Olivia Kosterlitz
@oliviakosterlitz.bsky.social
520 followers 210 following 4 posts
Studying the effects of horizontal gene transfer (specifically conjugative plasmids) on the ecology and evolution of bacterial communities. Currently a NSF postdoctoral fellow with Eva Top @ UIdaho
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oliviakosterlitz.bsky.social
Still on a science high after an incredible Microbial Population GRS/GRC. Honored to have been able to talk about my work. Grateful for all the amazing feedback, ideas, and inspiring conversations—especially from the brilliant scientists whose papers I’ve long admired. Can’t wait for the next one!
mikeblazanin.bsky.social
Looking forward to seeing everyone, new and old, at the Microbial Population Biology GRS + GRC in just a couple days!

go.bsky.app/GGxRjzC
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
carlbergstrom.com
Modern-Day Oracles or Bullshit Machines?

Jevin West (@jevinwest.bsky.social) and I have spent the last eight months developing the course on large language models (LLMs) that we think every college freshman needs to take.

thebullshitmachines.com
INTRODUCTION
thebullshitmachines.com
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
stairwaytokevin.bsky.social
The National Science foundation has just updated their FAQ to say they are complying with the court order and has restored access to funds and the ACM$ platform new.nsf.gov/executive-or...
1. When will the Award Cash Management Service (ACM$) be restored to allow disbursements on active awards?
Access to ACM$ has been restored and the system is available to accept payment requests as of 12:00 PM ET on February 2, 2025.

2. On Friday, January 31, 2025, a Federal Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) directing Federal grant-making agencies, including the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), to"..not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate... awards and obligations." What is NSF doing to comply with this TRO?
NSF has restored access to the ACM$ system as of 12:00 PM ET on February 2, 2025 and is in compliance with the TRO.
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
firefoxx66.bsky.social
It's all gone. They've taken down all the CDC datasets from data.cdc.gov

Data that's critical for public health & research. Data paid for by citizens. That the government now censors.

"Do not fear those who tell the truth. Fear those who try to hide it. They are willing to sacrifice other things."
oliviakosterlitz.bsky.social
Maybe this will help NSF PRFB fellows like me who are not getting paid 🧪
kinesinmotors.bsky.social
NEW Restraining Order Issued Against Funding Freeze
🧪
NPR.org

"For now, the order blocks any suspension of federal dollars to the 22 states that were party to the suit — as well as the District of Columbia."
NPR report that a U.S. District Court judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Administration’s freeze on grants and other funds
oliviakosterlitz.bsky.social
As a PRFB fellow myself, I can independently confirm this is true! I will not be receiving a paycheck in February and it is unclear the next time I will be paid. No communication from NSF either on how they will determine grants are in ‘compliance’ to deem which funding will be resumed.
couchmicroscopy.bsky.social
To update people on the NSF PRFB situation: despite the court challenge and rescinding the original memo, the NSF has continued to comply with the executive order. They have not communicated with us at all and our paychecks are still canceled indefinitely. I know people who cannot pay their rent.
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
asantoslopez.bsky.social
Check out this amazing Spotlight on our recently published paper -> www.cell.com/trends/micro...
Huge thanks to @oliviakosterlitz.bsky.social, Benjamin Kerr and Elisabeth Duan for this great spolight.
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
jomcinerney.bsky.social
Latest paper. We show that evolution repeats itself in predictable ways. This directly addresses the assertion by Stephen Jay Gould that evolution is not predictable. The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes/no. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A graph depicting the dependencies between genes in a pangenome
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
jplotkin.bsky.social
🚨The evolution of forecasting for decision-making in dynamic environments🚨

We explore a middle ground between rational economic and myopic evolutionary theories, when decisions feedback on environmental states.

By A Tilman @erolakcay.bsky.social @VVLVasconcelos

doi.org/10.1177/2633...
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz
sanmillan.bsky.social
Can we predict AMR evolution?? We sure can try! New study published today in PNAS
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Olivia Kosterlitz