iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I gave a lecture on space to my postgrads recently - we spent some time discussing Apollo 1 and the lessons we learn from tragedy. I had the chance to visit LC-34 just before EFT-1… Very humbling and touching to be in that space before seeing Orion launch.

LC-34 memorial plaque honouring the crew of Apollo 1.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

I’m wondering why your editorial team thought this was an appropriate quote to run in this piece? It’s so casually demeaning of an entire region and undermines the point being made.

Screenshot of following text, with the quote about the Middle East highlighted in red.

Further, by inviting the R.S.F. delegation to attend the talks in D.C., the Administration conferred legitimacy on the group. “You don’t invite Hamas or the Taliban to Washington to negotiate things. You do that in Doha, right?” Hudson said. “That’s why God invented the Middle East, so that we didn’t have to have these war criminals sipping champagne in Washington, D.C.”

Hudson believes that further horrors can be avoided, but only if the U.S. commits to focussing on the issue, and to putting real pressure on the R.S.F. and its allies.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

I’m just wondering who thought this was a good slogan:

Whitening toothpaste ad that says: Sydneysiders, make the WHITE choice today!

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

There’s a ghost on the moon - the Blue Ghost lander that is! Congrats to the entire Firefly Aerospace team! Learn more about the mission and the NASA science payload: fireflyspace.com/missions/blu.... #BGM1

Image description (credit NASA socials team): Earth is a small pale blue circle in the sky in this image taken from the Moon by a camera on Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander. The Moon's gray surface sharply contrasts with the blackness of space. The lander's shadow can be seen on the ground.

Credit: Firefly Aerospace

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

I think it looked a bit like a bird, with the drooping bit! Loved seeing Putricia! #corpseflower

A corpse flower with its stamen (I’m assuming) bent down.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Might I also suggest the adorably tiny and very very cute numbat?!?

Photo of a numbat on leaf detritus - numbats have striped butts and are super cute.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., a black man, speaking in front of several microphones with an American flag in the background. Black and white Image from Library of Congress.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

2024 has been a year of good change for me, with a new baby and a new job, on top of many other things, so its end is bittersweet, but I look forward to the new adventures that 2025 will bring. Happy New Year, friends!

Fireworks over water. From 2023 because there’s no way I’ll be up for this year’s since I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since having a baby.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

However, seeing that Blue is on Bluesky led me to seeing that @ulalaunch.bsky.social (#AtlasV will always be my first love) and my favorite CEO (who always gives a masterclass in communication), @torybruno.bsky.social, are also here (at least I’m assuming the accounts are real). Welcome!

An AtlasV launches the Juno mission - image from SpaceNews

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

I don’t think this guy registered for the conference, but his presentation garnered a lot of interest! #AcademicSky

White male peacock displaying his plumage in a courtyard

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

The only photo from the visit I have on my phone, but not a bad one! 📡

A photo of a dish in the background with street signs with space names in the foreground

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

I’m at the USSC’s Sydney International Forum today - where we’re discussing the future of American leadership in a contested Asia.

Photo of a panel on stage over an audience. The panel do two women and three men are sitting in front of USSC banners.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Nothing makes me happier than seeing my #spacetweeps migrate over to Bluesky: a rare opportunity to relive the halcyon days of #MARStini and #endlessbbq where Twitter was a place of community and connection.

A group picture taken at the the MSL #MARStini party - a rare space party dominated by women. It’s a group shot of about 30 people next to a pool with a blow up alligator, smiling and happy, ready for MSL to launch.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Thanks to @arnauddyevre.bsky.social for his thread about this publication on Twitter; I hope he shares his thoughts on it here as I found them very helpful, as people/media will not understand this isn’t ChatGPT without good #scicomm. aidantr.github.io/files/AI_inn...

Photo of Abstract that reads:

Artificial Intelligence, Scientific Discovery, and Product Innovation*

Aidan Toner-Rodgers

MIT

November 6, 2024

This paper studies the impact of artificial intelligence on innovation, exploiting the randomized introduction of a new materials discovery technology to 1,018 scientists in the R&D lab of a large U.S. firm. Al-assisted researchers discover 44% more materials, resulting in a 39% increase in patent filings and a 17% rise in downstream product in-novation. These compounds possess more novel chemical structures and lead to more radical inventions. However, the technology has strikingly disparate effects across the productivity distribution: while the bottom third of scientists see little benefit, the output of top researchers nearly doubles. Investigating the mechanisms behind these results, I show that Al automates 57% of "idea-generation" tasks, reallocating researchers to the new task of evaluating model-produced candidate materials. Top scientists leverage their domain knowledge to prioritize promising Al suggestions, while others waste significant resources testing false positives. Together, these findings demonstrate the potential of Al-augmented research and highlight the complemen-tarity between algorithms and expertise in the innovative process. Survey evidence reveals that these gains come at a cost, however, as 82% of scientists report reduced satisfaction with their work due to decreased creativity and skill underutilization.

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Kat Robison, PhD @katrobison.bsky.social · 06/11/2024

Sometimes, when watching politics, I like to remind myself that I live in a universe where we know what the stars look like from Jupiter:

Black and white picture of the stars from Jupiter, looking out over a ring. Photo from NASA Juno.

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