Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mike Fowler

@theorecol.bsky.social

1.4K followers 730 following 570 posts

Theoretical & Quantitative Ecologist. Dad. Whisky lover. Football coach. Relearning the drums. Not necessarily in that order. See also @[email protected] He/him

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · Oct 21

Welcome new followers (thanks to the ecology starter-pack!). I'll take this opportunity to publicise the Response Diversity Network: we seek to understand why species respond in diverse ways to environmental drivers, & the consequences. Join us!

responsediversitynetwork.github.io/RDN-website/

Welcome

responsediversitynetwork.github.io

2 1 14

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 15h

The scary thing is the total failure of VCs across the UK to stabilise sector finances across the last 15 years. For those who can leave, there are few other options around. For those who can't... a cohort of weak, overpaid VCs have installed a gaggle of even weaker PVCs who won't do a better job 😞

Reposted by Mike Fowler

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 15h

70,000 HE academic staff.

Almost half of teaching only staff.

Two-thirds of research-only academic staff.

ALL on fixed term contracts.

This isn’t flexibility, it’s exploitation.

Live tomorrow at 7 PM we expose the hypocrisy at the top of HE: youtube.com/live/rZRbCP0YJ…

10 10

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 1d

...but maybe not too surprised?

1 1

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 1d

I am, dear followers, quite confident the people responsible will continue to avoid responsibility.
@ucu.org.uk
#JoinAUnion
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Vote of no confidence in Swansea University vice chancellor over job cuts - BBC News

UCU members at Swansea University pass a vote of no confidence in its vice chancellor due to job cuts.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1 4

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 1d

Something, something, dying embers of a globally disasterous industry.
☀️💨🌊❤️

Jonathan @renewableenergy.bsky.social · 1d

Huge historic turning point — Renewables surpassed coal as the world’s leading electricity source for the first half of 2025!

#greensky #energysky #renewableenergy

Reposted by Mike Fowler

James Cotton @jamesacotton.bsky.social · 1d

We have a PhD position in population genomics of sheep scab mites available from October 2026. The project will investigate Psoroptes populations in the context of eradication programs on Scottish island groups and spreading drug resistance. www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...

University of Glasgow - Postgraduate study - Centres for Doctoral Training - NorthWest Biosciences - Our Projects - Animal Biology in Health & Disease - James Cotton

www.gla.ac.uk

1 3 3

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 2d

Someone beat you to it.
(Great channel, worth subscribing for researching your next PhD topic.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=To5q...

Gone Too Soon…The TRAGIC Story of Fountains of Wayne (Stacy’s Mom)

YouTube video by Rock N' Roll True Stories

www.youtube.com

1 1 1

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 2d

*its :(

1 1

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 2d

Exemptions for any organism that is more commonly called "PERKELE!" than it's other common name.

1 2

Reposted by Mike Fowler

Jacquelyn Gill @jacquelyngill.bsky.social · 2d

The new Wiley journal review system is an absolute nightmare. Editorial assistants have been replaced by a clunky, AI-enabled website that makes it harder to find and invite reviewers. Associate editor workloads have increased. I'm not convinced the invitations to reviewers are even going through.

10 60 150

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 2d

Mollusc ado about nothing.

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 5d

I haven't heard anyone mention the "academic journey" since approximately... [checks notes] student number caps were lifted.

1 1

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 6d

Internet archive to the rescue!!

web.archive.org/web/20191108...

web.archive.org

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 6d

You can shove all that right up yer pipe.

1 1

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 6d

Feeling very badly let down by @yodacomplex.bsky.social today.

After parasitising his very helpful "Intro to (base) #Rstats" videos for years to supplement my teaching, he's finally taken them down and replaced them with an RStudio version.

End of an era 😢

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvhb...

Opening R for the first time

YouTube video by Andrew Jackson

www.youtube.com

1 4

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 6d

You: A researcher who is asking for massive sums of public money to investigate the biggest challenges of our times, by thinking very deeply and carefully about them.

Also you: finDing answErs & reseaRching temPoral synchronY: DERPY

1 1

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 6d

Project acrocnyms that don't use the first letter of each word in the title but do pick random letters within the words.
💩

a man is sitting at a table with a plate of food .

ALT: a man is sitting at a table with a plate of food .

media.tenor.com

2 4

Reposted by Mike Fowler

Warwick History Post-Doc Club @post-doc-club.bsky.social · 9d

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

41 1.6K 2.6K

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 9d

More fool them. There's almost always a manager above them.

Reposted by Mike Fowler

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 9d

YES! THIS on GenAI!

Please read this absolutely splendid piece of writing that had me cheering, a little bit weepy, and writing in the margins:

"An extraordinary amount of money is spent by the AI industry to ensure that acquiescence is the only plausible response. But marketing is not destiny."

Large Language Muddle | The Editors

The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize any number of dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the ...

www.nplusonemag.com

20 520 1.2K

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 9d

If all they're doing is collating AI generated slop, it really won't be long before a manager notices and finds a more efficient way of collating it?

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 12d

My pop culture references are all positively Baroque.

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 12d

Sorry to hear about this. Absolutely terrible behaviour.

It may be covered by sporting association codes of conduct and/or safeguarding requirements.

(Luckily, I've been reading up after some unpleasant in-person and online abuse during and after refereeing a kids' football game last weekend.)

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 12d

Turns on "Pet Shop Boys" on Spotify.
Enjoys first track.
Presented with advert for private hospital specialising in hip replacements.
Relief that at least the algorithm finally gets me.

a cartoon character with a blue nose and mouth is smiling and saying `` oh joy '' .

Alt: a cartoon character with a blue nose and mouth (Stimpson J. Cat) is smiling and saying `` oh joy '' .

media.tenor.com

1 5

Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 13d

Somewhere, in the distance, Don Henley softly rises from a radio.
Dylan Thomas raises an eyebrow.

A sunflower, denuded of its petals, basks in the early autumnal sunshine.