Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Julie Posselt

AERA @aeraedresearch.bsky.social · May 22

AERA members Mike Steele, @julieposselt.bsky.social, ‪@doctadre.bsky.social‬, and William Penuel comment on the devastating impact of National Science Foundation cuts to STEM education research. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/s...

Funding Cuts Are a ‘Gut Punch’ for STEM Education Researchers

www.nytimes.com

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · May 24

Canadian cafés are changing Americano to Canadiano in response to the tariff nonsense ☕️

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Apr 16

It’s been an honor to serve on NSF’s advisory committee for the STEM Education Directorate. May its “disestablishment” be brief.

I will continue to advocate the value of gathering experts w varied perspectives on science to support and guide major funders. In a democracy, is there any other way?

Jonathan Lambert @jonlambert.bsky.social · Apr 15

NEW: Today, NSF "disestablished" most of its scientific advisory committees.

These are committees of outside experts convened to help shape NSF programs. Only five statutorily required committees remain, the rest are gone.
www.nsf.gov/executive-or...

NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders

Information for the NSF community regarding executive orders.

www.nsf.gov

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Apr 14

Making a piña colada in the blender this evening in lieu of another episode of White Lotus. 🥥🍍💀

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Apr 8

Such good news

Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Apr 5

The New York Department of Education is refusing to certify that school districts are eliminating DEI initiatives, citing that the “U.S. Education Department has no legal right to threaten to withhold federal funding over its own interpretation of the law.”

www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...

Trump gave states 10 days to sign anti-DEI policy. NY Education Department is refusing.

In a Friday letter to the U.S. Education Department, New York officials said they will not certify that the state is eliminating DEI in schools, despite threats to pull federal funding.

www.chalkbeat.org

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Mar 22

Please note: This is the same entity that he also claimed today should manage federal financial aid if the Department of Education is shuttered. 🤦‍♀️

CBS News @cbsnews.com · Mar 21

The Trump administration on Friday is expected to cut 40% of the Small Business Administration staff as part of its wider effort to shrink the federal bureaucracy, three sources familiar with the plans told CBS News.

Trump administration expected to cut 40% of Small Business Administration staff

The Trump administration is expected to cut 40% of the Small Business Administration staff, three sources familiar with the plans told CBS News.

cbsn.ws

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Reposted by Julie Posselt

Nicole Bedera @nbedera.bsky.social · Mar 7

I’ve seen a lot of assumptions in the media that Trump (and Musk) are targeting institutions with loyalty tests.

But that’s not quite right. They’re using dominance tests. And the difference between these two things matter. 🧵

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Reposted by Julie Posselt

Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education @sgpejournal.bsky.social · Mar 11

Excited to share a #callforabstracts for our next special issue: "Racialized Legitimacy in Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training", with guest editors @airealejoi.bsky.social, @julieposselt.bsky.social, @romanliera.bsky.social & Lauren Irwin

www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-pa...

Racialized Legitimacy in Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training

This special issue emphasizes how racism and racialization are embedded in the processes used to evaluate and confer legitimacy to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Mar 10

If you have not, since January, spent a couple of hours just reading a book at a pleasing cafe of your choosing, may I suggest this $5 technique for recentering.

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Mar 10

Thank you so much, Gabriel!

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Mar 6

Perhaps have sheets of butter rolled in and laminated, like a croissant?

Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Mar 6

It’s easy to get caught up in the political churn, but today this is the news that has my attention. Having hiked near those transformers the weekend the fire, and loathed their buzzing, I don’t know the last time I have felt such visceral support for a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/u...

Los Angeles County sues Southern California Edison, alleging utility’s equipment sparked wildfire | CNN

Los Angeles County said Wednesday that it’s suing Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s equipment sparked January’s Eaton Fire, which destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed 17 pe...

www.cnn.com

Reposted by Julie Posselt

Ruha Benjamin @ruha9.bsky.social · Mar 5

“What university leaders must realize is they are coming for your funding, no matter what. They are coming for the Dept of Ed, no matter what…The new segregationists are coming for public education no matter what, because it is a civil right that multiple targeted communities fought for.”

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Reposted by Julie Posselt

Thesiswhisperer @thesiswhisperer.bsky.social · Mar 1

Proud to be part of the team that put this paper on neurodivergence and the PhD together! 🫶 @dianatan.bsky.social for leading us in this project!

Diana Tan @dianatan.bsky.social · Mar 1

📢 New preprint alert: osf.io/preprints/os...

We conducted a systematic review to synthesise existing literature on the experiences of neurodivergent research students. As there is little empirical studies on this topic, we included perspective articles written by neurodivergent people. 🧵

OSF

osf.io

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 19

Three major reasons why higher ed administrators must not rush to comply with the 2/14 Department of Education DCL, according to @garceslm.bsky.social:
-The letter is a massive overreach
-It contradicts the court’s ruling
-It enforcement threats are unconstitutional
www.chronicle.com/article/hitt...

Hitting Pause on the ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter

The Department of Education is overstepping its bounds and infringing on constitutional rights.

www.chronicle.com

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Reposted by Julie Posselt

AAUP @aaup.org · Feb 18

“Far from harmless, the crusade against DEI has been a way of laundering racist policies into the mainstream. The anti-woke right’s public focus on hollow cultural signifiers obscures their actual goal: undoing the gains made by the Civil Rights Movement.”

www.theverge.com/politics/613...

The war on DEI is a smoke screen

MAGA’s attacks on “wokeness” and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” are a thinly veiled attack on the Civil Rights Movement itself.

www.theverge.com

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 16

Would you please consider reposting this? The Department of Education needs to hear from as many people as possible that it is not acceptable in the year of our Lord 2025 to offer only two gender options. Thank you.
Love, Julie/Mommy of a non-binary college student

Jessica Kant @jessdkant.bsky.social · Feb 16

Department of Education FAFSA changes are open for public comment. The changes include requiring trans students to misgender themselves and removes the nonbinary option on forms. Note: comment period is 60 days, and comments are publicly visible.

Form here: www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Education published the information collection for the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA®) form in the Federal Register, the first public step in the FAFSA development process. The Department is on track to launch the 2026-27 FAFSA by Oct. 1, 2025 as mandated by the FAFSA Deadline Act.

The Department also announced that current and future FAFSA forms will rightfully reflect the biological reality that there are only two sexes: male and female. Department officials will remove “nonbinary” as a gender identification option from the current year’s FAFSA form.

“The Trump Administration will correct the failures of the last Administration and ensure students and families can easily access the FAFSA form in a timely manner,” said Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron. “Resolving ongoing problems with the 2024-25 form, reflecting biological reality by referencing sex identifiers, and beginning the process for the 2026-27 form on-time will allow the Department to earn back the trust of the American people. Families and students depend on the FAFSA form to plan their futures, and any release delays or unnecessary politicization of the form is wholly unacceptable.”

Screenshot showing open comment form on federal register site

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 13

DCA airport: Just overheard a man on his phone ranting loudly about democracy, and it was unclear what party he stood for and this is more of the energy we need

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 9

Kudos to Roni Caryn Rabin and @katrinamillerphd.bsky.social for their excellent reporting at a delicate time

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 9

I spoke with the @nytimes.com for this piece on the ripple effects for science of recent executive orders.

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/09/s...

A Sweeping Ban on D.E.I. Language Roils the Sciences (Gift Article)

President Trump’s executive order is altering scientific exploration across a broad swath of fields, even beyond government agencies, researchers say.

www.nytimes.com

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 9

I haven’t the heart to tell my own darling doge that her breed has been co-opted.

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 9

"Opportunity deleted."

Trajan Hammonds @starlord37.bsky.social · Feb 8

Last night I found out that the NSF math postdoctoral fellowship I applied for is being deleted because it does not comply with Trump’s executive orders on DEI in the federal government. I’m going to answer some FAQs and share some thoughts about this ordeal in this thread 1/n

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Julie Posselt @julieposselt.bsky.social · Feb 9

You are, as ever, the best! ❤️

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