iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

got a review today that’s basically like “this paper isn’t useful because i can just ask AI” 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

woah!! am i… an award winning scientist?????

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Beyond honored to receive the Harry Smith Prize for my first ever first-author paper!!

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Molecular Ecology @molecology.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Check out Andy Lee's award winning work: Genetic adaptation despite high gene flow in a range-expanding population (buff.ly/hyynGdL). (2/2)

buff.ly

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Molecular Ecology @molecology.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Congratulations to Andy Lee @andylee.bsky.social, winner of the 2026 Harry Smith Prize for his work on the genetic basis of adaptation in a range-expanding marine species with high dispersal. Andy recently defended his PhD at Purdue University. Read More: buff.ly/w8GY8u1 (1/2)

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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

I put a call out for mural walls yesterday and I got a lot of VERY good walls for projects of a variety of scales. Unfortunately I have only sold enough shirts this summer to cover 2 of those walls. This means more people need to buy shirts. Thems the breaks. More shirts more art. SquidFacts.Net

a bunch of people in our shirts, including our biology is bigger than binaries shirt, adam whose poor head got cut off in his montage in our plant native plants shirt, a blonde dude in the shrimp shirt, and Jay in oue firefly squid shirt in the dark forest

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Ben Allen @evodynamics.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Defining sex based on gamete size is a choice. Perhaps it's the most parsimonious of all binary single-criterion sex definitions. But to claim that gamete size is the "ultimate defining criterion of biological sex" (whatever that means) falls into the naturalistic fallacy the authors warn of.

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Jess McLaughlin, PhD (they/them) @jfmclaughlin92.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

also this all feels...weird. you've got a paper written by grad students and you're saying "hey let's do this weird not-really-blind review" of what appears to be a paper at least headed by someone more senior? idk, that gives me a certain amount of squick.

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Jay @kakapojay.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Really worth a read, and I very much appreciate the closing thoughts in the article. "Most importantly, regardless of scientific debates, no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights."

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 12/07/2026

My coauthor Jay Falk's postdoctoral fellowship was terminated by the Trump administration for documenting the hummingbird example in this paper.

FIGURE 2
Open in figure viewer
PowerPoint
Operational biological sex definitions applied to hummingbirds (Bleiweiss 1992; Bleiweiss 1999; Bleiweiss 2001; Diamant et al. 2021; Falk et al. 2022; Falk et al. 2021) where sex is operationally defined by binary plumage phenotypes in the field. Each row depicts a wild individual hummingbird with morphological traits (beak length, plumage coloration), behavioural traits (territoriality) and their unobserved gamete type. This example illustrates how the same individual can be operationally defined as one sex in the field (based on external phenotypes) but classified as a different sex based on their gametes (which cannot be easily observed in the field), highlighting how definitional choices shape scientific reporting of sex.

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Jess McLaughlin, PhD (they/them) @jfmclaughlin92.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Colin Wright, for those of you lucky enough to be unaware of him, is a failed evolutionary biologist who first rose to fame by his refusal to submit DEIA statements in faculty job applications, and has since mainly used his credentials to burnish anti-trans, anti-queer, and racist pseudoscience

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

In our Viewpoint (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...) we synthesize the gametic definition (outlined by Janicke et al below) and other definitions of sex (e.g., multivariate definition). We contend that is NO consensus on “biological sex” (maybe a consensus isn’t actually necessary…)

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary appr...

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Jess McLaughlin, PhD (they/them) @jfmclaughlin92.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

🧐 So that "sex is binary but we swear that won't be used to hurt trans people" paper thanks Jerry Coyne, a notorious transphobe. Nothing to see here!

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

today seems like a good day to repost our Viewpoint!!

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Madeline G. Eppley, PhD @madeline-eppley.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

✨🌈💡kicking off pride month by sharing our new article on using queer perspectives to improve practice in #ecology and #evolution. Bobby Dellinger presented a stellar overview of our work last month at the UCLA Thinking Gender 2026 conference, which you can watch here! #PrideInSTEM 🧪

youtube.com

Where Do We Go from Here? Harnessing Queer Perspectives to Advance Practice in Ecology

YouTube video by Center for the Study of Women Streisand Center

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

I am super excited to meet up with a preschool class for @skypeascientist.bsky.social today!! Not sure what that probabilities are (I am guessing low), but I just found out that out of the thousands of possible pairings, I get to visit my sister's classroom thousands of miles away!!

A slide show with a photo of Andy and his sister titled "Yes, I am Miss Cindy's brother"

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Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Surprised to learn scientists can't agree on a definition of sex? Don't be! To be honest, we can't even agree on a definition of species. Many so-called natural categories are hard to define once we look at the evidence. Biology is too complex for simple definitions, which is a feature, not a bug.

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Jeremy Yoder says no war @jbyoder.org · 09/04/2026

"The fact that there is no current consensus of biological sex is not antithetical to science... However, the field urgently needs an ethical and reproducible approach for discussing sex" There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

buff.ly

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary…

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

new paper from my phd is now out as a pre-print @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social!! we leverage a novel gt-seq panel to investigate a marine ecology “black box” — population connectivity! read here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

biorxiv.org

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

hit a little scientific milestone today: 50 citations!!!!! sometimes I am still in shock that I am living my childhood dream and get to be a ~scientist~

screenshot of Andy’s google scholar page which shows 52 total citations!

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

biorxiv.org

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bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Regional connectivity and viability selection in a range-expanding marine species www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…

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Yung En Chee @yungenchee.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

On this Trans Day of Visibility, please enjoy & learn something from this fascinating & clarifying read from @madeline-eppley.bsky.social, @andylee.bsky.social, Robert Dellinger & @allydefduf.bsky.social Read👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... (🙏 for this excellent work & actionable recs!)

Screenshot of the title page of an article in Ecology Letters

TITLE: There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

Madeline G. Eppley. A, Andy Lee Robert Dellinger, Ally Swank

First published: 05 March 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.70350

Editor: Greg F. Grether
Madeline Eppley and Andy Lee contributed equally and are co-first authors.

ABSTRACT

There is ongoing scientific and societal discourse on the definition of biological sex. At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary approaches to defining sex and synthesise the active discourse to conclude that there is no current consensus on a definition of sex that is free of assumptions and limitations. While there is no current consensus, we do not advocate for a single definition and contend that a lack of unanimity is not inherently problematic. No matter what definitional choices are used, we provide actionable recommendations to improve accuracy when describing sex. Most importantly, regardless of scientific debates, no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights.

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Mariko Bennett @nachoriko.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

I defended my PhD 10 years ago today. That was the least remarkable thing that happened that day. Sharing something I wrote about it last year. Since then "the horrors persist but so do we." And with dignity.

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John Wares @johnwares.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Always enjoy reading a dissertation - I try to give it time and respect. We are all so rushed, but somebody worked their f**king ass off for this, and I'm so pleased for the person defending their work this week. So, diving in ahead of time.

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Jess McLaughlin, PhD (they/them) @jfmclaughlin92.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

It finally happened to me: I read this whole paper and was like "hell yeah this is great" and then saw I was thanked in the Acknowledgements, which I had forgotten about lollll Faculty-brain is real

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Karyn Anderson @karynanderson.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

What is the relationship between science and society? How does culture impact the production and dissemination of knowledge? In this new paper, Eppley et al interrogate how systems of oppression bias our research, and how Queer perspectives can address these. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Where We Go From Here: Harnessing Queer Perspectives to Advance Practice in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Science and society continuously shape one another; this relationship determines what science is funded, which inquiries are pursued, and whose voices are included in the production and dissemination...

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Nicole Gerlach @ngerlach.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Fantastic paper! I was coincidentally thinking earlier today about how we sex baby juncos (genetic) and juveniles (wing size) and what the error rates are. I thought "at least we can tell for reproductive adults", but this paper reminded me that it's possible we're getting some of those wrong too.

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Madeline G. Eppley, PhD @madeline-eppley.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

ICYMI: in our new paper, we contend there is "no current consensus on a definition of sex that is free of assumptions and limitations... and most importantly,...no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights" #evolsky #LGBTQSTEM #ecology #evolution #biologicalsex

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

I am still actively looking for postdoc positions — please lmk if you (or your friends and colleagues) need a hardworking postdoc with field, lab, and bioinformatic skills! I am broadly interested in evolution in the ocean, conservation and population genetics, and rapid evolution.

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Madeline G. Eppley, PhD @madeline-eppley.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

New paper out in ecology letters! with @andylee.bsky.social @allydefduf.bsky.social We synthesized the active debate on how scientists define sex, including limitations and assumptions. We believe this discussion will lead to more accurate science. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Very proud of this perspective that came out of some really interesting and difficult conversations with friends and colleagues! TLDR: how do scientists define sex? why does it matter?? #EcoEvo #Ecology #Evolution 🧪

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Gregor Kalinkat @gkalinkat.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Eppley et al (2026) "We believe that acknowledging limitations and assumptions of current definitions of sex will lead to more accurate science." 🧪

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

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Eric G. Prileson @egprileson.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

V. important perspective piece by @madeline-eppley.bsky.social & @andylee.bsky.social on biological sex and why a lack of scientific consensus should not be used to dictate human rights doi.org/10.1111/ele.... 🧪

doi.org

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John Wares @johnwares.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Hey all @shaykeretz.bsky.social is a wonderful freshwater bivalve-focused colleague and she is managing a great new project partnering USFS with UGA, led by Dr Rachel Toczydlowski!

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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Did you know that the bees that need saving are NOT honeybees? Honeybees are the dairy cows of bees. People brought them over from Europe to make us honey. The problem with honeybees, esp in resource-limited ecosystems (like hey! cities!) is that they compete with our native bees for food.

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Jesse Popp @jessepopp.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

New WISE Lab Paper! The concept of cultural keystone species, revisited through the eyes of Indigenous Peoples

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Nandita Garud @nanditagarud.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

I am seeking a postdoc to join my group at UCLA -- ideally the candidate would have some experience in either population genetics or microbes/microbiome (computational background needed). We have a range of projects and are happy to tailer to your interests. Please dm/email me if interested.

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

omg another paper with @madeline-eppley.bsky.social and @allydefduf.bsky.social accepted!!! Extra proud of this one (and also really nervous for it to come out). We thought a lot about how biologists define sex in our research. Out soon in Ecology Letters!

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Andy Lee, PhD @andylee.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Paper accepted!!! Beyond honored to have worked with fellow queer ECRs (@madeline-eppley.bsky.social, @allydefduf.bsky.social and others not on bsky) to critically examine our field's relationship with the queer community, and how we can leverage Queer perspectives to conduct more accurate science!!

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Jess McLaughlin, PhD (they/them) @jfmclaughlin92.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Being faculty in the US in 2026 means your meetings with students about their grad school apps also includes checking in to make sure none of their family has been kidnapped by ICE and wtaf is this world we've made

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Nicolas Dussex @nicolasdussex.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

one more week to apply for a 4-years PhD position with me to work on the macrogenomics of sea warming. Deadline: Jan 18th 2026 #MarineGenomics #EvolutionaryBiology #PopGen #Bioinformatics #conservationgenomics #consgen #conservationgenetics

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Morgan Kelly @invertevoeco.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

US faculty, your immigrant colleagues are lonely and scared right now. And they can no longer share how they feel on social media without fear of harming their immigration status. Check in on them.

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Jenni Prokkola @jmprok.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

In this new study that emerged from a great collaboration led by @morganefrapin.bsky.social and Ehsan Pashay Ahi, we dig into the molecular mechanisms of density-dependent effects in Atlantic salmon, specifically in their hypothalamus (a key site for endocrine regulation). A couple of points below👇

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Density‐Dependent Expression of Epitranscriptomic, Stress and Appetite Regulating Genes in Atlantic Salmon

Intraspecific competition due to for example, density, has substantial influence on fitness dynamics and life histories, but the underlying physiological mechanisms are often complex and the molecula...

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Skype a Scientist @skypeascientist.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Alright scientists! It's that time again! Time to sign up for Skype a Scientist's spring semester. Want to get matched with a classroom in 2026? Sign up now 🥰 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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