Sign in

Elena Litchman

@elenalitchman.bsky.social
4.9K followers 705 following 129 posts

Microbial community ecologist, professor at Michigan State University | Traits, temperature, biodiversity, resilience, microbiomes, harmful algal blooms www.kl-lab.group 📷: Lake Michigan

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 2h
I'm voting YES on Prop 40, the California billionaire tax. Here's why.
youtube.com
Why I Support The California Billionaire Tax
Billionaires are crying foul about California's proposed wealth tax.Don't fall for their fearmongering.A one-time, 5% ta
511123440
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Nicole Rust @nicolecrust.bsky.social · 1h
Just like that: poof & gone. RIP *all* of NSF social, behavioral and economic research (including psyc & cogneuro). I’m speechless.
01812
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Ran Blekhman @blekhman.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
My inbox is being flooded with fully AI-generated emails from prospective students. I tried to work out why I can't bring myself to read them, and ended up with some thoughts and advice for writing cold emails in the age of AI. My new post: blekhman.substack.com/p/why-i-am-n...
blekhman.substack.com
Why I am not reading your AI-generated email
I hope this email finds you well-aligned
1115858
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
~Approximately no one in the general public knows because the leaders of the R1 research universities - whose budgets, programs, & personnel are entirely or significantly dependent on federal funding - have been totally absent from the public square in explaining & collectively protesting this.
27787307
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Mike the Mad Biologist and Trump's Press Corps Approver @mikethemadbiol.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
To the extent AI is involved in this system (either entering data or searching), that should be a far greater AI-related concern than it turning into some sort of incipient godhead.
wired.com
ICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir Database
DHS agents not only tracked and intimidated people observing ICE activity in Maine, but stored information about them in a Palantir-built database, newly unsealed court filings say.
1146
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Jo Latimore @jolatimore.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Wisconsin study: Herbicide treatments for invasive Eurasian watermilfoil in lakes harm native plants and may even intensify the impact of the invasion. Whole-lake treatments, most likely to control invasive plants, are also most likely to harm native plants. authors.elsevier.com/a/1nqx614Z6t...
11310
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Whitney Curry Wimbish @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
This is part of the regime's attempt to crush organized labor and replace unionized TSA workers with contractors. They tried to eliminate workers bargaining rights last year, then forced them to work through the shutdown w/o pay for more than a month, and now this.
922785
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra @jrossibarra.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Just over two weeks left to apply! I may be biased, but it’s hard to imagine a better place to do plant evolutionary biology.
12536
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Nick Smith @nickgregsmith.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I am hiring a Postdoc on Plant Ecophysiology to join our new group at U Nebraska. The link below has the full ad and instructions for applying. Please share widely! #botany #botanyjobs #ecophysiology #ecophysjobs #globalchange employment.unl.edu/postings/102...
employment.unl.edu
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Plant Ecophysiology
A postdoctoral position examining plant physiological responses to environmental variability is available in the lab of Dr. Nick Smith in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebrask...
02945
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Eldrin Arguelles @eldrinarguelles.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
My feature article about invasive diatom species is out at the International Society for Diatom Research (ISDR) website: isdr.org/the-hidden-m...
isdr.org
The Hidden Microbial Partners of an Invasive Diatom: Uncovering the Ecology of Cymbella janischii Blooms - International Society for Diatom Research
Eldrin tells us how an invasive freshwater diatom is transforming river ecosystems across Japan.
064
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Lars Brudvig @lars-brudvig.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
It's Play-Doh day in Plants of Michigan, as we model glacial processes and post-glacial landforms, then relate these to distributions of plant communities across the state.
Models of glacial processes and post-glacial landforms, made from Play-doh
0151
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Michael Hickerson @hickerlab.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
How much of the tree of life did you eat? Phylodiet scores a meal by phylogenetic diversity: type what you ate and it builds the dated tree of the organisms in it, from ~3,300 edible eukaryotes, back 2 billion years. Last night's dinner, below. 🧵 mjhickerson.github.io/phylodiet/app/phylodiet.html
69439
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Julia Van Etten @couchmicroscopy.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Spread the word! I’m looking to recruit a PhD student to grow the Paulinella project. Some details can be found here: www.vanettenlab.org/join
vanettenlab.org
Join! — Van Etten lab at UMD
26045
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
🦋 Butterfly wing patterns create motion illusions that protect them from predators! Our new study (8 years in the making) is out in Nature today doi.org/10.1038/s415... @grahancock.bsky.social @esbriolat.bsky.social @scienceanna.bsky.social @lauraakelley.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social
12261129
Reposted by Elena Litchman
bioRxiv Ecology @biorxiv-ecology.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
TPCdesign: A guide to designing informative thermal performance experiments www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…
031
Reposted by Elena Litchman
AGU (American Geophysical Union) @agu.org · 30/09/2026
🚨 Hurry to enter The AGU26 Mascot Naming Contest! 🐺 Submit your name idea by Friday, 2 October for a chance to win an AGU coyote of your own: spklr.io/63326ETNrk
Graphic that reads: Last chance to enter to win an AGU26 Mascot!
021
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Pleuni Pennings @pleunipennings.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I am hiring a postdoc! Are you interested to work on population genetics/ drug resistance/ data? Want to work in Montpellier, France? Fastq files don't scare you? PhD required, start date hopefully Nov 1! (end date Sep 30 2028) Please share! abetterscientist.wordpress.com/2026/09/29/p...
abetterscientist.wordpress.com
Postdoc position on drug resistance evolution in Montpellier, France
I have some exciting news (again!). I got money from the region (Occitanie) to hire a postdoc (and later an engineer / technician) to work on drug resistance evolution in malaria (P. faciparum) and…
176102
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Trump officially rolled back fuel efficiency standards today. The new target for 2031 is about 34.5 miles per gallon, down from 50.4. That means more gas burned, more pollution, and more money out of drivers’ pockets. So much for making things affordable.
nhtsa.gov
1151538627
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Maddie Stone @themadstone.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A very timely and important new paper: “How decades of corporate capture enabled today's assault on universities in the United States” www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
How decades of corporate capture enabled today's assault on universities in the United States
Universities in the US have never been free of corporate, military, or political influence. But over the past fifty years, corporate libertarian donor…
212854
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Please pass along: I’m recruiting PhD students to join our Macroecology Lab. We study physical ecology, macroecology, and biodiversity — spanning scaling, trait-based ecology, theory, comparative biology & ecoinformatics. Several avenues for funding. Please reach out if interested 🧪🌐🌾
295130
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Nature @nature.com · 28/09/2026
Recovering secondary grasslands have taller plants that can quickly absorb light and nutrients go.nature.com/4yiVJeT
go.nature.com
Ancient grasslands, once destroyed, don’t grow the same plant species back
Recovering secondary grasslands have taller plants that can quickly absorb light and nutrients.
14419
Reposted by Elena Litchman
JL Weissman @jlw-ecoevo.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Two weeks left to apply for these postoc positions! We seek two postdocs interested in 1) building trait prediction models capable of resolving complex microbial traits from genomes and metagenomes, and/or (2) building mathematical models of microbial community dynamics in the human microbiome.
0514
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Systems Ecology @systems-ecology.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
What is the future of systems ecology in a rapidly changing world? In a new editorial, Deborah M. Gordon argues for studying ecological systems in transformation—and for extending systems thinking across biological scales. Read in Systems Ecology: doi.org/10.67837/2194
doi.org
The future of systems ecology | Systems Ecology
Question: What is the future of systems ecology in a rapidly changing world?
0126
Reposted by Elena Litchman
George O'Toole (he/him/his) @geiselbiofilm.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Pls share: Two tenure-track positions in Molecular Microbiology at Virginia Tech. I had a great visit there a couple of years ago! jobs.apply.vt.edu/jobs/assista...
jobs.apply.vt.edu
Assistant/Associate Professor - Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
Job Description The Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science at Virginia Tech seeks applicants for two (2) tenure-track research and teaching positions at the Assistant/Associate ...
01434
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Good Trailcams @goodtrailcams.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
71227192
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Gina Baucom @gbaucom.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Early career faculty in Evolution? I would love to chat with you!
24136
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Andrew Lawrence @ndrew.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
a president planning military operations based entirely on election cycles is actually a giant scandal
412449578
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Chuliang Song @clsong.com · 10/09/2026
A wonderful review by Stefano on 100 years of Lotka–Volterra models. Don’t miss the incredibly detailed Supplement, truly the “War and Peace” of LV models. I really wish it had existed when I was a grad student! doi.org/10.1146/annu...
doi.org
One Hundred Years of Lotka–Volterra Models
Over the past century, the generalized Lotka–Volterra (GLV) model has grown from a mathematical curiosity to a cornerstone of theoretical ecology. Here we celebrate the enduring legacy of Lotka and Vo...
08437
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Maryn McKenna @marynmck.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Fake. USDA. Seals. Used by an NC meat processing plant on 83.5 TONS of meat. Produced entirely outside the federal inspection system, according to news reports. We are pretty close to The Jungle (second ed.) now, no? www.scrippsnews.com/life/recalls...
scrippsnews.com
Interactive: Meat recall linked to fake USDA labels
Pork, beef and goat products are being recalled after a company allegedly used fake USDA inspection labels. Explore our interactive guide to see which products are affected and what to look for.
11527461296
Reposted by Elena Litchman
The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
www.cnn.com/2026/09/21/w...
cnn.com
Shipping and climate change lead to spread of invasive fish | CNN
Stefano Pozzebon reports from Rome on the reasons for the rise of alien species in the Mediterranean.
001
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Eos @eos.org · 25/09/2026
Wetter soils are linked with higher levels of malaria. And wetter soils could be influenced by ocean temperatures thousands of kilometers away, new research suggests. eos.org/articles/dis... Read more in our September issue: eos.org/themes/climate-and-personal-health
eos.org
Distant Oceans May Help Predict Malaria Risk in Malawi - Eos
A new study finds that ocean temperatures thousands of kilometers away shape soil moisture in Malawi, offering a potential tool for forecasting malaria outbreaks months in advance.
053
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Michael Manhart @michaelmanhart.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Two interesting Ph.D. student opportunities in microbial ecology, evolution, and systems biology, in labs I think very highly of: Tobias Bollenbach, U. Cologne (bpsb.uni-koeln.de/open-positions) Andrew Letten, U. Queensland (evoldir.net/brian/evoldi...)
0128
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Science Magazine @science.org · 25/09/2026
A devastating and mysterious algal bloom that hit the coast of South Australia last year, killing more than 600 different kinds of marine life, inflicted such severe damage that a famed population of the giant Australian cuttlefish might not recover. Learn more: scim.ag/4rrVhbz
One of nature’s greatest marine wonders may be about to vanish
An algal bloom has almost wiped out a unique population of giant cuttlefish—and their stunning mating swarms
58842
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Systems Ecology @systems-ecology.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Many people have asked us how to start an independent Diamond open-access journal. So we have written "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Starting an Independent Diamond OA Journal". We hope it helps many more community-led journals follow. systems-ecology.org/index.php/se... #DiamondOA #OpenAccess
12112
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Nick Loman @pathogenomenick.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Folks - if you're interested in how machine learning/AI can be used for microbial genomics, microbiome and metagenomics studies - please join us for a workshop in Birmingham on Thursday 8th October organised with CLIMB & NVIDIA. www.climb.ac.uk/blog/2026/09...
climb.ac.uk
Call for Applications: GPU-Accelerated Computing for Microbiome and Metagenomic Research · CLIMB
CLIMB is a cloud computing infrastructure for microbial bioinformatics — notebook servers, shared storage and reproducible workflows for genomics, metagenomics and pathogen surveillance researchers ac...
31920
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution @whoi.edu · 24/09/2026
You've probably heard about the “super El Niño” that's impacting weather patterns around the world. But how exactly does unusually warm water in the Pacific impact us thousands of miles away? 📲Find out in a live virtual discussion with ocean experts on Oct. 7: go.whoi.edu/2026-el-nino
0197
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Noelle Held @proteocean.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
We are still looking for a postdoc to work on molecular underpinnings of nitrogen fixation in the South Pacific, with potential to inform approaches to mCDR. Please share! proteoceanlab.github.io/assets/img/2...
proteoceanlab.github.io
0911
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Ricard Solé @ricardsole.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We are very happy to announce the launch of Systems Ecology @systems-ecology.bsky.social, a new independent, diamond open-access journal dedicated to advancing systems-level understanding in ecology. systems-ecology.org/index.php/se Check the Founding editorial! systems-ecology.org/index.php/se...
05721
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 22/09/2026
NEW PAPER: In a new paper, jointly published in @agu.org Earth's Future & @ametsoc.org BAMS, and co-led by Melissa Kenney, @costasamaras.com and me, 175 authors outline priorities to guide the future of scientific assessments of climate change in the United States. 🧵
doi.org
Research Priorities for Robust Climate Assessments in the United States
A network of climate assessments plays a critical role in synthesizing the state of science to support evidence-based decision-making To support future U.S. and sub-national climate assessments, ...
114884
Reposted by Elena Litchman
ProPublica @propublica.org · 22/09/2026
Sen. Susan Collins helped steer millions in federal defense contracts to Navatek, whose CEO illegally funneled thousands of dollars to her campaign. The FBI sought to launch a probe and was eyeing Collins and other lawmakers. Then Trump gutted the unit in charge. THREAD 🧵
Martin Kao, CEO of defense contractor Navatek, poses next to Sen. Susan Collins for a photo. Collins is holding a model of a boat in her hands. Behind them is a large sign with the Navatek logo.
412114016084
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich @eth-eaps.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Earth and Planetary Evolution. ethz.ch/en/the-eth-z... Please apply online. The closing date for applications is 15 December 2026.
ethz.ch
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Earth and Planetary Evolution
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (www.eaps.ethz.ch) at ETH Zurich invites applications for the above-mentioned position.
03149
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Science Magazine @science.org · 22/09/2026
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite is exposing humans’ effects on rivers—and challenging flood prediction models. Learn more: scim.ag/4rruNqT
Satellite reveals a world of ‘weird rivers’ shaped by humans
0193
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Eos @eos.org · 21/09/2026
Researchers examined Medicare data for 25 million patients across 11 years to arrive at their findings. eos.org/articles/wil... Read more in our September issue: eos.org/themes/climate-and-personal-health
eos.org
Wildfire Smoke Linked to 17,000 Strokes Annually in the United States - Eos
A study of 25 million Medicare participants adds to a body of evidence suggesting that prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke is more harmful to human health than other forms of air pollution.
2138
Reposted by Elena Litchman
CG Partridge @partridgecg.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Come be my colleague at @gvsu-awri.bsky.social!! We are are hiring an Assistant Professor of Water Resources at AWRI. gvsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
gvsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Assistant Professor - Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute
Summary: The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) at Grand Valley State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Water Resources to begin Fall 2027. Applic...
053
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Sad excuse for journalism: Big profile of DOGE lord doesn’t say a word about all the damage he did. And it was not an “ill fated cost-cutting effort.” It was a malignant, catastrophic attack on the government and its workers by arrogant and ignorant assholes. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
washingtonpost.com
He spent 11 months inside DOGE. Now he wants to set the record straight.
In his first major interview about his tell-all memoir, Tyler Hassen describes the culture clash surrounding DOGE’s mission and the backlash that followed.
1112789667
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
And here's a plot of workforce changes relative to 2024.
Plot of workforce change relative to 2024
12613
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Systems Ecology @systems-ecology.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
🌱 Systems Ecology is now live! A new independent, researcher-run, diamond OA journal for ecological research through systems science. Free to read. Free to publish. No APCs. We are now open for submissions: systems-ecology.org Please help spread the word!
systems-ecology.org
Systems Ecology
16958
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Liz Neeley @lizneeley.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Each Friday night, I write a briefing on what happened in US science & higher ed. 🧪  Sept 18 (Yr 2, Wk 38) - CDC slow-walking Childhood Vaccine Program - NIH sued for censorship - the latest on NSF repurposing - EPA ending emissions controls & so much more buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
buttondown.com
Year 2, Week 38
Sept 12-18 – and back again
35725
Reposted by Elena Litchman
VisualPDE @visualpde.com · 20/09/2026
We've made some new changes to VisualPDE.com that we hope you'll like. Check out the simulation below of a 5-component "rock paper scissors lizard Spock" model, and see the news post about the changes here: visualpde.com/news/2026-09...
0218
Reposted by Elena Litchman
Abdul El-Sayed @abdulelsayed.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This is about one thing and one thing alone. Steering our research dollars for cancer, heart disease, and new infectious diseases to Trump’s political allies and friends.
24948401997