iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

The interesting thing for me as a trade scholar and GATT geek is that the US has adopted a blanket rule (25% on everything) vs Canada’s targeted list. And in all of this news I have seen exactly ZERO mention of the WTO or even USMCA trade dispute resolution fora. None.

210

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

Cleo O'Brien-Udry @cobrienudry.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Draft syllabus for my new class on the Politics of Climate Change in Developing States--open any and all feedback! cobrienudry.github.io/files/The%20... thanks to @jeffcolgan.bsky.social for the Climate Solution Lab's syllabus bank

89517

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

Melissa Florer-Bixler @melissaf-b.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

A poem for my last day working at the writing center for the semester (by Joseph Fasano)

146154523262

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Having just spent 3 days at a Canadian science policy conference, it was frustrating to see such limited social sciences and humanities representation; even though I work in the housing and public infrastructure space, I had hoped for more. Hm.

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Oof. I feel that. Grants made it possible for me to do remote research/bought me out of teaching while I managed recovery from a herniated disc.

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

What research grant enabled you to do your best work? Why? Was it just funding or something else?

100

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

There's a lot of talk about how Trump's tariffs may help revive American manufacturing by encouraging consumers to buy American-made goods. If you believe this, I want to tell you a story. 🧵

473215672

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

Anna Meier @annameier.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Boston is home to more universities per capita than anywhere else in the US. I want to tell you about one, Lesley University, that you may not have heard of, and what Lesley leadership is doing to faculty. 1/

bostonglobe.com

Lesley University is undergoing a massive cost-cutting program. Is it working? - The Boston Globe

Administrators believe the Cambridge institution is on track to reverse from its financial woes. Staff and students say it’s happening at their expense.

287

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Asking for a friend. The friend is me. 🙋‍♀️

000

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Question for 1st gen PhDs coming from a low income background. Do you also have personal finance ptsd despite graduating and having a better income than your stipend?

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 07/11/2024

Every election is an opportunity to engage with students, to debrief, to collectively unpack, to grieve some outcomes, to celebrate others. And the research...I miss it more than I can say. 3/n

000

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 07/11/2024

I miss teaching. I miss research. But I have also learned so much from this position about policymaking and stakeholder engagement. A stable liveable income, in a city I want to live in, with bounded work hours has also done wonders for my mental health. Still, today is a sad one for me. 2/n

100

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 07/11/2024

In May of this year, I let go of a postdoc at Harvard in favour of a permanent full-time position in the Canada federal public service. I didn't want to risk the uncertainty of living in the US under Trump 2.0, or 3 three months of work visa delays, or 7 months of unemployment between positions. 1/n

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 18/03/2024

$8.75 an hour for a part-time job as a pastry counter clerk at a family run Italian grocery/bakery. Ontario student wages in 2009. (Made more babysitting/nannying).

000

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 15/03/2024

Excited to announce a call for papers and discussants for the Just Research Conference, to be held online May 9-11, 2024! Just Research is a virtual, free conference for early career scholars and grad students in political science! Apps are due April 1: sites.google.com/view/just-re... #polisky

022

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 07/03/2024

Unfortunately, I am looking at another unsuccessful year on the academic job market. I’m trying to hold onto the dream of being a professor, or even a postdoc. The applications continue, as does seeking permanent employment since my current contract ends in May.

000

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 22/02/2024

PoliSky what made for your best experience at a virtual conference or symposium? What activities facilitated networking?

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 19/02/2024

Recent discovery: if you mix up some carrot cake batter, but bake it as cupcakes, you then have carrot muffins and they can be eaten for breakfast guilt-free.

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 18/02/2024

Cumin powder is much stronger than cumin seeds. I usually use the latter, toasting them with sautéed onion.

Nicole Wu @nicolewu.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

International Political Economy Society (IPES)’s Virtual IPES is calling for paper submissions for its Winter/Spring 2024 round of workshops VIPES: www.internationalpoliticaleconomysociety.org/virtual-ipes Application link: forms.gle/BBGVJdJKnH2b...

083

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 07/02/2024

I miss being in an office and bantering with colleagues about what cool things they're doing. As someone who works 100% remotely, it's not the same for me to chat with my cat about research or conference plans.

Tamar Haspel @tamarhaspel.bsky.social · 24/01/2024

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

The US embassy in London has weighed in on the controversy created by a US scientist's suggestion that tea needs a pinch of salt.

641052304

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 18/01/2024

PoliSky friends: do you know of cool work on urban planning, housing and quality of life - bonus points if the work focuses on Canada. Self cites welcome!

022

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

Dani Gilbert @danigilbert.bsky.social · 18/01/2024

Looking to add something about hostage taking to your syllabi? Check out my latest for @goodauth.bsky.social, a "Good to Know" explainer on hostage taking and the rise in hostage diplomacy: goodauthority.org/news/good-to... Polisky TeachLearnSky IntSec Conflictsky

goodauthority.org

Good to Know: Hostage taking and the rise in hostage diplomacy

Detaining foreign hostages to gain political concessions from another government is on the rise.

0104

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 16/01/2024

Thrilled to share that my paper with Sojun Park on the exploitation of treaty ambiguity in TRIPs has been published by @the-peio.bsky.social and is available via open access today! doi.org/10.1007/s115... Working through page proofs during the holidays is so worth it.

174

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 13/01/2024

It’s that season where even a glimpse at a blue sky has me running to the window to get precious vitamin D.

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 07/01/2024

Reckoning with the impact of neglecting my health the last 12 months. Visited my GP in Nov and routine bloodwork flagged a few things. I still don’t have health benefits (maybe by the Fall?) but grateful for an incredible family doc in Canada over the years.

000

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 02/01/2024

2023: I became a Dr. I fell in love. I survived 7 months without a paycheck. I lived with one of my best friends. Moved back in with family. Had my second paper accepted with 2 rounds of revisions. Started a new contract job. Looking forward to stability (hopefully) in 2024!

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 28/12/2023

Oh yes! That unfortunately depends on the shape of the speaker. Patents and such cause a mess there. I agree it’s annoying.

000

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 28/12/2023

Sadly no. Everyone’s inner ear is shaped/sized differently.

100

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 23/12/2023

Happy Holidays folks. I am so beyond grateful for friends and family that made it so that I wasn’t homeless or hungry this year between jobs.

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 23/12/2023

Working a contract 9-5, M-F job that pays biweekly has been life changing. For 9 years I’ve been paid monthly, sometimes unreliably. And for 9 years I had to fight to reserve at least Saturdays for myself/life chores. That first paycheck after 6 months of being unemployed also hit different.

Chris Warshaw @chriswarshaw.bsky.social · 19/12/2023

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

Our paper introducing the "American Local Government Elections Database" is online at Scientific Data. The data includes 78,000 candidates in 57,000 electoral contests in races for seven distinct local political offices in most medium and large cities and counties over the last three decades.

nature.com

American local government elections database - Scientific Data

Scientific Data - American local government elections database

714868

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 17/12/2023

Polisky, as a faculty member, have you ever coordinated with policymakers for assignments? E.g. have your students write research papers in partnership with government agencies? I’d love to chat about how it went! Drop me a DM.

380

Reposted by Lauren C. Konken

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 10/12/2023

PEPFAR is at risk of not being renewed by US Congress. It is estimated to have saved over 20 million lives so far, and even now averts over a million deaths annually. In my view this is the most important risk to global health we face today. My post: forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/gF4nLB...

forum.effectivealtruism.org

PEPFAR, one of the most life-saving global health programs, is at risk — EA Forum

Summary: • International funding and coordination to tackle HIV/AIDS and support health systems in lower- and middle-income countries, is at risk of…

16340

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 05/12/2023

I presented the heart of my final chapter in my dissertation - the piece I struggled to write the most. It wasn't a full draft by any means, but I received excellent comments and made great connections. It'll be great!

Lauren C. Konken @lkonken.bsky.social · 05/12/2023

I got so much out of attending last year! Enjoy it!