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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 13h

Which reminds me: a while ago, I reflected in detail abt how radically my life changed when I reckoned w/ my impossible to-do lists & committed to making them shorter, forevermore. If you're feeling badly about your "not as intended" summer break, maybe this take will bolster you: buff.ly/MFyX2R7

Forget the 'summer of everything': saying no changed my life

Tl;dr: You need a no buddy; I owe mine some of the biggest accomplishments of my life!

buff.ly

Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 13h

My husband and I might have even won out against the ground squirrels whose life's mission is to decimate our garden. Now, I'm working to feel content with that. To embrace that being enough. 5/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 13h

Certainly, I didn't do or write many of the things I intended to this summer. Less time in the pottery studio than intended. Far fewer collages made. But I did some good work, and I spent meaningful time with family and friends. 4/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 13h

After all, as Oliver Burkman gently but grimly reminds us, life is an unfinished list.

So, none of us should feel bad that we have unfinished lists as we arrive at the end of summer in the northern hemisphere. 3/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 13h

Over the past two summers, I've had to come to terms w/ the reality that getting "ahead" of #scicomm work and resting don't actually work together. Dreaming of getting "everything" done in my science 🧪 department, changing the world for the better, & a restorative break are just that, a dream. 2/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 13h

tl;dr: saying no truly did change my life. Everyone from @loleenberdahl.bsky.social to the latest trendy "productivity guru" has things to say about unrealistic to-do lists. (HT: Loleen's stuff is *awesome*!!) 1/

Forget the 'summer of everything': saying no changed my life

Tl;dr: You need a no buddy; I owe mine some of the biggest accomplishments of my life!

buff.ly

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 1d

Spoiler: the top book is Jorden Cumming's Sustaining Your Well-Being in Higher Education: Values-Based Self-Care for Work and Life. It’s a small, readable & vital book. Get a copy for you and all your friends 👉 buff.ly/Wno4DEx! Then, check out the rest of my list for what else to read/share. /end

Sustaining Your Well-Being in Higher Education: Values-Based Self-Care for Work and Life

This book provides an evidence-based approach to sustainable self-care, anchoring these strategies in individual academic workers’ core personal values. It teaches readers how to use their values to…

www.routledge.com

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 1d

But, in the meantime, here is the basic reading list I’d like to see us assign (or at least suggest) to folks intending to join the academy for (even a part of) their careers: buff.ly/RP4gx8S.

/4

*The* book for early career academics trying to stay afloat (plus bonus recs)

For the PhDs, postdocs, and early career faculty (hoping to be) among us

buff.ly

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 1d

I have *strong* opinions about this, and would happily consult to co-create the type of new faculty orientation and first-semester grad course I believe we owe students and peers. If you want to do this, send me an email!

3/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 1d

I’ve had a remarkable convergence of requests and conversations recently, all in the vein of what kind of career prep we should really give to folks who want to be academic faculty. Coming from outside the academy originally (as a #scicomm practitioner), these would have helped me *enormously*!
2/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 1d

Tl;dr: for the PhDs, postdocs, and early career faculty (hoping to be) among us, I have a recommendation for *the* book for early career academics trying to stay afloat (plus bonus recs).

1/

#scicomm #AcademicSky #🧪

*The* book for early career academics trying to stay afloat (plus bonus recs)

For the PhDs, postdocs, and early career faculty (hoping to be) among us

schoolofgoodtrouble.substack.com

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you for the tip, Pauline!!!

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Reposted by Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere)

Stephen Heard @stephenbheard.bsky.social · 1d

So we hope the book (scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com/2024/12/10/w...) will help with that bit, at least. But read @briles34.bsky.social's preprint - there's lots more to it!

What our new book looks like: “Teaching and Mentoring Writers in the Sciences”

About a year ago, I posted some basic information about my new book, coauthored with the brilliant Bethann Garramon Merkle. It’s time for an update: as books grow up, they change and presumably imp…

scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com

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Reposted by Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere)

Stephen Heard @stephenbheard.bsky.social · 1d

One issue the preprint identifies is that mentors are super important - but they (we!) lack training in effective writing mentorship. That's exactly why @bgmerkle.bsky.social and I wrote our forthcoming book, 'Teaching and Mentoring Writers in the Sciences" - our next month.

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 6d

I wrote up a list of tells, along w/ my full course policy, in case anyone is looking for examples of either and/or just wants to think aloud about how we're all handling this as another term starts. buff.ly/LqeBEAT How are you handling this, especially if you do NOT want students using it? /end

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 6d

The way I know students are using these bots in ways that reject my course policy is that their #scicomm work includes several "tells" that really stand out to me after a long time as an illustrator, writer, and teacher of both. 4/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 6d

Even so, several students per term use LLMs or AI (image generators, mostly), *all without consulting with me first.* No one has ever approached me directly, so it's clear that part of my policy isn't working. Perhaps my delivery needs fine-tuning?? 3/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 6d

In brief: I require students to discuss all prior uses of AI/LLMs with me, get permission in the course of that discussion (or not!), and then cite/report all approved usage. 2/

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 6d

I refuse to police AI/LLM use in my classroom, even though I'd rather totally prohibit AI in my academic writing and #scicomm courses. I'd also rather not talk about it, but that's just not an option any more. So, I've been using a course policy that seems to...NOT be working. 1/

I'd like to 100% prohibit LLMs, but I refuse to police AI use in my academic writing & writing-intensive courses

So, here's what my course policy is, and how it's working.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere)

AAUP @aaup.org · 7d

In thus series, then AAUP members share their stories of repression and resilience in the face of partisan interference and violations of academic freedom.

Learn more about the project at the link below👇

#academicsky #academicfreedom #defendhighered #highered #socialjustice #academia

Faculty on the Frontlines

www.aaup.org

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Reposted by Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere)

AAUP @aaup.org · 7d

Introducing “Faculty on the Frontlines,” a new series from the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom that documents the stories of AAUP members!

Over the next 2 weeks, we will spotlight the stories of 10 AAUP members fighting to defend academic freedom.

Check out our teaser 🔥

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 7d

Grief is the Thing with Feathers and Our Souls at Night remain two of my top ones. Brief, wrenching, wonderful.

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Reposted by Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere)

UCD Proposal Development Services @ucdproposaldev.bsky.social · 7d

"Good editing is about structure, flow and signposts. It concerns your audience and how they will receive it. It is not about you." - Melanie Smith

See the full post for how to shift your views and approach to editing your academic writing.

academiccoach.info/blog/how-to-...

#academicsky

How to edit your writing — Academic Coach

I have these little mantras here at Academic Coach and this is one of them: write without fear, edit without mercy. Write quick, edit slow. What is editing? Let’s start with the basics. Editing is t...

academiccoach.info

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Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 7d

I think collegial is also code for little-to-no accountability. However, I think it should actually mean the opposite. I'd love it to mean: "we have clear, equitable policies and procedures in place, and accountability is an expected part of supporting the best version of everyone in/for the dept."

Bethann Garramon Merkle (@commnatural elsewhere) @bgmerkle.bsky.social · 7d

Ideas for getting started:
1. cut paper to size of a postcard, write, stamp & mail (WSM)!
2. look through thrift shops for cheap, random postcards. modify or not, WSM.
3. volunteer for a voter turnout program and they'll mail you postcards & scripts to help boost voter participation! WSM.
/end