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M. C. Flux PhD

@fluxinflux.bsky.social
630 followers 24 following 139 posts

Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology PhD Educator and researcher. My research explores, equity, novel therapeutics, and emotion. I’m passionate about communication empowering communities. Proudly queer and neurodiverse drfluxphd.com

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Reposted by M. C. Flux PhD
Sean Arms @lesserwhirls.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This one is for the educators out there, especially those wrestling with AI in the classroom. “The Digital Sugar Rush: AI as the Refined Sweetener of Social Learning” by Dr. Flux of CU Boulder. So much gold in this talk! @fluxinflux.bsky.social youtu.be/wceud79nRz4
youtu.be
​Digital Sugar Rush: AI as the Refined Sweetener of Social Learning
YouTube video by eLearning Consortium of Colorado
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
How do I apply to a teaching professor job? A little unorthodox, but with style 😎
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
I’ve been waiting for this headline for some time. Part of me thought that maybe it wouldn’t come, but unfortunately here it is. I’ve been lecturing about neurodiversity lately, and vaccine science. These phenomena are incredibly complex, but this narrative doesn’t match the evidence.
A headline that states: “CDC reverses course on stance that vaccines don’t cause autism, counter to years of scientific evidence”

The article is from STAT and contains a photo of a magnifying glass expanding the CDC logo.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
OpenAI put out a press release today addressing mental health concerns. I have many issues with it, but something super troubling: They estimate a WEEKLY prevalence of 560,000 users displaying signs of psychosis or mania and 1.2 MILLION users indicating suicidal plan/intent.
openai.com
Strengthening ChatGPT’s responses in sensitive conversations
We worked with more than 170 mental health experts to help ChatGPT more reliably recognize signs of distress, respond with care, and guide people toward real-world support–reducing responses that fall...
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
I have a website now!
drfluxphd.com
Dr. Flux
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
As a scientist, I can attest to this!
This image shows the title and byline of a “Futurism” article. The title is: “The More Scientists Work with AI, the Less They Trust It.” They byline: “Numbers are down across the board. By Joe Wilkins / Published Oct 13, 2025. It shows an illustration of a scientist resting his chin on his fists staring at a laptop in dismay. 

Alt text written by BlueSky user @fluxinflux, not AI.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
The world works this way because of you, Mr. Altman. You created a world of runaway digital body snatching and SpongeBob meth labs. Don’t blame human nature to remove your culpability. Quote from today’s article in @theverge.com www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
He positioned the launch's speed bumps as learning opportunities. "Not for much longer will we have the only good video model out there, and there's going to be a ton of videos with none of our safeguards, and that's fine, that's the way the world works," Altman said, adding, "We can use this window to get society to really understand,
'Hey, the playing field changed, we can generate almost indistinguishable video in some cases now, and you've got to be ready for that."
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Check out my discussion of video pedagogy and layered instruction on the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast!
teachinginhighered.com
Layered Learning: Designing video with Intention and Authenticity, with M. C. Flux – Teaching in Higher Ed
M. C. Flux uncovers lessons for video creation from what he calls layered learning on episode 587 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Science is self-correcting, but only if our goal is accuracy over ideology.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
The biggest AI problem right now isn’t a Skynet scenario (yet), it’s the concentration of power and lack of oversight or public input. “Your hairdresser has… more regulation…” This is from @theatlantic.com’s recent article “The AI Doomers are getting Doomier” by @matteowong.bsky.social
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
Currently reading an article about the impact of AI hype. There’s so much here, but the impact of AI investment on the balance of military investment and power is the most damning. (Highlights my own) Paper: dl.acm.org/doi/full/10....
A screenshot from an academic paper about the impact of AI hype that is highlighted. It reads:

We see this dynamic at play in OpenAI's shifting stance and policies as they have become more closely tied to Microsoft, a choice they made admittedly to access scarce computational resources. This is illustrated by the 2024 change to their acceptable use policy, which significantly softened the proscription against using their products for "military and warfare"; this change unlocked new revenue streams [112], connected OpenAI's large scale AI to Microsoft's existing US military partnerships [135], and later pushed AI to direct battlefield application via a partnership with the defense-tech company Anduril [85]. The public did not have a say in this determi-nation, nor, we assume, did the global stakeholders whose interests may not be safeguarded by the militaries that OpenAl chooses to provide services to. And yet, the concentrated private industry power over Al creates a small, and financially incentivized segment of AI decision makers. We should consider how such concentrated power with agency over centralized Al could shape society under more authoritarian conditions.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
The Just World hypothesis doesn’t necessarily make the world more just…
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
My General Psychology class had the special treat of a guest lecture from @marawilson.bsky.social! She discussed her article on extroversion that was published in @theguardian.com last September. It’s our week on personality psychology, and I was thrilled that she agreed to speak. She nailed it!
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
My friend @marawilson.bsky.social wrote a beautifully kind and loving tribute to Michelle Trachtenberg. I highly recommend a read!
vulture.com
My Cool Friend Michelle
The kids at school misunderstood Trachtenberg. In our group of child stars, we all wanted to be like her.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
What is consent? This is a clip from my general psychology lecture on human sexuality.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
I'm currently developing three video lectures for my general psychology module on human sexuality. This is perhaps one of the most complex lectures I've ever created given our current political climate. I am proud of how it is coming together though.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
I've been trying to do topic lectures that relate to current events in my general psychology class. This week we've been discussing behaviorism, so I put together a lecture on the operant conditioning methods involved in cancel culture (a thread)
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
In honor of Oscar season, yesterday's General Psychology lecture explored the operant conditioning methods used to respond to Will Smith's 2022 outburst. It seemed to get the point across well.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
There is a German word, "torschlusspanik," which refers to the feeling that your window of opportunity in life is closing. I introduced this to my human emotion class, and it's a little unsettling how many college students deeply relate to this emotion.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
I just finished editing the first third of video content for both General Psychology and Human Emotion. It's over 5 hours and 40 minutes of instruction over 24 different videos. I somehow made all of this in a month. Now to grade 150 assignments.This semester has really been baptism by fire.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
I'm editing several hours of video lectures where I had my microphone plugged into the headphone jack of my camera 😑 I don't have time to re-record them, and they are usable. But it's making the editing process AGONY!
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
My first week of in-person teaching is in the bag! I really like my students! I’m not sure my classes were as engaging as I’d like them to be yet, but it’s coming together. Now to get back to curriculum design for my asynchronous courses 😵‍💫
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
I had my first student recognize me on campus and say “hi professor Flux” as I was getting coffee. Feels like a milestone.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
My first three PSYC 1001 mini-lectures are live on YouTube on my LiveLifeinFlux channel. I really did not know what I was getting myself into when I agreed to put this class together. But I’m very pleased with how it’s turning out.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Raw video footage for my class lectures is MASSIVE now that I’m trying to optimize for lighting and color in 4K. I just filmed for about a half hour and the file is 40 GB 😱
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
I've been feeling a bit torn by the amount that I've leaned on AI while developing my courses. I'm not torn by the level that I'm engaging with generative AI, as I've been using it in very thoughtful ways. I'm mostly torn over the environmental impacts. I've been power-using for weeks...
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
In the past week I binged 12 hours of lectures, skimmed a textbook, compiled 111 pages of lecture video scripts, and have so far made 357 PowerPoint slides. How do other professors prepare to teach? This is my first in-person class and I feel like I’m going a bit overboard…
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
I’m currently binging an entire semester of general psychology lectures on double speed because I am unhinged. I’m trying to prepare to record my own versions for the class I’m teaching in 2 weeks. This has been some winter break…
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
I'm teaching a Winter Session version of Abnormal Psychology, and I added a few assignments to motivate students to interact with their communities at the university's request. The first assignment had them interviewing people about how they view normal/abnormal. The responses are pretty incredible.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
Consistent feedback from students has been that they enjoy when I use TikToks to promote and enhance discussion. As I develop a new class in the shadow of the TikTok ban, I’m trying to figure out how to pivot this strategy to other social media.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
12 years ago I did a body painting gig for Wiz Khalifa. I worked all day doing primate neuroscience research and then all night painting beautiful people for an album release event. Now I’m getting ready to move to Denver to teach undergrads about psychology. Life is a constant adventure!
Three women in bikinis are painted like wild animals (a tiger, a zebra, and a cheetah). They flank the rapper Wiz Khalifa.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Let’s see if my stuff makes it to Denver in 2 weeks 😳
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
It finally happened. I accused a student of using AI in their assignment based on a hunch and a 100% AI score on GPTZero and I was wrong. In response to their rebuttal I did several more analyses that increased support that their work was original This brings up so many issues as an educator [1/4]
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
How does a neurodivergent neuroscientist apply for a teaching job? Allow me to introduce myself… Full 3.5 minute video at: youtu.be/bVqs83Koonk?...
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
I just signed a lease. I'll be moving to Denver on November 30th, 2024. I also am currently interviewing for an assistant teaching professor position at CU Boulder. I'm not sure if I will get it, but I am very committed to teaching there. I already am as an adjunct.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
I just got off an international meeting of scientists to determine the next direction for collaborative human emotion research. Interesting things in the works!
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 28/09/2024
@marawilson.bsky.social does it again! Incredibly thoughtful and informative. Check out this amazing article on introversion/extroversion (and keep an eye out for my quotes!)
theguardian.com
I’m chatty, outgoing and friendly. But ‘extrovert’ doesn’t feel right to me
Making friends and communicating is a joy to me – but my outspokenness can also be a thin veneer masking anxiety
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 16/08/2024
Did you know that there are 87 trials registered on clinicaltrials.gov exploring psychedelic treatment for PTSD, with 18 peer reviewed studies published based on completed trials? I'm working on a piece and I have far too many spreadsheets to keep track of this...
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 27/05/2024
New work on a series about Abnormal Psychology in the works! I'm creating six video essays designed to motivate us to critically examine how we create models for what is normal in mental health. Stay tuned!
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 18/05/2024
Finally got my new studio workspace set up! I’m looking forward to doing more science and making some fun content.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 17/05/2024
Just me casually working on VR mind maps in my PJs for the class I’m teaching this summer. A typical Friday morning.
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 10/05/2024
Hey there Bluesky!
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M. C. Flux PhD @fluxinflux.bsky.social · 10/05/2024
My good friend Mara interviewed me for this piece! I speak about the psychology of annoyance and some ways to navigate a frequently annoying world with kindness.
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