Becky Smith
@rlsdvm.bsky.social
Epidemiologist at UIUC, working in One Health
Pinned
Becky Smith
@rlsdvm.bsky.social
· Sep 10
K-12 Schools and Public Health Partnerships: Strategies for Navigating a Crisis with Trust, Equity, and Communication
Amazon.com: K-12 Schools and Public Health Partnerships: Strategies for Navigating a Crisis with Trust, Equity, and Communication: 9781041002406: Perkinson, Leah, Barrios, Lisa C., Smith, Rebecca Lee, Roegman, Rachel: Books
www.amazon.com
Our book is up and available for preorder!
We spoke with K-12 and public health administrators from around the US about how they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic together. The biggest lesson was to build the partnerships before you need them, so start now! Ships in time for Christmas!
We spoke with K-12 and public health administrators from around the US about how they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic together. The biggest lesson was to build the partnerships before you need them, so start now! Ships in time for Christmas!
Reposted by Becky Smith
This is one of the last days I get to post these absolutely curséd animations I made for eel facts season. I think I'll post them in a thread here for posterity.
Get a calendar at EelFacts.net
Get a calendar at EelFacts.net
November 26, 2025 at 12:26 AM
This is one of the last days I get to post these absolutely curséd animations I made for eel facts season. I think I'll post them in a thread here for posterity.
Get a calendar at EelFacts.net
Get a calendar at EelFacts.net
Reposted by Becky Smith
NEW! 🦠🦧 We revisited a perplexing paradox: do wildlife really pose less of a risk to human health as they become more endangered? Turns out, it's sampling bias all the way down: conservation risks correlate with disease surveillance blindspots. 🔓 esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Viral diversity and zoonotic risk in endangered species
A growing body of evidence links zoonotic disease risk, including pandemic threats, to biodiversity loss and other upstream anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem health. However, there is little current...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
NEW! 🦠🦧 We revisited a perplexing paradox: do wildlife really pose less of a risk to human health as they become more endangered? Turns out, it's sampling bias all the way down: conservation risks correlate with disease surveillance blindspots. 🔓 esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Okay, sometimes the "everything in the cloud" is handy for setting up a new computer
But sometimes Office 365 refuses to recognize your account and you can't do anything practical on said new computer
But sometimes Office 365 refuses to recognize your account and you can't do anything practical on said new computer
November 24, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Okay, sometimes the "everything in the cloud" is handy for setting up a new computer
But sometimes Office 365 refuses to recognize your account and you can't do anything practical on said new computer
But sometimes Office 365 refuses to recognize your account and you can't do anything practical on said new computer
USDA's HR system wouldn't let me apply for vet jobs until I had my license, so I figured I'd do a master's to avoid being unemployed with $60k in debt
November 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM
USDA's HR system wouldn't let me apply for vet jobs until I had my license, so I figured I'd do a master's to avoid being unemployed with $60k in debt
I just reported a YT ad for the first time. No, you should not be offering people an ivermectin/fenbendazole detox to "get what the doctor missed"
a man wearing a black sweater and a white shirt is making a face .
Alt: a man wearing a black sweater and a white shirt is making a cringe face
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:53 AM
I just reported a YT ad for the first time. No, you should not be offering people an ivermectin/fenbendazole detox to "get what the doctor missed"
Reposted by Becky Smith
1/ Today, ProPublica is running a piece I've been working on for a bit. It's about what happened with a devastating wave of bird flu earlier this year, as egg prices hit record highs.
And it's a story that illuminates the ways the U.S. is failing to control what could become the next pandemic. 🧵
And it's a story that illuminates the ways the U.S. is failing to control what could become the next pandemic. 🧵
November 18, 2025 at 9:11 PM
1/ Today, ProPublica is running a piece I've been working on for a bit. It's about what happened with a devastating wave of bird flu earlier this year, as egg prices hit record highs.
And it's a story that illuminates the ways the U.S. is failing to control what could become the next pandemic. 🧵
And it's a story that illuminates the ways the U.S. is failing to control what could become the next pandemic. 🧵
Illinois Mosquito and Vector Control Association meeting starts with 3 hours (!) of student talks. The kids are alright!
November 20, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Illinois Mosquito and Vector Control Association meeting starts with 3 hours (!) of student talks. The kids are alright!
Reposted by Becky Smith
Recommend everyone block this racist lady whose whole raison d’être is NOT returning stolen Indigenous remains. Don’t engage, she came over here because she misses disrespecting you.
November 19, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Recommend everyone block this racist lady whose whole raison d’être is NOT returning stolen Indigenous remains. Don’t engage, she came over here because she misses disrespecting you.
This phrase has been living in my head rent-free all day. Truly perfect
"decision-based evidence-making"
Chilling. Perfect description.
Chilling. Perfect description.
A new profile of RFK Jr offers fresh insights into how he works, the bond he shares with Trump, & how he's moved HHS “from evidence-based decision-making to decision-based evidence-making." Story by @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social, @caseyross.bsky.social, & me:
www.statnews.com/2025/11/18/r...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/18/r...
November 19, 2025 at 12:41 AM
This phrase has been living in my head rent-free all day. Truly perfect
Explaining to a colleague that 2 courses that include "R programming and statistics" won't necessarily have any overlap . . . especially since one is applied data analysis for lab scientists and the other is microbiome . . .
November 17, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Explaining to a colleague that 2 courses that include "R programming and statistics" won't necessarily have any overlap . . . especially since one is applied data analysis for lab scientists and the other is microbiome . . .
Exciting! I've been telling people about this and they keep asking when they can read it!
Oh my!!!
"AI through the experts' eyes" is live on Amazon! Pre-order your copy today! (Arrives September 1, 2026)
www.amazon.com/Through-Expe...
"AI through the experts' eyes" is live on Amazon! Pre-order your copy today! (Arrives September 1, 2026)
www.amazon.com/Through-Expe...
AI Through the Experts’ Eyes: Communicating Complex Ideas (Composition, Literacy, and Culture)
Amazon.com: AI Through the Experts’ Eyes: Communicating Complex Ideas (Composition, Literacy, and Culture): 9780822949053: Gallagher, John: Books
www.amazon.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Exciting! I've been telling people about this and they keep asking when they can read it!
Reposted by Becky Smith
November 13, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I-L-L
Now that migration and work has slowed down. I’m moving back into my photo editing era 💅
Gonna try and commit to pushing out more photos
I have a back log of 349 photos I’ve “liked” which indicate it’s passed my quality check for edits…
Here we go!
Belted Kingfisher con fishhhhh
📷🌿🐟🪶
Gonna try and commit to pushing out more photos
I have a back log of 349 photos I’ve “liked” which indicate it’s passed my quality check for edits…
Here we go!
Belted Kingfisher con fishhhhh
📷🌿🐟🪶
November 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I-L-L
Another new paper, a little different for me - can we use differential privacy to conduct epi research on EMR? Yes, but . . . we lose a lot of power, but it works fairly well for more aggregated counts
A quantitative and qualitative assessment of differential privacy’s ability to support collaborative research using a real-world data analysis
AbstractObjective. Sharing clinical data for research that is both collaborative and privacy-preserving remains a challenge. Differential privacy (DP) offe
doi.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Another new paper, a little different for me - can we use differential privacy to conduct epi research on EMR? Yes, but . . . we lose a lot of power, but it works fairly well for more aggregated counts
I'm declaring the bloom census over for the year, thanks to last night's lake effect snow. Time to play with the data!
November 10, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I'm declaring the bloom census over for the year, thanks to last night's lake effect snow. Time to play with the data!
I do this for grad student inquiries and it saves me so much time while still letting me respond
As semesters start and you find yourself repeatedly answering emails with the same questions from students, this is my annual reminder that you can make all your frequent responses email signatures and just select them from your signature list to respond. You're welcome. #academicsky
November 9, 2025 at 1:49 PM
I do this for grad student inquiries and it saves me so much time while still letting me respond
Here's this cool science my lab did! <crickets>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
New paper from the lab - what is the experience of researchers in trying to do on-farm AMR research?
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Frontiers | Unlocking farm-level antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study of researchers’ experiences and challenges
Despite the strong advocacy for innovation in livestock antimicrobial resistance research, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the social components...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Here's this cool science my lab did! <crickets>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
New paper from the lab - what is the experience of researchers in trying to do on-farm AMR research?
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Frontiers | Unlocking farm-level antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study of researchers’ experiences and challenges
Despite the strong advocacy for innovation in livestock antimicrobial resistance research, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the social components...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
New paper from the lab - what is the experience of researchers in trying to do on-farm AMR research?
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Reposted by Becky Smith
Wow it defaults to hiding quite a few things. Many probably for the best, but for now I'm switching most to warn (and I remain willing to see rude posts - I follow @dimsie.bsky.social after all)
If you aren't seeing skeets from some of your fave people, they might have been labeled "Rude" by bsky mods. Idk what they are thinking, I don't need a mommy to tell me who to be buddies with. Anyway, go into Settings > moderation > bluesky moderation (advanced) and turn Rude off.
November 6, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Wow it defaults to hiding quite a few things. Many probably for the best, but for now I'm switching most to warn (and I remain willing to see rude posts - I follow @dimsie.bsky.social after all)
I've gotten into the bad habit of reading the comments on local stories of interest on FB. Today, there was a repost by a local news organization of a story about alpha-gal
Umm
Are people okay?
Umm
Are people okay?
a man with a beard is sitting in front of a bookshelf and says are you okay .
Alt: Paul Rudd with a beard is sitting in front of a bookshelf and says are you okay?
media.tenor.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I've gotten into the bad habit of reading the comments on local stories of interest on FB. Today, there was a repost by a local news organization of a story about alpha-gal
Umm
Are people okay?
Umm
Are people okay?
This week's bloom census, mostly stray blossoms:
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
November 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
This week's bloom census, mostly stray blossoms:
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
The remains of 4 large bowls of candy and a small bowl of bouncy balls. We had a big group of undergrads in the neighborhood, and good for them!
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
November 1, 2025 at 1:56 AM
The remains of 4 large bowls of candy and a small bowl of bouncy balls. We had a big group of undergrads in the neighborhood, and good for them!
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
BTW, the new Florence + the Machine album dropped today, and it's fabulously seasonal. Also timeless, in that it is full of female rage . . .
Florence + The Machine - Everybody Scream (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by FlorenceMachineVEVO
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 5:51 PM
BTW, the new Florence + the Machine album dropped today, and it's fabulously seasonal. Also timeless, in that it is full of female rage . . .