs of dismantling NCAR with this opinion from @carlonimbus.bsky.social.
What Americans Lose If Their National Center for Atmospheric Research Is Dismantled - Eos
Five ways dismantling NCAR will cost the American people, and two ways to save it.
eos.org
February 13, 2026 at 1:13 AM
On a busy day for science policy, it looks like oversight and operations of NCAR’s supercomputing center are transitioning to a third-party operator. www.nsf.gov/news/transit...
Lean more about the costs of dismantling NCAR with this opinion from @carlonimbus.bsky.social.
Lean more about the costs of dismantling NCAR with this opinion from @carlonimbus.bsky.social.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Two new faculty openings at U. Minnesota 🧪
Assist. Prof. in Climate Science
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: Tim Griffis, [email protected]
Assist. Prof. in Soil Physics / Ecohydrology / Hydropedology
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: David Mulla, [email protected]
Due March 13
Assist. Prof. in Climate Science
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: Tim Griffis, [email protected]
Assist. Prof. in Soil Physics / Ecohydrology / Hydropedology
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: David Mulla, [email protected]
Due March 13
February 11, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Two new faculty openings at U. Minnesota 🧪
Assist. Prof. in Climate Science
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: Tim Griffis, [email protected]
Assist. Prof. in Soil Physics / Ecohydrology / Hydropedology
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: David Mulla, [email protected]
Due March 13
Assist. Prof. in Climate Science
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: Tim Griffis, [email protected]
Assist. Prof. in Soil Physics / Ecohydrology / Hydropedology
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/372...
Questions: David Mulla, [email protected]
Due March 13
This is really cool! I like how the atmospheric chemists have their own little cluster :)
bluesky-map.theo.io
bluesky-map.theo.io
February 10, 2026 at 10:12 AM
This is really cool! I like how the atmospheric chemists have their own little cluster :)
bluesky-map.theo.io
bluesky-map.theo.io
I didn't realize how much I miss the muppets.
February 6, 2026 at 2:36 AM
I didn't realize how much I miss the muppets.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
I'm impressed at how logistically, Sabrina Carpenter is like the perfect height to host the Muppets
February 4, 2026 at 10:42 PM
I'm impressed at how logistically, Sabrina Carpenter is like the perfect height to host the Muppets
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
![Comic. [Person talking to person with black hat.] PERSON 1: Historically, it refers to a ceremony to predict the weather using a rodent. But nowadays people often use it to mean “a time loop experienced by one person.” PERSON 2: …What. [caption] Easily our weirdest holiday.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreidknpywgj44ox6nphuyzs6si6lozn77jyx75nbh7v67wsjr6dssl4@jpeg)
February 4, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Congratulations to Hongmin (Maria) Yu who successfully and expertly defended her thesis "Exploring Atmospheric Autoxidation of Organic Emission from Volatile Chemical Products". Thanks to @jessekroll.bsky.social, and @caltech.edu Profs Mitchio Okumura, and Rick Flagan for serving on her committee.
February 2, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Congratulations to Hongmin (Maria) Yu who successfully and expertly defended her thesis "Exploring Atmospheric Autoxidation of Organic Emission from Volatile Chemical Products". Thanks to @jessekroll.bsky.social, and @caltech.edu Profs Mitchio Okumura, and Rick Flagan for serving on her committee.
This is who runs this account
February 1, 2026 at 7:21 PM
This is who runs this account
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
This made me cry, no lie. Complicated reasons, one being its fuck you to the baked-in structures and strictures of the world that consider harm to be inevitable.
January 31, 2026 at 8:40 AM
This made me cry, no lie. Complicated reasons, one being its fuck you to the baked-in structures and strictures of the world that consider harm to be inevitable.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
"106,636 years of federal work experience were lost across the 10,109 employees with Ph.D.s who departed STEM or health roles 1 January–30 November."
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
The US government lost more than 10,000 STEM PhDs last year, according to an analysis by Science of newly released OPM data, with 11 departures for every hire. And many OPM calls "voluntary" separations were probably pushed. www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies
www.science.org
January 27, 2026 at 2:46 AM
"106,636 years of federal work experience were lost across the 10,109 employees with Ph.D.s who departed STEM or health roles 1 January–30 November."
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
We knew the NSF letter about NCAR would come. I think this is an occasion that will require great coordination and strategical thinking. UCAR should respond as a block, coordinating a response across universities (especially in the South, and large public universities that use NCAR data a lot)
January 24, 2026 at 2:18 AM
We knew the NSF letter about NCAR would come. I think this is an occasion that will require great coordination and strategical thinking. UCAR should respond as a block, coordinating a response across universities (especially in the South, and large public universities that use NCAR data a lot)
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
"What we’re … seeing is the toll of the uncertainty."
My latest story for @science.org—part of a package that explores how the U.S. scientific community has changed under Trump—includes new numbers on graduate enrollment and faculty hiring.
www.science.org/content/arti...
My latest story for @science.org—part of a package that explores how the U.S. scientific community has changed under Trump—includes new numbers on graduate enrollment and faculty hiring.
www.science.org/content/arti...
January 22, 2026 at 9:12 PM
"What we’re … seeing is the toll of the uncertainty."
My latest story for @science.org—part of a package that explores how the U.S. scientific community has changed under Trump—includes new numbers on graduate enrollment and faculty hiring.
www.science.org/content/arti...
My latest story for @science.org—part of a package that explores how the U.S. scientific community has changed under Trump—includes new numbers on graduate enrollment and faculty hiring.
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
This is so grim. Science isn’t just something nerds do, but the foundation of the modern world. What the Trump regime has done to US science will harm Americans for generations.
‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers
Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.
www.nature.com
January 20, 2026 at 11:23 AM
This is so grim. Science isn’t just something nerds do, but the foundation of the modern world. What the Trump regime has done to US science will harm Americans for generations.
Spaghetti and meat cubes sounds like it could be such a thing right now 🤣
Recipe: "Brown the meatballs, approximately 3 minutes per side."
Me, having made my meatballs perfectly spherical, and therefore having infinite sides: "Oh boy. This could take a while."
Me, having made my meatballs perfectly spherical, and therefore having infinite sides: "Oh boy. This could take a while."
January 19, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Spaghetti and meat cubes sounds like it could be such a thing right now 🤣
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
The worst climate and weather news you’ll see today.
Update: A bid to safeguard the National Center for Atmospheric Research failed Thursday after the Senate passed a spending package without an amendment to save the center's funding. eos.org/research-and...
Trump Administration Plans to Break Up NCAR - Eos
The Trump administration is planning to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, one of the world’s leading climate and Earth science research laboratories, according to a statement fro...
eos.org
January 16, 2026 at 3:26 PM
The worst climate and weather news you’ll see today.
I love the color of the petals when the sun is shining through them.
January 17, 2026 at 1:42 AM
I love the color of the petals when the sun is shining through them.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Saint Paul schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for optional online learning.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
January 15, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Saint Paul schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for optional online learning.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
The unique location of Xizang University in Lhasa, Tibet, China (seen here from afar) allowed researchers to disentangle the health effects of ozone-derived carbonyls from ozone itself. cen.acs.org/environment/...
#chemsky 🧪
#chemsky 🧪
Ozone-derived carbonyls indoors could pose a risk to heart health
High concentrations of carbonyls are produced when indoor ozone reacts with skin oils. Researchers correlated the molecules with raised blood cell indices in people living on the Tibetan plateau
cen.acs.org
January 13, 2026 at 12:31 PM
The unique location of Xizang University in Lhasa, Tibet, China (seen here from afar) allowed researchers to disentangle the health effects of ozone-derived carbonyls from ozone itself. cen.acs.org/environment/...
#chemsky 🧪
#chemsky 🧪
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
This is unbelievably stupid. By doing this, the EPA would completely run away from its mission to protect human health and the environment. Reducing air pollution saves lives, plain and simple.
Scoop: The EPA will no longer estimate the lives saved by reducing air pollution when writing clean-air regulations, according to documents reviewed by @nytimes.com.
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/c...
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/c...
E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution
www.nytimes.com
January 12, 2026 at 5:52 PM
This is unbelievably stupid. By doing this, the EPA would completely run away from its mission to protect human health and the environment. Reducing air pollution saves lives, plain and simple.
The face you make when you realize we are less than two weeks into 2026...
January 11, 2026 at 2:25 PM
The face you make when you realize we are less than two weeks into 2026...
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Things are grim right now but as a reminder of who we are and why we fight, this is the US Women’s figuring skating champion.
January 10, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Things are grim right now but as a reminder of who we are and why we fight, this is the US Women’s figuring skating champion.