iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

‼️Mentorship program APPLICATIONS OPEN‼️ Developing a Community of Neuroscientists (DCNS) •5-year mentorship program 👥 •for neuroscience grad students, postdocs & assistant profs 👩🏾‍🏫 •in-person sessions 3x/year ✈️ •professional development, mentoring, & research enhancement 🔬 •peer support network 💞

A cream flyer with yellow callout bubbles. The flyer header reads Developing a Community of Neuroscientists (DCNS) A Longitudinal Mentorship Program to Maximize Scientific Impact. There is a group photo of a diverse cohort 1 underneath the header. The left yellow bubble reads What is DCNS? Developing a Community of Neuroscientists is a five year longitudinal mentorship program designed to retain early-career researchers in the field. We aim to provide sustained mentoring and professional development for the next generation of neuroscience leaders. We seek to support people who have faced barriers along their journeys in pursuing academic research careers.

Who is eligible?
• Mid-to-late stage graduate students (who have advanced to PhD candidacy)
• Postdoctoral fellows (intending to apply for faculty positions)
• Assistant professors (with less than 2 years of experience)
DCNS is hosted by the University of Minnesota and supported by an NINDS R25 grant, but open to applicants nationwide.

The right yellow bubble reads Program Benefits:
• Annual $2000 stipend
• All travel & expenses to attend three in-person cohort meetings each year
• A supportive community as you navigate career transitions
• Expanding your mentoring network
• Unique professional development opportunities to grow your personal and career skills

There is another group photo underneath that bubble.

Then the bottom on the page has a timeline: August applications open, October 30 applications due, December interviews, and January program start. Questions? Please email DCNS@umn.edu

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

First day of the semester was BUSY with all day back-to-back meetings but at least I looked cute doing it 🤗 I also spent Labor Day baking two Oreo cheesecakes to celebrate one of my post-bacc’s birthdays and they turned out DELICIOUS 😋🎂

A Black woman professor smiling wide while taking a selfie in a mirror in her office. She’s wearing a red and light blue splattered dress and black cat eye glasses. She has long curly brown hair and bright pink nails.

Slices of baked Oreo cheesecake in a container

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violetkimble.bsky.social @violetkimble.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Really grateful to see this work highlighted! Thank you, Alicia, and blackinneuro.bsky.social for creating space to showcase this work. Excited to contribute to the “Picture a ‘Black in Neuro’ Scientist” special collection in Oxford Open Neuroscience. 🧠

blackinneuro.bsky.social

Black In Neuro (@blackinneuro.bsky.social)

A grassroots movement turned non-profit organization with a mission to diversify the neurosciences by building a community that celebrates and empowers Black scholars and professionals in neuroscience...

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Very proud of our Summer Undergraduate Researchers! 💖 It’s so beautiful to see the growth in their confidence throughout the summer. They come in nervous and hesitant, but by the end, they presented their research projects with such enthusiasm! 📊✨

A cohort of summer undergraduate students taking a group photo with their program directors and graduate student mentors. Everyone is all dressed up for their summer research symposium.

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Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

💛 Wrap up #BINW26 with #BlackInNeuroJoy! Whether you're new to BIN or a familiar face, come meet the community, join the conversation, and have some fun with trivia. 🗓 Aug. 1 | 🕐 1–2 PM ET (6–7 PM BST)

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jheannellejohnson.bsky.social @jheannellejohnson.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Happy #BINW26 everyone! My name is Jheannelle Johnson, an incoming MSL candidate at Northwestern, and I’m the Director of Development for Black In Neuro. The future I’m reimagining is one where optimism meets opportunity for those who wish to enter neuroscience regardless of their background.

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Clíona Murray, PhD (neé Kelly) @clionamurray.com · 27/07/2026

Happy #BINW26 !! I'm Dr. Clíona Murray and I am the Co-Director of Programming at Black In Neuro. The future that I'm reimagining is one where we can authentically show up in a space that was never designed for us. Each and every member of the BIN community remind me of that. So, thank you all 🫶🏽

A photograph of Clíona taken by her Godson (from a lower angle). She is closing her eyes, has her hands placed beneath her chin and head is tilted to the side with a smile.

A photograph of a group of friends on a hike. The background is a typical English country lane with a small single-traffic road central and a large green space to the left of the image. Everyone is smiling, happy and cold!

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Dr Bashir | Her Royal Science @her-science.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Happy #BINW26! I’m Dr Asma Bashir, a Canadian neuroscientist who’s currently supporting public engagement projects across two UK universities! The future that I’m helping to reimagine is one where anyone who wants to engage with academia, both formally or informally, can do so with joy and ease.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Happy #BlackInNeuro Week!!! 🎉✨ I’m Dr. Angeline Dukes, an Assistant Professor at the Univ of Minnesota - I split my time teaching, program directing, & creating outreach opportunities 💞 I’m helping reimagine a future where everyone has equitable access to science & academia 🧬 #BINW26 #BINRollCall

A Black woman professor taking a full-body selfie in a mirror in her office. She’s wearing a light blue dress covered in butterflies, dragonflies, and flowers with blue headband. She has black cat eye glasses and her hair is in an Afro puff.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Saturday volunteering at the Big Brother Big Sister Summer Picnic ✨ excited to teach the Littles and their Bigs about the Brain 🧠

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Loved being invited to give the JEDI keynote at the UMN MD/PhD program’s annual retreat 💖

A group selfie taken by Dr. Angeline Dukes at the end of her talk. There is a large group of MD/PhD students and faculty seated at round tables. Dr. Dukes is a Black woman with black cat eye glasses, purple and silver science beaker earrings and long curly hair. She is wearing a pink dress with flowers.

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Marlene Cohen @marlenecohen.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I have always believed that ideas from basic systems neuroscience could eventually help people. But for years that felt more like hope than reality. But look! This is one of the most personally satisfying papers my lab has produced because we’re getting there. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... 🧪🧵 1/

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Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

🎉Save the date! Black In Neuro Week 2026 is July 27–Aug 2. We're celebrating our 6th annual BIN Week with returning favorites like #NeuroRacism, #NeuroAcrossTheDiaspora, and #BINRollCall plus a brand new theme: #BlackInTime. ✨ 🧠 #BINW26 #AReimaginedFuture

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The Transmitter @thetransmitter.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

NEW! Explore @thetransmitter.bsky.social’s newest tool, Neuro Funding Finder. Discover grants, fellowships and funding opportunities for neuroscience research at all career stages. Find your next funding source and apply, all in one place: thetransmitter.org/neuroscience... #neuroskyence

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

#SPINES2026 This program was so impactful for me as a grad student 💖 It’s always a beautiful full-circle moment to be invited back as a faculty lecturer ✨ Would highly recommend any neuro grad student/post-doc apply in the future! It’s an amazing career dev program! www.mbl.edu/education/ad...

A group of 18 graduate students and postdocs with their two program directors and invited faculty lecturer taking a group selfie outside at sunset. The group is in the woods and are all smiling for the photo.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

My friend: “On a scale of 1-10 - where 10 is everything is roses and 1 is you want to get hit by a bus - how are you?” Me: “Like a 2…” 😞 This was a conversation from a few months ago that ended up being a terrifying wake-up call to how deep in a dark place I was.

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paige @turnthepaige.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

things have not changed here. please, if you’re not in minnesota, do not look away. please prepare where you are. this is what they’ll do to your community next.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Bad news: our furnace went out and we haven’t had heat for 5 days 😩 Good news: my husband surprised me with this gorgeous bouquet of roses ❤️

A beautiful bouquet of white roses surrounded sunset orange and red roses

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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 24/01/2026

This is Alex Pretti. This morning he was murdered by ICE. Six ICE agents held him down and shot him at point blank range. Alex was a nurse and researcher at the VA. Our thoughts are with his loved ones and we stand united in action calling for the abolishment of ICE. #ScientistsAgainstICE

Alex Pretti, wearing a green sweater with his VA badge on.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

People are being kidnapped out of their homes, schools, & cars. People are being murdered in cold-blood. People are terrified. But they are also still showing up for their neighbors. Trying to do what we can to protect & support our communities. Yes it’s horrifying here. But we’re not giving up.

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Annie loves Mpls @anniekp.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Yall outside of MN need to know that observers are STILL out protecting their neighbors. Right now. They know the news and they’re still out there.

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Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 24/01/2026

As tens of thousands across America protest the violence that ICE sows with impunity, federal agents shot and killed another person in Minneapolis today.  ICE terrorizes our cities. ICE puts us all in danger. Abolish ICE.

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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 24/01/2026

Call. Your. Senators. Right. Fucking. Now. It’s ok if your voice shakes while you leave the voice mail. If you cry. If you cuss. If you’re inarticulate. Just get the message across. bsky.app/profile/jaso...

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Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

in case you're curious about how angry Minnesota is about ICE, it was -20 today

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Roxanne Prichard, PhD @roxanneprichard.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

ICE just murdered another Minneapolis neighbor and observer. I am outraged and do not know how we can expect our students to learn in an environment of rampant state sponsored kidnapping and street executions. #ICEOUT NOW.

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The Lonely Pipette @lonelypipette.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

🔴 Ignoring the needs and identities of your lab crew, doesn't make you objective. It makes you lose talent. So how do you build an inclusive lab culture where evrybody can thrive ? In our new episode, we learn how to build labs where people belong : www.buzzsprout.com/1356877/epis... #academicsky

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

So many of my students (and myself) have been staying home for our own safety. It doesn’t matter if you have the “right” documentation nor whether or not you’re a citizen. If you don’t “look” like you belong (i.e. if you’re not a white person), then you’re a target.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Being faculty in Minneapolis right now is a never-ending round of horrible what-ifs. The semester starts on Tuesday. I’m terrified for the safety of my students, colleagues, & myself. We’re trying to prioritize safety. But the fact is if people with guns show up on campus, what can we really do?

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Ana Marie Cox @anamariecox.com · 14/01/2026

I know people on Bsky know this but I hope it filters out: The feds are OCCUPYING the Twin Cities. This is a blockade, a siege. They are shutting down economic and civic activity. They are conducting "papers please" stops. They are criminalizing being a bystander/witness. You could be next.

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Status Coup News @statuscoupnews.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

🚨BREAKING: ICE agents just launched flash bang grenades at protesters in front of federal building in Minneapolis—causing massive explosions. "It's terrorizing, this isn't the America I served for 20 years in the U.S. Navy," tearful protester tells us. WE'RE LIVE NOW ⬇️

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Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

There’s a special kind of grief many of us are feeling tonight. Because it didn’t have to be like this.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Every day I want to leave this country more and more. It’s fucking terrifying out here.

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Micah @rincewind.run · 07/01/2026

what this should make clear to everyone in this country is that it does not matter who you are, there's no "it could never happen to me" you can be a white woman who drives around with stuffed animals in her car, and they will still kill you in cold blood and call you a domestic terrorist

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Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.blacksky.app · 07/01/2026

Hard to believe it hasn't even been one year since these people took office, and here we are.

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Alex Baumhardt @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

A friend in Minneapolis just sent me this video. Looks like thousands have come together for a vigil after an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. This was my neighborhood for several years before coming to Portland.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

I can’t tell y’all how desperately I needed to hear this. The past few weeks have really beaten down my morale. But remembering how every one of my office hours this semester was full with students and receiving this email reinforced that all my effort really is worth it ❤️✨

Screenshot of an email that reads “Dr. Dukes,
I've not done this before in my college experience, but I genuinely want to personally thank you for being perhaps the best professor l've ever had in my college career. I'm not a neuro student, but I'm interested in the subject so l've taking 3 neuro classes so far. Not a single lecturer has come close to being able to explain difficult subjects with such ease like you do. You made very confusing concepts feel very simple and your lectures were incredibly easy to follow. You also touched on factors like racial disparity in diagnoses that have NEVER been mentioned in classes prior. It is so clear that you genuinely care about your students becoming great doctors and researchers. I'm sure you get a lot of this in the SRT's but I want you to know how personally you've impacted many of us as learners. I hope you have a wonderful holiday break. Thank you”

A full office of eight undergraduate and graduate students smiling during office hours. There is white text on a black background that reads “This semester I’ve had a nice little gaggle of students that come to office hours after class 🥰”

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

#BlackInNeuro has supported marginalized neuroscientists for 5️⃣ years!! ✨ We have gorgeous limited-edition pins 😍 for $15 donations to support BIN programming ❤️ blackinneuro.com/donate I can mail it to you or if you just want to donate, I’ll give your pin to trainees at #ABRCMS 🤗 Please share 🙌🏾✨

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christine liu / two photon art @christineliu.art · 19/11/2025

These 2 UC President’s Fellows just learned that our hiring incentive is not going to be defunded….for now! UCs, please hire us for faculty positions ASAP haha!!! (But seriously if you’re at #sfn25 , let’s chat 😌)

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christine.py @bidata.io · 18/11/2025

Don't you just love this design? If you're at SDCC for #SfN25 -- or on the interwebs and care about the future of neuroscience -- please support @blackinneuro.bsky.social 🧪🧬🧠🔬👨🏿‍🔬

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HHMI @hhmi-science.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Calling all rising juniors & seniors: Interested in biological or biomedical research? Applications for our ’26 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program are now open! Nine weeks, hands-on research, & mentorship from some of the nation’s top scientists — learn more: bit.ly/CechFellows

bit.ly

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience | HHMI

The Cech Fellows Program is a paid, nine-week summer research experience empowering the next generation of scientific leaders.

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

If you didn’t get a chance to purchase the exclusive 5-year #BlackInNeuro pin last night, I have more with me today! ✨ We’re asking for $15 donations to support BIN programming ❤️ blackinneuro.com/donate Allies are welcome to purchase pins as well 🙌🏾 #SfN25

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Our #BlackInNeuro social is always the highlight of my year 🤩 These were our undergrads/lab tech, graduate student, postdoc, and faculty/professional attendees respectively ✨ Love seeing our community continue to grow & support each other in tumultuous times 💞 #SfN25 @blackinneuro.bsky.social

A group of ~30 Black undergraduates and lab technicians at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background

A group of ~60 Black graduate students at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background

A group of eight Black postdoctoral researchers at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background

A group of ~20 Black faculty and professionals at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

🎉 It’s not too late to register for the #BlackInNeuro social happening TONIGHT! ✨ Good food, great people, and even better energy 🖤 🗓️ November 17 🕢 7:30–10:30PM 📍 San Diego | Hope to see y’all soon 🤗 🔗 blackinneuro47.wildapricot.org/event-6419762

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Shelly Flagel @flagel-lab.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Go support all the amazing early career scientists who will be presenting their posters tonight from 6:45 - 8:45 at #SfN2025. This includes Flagel Lab graduate student, Princess Felix, who received a SfN Trainee Professional Development Award. 👏👏👏

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christine liu / two photon art @christineliu.art · 15/11/2025

We are ready to see you tomorrow at #SfN25 at the #ArtofNeuroscience exhibit! Meet the crew: Danny, @isabel-luna.bsky.social, Tera, @ellieho21.bsky.social and me!! We have lots of new stuff for you this year!

4 people in a booth with neuroscience jewelry

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

First #SfN25 stop is always the @christineliu.art Two Photon Art booth! ✨ Check out these cool mystery pin boxes that they have this year 😍🐭 I love my little laser mouse 🎇

A Black woman’s hand holding three items behind a booth. The first is a Polaroid photo of her with her friend and co-creator of Two Photon Art, Dr. Christine Liu. The second item is a pin of a white mouse shining a laser and holding a sparkly purple crystal. The third item is a box that reads Lab Mouse mystery pin with 5 pin options and an extra rare surprise pin

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Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

🎉 Heading to SfN? Come vibe with the BIN fam at our SfN Social on Nov 17! Good food, great people, and even better energy 🖤 🗓️ November 17 🕢 7:30–10:30PM 📍 San Diego | Register today! 🔗 blackinneuro47.wildapricot.org/event-6419762

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

Spent 8 months organizing a massive Brain Day outreach event 🧠✨ We had ~240 faculty & trainee volunteers develop cool neuroscience activities about their research 🔬🧬 Over 300 community members joined us to play games, win prizes, learn, and see themselves as scientists 👩🏾‍🔬🧫

A trio of trainees at a Brain Day booth showing event attendees wearing colorful Brain hats how to make multicolored pipe cleaner neurons

A group of MD/PhD students from the neurosurgery interest group posing for a photo at their Brain Day booth with a big poster behind them that reads “What Does a Neurosurgeon do?”. They have spine model and a virtual reality headset to do activities

A side view down one aisle of the UMN Brain Day outreach event. Booths staffed by trainees and faculty in blue t-shirts line the aisle. Community members are actively engaged in learning about neuroscience and the work the researchers do.

Brain Day attendees participating in a pain research experiment. The child’s hand is in a beaker of warm water and the parent looks on. The researchers at the booth are smiling excitedly to see the results

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Clíona Murray, PhD (neé Kelly) @clionamurray.com · 19/09/2025

Beyond proud of the @blackinneuro.bsky.social team! We hosted our first in-person conference at UDC featuring: 🧠 A public poster session inviting community 🌍 #NeuroAcrossTheDiaspora symposium 🔑 #AltCareers panel. The work continues as we plan events to empower neuroscientists everywhere. 💫

A photograph of attendees at the Black In Neuro Conference

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Angeline J. Dukes, PhD @heydrdukes.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Y’all I feel so loved 😭🥰 my sweet postbacc students planned a small belated birthday surprise for me 🥹💞 They know how much I love celebrating their birthdays so they made sure this milestone was a memorable one 🎉

A group photo of 8 post-baccalaureate researchers and their three program administrators taking a selfie in front of a board decorators with banners and stars that reads Happy 30th Birthday

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