Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · 12d

Comment period ends on Monday for a proposed rule change that would terminate student visas after 4 years. It also puts limits on exchange visitors and reps of foreign media, and shortens the length of time at the end of the visa from 60 days to 30 days.

www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media

Unlike most nonimmigrant classifications, which are admitted for a fixed time period, aliens in the F (academic student), J (exchange visitor), and most I (representatives of foreign information media...

www.federalregister.gov

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Science Magazine @science.org · 13d

NSF today released instructions for the next round of applicants to its Graduate Research Fellowship Program. A key group—second-year Ph.D. students—is no longer eligible, and students who are still able to apply will face an unusually narrow timeframe. https://scim.ag/3KlQkQk

‘Completely shattered.’ Changes to NSF’s graduate student fellowship spur outcry

The announcement comes months later than usual, leaving many would-be applicants stranded

www.science.org

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Dave Karpf @davekarpf.bsky.social · 14d

Uhhh, folks? This is real bad.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence

NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM/NSPM-7 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

www.whitehouse.gov

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Dr. Lorgia García Peña @laprofelgp.bsky.social · 14d

Dear faculty teaching first gen, immigrant, Black, queer and trans students, your main job is to make your classroom a safe space. Educate yourself on your rights to protect your students. Remember in most states your classroom and your office are private spaces you get to decide who enters.

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · 22d

Hey Athens! Come out to Little Kings Shuffle Club for a workshop on how to effectively contact your legislators with Science for Georgia tonight at 7pm! Free and open to all.

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Botanical Society of America @botsocamerica.bsky.social · 27d

Mentors needed for BSA’s GRFP Workshop! 🌱

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Workshop for Plant Researchers is returning in 2025. With NSF’s 2026 GRFP deadline set for Oct 27, we’re looking for mentors to guide student applicants.

Learn how you can help!
mailchi.mp/botany.org/b...

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · 28d

Thank you!!

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Sep 8

I'm really interested in what's happening in the Plant Genomics Education space. Does anyone know anyone who is doing work in this area in higher ed? Would love to connect with anyone thinking about how to make Plant Genomics education accessible + equitable. :)

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

John Morales @johnmoralestv.bsky.social · Aug 26

The National Weather Service is hiring. Here is part of the application.

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Lauren Eserman-Campbell @laeserman.bsky.social · Aug 29

We are recruiting a Research Scientist in Genetics trained in plant population genetics to run the Conservation Genetics Research Program! This is an incredible opportunity to work on a diverse and active team in a biodiversity hotspot!!! recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/J...

Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc - Research Scientist, Genetics

The Atlanta Botanical Garden seeks a highly qualified scientist with training in plant population genetics to serve in the role of Research Scientist in Genetics within the Southeastern Center for Con...

recruiting.paylocity.com

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

skelly @iid.bsky.social · Aug 28

It’s crazy that America just like. Destroyed science. Just looked at its golden goose and went “wow should we kill this? And not for the gold, but just because we fucking hate this thing”

And if you tell random people about it they go “no, that doesn’t seem true” and just refuse to believe you

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Aug 29

It's a couple days from September and still no GRFP or PRFB posting. Do we think those are gone this year? :(

Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Mark Follman @markfollman.bsky.social · Aug 27

Brief 🧵, as someone who has studied mass shootings for 13 years:

-gender does not cause them
-SSRIs, no
-mental illness, no
-internet/gaming, no

Above can be compounding factors—but motive is complex, often very. The most fundamental combo:

suicidality + rage + isolation + easy access to guns

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Caroline Hu @hudrewthis.bsky.social · Aug 20

Seeking scientist volunteers for this fall! Want to practice science communication and help author a 🌟comic🌟 about your research? I need collaborators for the next cohort of SciComm & Comics art and design students. All countries and scientific fields eligible.

An anole extends its dewlap, which says "call for scientists!"

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · Aug 8

Trump executive order seeks to centralize control of grantmaking under political appointees www.statnews.com/2025/08/08/t...

Trump executive order seeks to centralize control of grantmaking under political appointees

A sweeping new executive order seeks to transform how the federal government awards billions of dollars in research grants

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Dr. David Miller 🏳️‍🌈 @davidimiller.bsky.social · Aug 7

So many bad things for science in this EO. Here’s just one further tidbit:

“[Vought] shall further revise the Uniform Guidance…to limit the use of discretionary grant funds for costs related to facilities and administration.”

Likely translation: make 15% indirect rates legal.

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · Aug 7

One more effort to politicize federal grantmaking.
*Grants must by approved by a political appointee, working with OMB.
*"Discretionary awards must, where applicable, demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities."
*Cannot "promote anti-American values"
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

www.whitehouse.gov

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Aug 7

Well, this is a huge Executive Order power grab...

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

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Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

www.whitehouse.gov

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Aug 7

Jira!

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Matthew Boedy @matthewboedy.bsky.social · Aug 4

The 2025 @aaup.org Faculty in the South Survey is live. If you are a professor in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, or Texas it's for you. Ends 8/29 at 5pm Eastern forms.gle/v7T3BH2w9LXs...

2025 AAUP Faculty in the South Survey

The Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors [AAUP] and its partners in states across the South have been at the forefront of fighting attacks on higher education. To as...

forms.gle

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Aug 5

I am simultaneously so EXCITED about all the cool work that I will be doing this fall & TERRIFIED about how busy it will be. This is the most confident I've EVER felt as a PhD student, but it also comes with the knowledge that I'm going to be swamped lol. I feel like I understand faculty now.

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Shelly Gaynor @shellygaynor.bsky.social · Jul 30

Hi #Botany2025 - In my quest to never do flow cytometry again, I am collecting sequence data (radseq, target enrichment, WGS, ect.) with confirmed ploidal level. If you have samples, reach out!

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Reposted by Summer Blanco (she/they)

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · Jul 17

"DEIA and civil rights law are not favoritism or reverse discrimination; they are a strategy to establish a just context in which a meritocracy might be possible. The racialized systemic barriers faced by some but not by others create uneven access and opportunities"

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

US should reject color-blind racial ideology

The Trump administration’s executive orders (EOs) 14281 (1), 14173 (2), and 14151 (3) suggest that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives give jobs and other opportunities ...

www.science.org

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Jul 17

Doing a PhD truly is just being continuously humbled lol. BUT on the bright side, I am so grateful to have supportive colleagues that are amazing teachers that can help me stay motivated.

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Jul 17

Pursuing a split dissertation has me feeling the whole "jack of all trades master of none". Did i just prep an AERA conference paper that I'm really excited about? Yes. Did I also learn that I have to redo my genome assembly bc I don't understand polyploids? Also Yes. 1 step forward, 2 steps back.

a man sitting in front of a microphone with the words i don t know anything

ALT: a man sitting in front of a microphone with the words i don t know anything

media.tenor.com

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Summer Blanco (she/they) @mellamosummer.bsky.social · Jun 29

Super excited for this talk this Thursday!!!

ROOT-SHOOT RCN @root-shoot.bsky.social · Jun 21

Join us Thursday July 3 at 10am PDT (1pm EDT, 6pm in the UK) for a fascinating webinar presented by Dr. Guadalupe Maldonado Andrade from Cal Poly Pomona, speaking on "What Grows in the Margins: Plants, People, and the Politics of Care". Free to join, register here rootandshoot.org/webinar-plan...

What grows in the margins: Plants, People, and the Politics of Care. Dr. Guadalupe Maldonado Andrade. Dr. Guadalupe Maldonado Andrade is a faculty member in the Plant Science Dept. at Cal Poly Pomona. Her teaching thoughtfully weaves together plant science and ethnic studies, highlighting the powerful role of plants in shaping stories of reslience, healing, and social mobility. Her research is grounded in community-based collaborations focused on abortion care, working alongside Mexico-based organizations and researcher such as Nacer y Renancer, Centro de Mujeres, and photographer Mahe Elipe. July 3rd, 10-11am PDT / 1-2pm EDT. Open to all, come be a part of it!

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