Oh good, I'm sure this will lead to robust and reliable science and policy

Strong statement today from UC's Academic Senate:

I am filled with so much love and gratitude that I cannot grieve. Dr. Goodall worked tirelessly in her gentle, hopeful way for a better world for all life on Earth. She has laid down her field notebook for the last time; now it is for us to fill with wonder, joy, and connection, into infinity.

NSF unexpectedly changed (at the last minute) who is eligible to apply for the Grad Research Fellowship, dropping 2nd year students. We started a petition to reverse this unfair change, Sign here:
laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
and please spread the word!!!!

A great way to give up on being a global leader in science.

"Trump directives have undermined a 75-year history of independence and threaten the National Science Foundation's vaunted track record for excellence"
www.science.org/content/arti...
🧪 🌊 ⚒️

As science gets defunded and attacked, a reminder that not only is science important - it's AWESOME!

@trahan.house.gov as one of your constituents, I am deeply upset that you voted yea on a resolution to honour someone who routinely espoused hateful and bigoted rhetoric. Just because someone is dead does not make their life worth honouring when they used it to spread hate and violence

He was a bigoted, hateful little man who took glee in the pain and death of others. Stop joining in the whitewashing of his legacy, which was one of hate and intolerance.

Elizabeth Warren on people who say Dems needs to tone down their rhetoric: "Oh, please. Why don't you start with the president of the United States? And every ugly meme he's posted and every ugly word."

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
Why would we destroy 70 years of Science excellence? Good question.
#Science

Our recent study in the #MarineEcologyProgressSeries
highlights how body size, condition, and human impacts shape the survival of right whales & why they are so vulnerable to prey limitation and disturbance 🐋

🔗 in thread

#Conservation #WhaleResearch #RightWhales #OceanHealth #MarineScience 🌐🌏🧪🌱

In the US, PhDs typically take 5-7 years to complete. This will all but ensure that the US can no longer engage the best candidates and exacerbate the ongoing erosion of US research.

Some happy news! I am the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award winner!

Can the person who nominated me please identify themselves?? I want to thank you!

alumni.ucsc.edu/events-progr...

📣 ATTN (please share!) 📣

The #DEI Committee of the Society for @marinemammalogy.bsky.social is currently seeking volunteer American Sign Language Interpreters (or students working towards certification).

#ASL #AmericanSignLanguage #SignLanguage #marinemammals
@dolphinwhisperer.bsky.social

Oh good, this addled idiot has wandered into my house.

1) no, this isn't true, you withered numpty
2) whales are much more threatened by climate change
3) Trump is decimating NOAA, NSF, and university research which all help monitor and protect whale populations, so spare me your fake concern

Lots of people on my feed are concerned about the destruction of NOAA by the Trump administration and Elon Musk, but much of what I’ve seen people post about is the national weather service. That’s vital, but NOAA does so much more than that!

My latest, for @ucsusa.bsky.social

🧪🌎🦑🐠

I look forward to my next manuscript getting comments like "The phrase 'diversity of foraging tactics used by whales' could be considered woke language".

This is the dumbest timeline.

Unfortunate truth is, U.S. academics are not going to find jobs overseas. Some of the biggest name glam faculty will be poached, but for most, the ride is just going to end.

This isn't to say other countries won't take the lead in research, etc. They'll just do it mostly with their own citizens.

An excellent article in the NYTimes about the impending demise of the last U.S. Antarctic research vessel, the N.B. Palmer, featuring US and overseas colleagues (including @polarrobs.bsky.social). Gift link:

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/c...

Spotting whales for the boat team at the lighthouse in the Southern Lagoon, New Caledonia 🐳 🎶 @solenederville.bsky.social @francae.bsky.social @seamammalresearch.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social @entropie-marinelab.bsky.social

The lesson here is to litigate, not cower.

If you're one of those scientists and want to add your name to this effort, please let us know. Link, current signatories and email contact to add your voice are here:

docs.google.com/document/d/1... (5/n)

🌊❄️🧪 🇦🇶 Please share:

We have learned that the National Science Foundation is moving ahead with plans to decommission the U.S. Research Vessel/Ice Breaker Nathaniel B. Palmer this October.

If you care about Antarctic research, please read on (1/n)