Tori Barber
@vbarber.bsky.social
Assistant Professor @ UCLA. Physical and Atmospheric Chemistry. I love a weird radical. All views my own.
Reposted by Tori Barber
Another terrifying article about Stardust, with (what I think is) some new info:
- they claim they'll finally release info on their secret particles starting in early 2026
- they plan a first atmospheric test in 2027
- they've been funding academic research (with one PI named)
- they claim they'll finally release info on their secret particles starting in early 2026
- they plan a first atmospheric test in 2027
- they've been funding academic research (with one PI named)
This is a VERY long piece about solar geoengineering that starts, scientifically speaking, badly, but gets better, but still has a few issues.
The Strange and Totally Real Plan to Blot Out the Sun and Reverse Global Warming
A 25-person startup is developing technology to block the sun and turn down the planet’s thermostat. The stakes are huge — and the company and its critics say regulations need to catch up.
www.politico.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Another terrifying article about Stardust, with (what I think is) some new info:
- they claim they'll finally release info on their secret particles starting in early 2026
- they plan a first atmospheric test in 2027
- they've been funding academic research (with one PI named)
- they claim they'll finally release info on their secret particles starting in early 2026
- they plan a first atmospheric test in 2027
- they've been funding academic research (with one PI named)
Reposted by Tori Barber
It is raining so much in LA and now I have to decide if I want to spend a Saturday cooped up at home with my toddler or if we both want to get a hideous virus at an indoor playground
November 15, 2025 at 1:54 AM
It is raining so much in LA and now I have to decide if I want to spend a Saturday cooped up at home with my toddler or if we both want to get a hideous virus at an indoor playground
Add this to my list of stuff to worry about: LA is about to get atmospheric river-ed. Just as a reminder, this is what happened last time we got a big storm. Please cross your fingers and toes for a flood free weekend in the barber lab!
November 13, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Add this to my list of stuff to worry about: LA is about to get atmospheric river-ed. Just as a reminder, this is what happened last time we got a big storm. Please cross your fingers and toes for a flood free weekend in the barber lab!
Reposted by Tori Barber
the transition from programs/files/folders as the default mode of interacting with an OS to an app-based model where most things are stored on the cloud has already made things hard- students often have no idea that files are organized in directories, and that you can navigate that structure
October 16, 2025 at 6:03 PM
the transition from programs/files/folders as the default mode of interacting with an OS to an app-based model where most things are stored on the cloud has already made things hard- students often have no idea that files are organized in directories, and that you can navigate that structure
Reposted by Tori Barber
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
October 8, 2025 at 11:29 PM
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
I am able to sponsor postdoctoral fellows through this program!
www.chemistry.ucla.edu/bhaumik-priz...
www.chemistry.ucla.edu/bhaumik-priz...
Bhaumik Prize Postdoctoral Fellows Program – UCLA
The Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) invites nominations for the Bhaumik Prize Postdoctoral Fellows Program. This newly instated program seeks to bring the brightest young scientists to UCLA to expand their scientific training, make new discoveries, and network with interdisciplinary scientists of all stages. The Bhaumik Prize Postdoctoral Fellows Program is made possible by the philanthropy of physicist and entrepreneur Dr. Mani L. Bhaumik. The program supports three fellows annually for a three-year postdoctoral position.
www.chemistry.ucla.edu
October 1, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I am able to sponsor postdoctoral fellows through this program!
www.chemistry.ucla.edu/bhaumik-priz...
www.chemistry.ucla.edu/bhaumik-priz...
Imagine thinking that having a baby that only needs 4 hours of sleep is a desirable trait lmao we live in hell
September 30, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Imagine thinking that having a baby that only needs 4 hours of sleep is a desirable trait lmao we live in hell
I have a student with a full draft, who now is ineligible. What a waste. Especially challenging for students in chemistry who don't settle into labs until at least half way through their first year.
NSF GRFP is out, but they’ve unexpectedly made 2nd year students ineligible.
It does seem like they have barred 2nd year graduate students from applying. This is devastating, I've been preparing my applications materials for MONTHS and now they all have to get binned...
September 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I have a student with a full draft, who now is ineligible. What a waste. Especially challenging for students in chemistry who don't settle into labs until at least half way through their first year.
Reposted by Tori Barber
A good read on an important chapter of Earth science history, and what is at risk of being lost under Trump.
"Over the past 60 years, scientists have largely succeeded in building a computer model of Earth to see what the future holds. One of the most ambitious projects humankind has ever undertaken has now reached a critical moment." via @quantamagazine.bsky.social
How Climate Scientists Saw the Future Before It Arrived | Quanta Magazine
Over the past 60 years, scientists have largely succeeded in building a computer model of Earth to see what the future holds. One of the most ambitious projects humankind has ever undertaken has now r...
www.quantamagazine.org
September 16, 2025 at 1:25 PM
A good read on an important chapter of Earth science history, and what is at risk of being lost under Trump.
Reposted by Tori Barber
Joseph S. Francisco named 2025 Pauling Medal Award winner
The award will be presented Oct. 18 at Seattle University as part of a poster session and symposium. cen.acs.org/people/award... #chemsky
The award will be presented Oct. 18 at Seattle University as part of a poster session and symposium. cen.acs.org/people/award... #chemsky
Joseph S. Francisco named 2025 Pauling Medal Award winner
The award will be presented Oct. 18 at Seattle University as part of a poster session and symposium
cen.acs.org
September 10, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Joseph S. Francisco named 2025 Pauling Medal Award winner
The award will be presented Oct. 18 at Seattle University as part of a poster session and symposium. cen.acs.org/people/award... #chemsky
The award will be presented Oct. 18 at Seattle University as part of a poster session and symposium. cen.acs.org/people/award... #chemsky
We took my 2 yo to his first baseball game today and my favorite part was when we told him it was over and the Dodgers won, and he thought for a second, then put up his hand and waved goodbye while yelling "bye bye Dodgers! Bye bye baseball guys!"
August 18, 2025 at 2:03 AM
We took my 2 yo to his first baseball game today and my favorite part was when we told him it was over and the Dodgers won, and he thought for a second, then put up his hand and waved goodbye while yelling "bye bye Dodgers! Bye bye baseball guys!"
Reposted by Tori Barber
Hey, uh, what the FUCK
August 8, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Hey, uh, what the FUCK
The vibes at UCLA today are not good.
August 1, 2025 at 8:52 PM
The vibes at UCLA today are not good.
God what a demoralizing time to be an early career scientist in the US
August 1, 2025 at 3:34 AM
God what a demoralizing time to be an early career scientist in the US
Reposted by Tori Barber
Breaking: NSF is suspending roughly 300 grants with UCLA, following a DOJ finding on Tuesday that the university violated Title VI by "creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students."
July 31, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Breaking: NSF is suspending roughly 300 grants with UCLA, following a DOJ finding on Tuesday that the university violated Title VI by "creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students."
Reposted by Tori Barber
Nadia’s paper exploring technologies that can be used to minimize harmful byproducts of 222 nm germicidal light is now published!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Mitigation of Indoor Ozone and Secondary Products from 222 nm Germicidal Ultraviolet Light Using Commercial Air Cleaners
Far ultraviolet-C (UVC) light, especially germicidal UV light at 222 nm (GUV222), has received considerable attention for its potential to deactivate airborne pathogens indoors and prevent the spread ...
pubs.acs.org
July 17, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Nadia’s paper exploring technologies that can be used to minimize harmful byproducts of 222 nm germicidal light is now published!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Surreal to be back in Cambridge today!
July 14, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Surreal to be back in Cambridge today!
An underrated part of being a lab scientist is how much confidence it gives you for small fixes around the house.
July 4, 2025 at 2:34 AM
An underrated part of being a lab scientist is how much confidence it gives you for small fixes around the house.
Reposted by Tori Barber
Here’s Spencer Ackerman with by far the best take I’ve read on the racist moral panic targeting Zohran Mamdami. zeteo.com/p/my-fellow-...
July 2, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Here’s Spencer Ackerman with by far the best take I’ve read on the racist moral panic targeting Zohran Mamdami. zeteo.com/p/my-fellow-...
Amid all of the truly terrible federal funding news, I am extremely pleased to report my group has received our first multi-year NSF support!
May 23, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Amid all of the truly terrible federal funding news, I am extremely pleased to report my group has received our first multi-year NSF support!
Reposted by Tori Barber
"Women are PIs on 58% of the canceled grants, although they are PIs on only 34% of all active NSF grants.
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Another scoop from Jeff Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social): NSF's ~1400 grant terminations have disproportionately affected PIs from groups underrepresented in science: women, racial & ethnic minorities, & those with disabilities. 1/3
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Trump officials take steps toward a radically different NSF
Efforts to shrink staff, budget, and focus have alarmed members of Congress
www.science.org
May 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
"Women are PIs on 58% of the canceled grants, although they are PIs on only 34% of all active NSF grants.
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Reposted by Tori Barber
Please support my students kickstarter to finish an educational wastewater video game we started building!
I taught an interdisciplinary capstone class video game where programmers, artists, sound designers, and education students could work together!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/que...
I taught an interdisciplinary capstone class video game where programmers, artists, sound designers, and education students could work together!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/que...
What the Floc: Educational Wastewater Video Game
Educational video game where players operate a wastewater treatment plant to protect the city and environment from pollution!
www.kickstarter.com
May 11, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Please support my students kickstarter to finish an educational wastewater video game we started building!
I taught an interdisciplinary capstone class video game where programmers, artists, sound designers, and education students could work together!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/que...
I taught an interdisciplinary capstone class video game where programmers, artists, sound designers, and education students could work together!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/que...
NSF grants partially supported me as a graduate student and completely supported me as a postdoc. NSF made the first external grant to my lab at UCLA (a small grant to support measurmenta of the impacts on ambient and indoor air quality from the Los Angeles wildfires). I am an NSF-made scientist.
May 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
NSF grants partially supported me as a graduate student and completely supported me as a postdoc. NSF made the first external grant to my lab at UCLA (a small grant to support measurmenta of the impacts on ambient and indoor air quality from the Los Angeles wildfires). I am an NSF-made scientist.
My 2 year old made me a beautiful bracelet at school for mothers day, but upon giving it to me immediately decided that he wanted to wear it himself and became enraged whenever I asked to wear it. Really comports with my experience of parenting a toddler. Love that little goober.
May 9, 2025 at 10:09 PM
My 2 year old made me a beautiful bracelet at school for mothers day, but upon giving it to me immediately decided that he wanted to wear it himself and became enraged whenever I asked to wear it. Really comports with my experience of parenting a toddler. Love that little goober.