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Derek Skillings

@djskills.bsky.social
68 followers 196 following 7 posts
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Reposted by Derek Skillings
Better Things Are Possible @internethippo.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I don't argue with religious people because my thing sounds crazy too. Here's the deal, a big star blew up and the debris flew across the universe and eventually assembled itself into me
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Reposted by Derek Skillings
Nicolae Morar @nmorar.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Particularly proud to see this paper out as an important & new invitation to think about microbiome stewardship! academic.oup.com/sumbio/advan...
academic.oup.com
Microbiome Stewardship: Definition and Guiding Principles for Implementation
Abstract. Microbiomes are essential for ecosystem, plant, animal, and human health. There is accumulating evidence that changes to microbiomes from anthrop
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Derek Skillings @djskills.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
PaBST (Philosophy and Biology Shop Talks) 2026 Schedule. It’s going to be another great year.
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Derek Skillings @djskills.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Just got a cool email. “Dear Derek, I am delighted to share that you have been promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure. I enjoyed reading about your contributions to research, teaching and service. Thank you for your many contributions to the College of Arts and Sciences.”
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Derek Skillings @djskills.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Two more weeks left to apply to join us for PaBST (philosophy and biology shop talks) held June 21-26 in North Carolina.
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Reposted by Derek Skillings
Ben Allen @evodynamics.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Hi everyone! I'm co-organizing this retreat/workshop June 15-19 for those looking to get started in mathematical/computational modeling of biological processes. Location is a beautiful farm in NC. Please share with students and others who want to build modeling skills. Interdisciplinarity welcome!
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ISHPSSB @ishpssb.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
We’re excited to launch the official BlueSky profile of ISHPSSB! Founded in 1998, we connect researchers in philosophy, history, and social studies of biology and medicine worldwide. Follow us for updates and events! #PhilosophyOfBiology, #HistoryOfScience, #STS, #Biology, #Medicine
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Derek Skillings @djskills.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
New paper out. This is part of a long term project comparing Hawaiian coral reef connectivity between deep and shallow reefs to help understand biodiversity patterns and whether deep reefs might serve as climate refugia. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Cryptobenthic crab assemblages are more distinct across a 90 m depth gradient than 2500 km of shallow marine habitat in the Hawaiian archipelago - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Cryptobenthic crab assemblages are more distinct across a 90 m depth gradient than 2500 km of shallow marine habitat in the Hawaiian archipelago
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Reposted by Derek Skillings
UNCG Research @uncgresearch.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Philosopher Derek Skillings investigates goal-directed behavior in collective entities, like corals 🪸 – and recently received the largest grant in the history of @uncg.edu's philosophy department thanks to project funding from @templetonfdn.bsky.social researchmagazine.uncg.edu/2025-issue/d...
researchmagazine.uncg.edu
Therefore we are: diving into the behavior of symbiotic organisms - UNCG Research Magazine
UNCG's Dr. Derek Skillings investigates goal-directed behavior in symbiotic groups – collective entities such as biofilms and corals – with a large grant from the Templeton Foundation.
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Derek Skillings @djskills.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
My university just did a nice write up on my research and the recent grant I am leading. researchmagazine.uncg.edu/2025-issue/d...
researchmagazine.uncg.edu
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Katherineeliu @katherineeliu.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
PaBST is back. Let me know if you're coming out for it and want to hang out! I'll be doing freshman orientation that week but I'm sure we could make things happen.
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Reposted by Derek Skillings
Ben Allen @evodynamics.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
I'm helping to organize PaBST (Philosophy and Biology Shop Talks) this year. This is an amazing opportunity to relax on a farm and discuss big questions in evolution, ecology, agency, and other aspects of life sciences and philosophy. Application instructions in image and alt text.
PaBST 2025  JUNE 22-27 2025 

Abstracts Due March 31

KEYNOTE TALK BY PETER GODFREY-SMITH 

This event is an one of yearly ongoing summer workshops supported by the John Templeton Foundation through the grant The Emergence and Evolution of Goal-Directed Behavior in Collective Entities (#63454). Talks that are related to topics of the grant will receive priority, but all talks under the broader category of "life sciences will be considered. Prioritized topics include: holobionts, host-microbiome interactions. symbiosis, biological individuality, system function and health, and formal evolutionary or eco-evolutionary modeling. 

This summer workshop is aimed at philosophers, scientists, mathematicians. and scholars working on or within the life sciences, with the goal of fostering interdisciplinary interaction and encouraging collaboration. The overall goal of the workshop is to construct a serendipity generator, an event structured to provide ample opportunity and room for innovative ideas to naturally emerge. Successful and surprising cross-disciplinary collaborations are difficult to force: instead they are often borne out of chance conversations and interactions during conferences, research cruises, and workshops. PaBST will be organized as a 4-day retreat with the first (22nd) and last (27th) days reserved for arriving and leaving respectively. Participants will be staying at a common location and preparing their meals together. Each working day will consist of -4 hours of talks given by participants, broken up by roundtable discussion events and breakout sessions held at a relaxed pace. Mornings and evenings will be left open in order to let the participants engage with each other in smaller groups during organized activities. Submit a ~500 word abstract for a 30min talk by March 31. Works in progress not yet submitted for publication are especially encouraged. Submit abstracts via email to pabstworkshop@gmail.com 

Questions? email djskilli@uncg.edu
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Leonardo Bich @leonardobich.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
New paper on homeostasis with William Bechtel finally out in Philosophy of Science: " Rediscovering Bernard and Cannon: Restoring the Broader Vision of Homeostasis Eclipsed by the Cyberneticists" @ias-research.bsky.social @dialecticalsys.bsky.social www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
Rediscovering Bernard and Cannon: Restoring the Broader Vision of Homeostasis Eclipsed by the Cyberneticists | Philosophy of Science | Cambridge Core
Rediscovering Bernard and Cannon: Restoring the Broader Vision of Homeostasis Eclipsed by the Cyberneticists
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Derek Skillings @djskills.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Philosophy and Biology Shop Talks (PaBST) is back. Keynote by Peter Godfrey-Smith. Abstracts due March 31. Submit at pabstworkshop@gmail.com
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