Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · 7d

What a dream job!

Silvia Caldararu🌿 @scaldararu.bsky.social · 7d

Come work with us - The School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin is looking for a tenure track assistant professor in plant biodiversity and conservation 🧪🌏🌾 my.corehr.com/pls/trrecrui...

Drop me a message if you want to chat about what it's like to work here or live in Ireland.

an old building with climbing plants around the door with purple flowers. The sign above the door says school of botany 1907

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · 7d

This is great, thank you!

Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · 7d

This is great! Thank you!

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · 8d

Help! 🚨 Looking for resources on structural equation models—favorite methods papers, example studies, or guides for building an SEM pipeline. Thinking of using one for a dissertation chapter & not sure where to start. Suggestions? Please share!

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Emma Chandler (she/her) @chandler2228.bsky.social · 18d

Cool day helping @chale9.bsky.social with fieldwork! Surveyed fothergilla in a longleaf pine forest and saw some amazing carnivorous plants!! 🌱

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Rebecca Wheeler @botanybeck.bsky.social · 24d

I hadn’t seen it for a couple of years so it was extra special in early June to catch up with my #FavouritePlant! The gorgeous Mertensia maritima, commonly named Oysterplant, as the leaves taste like the fruits of the sea! Caithness #Wildflowerhour

The gorgeous blue bell-shaped flowers of Oysterplant are tinged pink in bud like the other members of the Borage family in which this most beautiful plant belongs.

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · 27d

Honored to share that I’ve been awarded the 2026 Plant Conservation Biology Fellowship from the Oak Spring Garden Foundation! Excited to spend two weeks on their estate finishing my dissertation and writing about plant conservation.

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · Aug 12

Just got back from an incredible experience contributing to a 30-year plant demographic study in the Alaskan Arctic. What an amazing, beautiful, and wild place. Can’t wait to go back!

@chandler2228.bsky.social

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · Aug 6

What a wonderful day driving the Dalton Highway to arctic Alaska!

Now it’s time to measure some plants!
@toolikfieldstation.bsky.social

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Botanical Society of America @botsocamerica.bsky.social · Jun 30

Climatic determinants of plant #phenology in vernal pool habitats

New #AJB research by Brandon Thomas Hendrickson, Jenna Aubrie Benterou, Robert Martin & Jason Sexton

doi.org/10.1002/ajb2... #botany #plantscience #citizenscience #wetlands

Flowering Limnanthes douglasii ssp. rosea and Trifolium variegatum within a vernal pool on the Merced Vernal Pools & Grassland Reserve.

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Dave @astronomydave.bsky.social · Jun 28

Happy to see more Black Eyed Susan flower on our little prairie.

Also have a LOT of milkweed, some vervain, fleabane and a smattering of foxglove beardtongue.

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · Jun 27

I am in my hometown visiting family for a few days and got the opportunity to see one of my favorites, the Tennessee coneflower! It was one of the first plants listed under the Endangered Species Act and was delisted in 2011. A rare conservation success story!

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Aspen Ellis @boriellis.bsky.social · Jun 25

As we’re wrapping up Pride month, check out this podcast on Queer Ecology & how we can teach it in classrooms!

Spotify: lnkd.in/eGBJMGbH
Apple Podcasts: lnkd.in/es-gwyjB

Thanks for having us, @pangolinpodcast.bsky.social! 🏳️‍🌈

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Emma Chandler (she/her) @chandler2228.bsky.social · Jun 25

#Evol2025 was such an amazing experience! I presented my work on sexual differentiation in Silene acaulis, watched my science heroes present their work, and connected with others working on similar questions. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing group of supportive and brilliant people!

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · Jun 25

Had an amazing time at #Evolution2025 — Grateful for the chance to share my work on how phenological shifts are impacting plant fitness. Until next time!
#Evol2025

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · May 27

Huge S/o to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for having a beautiful and informative herbarium exhibit! At a time when herbaria are being defunded and erased, exhibits like this are crucial for the public to understand their value! 🌍🌻🌱

@thebotanics.bsky.social

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · May 15

🌎🌎🌎

Zeke Hausfather @hausfath.bsky.social · May 14

Scientists have been publishing climate models since ~1970.

A good way to evaluate their skill is to compare what they expected to happen in the years after the model was published to observed climate changes.

It turns out most models were pretty spot-on:

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · May 14

You asked for it, you got it.

Biology is Bigger than Binaries is now on a shirt!

Designed by @franzanth.bsky.social, printed here in Philly on 100% cotton Next Level Tees.

We've got... ironically 2 colors to choose from lmao.

Pre-order open until May 31!
squidfacts.bigcartel.com/product/bina...

2 versions of the same design, all of which say "Biology is bigger than binaries", with a central image of a bee, a clownfish, and a lily. The one on. the left is pink, the right is orange,

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · May 14

Check out these awesome science activism posters! They also support Skype a Scientist. I just ordered mine. @skypeascientist.bsky.social

squidfacts.bigcartel.com/product/scie...

Science Activism Posters

These posters are printed to be put into the world. Pin them to a community bulletin board. Tape them to your window Post them in your classroom....

squidfacts.bigcartel.com

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

ForestPlots @forestplots.bsky.social · May 10

We estimate up to 800 rare tree species may still remain undetected here. These are at growing risk of extinction due to deforestation. Since 1985 the Cerrado has lost 24 billion trees, threatening all its biodiversity.

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Julie Campbell @momrunninglate.bsky.social · May 6

#42 from my Women in STEM series: Helia Bravo Hollis

#WomeninSTEM #diversityinSTEM #botany #systematics #academicsky #womenshistor

Helia Bravo Hollis (1901-2001) was a Mexican botanist. In 1927, she became the first women to graduate as a Biologist in Mexico. For most of her research career, she focused on the systematics of cacti in Mexico and North America. For many years she was at the forefront of her field. She published almost 170 articles and three books, described 60 scientific classifications and made 59 nomenclature reviews. She received numerous awards and recognition including six species and one subspecies of cacti being named after her.

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Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · Apr 24

Thanks! Good catch

Clayton Hale (he/him) @chale9.bsky.social · Apr 22

Exciting news! I’ve just published my website. Link below—let me know what you think, I would love some feedback! 🌍🌱

sites.google.com/view/clayton...

Clayton W. Hale

Clayton W. Hale PhD Candidate DeMarche Lab Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia Understanding the impacts of global change on population and community persistence

sites.google.com

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Dr Ecology 🌲 @ecologyphd.bsky.social · Apr 19

Trump proposes eliminating funding fo USGS biological sciences. Combined w/ the termination of USFS forest & rangeland research, this will be catastrophic to our public lands, natural resources, wildlife, & other tragic consequences.
#EcoCrisis
#ScienceForAll
#PublicService
🌎🌾🧪🌿🌱🍁🌲🔥🦋🐍🦅🐺

Trump swings budget ax at USGS biology research

Plan to eliminate $307 million ecosystem program could face obstacles in Congress

www.science.org

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Reposted by Clayton Hale (he/him)

Matthew Hayek @matthewhayek.bsky.social · Apr 10

Overblown press releases have consequences. Yes, university academics, this means you too www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

Trump team cites wolf ‘de-extinction’ as reason to cut endangered species list

The interior secretary hailed a biotech company’s claim to have brought back the dire wolf, while the administration and GOP push to roll back species protections.

www.washingtonpost.com

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