Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 3h

My new boots arrived whilst I was in Norwich, I had worn a hole in the sole of the last pair.
Hooray, no more wet feet 😁

A boot-wearing leg resting on a car dashboard.

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

SEBiology @sebiology.bsky.social · 4h

Curious how AI can transform student feedback and assessment?

Join us in one week to hear from experts Nigel Francis and Jordon Millward + open discussion.

Free webinar on 15 October 2025, 13:00-14:00 BST.

Sign up now:
www.sebiology.org/events/ems-e...

#Education #AI #Webinar

Using AI in student assessment, marking, and feedback

Nigel Francis and Jordon Millward will discuss their work on AI in student assessment, marking, and feedback, followed by an open floor for audience discussion. The first webinar in our new Outreach E...

www.sebiology.org

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Research Culture Leeds @researchcultureuol.bsky.social · 4h

Dr Raysa Rocha delivered a lightning talk on generating actionable insights to support neurodivergent workers and their wellbeing. We at Leeds are having conversations on how to support neurodivergent people in the research community, so this is exciting!

Dr Raysa Rocha standing in a lecture theatre in front of a slide titled "Neurodivergent workers and wellbeing".

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Katherine Denby 🌱🥬 @katherinedenby.bsky.social · 3h

Delighted to be able to support two early career group leaders with this award - and look forward to seeing exciting work coming from their labs!

The Plant Journal @theplantjournal.bsky.social · 1d

Meet the 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐓𝐏𝐉-𝐏𝐒𝐍𝐀 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 🏆
This award recognizes outstanding postdocs and research scientists, with preference for early-career researchers ready to launch independent labs:
💠Ryo Yokoyama @yokoyama-ryo.bsky.social
💠 Boaz Negin
CONGRATULATIONS!

@psna-official.bsky.social
⬇️

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Justus Hennecke @henneckejustus.bsky.social · 1d

Super excited to see that the last chapter of my PhD on root trait - ecosystem functioning relationships is now published in @newphyt.bsky.social!
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Rooting for function: community‐level fine‐root traits relate to many ecosystem functions

Humans are driving biodiversity change, which also alters community functional traits. However, how changes in the functional traits of the community alter ecosystem functions—especially belowground...

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 9h

Thanks for inviting me, it's such a pleasure to spend time with so many exciting and excited plant biologists 💚

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Maddy Seale @maddyseale.bsky.social · 1d

Out First Release in @science.org this week:
The development of a directed evolution strategy with proof of concept in plant immune protein engineering.

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

Engineered geminivirus replicons enable rapid in planta directed evolution

Directed evolution can rapidly generate genetic variants with new and enhanced properties, yet efficient platforms for performing such evolution directly in plant cells have been lacking. We developed...

www.science.org

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Irene Hames @irenehames.bsky.social · 1d

Great opportunity! Applications are open for @theplantjournal.bsky.social Fellowship scheme - provides support and mentorship for early-year PIs establishing themselves as independent group leaders.

Also great chance to learn about the editorial side of #JournalPublishing #PlantScience #PeerReview

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 19h

I love traveling and bringing home souvenirs from my travels to remind me of places I've visited.
If aliens came across the universe to visit Earth, what do you think they would take home to remember our wonderful planet?
I know what I think they'd take home!
🌱

The Sainsbury Laboratory @thesainsburylab.bsky.social · 21h

“If we didn’t have plants, we’d still be fish!” 🐠🌍

Our keynote @plantteaching.bsky.social about the importance of plants, from photosynthesis to evolution and development... through aliens! 🌱🛸

@johninnescentre.bsky.social @quadraminstitute.bsky.social @earlhaminst.bsky.social

#NBIAST2025

Mary Williams speaking on the stage. The slide projected behind her contains a satellite photo of half of the Earth, with a cartoon alien spaceship on the top left, and the title reads “What would aliens take home from earth?”

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 19h

I had so much fun sharing my love and awe of plant with the students and teachers and staff at the Norwich Biosciences Institutes Accessible Science Talks event. I hope I inspired a few students to apply their talents to plant science!

Ben Dewhurst @dewhurst-ben.bsky.social · 21h

A treat to hear from (and briefly chat with) @plantteaching.bsky.social today at the #NBIAST2025 event today

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 19h

Thank you Ben, it was a treat to meet you and talk about how wonderful plants are. Anytime your students need a pep talk, let me know! 💚

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 1d

Thank you so much, April. We’d like to write an update too—so much has happened in a mere five years—but I think we have to tackle the bullshit machines first.

Modern-Day Oracles or Bullshit Machines: Introduction

A free online humanities course about how to learn and work and thrive in an AI world.

Thebullshitmachines.com

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 1d

#NBIAST2025
Designer flowers for art and education
@nickdesnoyer.bsky.social
Combining art, design, and science.

Nick Desnoyer presenting his talk on art and flowers

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

John Innes Centre @johninnescentre.bsky.social · 1d

Today is the day! 🌟🥼🧪

We’re thrilled to be kicking off the NBI Accessible Science Talks, in collaboration with @earlhaminst.bsky.social , @quadraminstitute.bsky.social and @thesainsburylab.bsky.social

Thank you in advance to everyone for joining us - whether in-person or online!

#NBIAST2025

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

John Innes Centre @johninnescentre.bsky.social · 1d

Our morning session (chaired by JIC Bioimaging Platform Manager, Jake Richardson) begins with an introduction to some of the research and speakers today from across Norwich Research Park by John Innes Centre Director, @cristobaluauy.bsky.social 🎤

#NBIAST2025

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 1d

#nbiast2025 We are getting started! It's great to see how well these institutes support equity and inclusion 🏳️‍🌈.

The chair of the LGBTQ + group in front of her stand.

The Race, Ethnicity, Equality and Diversity stand and the host.

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d

The number of international students arriving in the U.S. in August fell by 19% this year compared with last year — the largest decline on record outside of the pandemic.

Nearly 20 Percent Fewer International Students Traveled to the U.S. in August

The data shows the steepest decline in August international student arrivals since the pandemic.

nyti.ms

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 1d

Today! I'm excited to learn more about this fascinating project 💚💗

Nick Desnoyer @nickdesnoyer.bsky.social · 2d

Fantastical flowers, synthetic biology, and storytelling.

Giving an accessible science talk tomorrow at 10:40 UK time... come join!

Register here for the link 👉 jic.link/NBIAST2025

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Plant Physiology @plantphys.bsky.social · 1d

Plant metabolism: Zoom in to the single-cell level (Nikolaos Ntelkis, C Robin Buell, Alain Goossens) doi.org/10.1093/plph... #PlantScience

Plant metabolism: Zoom in to the single-cell level

The numerous emerging single-cell technologies allow uncovering plant metabolism regulation at higher resolution, enabling precise pathway discovery and me

doi.org

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Sylvie Coursol @sylviecoursol.bsky.social · 1d

The IJPB meets the public: wonderful moments of exchange! 🤩

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Biodiversity Heritage Library @biodivlibrary.bsky.social · 1d

Did you know that BHL has #FullTextSearch? You can search for scientific names, places, etc, but you can also find all the things that "Alfred Russell Wallace" found "delicious" in his travels (search for "delicious" and then narrow search results by author). #ILoveBHL www.biodiversitylibrary.org 🧪

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 1d

Got it. Remote truly expands access! I'm sorry I don't get to meet you in person, but we're connected now 💚

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) @orca-open.bsky.social · 23d

📅 Proposals due: Jan 8, 2026

🔗 Learn more, register for information sessions, and apply: www.ma3challenge.org

It’s time to modernize academic advancement systems so they reflect the values institutions champion. Join us! (5/5)

Modernizing Academic Appointment & Advancement

www.ma3challenge.org

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Reposted by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching

Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) @orca-open.bsky.social · 23d

🚀 $1.5M Modernizing Academic Appointment and Advancement (MA3) Challenge is live!

@orca-open.bsky.social, alongside the American Academy of Arts and Sciences & @asterainstitute.bsky.social, is calling on US colleges, universities, & departments to reimagine hiring, promotion, & tenure. (1/5)

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Mary Williams @PlantTeaching @plantteaching.bsky.social · 1d

It was a pleasure to meet you in person!