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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · 2d

techwontsave.us/data-vampires
I don’t remember what specifically was covered related to jobs, but this series had a lot of interesting international cases of when a data center comes to town

Data Vampires - Tech Won’t Save Us

techwontsave.us

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Aug 27

I have not tried that, but it would be very useful if you could. With a non-woody plant and a pathogen at very high density maybe….

Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Aug 27

Thank you! I love when I see cool stuff that other people are doing and can adapt it for my own research questions. None of us are doing this alone, we are all building together!

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Aug 27

If anyone wants some plant pathogens in fun colors let me know 🌈🧫 #Xylella #Pseudomonas #Pantoea
Shoutout to @atinygreencell.bsky.social for inspiration and high quality source material
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Chromoprotein-modified plant pathogenic bacteria: tools for experimental tracking and visualization

Microbiology research often requires tracking of specific bacterial strains within a host infection system or in the environment, as well as differentiation of strains in a co-infection or microbe-mic...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson @copperbae.bsky.social · Apr 22

NSURP is looking for mentors for this summer! We had over 200 applications for about 10 spots. Please sign up if you are interested in being a mentor this year or in the future as it is helpful to show interest. Please share this! uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

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Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

KneeDeep Times Magazine @kneedeeptimes.bsky.social · Mar 19

Plant tissue culture can help endangered species survive and adapt to climate change. Amateur plant biologist Jasmine Neal’s community lab could make this tech more accessible. 📷: Jasmine Neal buff.ly/8VZqZMb

#plantscience #openscience

Jasmine Neal Wants to Bring Plant Science to Everyone

Plant tissue culture can help endangered species adapt to climate change. Jasmine Neal’s community lab could make this tech more accessible.

www.kneedeeptimes.org

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Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · Mar 2

The overwhelming sentiment of the past few weeks is that the US Government is no longer a good faith employer. In a global marketplace with competition from both private companies and state actors, this is going to prove much more costly to the US taxpayer than any savings, which they will never see

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 28

I know funding is very uncertain right now, but if anyone at UC Merced wants to hire an excellent undergraduate with several years experience in microbiology/molecular biology let me know!

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 27

The idea that government credit cards are a free for all of inappropriate spending is complete insanity for anyone who has dealt with the many layers of approval, documentation, and oversight that comes with a gov credit card. Nothing is easier to track than then credit card records…

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · Feb 27

Follows on my reporting that the $1 credit card cap hit EPA and DOI the last couple days, including staff in the field

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Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson @copperbae.bsky.social · Feb 24

Although we are not federally funded for this summer, WE WILL STILL RUN The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP) in 2025. We remain committed to the work that needs to be done and will continue to meet people where they are. 1/4 nsurp.org

NSURP.org

National Summer Undergraduate Research Project

nsurp.org

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 20

www.ypradio.org/npr-news/202...

A military vet and a scientist were securing America's food system. Trump fired them

More than 10,000 federal employees who had yet to complete their probationary periods have been fired by the Trump administration, including those who work to protect American agriculture.

www.ypradio.org

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 18

“Like all federal employees in the US, I took an oath to the Constitution, not to a president or political party”
www.bmj.com/content/388/...

Anger, despair, and defiance from a voice within the US federal research system

People around the world are watching with disbelief as the new US government closes down its aid programme, withdraws from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris agreement on climate change...

www.bmj.com

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Feb 16

To probationary federal employees who have been terminated:

Democracy Forward has filed a first-of-its-kind class-wide complaint with the Office of Special Counsel. If civil servants want to join in the complaint, you can email [email protected]

Civil Service Strong: Resources for Civil Servants

Effective. Impartial. Resilient. The civil service comprises dedicated, nonpartisan federal employees who work tirelessly across the country and around the world to ensure the effective delivery of go...

www.civilservicestrong.org

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 15

Not wrong 🫣

Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra @jrossibarra.bsky.social · Feb 15

live feed of science in the U.S.

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Isako Di Tomassi @isakoditomassi.bsky.social · Feb 14

Many people from the #USDA were terminated yesterday/today. A place where agricultural research is done to support agricultural production. Scientists, research assistants, custodians.

This is unacceptable.

#PlantPathology #PlantScience #USDA-ARS #AttackOnScience

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Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

Ben Zipperer @benzipperer.org · Feb 14

Federal employee terminations will cause widespread economic damage even beyond the hardships for specific employees

How many federal workers live in your state or county or congressional district?

I made an little interactive site to tell you economic.github.io/federal_work...

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Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

ASM @asm.org · Feb 15

ASM stands firm in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as such efforts are critical to advancing the microbial sciences for everyone. Read our statement: asm.org/Press-Releas...

ASM’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The American Society for Microbiology stands firm in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as such efforts are critical to advancing the microbial sciences for everyone.

asm.org

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 15

AGU was clearly not paying attention to what happened with ASM if they think this will end well for them……

Celeste Labedz @celestelabedz.bsky.social · Feb 10

The main DEI page from @agu.org has been modified to take diversity out of the title. Glad to see it's not deleted entirely, but hey AGU, we're watching what you do and remembering the big game you once talked about supporting your diverse membership.

Today vs. January

Screencap of American Geophysical Union DEI webpage (URL at end) reading "Inclusion at AGU" on a banner with "AGU Ethics & Equity Center" link below it.

https://www.agu.org/learn-about-agu/about-agu/diversity-and-inclusion

Screencap Wayback Machine archive version of American Geophysical Union DEI webpage (URL at end) from January 04 2025, reading "Diversity & Inclusion at AGU" on a banner with "Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at AGU" section below it, with link to "Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan"

Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 14

The USDA count has got to be much higher than that. We lost 10 just in my ARS research unit and I saw the Forest Service lost over 3000

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Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · Feb 14

ATTN FEDERAL WORKERS: I’ll say this again: download all your SF-50s, performance evals, and your eOPF.

Now.

Print hard copies.

And make sure you file an informal grievance with your supervisor within 15 days of any adverse action. Here is a template: www.muellershewrote.com/p/informal-g...

Informal Grievance Template for Adverse Personnel Actions

There is a limited amount of time to oppose personnel actions. Time is short.

www.muellershewrote.com

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Jeffrey M @jeffreymphd.bsky.social · Feb 14

Mass firing a generation of new scientists is lazy, stupid, & counterproductive. I've been a fed. researcher. Sure, there's 'waste' in these systems. Some programs should be sunsetted. But figuring out what should go takes smart and energetic management. Not this.

www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/f...

Trump administration to fire thousands at health agencies

The Trump administration is set to eliminate thousands of federal health care jobs Friday, targeting employees across agencies who were hired in the past one to two years.

www.statnews.com

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 14

www.afge.org/publication/...

AFGE President Everett Kelley Condemns Trump Administration's Mass Firing of Federal Employees

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union representing 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas.

www.afge.org

Reposted by Lindsey Burbank

Brad Johnson @climatebrad.hillheat.com · Feb 14

The #BloodyThursday attempted firings are illegal. No reporters should be describing them in any other way than "attempted."
🥄🥄🥄

Other than unsatisfactory performance or conduct (315.804) or pre-appointment conditions (315.805), no additional conditions, whether explicitly stated or implied, justify termination. Nowhere in these regulations does it state, nor even suggest, that an agency may discharge a probationary employee for “any reason.”

Appeal Rights for Probationary Employees

If you are terminated under 315.804 or 315.805, you have appeal rights under 5 CFR 315.806:

Partisan Political Reasons – You may appeal your termination to the MSPB if you allege it was based on partisan political reasons (315.806(b)). (HINT: It will be.)

Failure to Follow Procedure – If your termination was based on 315.805 (pre-appointment conditions) but the agency failed to follow the required procedures, you also have appeal rights under 315.806(c).

Discrimination – You may appeal if your termination was based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability (315.806(d)).

If an agency attempts to justify your termination on politically motivated grounds, such as budget shifts, downsizing, presidential policy changes, or political retaliation, they are acting outside the authority granted by regulation. You have the right to appeal to the MSPB under 5 CFR 315.806. Reorganization and downsizing efforts are not “pre-appointment conditions,” so be prepared to challenge this aggressively.

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Lindsey Burbank @lindseyburbank.bsky.social · Feb 14

For those working in federal public service, today was dark. We serve in many capacities and for many reasons, but what we have in common is working every day for the public of the United States. And this is what we get.

Brad Johnson @climatebrad.hillheat.com · Feb 14

#BloodyThursday reports:

“Employees were given no notice, no due process, and no opportunity to defend themselves in a blatant violation of the principles of fairness and merit that are supposed to govern federal employment." - Everett Kelley, AFGE President

Trump administration directs agency heads to fire most probationary staff

Terminations should happen within two days, according to four people familiar with internal conversations.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Beronda L. Montgomery @berondam.bsky.social · Feb 4

There's a lot of organizations declaring "we're doing this based on legal advice about EOs" going around. As an administrator I always knew that advice is not a mandate. It takes a leader's directive to convert advice to action. Leaders need to be prepared to own that directive AND its consequences.

mandate.it

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