iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Excited to kick off the first day of the very first International Symposium on Advances in Metallurgy, in honour of Fionn Dunne. Looking forward to the great talks lined up over the next couple of days! #AdvancesinMetallurgy2025 @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

A reminder that diabetes, whilst a manageable condition, can be deadly.

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Yesterday, I spoke with Yahoo News about the importance of the UK steel industry, and the opportunity that nationalisation may pose for decarbonising the industry in the long term. Read here: uk.news.yahoo.com/british-stee...

uk.news.yahoo.com

How much will nationalising British Steel cost UK taxpayers?

We take a look at the costs of taking over British Steel - as well as the opportunities for growth.

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Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

🚀🚀

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Also it’s still totally insane and unexpected when I get awarded funding. It’s always like…me? You think I can do this? You believe in my science?! Maybe I’m not a total idiot?!

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Just got awarded a totally unexpected studentship for an unrepresented student I’ve been supporting. I am so incredibly thrilled. Gunna get to do more science with more people!

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Gotta admit, I’ve been pretty quiet on here since making my account. The world has just turned a bit scary, and I’ve avoided social media to try and preserve some peace. Honestly it’s been pretty great controlling how I get information.

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

This nickel electrode is covered in iron. That I extracted. From iron oxide. Sometimes science really does feel like magic 🪄

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

I’ve gotta admit, hour long seminars with adhd when someone is rolling a pen against their wedding ring is not gunna be a successful seminar for me

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Today, I made some iron I am an actual alchemist

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

I had the wonderful moment today of having my own research explained back to me. And the person assuming I was the PhD student on the poster. The joy of saying, nope, I’m the PI. The name at the end. The one who designed the work. And I absolutely do know what the work is 😂

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

We have finally settled on a group name! SMaRT - Sustainable Metallurgy and Resource efficient Technologies And we have a logo! Hoping this is the beginning of some great work in sustainable engineering :)

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Bluesky scientists - I need opinions! Do you name your research group after yourself, or after the work you do? I’m getting mixed opinions in my network, so I’m widening the net…

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

I need everyone to know that my group have a PhD meme of the week and science news of the week and our meetings are so joyous because of it

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Prof Ben Britton @bmatb.expmicromech.com · 08/01/2025

A request - are there any suggestions of papers on EDI & access to instrumentation/facilities in Universities/Major Facilities - especially with things concerning barriers and/or approaches to improve access with an EDI-lens in mind? 🧪

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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Professor Alexis Jay, who led a 7-year review of sexual abuse which reported in 2022, says starting a new inquiry would delay any implementation of her own recommendations:

Professor Alexis Jay said that starting a new inquiry could hinder the implementation of the recommendations from her 2022 report.
"We have set out what action is required and people should just get on with it," she told the BBC.
She added: "I've certainly been very unhappy about the politicisation of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse in the way that many people, sometimes in a very uninformed way, have waded into the argument."

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Anna Landre @annalandre.com · 07/01/2025

Do you know a UK-based wheelchair user who works in a lab and would be willing to user-test our prototype of what is believed to be the first-ever lab coat adapted for wheelchair users? Please share far & wide! Interest form: forms.office.com/e/66FhcQjqRT More info: www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-east/new...

Two photos of Anna, a young white woman using an electric wheelchair, wearing a blue lab coat that fits her well with tables and dry-lab equipment in the background. Text reads: "A team of researchers and designers led by UCL is looking for wheelchair users working in wet lab environments to user-test what is believed to be the first-ever prototype of a lab coat adapted for wheelchair users."

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Halfway through paper edits. A 7 years in the making paper. And I quite simply cannot answer some of the experimental queries. So now I’m not paper editing. I am trawling through lab notes…

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

I knew this week was full of deadlines and in typical adhd fashion I am barrelling towards them at a frantic and unsustainable pace.

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Successful break from everything. Painted this sleepy astronaut to remind me that rest is best

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Merry Christmas, from the backseat of a tow truck 🥲😂

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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Will solar PV soon be the cheapest source of electricity in most places around the world? This @naturecomms.bsky.social paper says yes. Most surprisingly this is AFTER including short- and long-term storage costs for renewable energy sources. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Mark Miodownik @markmiodownik.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

We are hiring. Come and work with us at the Institute of Making : www.instituteofmaking.org.uk/blog/we-are-...

instituteofmaking.org.uk

We are hiring a Materials Library Creative Lead! - Institute of Making

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Prof Nisreen Alwan @nisreenalwan.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Our paper on the impact of living with multiple long-term conditions on everyday life: a qualitative evidence synthesis. The 'work' is not only around medications and healthcare use, it is also emotional & financial with lots of learning & adaptation bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Getting 2 physicists to set up a chemistry experiment is a terrible idea. But look at this tiny hydrogen charging set up! It’s adorable!

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

I very much believe that if men had to suffer through periods, we would get free days off to sit at home eat chocolate and cry once a month. Yet instead I have to, like, do my job? Outrageous.

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Crocheting the periodic table updates: I’ve reached the transition metals!

Crochet of some pets of the periodic table on a carpet

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Hey academia, it’s 2024. Really easy to not have an invited speaker list that’s 100% male. Sincerely, a female scientist that is sick of not seeing herself represented at conferences and workshops xoxo

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

I’m finally back in the gym now that I have a car again and I am so happy to be looking after my body properly again. Ladies only gyms are my favouriteeeee

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Finished all the admin I needed to get done. Because I told myself if I did it, I can finish early and finally go and watch Wicked. So now I’m sitting waiting for Wicked to start (I know I know I haven’t had time to watch it yet ok)

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Hello a reminder it’s ok as the childless family member to protect your Christmas! Just because you can travel doesn’t mean you should. You can stay at home, eat your favourite food and watch the worst film you can possibly find (our Xmas tradition!)

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

I recently did an interview for #DisabilityHistoryMonth on the struggles of being in academia with a long term health condition. Read here: www.imperial.ac.uk/Stories/ukdh...

imperial.ac.uk

Disability History Month 2024

Stories from Imperial College London of flourishing at work with a disability

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Anyone else feel like this winter is exceptionally hard? It’s like there’s a billion different bugs around and I’m getting all of them. Maybe I’m just getting old?

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Wearing my cool new shirt for our group meeting today. I’m both fun AND useful!

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Pretty sure I am now made of 90% snot. The best time of year for a low immune system gal! 🥴

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Hello BlueSky friends! I’m running a session in creating a positive lab culture on Monday. What do you think is important to include? Currently we are covering: Safety Respect Expectations No Blame Attitude

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Lars Fischer @fischblog.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I recently moderated a panel discussion on sustainable chemistry, and I still think about it. 🧵 One key point was how much I underestimated the sheer magnitude of the transition needed. To make chemistry sustainable, the whole way we do chemistry has to change fundamentally. 1/

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Adam Parkhomenko @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

This is in my top five favorite 2024 videos of the year. No idea what the other four are yet.

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

For someone who spends a lot of time breaking metal, I spent the day with a student trying to figure out why a metal that we are trying to break isn’t breaking… In typical experimental fashion, things are not going as expected…at all.

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Sometimes I don’t think I’m neurodivergent and I’m just faking it and then I have an argument with my husband because he is not using my carefully designed 3 hamper laundry system correctly and why can’t he realise it is the correct system for laundry?!

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

It should be illegal to have so many emails before 9am

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Having a collection of long term health conditions means a lot of my time is spent in hospital waiting rooms. I just wrote an entire presentation from this waiting room that I’m giving next week. A good amount of my thesis was written from waiting rooms! #DisabledinSTEM #AcademicReality

A laptop screen in from of small labelled drawers

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Dr Zoë Ayres @zjayres.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

The perils of a postdoc #AcademicMentalHealth What people might be struggling with behind the scenes

This poster explores some of the common stressors that postdoctoral researchers face during their postdoc. Image shows "perils of a postdoc, mental health awareness' with a person climbing a mountain, surrounded by examples of mental health challenges.

Number 1: Compete or perish.
With extremely limited tenure positions, postdocs can feel pitted against one another to achieve a permanent faculty position.

Number 2: Need for independence.
The need for independence in order to apply for fellowships is high, but stepping out from under a PIs can be tough. Having a support to pursue an academic career from the PI is often essential.
With the increasing size of academic cohorts,

Number 3: Position instability.
The prevalence of short-term contracts can lead to anxiety and their inabilities to settle down in a particular location, having financial and personal impact.

Number 4: Alt-academia sell-out
The narrative often is that if you opt to choose an alternative career outside of academia you have failed and sold out.
Number 5: A star is born.
Corresponding author positions are often needed to show research independence but achieving this can be difficult without already having had a permanent faculty position.

Number 6: burnout or drop out.
The culture of research often implies that if you are not working 24/7 you are not passionate about research resulting in feelings of guilt and ultimately leaving academia.
Number 7: don't get stuck.
There is often pressure to not get stuck in a post doc and move on to the next opportunity else you may never make it.

Number 8: Global challenges.
The need to be mobile and get experience in different postdocs around the world is often emphasised. This can lead to culture integration issues and separation from loved ones

Number 9: teaching experience.
To progress in academia teaching experience is needed but opportunities to do so often very limited, ultimately affecting progression.
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DisabledInSTEM @disabledinstem.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Got the #DisabledInSTEM Starter Pack up and running! Can't wait to see the list grow and meet new connections! 💜 go.bsky.app/SwJ4rFX

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Dr Abigail Ackerman @abitheacademic.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

I never ever wanted to be a CEO. However, I’m becoming more aware that a career in academia is basically being CEO of your research. It’s a crazy balancing act full of random skills I need to learn to be able to succeed. Not so scared of that CEO title anymore!

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Prof Ben Britton @bmatb.expmicromech.com · 18/11/2024

And have just blocked the first person who replied with the "noone cares about this, except people who want to form an identity from it". No - that person is wrong & the literature says otherwise, e.g. this landmark study from Cech and Waidzunas (2021) #LGBTQSTEMDay doi.org/10.1126/scia...

doi.org

Systemic inequalities for LGBTQ professionals in STEM

LGBTQ STEM professionals experience more career limitations, devaluation, health issues, and attrition intentions than their peers.

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Prof Ben Britton @bmatb.expmicromech.com · 18/11/2024

So it's #LGBTQSTEMday (November 18th) and I am reminded that I only know of maybe 2 Out Faculty members in the Faculty of Applied Sciences (324 Faculty) at #UBC - a pretty progressive place. No I am not asking you to Out anyone, but it's just reminding me how exhausting some things are. 🧪

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