Sonia Stephens
LightNews LightNews
banner
terpsinoe.bsky.social
Sonia Stephens
@terpsinoe.bsky.social
340 followers 560 following 84 posts
Risk and environmental communication researcher @ UCF. Birder. Howell Branch basin/Middle St. Johns River watershed. Go Pride! 💜 she/her
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
leastactionhero.bsky.social
Dominos meme White Sox fan forced to accept Cubs jersey Assyrian bishops refuse to condemn Nestorius's 431 challenge to the use of the title Theotokos ('Bearer of God'") for Mary.
October 28, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
ekj.bsky.social
✨UCF is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor in Technical Communication!✨ Teach upper-level undergrad & grad courses; oversee Writing for the Technical Professional. Happy to answer questions (email is best: [email protected])!
More here: jobs.ucf.edu/jobs/assista...
Assistant Professor, Technical Communication - Orlando, Florida, United States
The OpportunityThe Department of English in the College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) invites applications for a 9-month, tenure-earning faculty position in T...
jobs.ucf.edu
October 27, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
sigdoc-acm.bsky.social
We are delighted to announce the finalists in the 2025 Student Research Competition. Please join us at 8:00am on Sat Oct 25 in Room 124 in the Student Union Building to hear their presentations.

Thanks to all of participants, our excellent judges, and everyone who attended the poster session.
Undergraduate student presenting poster Undergraduate student presenting poster Graduate student presenting poster Undergraduate student presenting poster
October 24, 2025 at 8:33 PM
terpsinoe.bsky.social
What not to do when anonymizing interview transcripts...
wafflecut.bsky.social Waffle 🧇 @wafflecut.bsky.social · Oct 16
Learned that an anonymous outside expert on submersibles did an interview with the OceanGate Titan investigation, and they released a transcript, with all the names redacted. The first line of his first answer? "I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic."
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD ***************** Investigation of: LOSS OF THE SUBMARINE TITAN IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN ON JUNE 18, 2023 * * * * * * Accident No.: *********** * * * * * * Interview of: Co-designer/Pilot Deepsea Challenger DCA23FM036 via Microsoft Teams Friday, July 26, 2024 INTERVIEW OF 10 BY LCDR 11 Q. So how did you get yourself started into submersible 12 operations? 13 A. Well, I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic. When I 14 set down the path to make that film, the first thing that I did 15 was arrange to be introduced to the head of the submersible 16 program at the P.P. Shirshov Institute in Moscow, a guy named 17| Professor I. I did that through a mutual friend 18 of ours, a guy named , who is one of the preeminent underwater cinematographers in the world. And had been on a 20 submersible expedition out to Titanic the previous year with the 21 Russians. And that was organized by a Canadian company that was 22 doing an IMAX film which was released under the title Titanica.
October 16, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
sigdoc-acm.bsky.social
Loop in sustainability this year at CPTSC and SIGDOC. Bring your own lanyard. We'll provide nametags, but reusing your old lanyard helps us reduce waste. Plus, you can show off your preferred colors or style. Don't have an old one? Don't worry—-we've got you covered with spares!
October 15, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
rosemarymosco.com
Spooky bird stories. Last year's Halloween comic.
A comic titled Spooky Bird Stories. In panel 1, a turkey vulture is telling stories to other vultures, and it says, "She walked toward the source of the terrible smell. She got closer and closer, and then, to her horror, she saw... No dead body." A black vulture says "No!" and a turkey vulture says "Did someone already eat it??" In panel 2, a northern cardinal is telling a story to some songbirds. It says "They peered through the windows of the house at the gory scene. Zombies had smashed through the door in the night. The homeowner was dead. But worst of all... He hadn't refilled the feeders." An eastern bluebird says "Aaah!" and an American goldfinch says "It can't be!". In panel 3, a screech owl is telling a story to other owls. It says "And then the ghost fluffed itself up really big to appear scarier." A saw-whet owl gasps, and a long-eared owl says "Horrifying!". In panel 4, a downy woodpecker is telling a story to other woodpeckers, and says "The eerie sound rang through the dark woods. Tap-tap. Tap-tap. It was the distinctive two-part knock of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. The species had returned from the dead... FOR REVENGE." A red-cockaded woodpecker says "Yesss".
October 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
terpsinoe.bsky.social
Fall migration is well underway! Our first three painted buntings showed up in the yard yesterday, and the first two catbirds today. Hopefully they'll all be hanging out all winter!
October 9, 2025 at 9:09 PM
terpsinoe.bsky.social
Classic Orlando experience: was bit by a goose at Lake Eola en route to see a Shanghai-set production of LA Boheme at Opera Orlando.
October 4, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
ucftandt.bsky.social
Want to study the intersection of humanities and technology at a smaller scale than a PhD? T&T also offers an interdisciplinary graduate certificate, Digital Humanities in the Age of AI. We'll be holding an information session Wednesday, November 5 at 6pm applynow.graduate.ucf.edu/register/?id...
Digital Humanities in the Age of AI Gradute Certificate Open House
applynow.graduate.ucf.edu
September 30, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
inaturalist.bsky.social
Here, have some birds perched on appropriate/delightful signage. You're welcome. 🧵 ⤵️

1. Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) by tysmith on iNaturalist
A black vulture sits on a sign that says "black vulture notice."
September 4, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
mariannedenton.bsky.social
Spooky Season is near 🩶🤍🖤

(poached from FB @zoodraws.bsky.social with associated info in AltText)
A three panel cartoon illustration of a shrike: HEY ANDERSON! WE'RE STILL IN SUMMER! IT'S A LITTLE EARLY FOR THE HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS. EH?! (Shrike sitting on a branch.) DECOR-.. (Close up of a Shrike sitting on a branch.) DECORATIONS? (Shrike sitting on a branch surrounded by its impaled kill.) From Facebook posting: If you know, YOU KNOW. Meet my spark bird! HALLOWEEN For birders, a spark bird is the one that first ignites your passion for birding. For me, that moment came as a kid hiking with my dad, when we came across a mouse that had been... creatively dispatched. He explained it was probably the work of a Shrike-and I was astonished. How could such a sweet little songbird pull off something so extreme? That contradiction is exactly what makes the Shrike unforgettable. Also known as the "butcher bird", it's infamous for its grisly habit of impaling prey on thorns or barbed wire, creating a pantry in an area that most animals would avoid (because WTF?!) Their menu includes insects, lizards, small mammals, and other birds. Shrikes can be found across the globe, where they transform ordinary landscapes into impromptu Spirit Halloween stores.
September 1, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
pjvphotography.bsky.social
"Pat, why do you carry that ridiculous 600mm lens on long hikes?"

Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.
A pika sits on a mossy rock. Tighter crop of the same pika, focusing on its head. An even tighter crop, focusing more on the pika's eye. An extremely tight crop of the pika's eye, emphasizing their reflection of an early morning mountain scene.
August 28, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
burrowingowl.bsky.social
I'm gonna need a good car wash after today!🪶
August 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
equalityfl.bsky.social
🚨TAKE ACTION🚨

In the dead of night, Ron DeSantis ordered part of the Pulse memorial painted over. That’s why we’re calling on everyone in Orlando to show up for a peaceful gathering today at the Pulse Memorial at 6:00pm ET.

#ShowYourRainbow🌈
August 21, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
luiseach.bsky.social
Lads the HONK I just honked
August 14, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
jerthorp.bsky.social
Are you into 🐦 + 🔉?

Or 🐦 + 🎶?

Or just 🐦 + 👂?

Next week's BtB Thursdays meetup is all about birds and sound. We'll share projects and inspiration and probably listen to a whole lot of chirps, cheeps + trills.

binoculars-to-binomials.disco.co/p/btb-thursd...

(img: Lou Sheppard)

🪶
Black and white abstract score from Lou Sheppard's Dawn Chorus, Evensong, 2019
July 11, 2025 at 12:51 PM
terpsinoe.bsky.social
Saw my 700th species of bird yesterday! Behold, my least terrible photo of an island scrub-jay.
Somewhat grainy photo of a large blue and gray bird hiding in the shrubbery. It's giving you side-eye because it disapproves of your presence.
June 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
ucftandt.bsky.social
#TBT to T&T faculty member @terpsinoe.bsky.social's 2021 article, "Story mapping and sea level rise: listening to global risks at street level." Take a look! dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Story mapping and sea level rise: listening to global risks at street level: Communication Design Quarterly: Vol 8, No 1
While interactive maps are important tools for risk communication, most maps omit the lived experiences and personal stories of the community members who are most at risk. We describe a project to dev...
dl.acm.org
June 19, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
rheisman.bsky.social
Welp, I did it, I wrote a piece for @therevelator.org on the proposed funding cuts to the Bird Banding Lab & Breeding Bird Survey and what they would mean for bird research & conservation in the U.S. Definitely a different sort of writing than I usually do. 🪶 therevelator.org/trump-vs-bir...
Trump vs. Birds: Proposed Budget Eliminates Critical Research Programs • The Revelator
Experts say there’s “no substitute” for the Bird Banding Laboratory or the Breeding Bird Survey, which help reveal the health and status of avian populations across the country.
therevelator.org
June 16, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
evornithology.bsky.social
Birds as pride flags, meticulously researched by my wonderful student Griffin ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Rainbow flag: Eastern Rosella

📷 David Irving, eBird
June 1, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
histoftech.bsky.social
you’ve been on my mind all night
Text messages: “In 1996, two neighbors in Devon, England, spent an entire year hooting at each other while believing they were communicating with owls.” This feels like something you would do no offense Read 8:45 AM Response: None taken
May 30, 2025 at 12:48 PM
terpsinoe.bsky.social
Time for the night-blooming cereus at Mead Gardens! It blooms once a year. Each flower is about eight inches across, and the cactus is an epiphyte that climbs a long way.
Photo of a mass of cactus blooms climbing a pine tree. It's night, and people taking photos can be seen at the base of the tree.
May 30, 2025 at 1:17 AM
terpsinoe.bsky.social
I'll be doing this! Looking forward to some creative bird time this summer.
jerthorp.bsky.social Jer Thorp @jerthorp.bsky.social · May 10
Still a few days left to register for these summer cohorts!

(Could also make a good Mothers' Day gift for a 🪶📊🎨 person in your life!)
jerthorp.bsky.social Jer Thorp @jerthorp.bsky.social · Apr 4
I just opened registration for two summer cohorts of Binoculars to Binomials.

These bi-weekly cohorts run from May to July and are paced for that slower summer vibe.

Morning cohorts meet Thursdays at 9am, evening cohorts on Wednesdays at 7pm.

www.jerthorp.me/learning

🪶📊
May 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
yanfernandez.bsky.social
Lots of things blooming now at #LeuGardens in #Orlando! Here's a skipper working on some globe amaranth today. With @terpsinoe.bsky.social 🌿
Orange skipper butterfly with dark wing markings facing slightly away from view with proboscis extended, on a pink fluffy amaranth flower, and several more such flowers in the background.
May 10, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Reposted by Sonia Stephens
wondermark.com
another pedantic comic by me about logic problems with the the fictional space wizards

Wondermark #1194; It's the Dune Sea for Me
ARON and BEREN continue to discuss their theories about Star Wars. B: Okay, so. We know Obi-Wan, the brilliant general, had the bright idea to hide Luke from Vader on Vader's ACTUAL home planet with Vader's ACTUAL relatives. Giving him Vader's ACTUAL last name. A: Which is a bit like the witness protection program hiding you at your grandma's house B: While he and Yoda figured this whole "Empire" problem would WHAT? SOLVE ITSELF if they let it gain inertia for twenty years? B: But what we ALSO learned from the prequels is that those brown robes he wore? APPARENTLY THE STANDARD JEDI OUTFIT. So he went into hiding...and then STAYED IN UNIFORM the whole time. A: Here's a better explanation: He didn't wear Jedi robes on Tatooine... He wore TATOOINE ROBES while a JEDI. A: THINK about it. He visits Tatooine as a padawan. It's so SAVAGE and EXOTIC. He ADOPTS the aesthetic like a CORUSCANT HIPSTER. A: Then, when he has to go into hiding, of COURSE he gives some flimsy excuse why Luke will be better off with these STEP-STRANGERS he's not even ACTUALLY related to! It lets him indulge his Tatooine fetish full-time! B: Obi-Wan is a TATOOINE OTAKU! He'd probably have taken a Sand Person WIFE if he could've found one SUBMISSIVE enough! Overhearing this conversation is CAREN. This is now too much; she speaks up. C: YOU TWO. Come ON. C: Mace Windu and Qui-Gon wore the SAME robes. B: Yeah, well, probably LOTS of people wore 'em before they figured out how racist it was
May 4, 2025 at 5:46 PM