Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 24/02/2026Thank you for sharing our work. To underline, in joint evaluation Black and Hispanic faculty received 9% fewer negative votes... pretty good for a nudge! 000
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 23/02/2026How can we address racial disparities in promotion and tenure? In our NEW PAPER published in Nature Communications (www.nature.com/articles/s41...), we show that evaluating candidates simultaneously (i.e., joint evaluation) shrinks the race gap in departmental negative votes from 10% to 1%.nature.comEvaluating multiple candidates simultaneously reduces racial disparities in promotion and tenure - Nature CommunicationsPast work has found that Black and Hispanic faculty are judged more harshly in promotion and tenure. Here, evidence from a natural experiment shows that evaluating faculty simultaneously with other ca... 021
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageLydia Jennings, PhD @1nativesoilnerd.bsky.social · 15/08/2025The paper highlights actionable steps to help improve these double standards, including more RESEARCH RELATED LANGUAGE in P &T letters for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous women to improve their outcomes.nature.comUnderrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions - Nature Human BehaviourMasters-Waage et al. report that underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in the USA face barriers in the promotion and tenure process, receiving more negative votes and fewer unanimous positive decisi... 18852
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageKevin Kniffin @kevinkniffin.bsky.social · 04/08/2025Six talks in 90 minutes last week at #aom2025 offered lots of valuable + efficient + international exchange on “New Insights into the Science of Science and Scientists” Big thx to co-organizer @masterswaage.bsky.social (pic) & presenters incl @inaganguli.bsky.social w full roster in pics 141
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageDheepa Sundaram, PhD (she/her) @themodsisyphus.bsky.social · 06/10/2024Important read: “In sum, the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions.” www.nature.com/articles/s41... 112
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageKatie Mack @astrokatie.com · 06/10/2024“the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions” 113935
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 26/04/2025Thank you for sharing our research on this timely issue! 000
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageEd Rivera-Valentín @planettreky.bsky.social · 06/10/2024Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions www.nature.com/articles/s41...nature.comUnderrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions - Nature Human BehaviourMasters-Waage et al. report that underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in the USA face barriers in the promotion and tenure process, receiving more negative votes and fewer unanimous positive decisi... 15338
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waagejjfrey3md.bsky.social @jjfrey3md.bsky.social · 18/03/2025Why can't a man be more like a woman?......."Women advocates and men critics: How referees' gender influences candidates' likelihood of receiving a promotion" www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social @aafp.bsky.social @adfm.bsky.social 001
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 11/03/2025Promotion and tenure (P&T) systems rely on external evaluations by arms-length reviewers. Here we find that gender influences the content of these letters... So much so that P&T candidates with more women letter writers were more likely to receive tenure! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...sciencedirect.comWomen advocates and men critics: How referees' gender influences candidates' likelihood of receiving a promotionExternal review letters (ERLs) play a critical role in the promotion and tenure (P&T) process. However, recently, scholars have questioned their valid… 01610
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 10/03/2025Cause we just have to do anything we can... Please sign: sign.moveon.org/petitions/de...sign.moveon.orgDefend the science and scientists that keep the public safe!Please join science supporters, scientists, and experts in signing an open letter asking Congress to stand up against attempts to politicize or eliminate scientific roles, agencies, and federal resear... 010
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageChris Stringer @chrisbstringer.bsky.social · 26/02/2025Nature Editorial Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere. US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks www.nature.com/articles/d41...nature.comTrump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhereUS President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks. 13213
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 03/02/2025Sounds a lot like Gerd Gigerenzer... Decision biases are not flaws, they are adaptations that work well in the environment they were designed for, but not when applied to new domains. Great to see that people are adjusting their use of these Fast-and-Frugal heuristics to the environment though! 010
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageAlt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 03/02/2025 7516967512825
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageKathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 30/01/2025“Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.”nytimes.comStaffing was ‘not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report. 813057
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 30/01/2025Completely agree, in times of uncertainty focus on evidence. Our Center is trying to do this for racial inequities in promotion and tenure. We have evidence identifying the problem: www.nature.com/articles/s41... We have two papers under review examining solutions: [Preprints Soon] 001
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageAlt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 30/01/2025This account is for sharing info with US scientists, both extramural and intramural to NIH, about attacks on science in the US. Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪 We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have. 922165800
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 30/01/2025One thing critics of diversity initiatives (including DEI) fail to understand is that the goal is NOT to support minorities at the cost of majority group members. Very often it is about improving a SYSTEM in ways that benefits minorities without influencing outcomes for non-minorities. 000
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageIsaac Dovere @isaacdovere.bsky.social · 30/01/2025Buttigieg’s response to Trump vis Twitter, on multiple levels: 9349941354
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageDr Craig R McClain @drcraigmc.bsky.social · 29/01/2025Somewhere in the U.S., there’s a scientist staring at their NSF/NIH grant application wondering why they bother. This post is for you. Science and society both need you. Hang in there and know there is a whole community supporting you. 423100725
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageKrystal Vasquez @kvasquez.bsky.social · 29/01/2025Posting this update since a lot of researchers follow me here. As to what this actually means for NSF grants, I have no clue yet. Source: new.nsf.gov/executive-or... 073
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 29/01/2025Those poor #tenure-track faculty who had #COVID and this... A lot of considerations to take into account in those tenure decisions... From my research on over 2,000 promotion and tenure decisions my guess is it will only harm their chances. 010
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageErin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 29/01/2025This is my favorite picture of Stonewall. They knew they were getting arrested just for being LGBTQ+. Yet... they're still here, standing outside of the boarded up Stonewall Inn, smiling as the world was at a fever pitch of hatred against them. I think about it a lot in moments like this. 367372796460
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 27/01/2025Just outrageous! I hope the @bsky.app academic community can be the catalyst for an academic revolt against these journals. We hold all the power, we just fail to coordinate. Can't we just create our own public-domain journals called [JournalName]_1 and mentally transfer the prestige?? 000
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageJay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · 27/01/2025Polarization has become a serious threat to shared reality, democracy, and even health "Thousands of people were dying needlessly because they didn’t trust medical advice, or their government, or mainstream media” Reducing partisan animosity is doable, but tricky: www.pnas.org/doi/epub/10.... 35314
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageNature @nature.com · 27/01/2025A group of scientists who are experts at spotting fraudulent research outline five essential steps to combat industrialized scientific misconduct go.nature.com/4h78aSwgo.nature.com‘Stamp out paper mills’ — science sleuths on how to fight fake researchA group of scientists who are experts at spotting fraudulent research outline five essential steps to combat industrialized scientific misconduct. 317076
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageNature @nature.com · 24/01/2025Roughly 6,000 readers answered our poll, with many declaring that Bluesky was nicer, kinder and less antagonistic to science than X go.nature.com/42tH8Aigo.nature.comBluesky’s science takeover: 70% of Nature poll respondents use platformRoughly 6,000 readers answered our poll, with many declaring that Bluesky was nicer, kinder and less antagonistic to science than X. 5452651142
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageStephan Lewandowsky @lewan.uk · 24/01/2025Is this for real? Native Americans are not citizens by birth ... because ... 19th century? Did they really really argue that? Where do they find lawyers like that? www.yahoo.com/news/excludi...yahoo.com"Excluding Indians": Trump admin questions Native Americans' birthright citizenship in courtThe Trump admin is leaning on a pre-14th Amendment law in its fight to redefine birthright citizenship 5186
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageMaya Sen @mayasen.bsky.social · 23/01/2025Article focuses on corporations but the Trump anti-DEI directive applies to universities w large endowments as well each agency is being instructed to find 9 entities to investigate IMHO universities and faculty are not prepared for this - it could get very ugly! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/b...nytimes.comTrump’s D.E.I. Order Causes ‘Chaos’ Among Corporate LeadersThe executive order signals that private businesses and organizations could be investigated over their diversity policies. 69256
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 23/01/2025Conversations with others around DEI often result in them asking: "What's your agenda" There is no agenda and no opinion. Racial bias is an evidence-based scientific phenomenon that has major ramifications for the social world. We all need to understand it and we all need to combat it. 120
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waagejamelle @jamellebouie.net · 22/01/2025i have to assume that “pursuing DEI efforts” means hiring anyone who isn’t a white man? 1594003620
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageNeil Lewis, Jr. @neillewisjr.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Important context for the NASA anti-DEI email that is circulating (and perhaps other agency emails). 30638185
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageChristie Wilcox @nerdychristie.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Do monkeys recognize themselves in the mirror? Depends on if they're captive or wild, a study suggests. That and more of the best from @science.org and science in this edition of #ScienceAdviser: www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪 🙈 0549
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageRobert (Bob) Kubinec @rmkubinec.bsky.social · 21/01/2025Now that I’ve finally got a woke mob I really want to unleash them on the for-profit academic journal industry 😅. #openscience yall 31073
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageChris Vagasky @coweatherman.bsky.social · 21/01/2025This is the first time a Blizzard Warning has been issued along the Gulf Coast 1167
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 20/01/2025Well, the policy makers and department chairs believe that academics can. But when those faculty members on the committee walk into a P&T meeting faced with a tough decision, I bet they resort back to counting citation and grant $$. That's the easy way out! 000
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageKevin M. King @kevinmking.bsky.social · 20/01/2025Look at this! Apparently academics can think more deeply about our values than just counting citation and grant $$. 13610
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 20/01/2025This is a great initiative. However, our research on over 2,000 P&T decisions at the Center for Equity in Faculty Advancement (CEFA) shows it is extremely hard to align committee's decisions with policy. As long as decisions are anonymous, decision maker are only accountable to their own whims. 100
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageNature @nature.com · 20/01/2025The US federal government can harness science to secure the health, prosperity and safety of Americans and the world go.nature.com/4gbgsrggo.nature.comDear Donald Trump: A letter from Nature on how to make science thriveThe US federal government can harness science to secure the health, prosperity and safety of Americans and the world. 64010
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 19/01/2025Great article. This will be a loss to the US but more importantly a loss to the world as #science when do right is for the global good. I guess the #resistance starts tomorrow! 000
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageKrystal Vasquez @kvasquez.bsky.social · 19/01/2025With less than 24 hours until the Inauguration, I justed want to re-share something I wrote recently about how Trump's future immigration policy could impact folks in chem. #ChemSky cen.acs.org/policy/Trump...cen.acs.orgTrump’s immigration policy could affect chemistry students and workersPossible immigration priorities may include travel bans and increased visa denial rates 143
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageJay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · 18/01/2025A survey of #Tiktok users found that most of them would literally pay money to have the platform deactivated. People feel socially compelled to use these addictive platforms, despite how awful it makes them feel. A TikTok ban prove surprisingly popular once it’s gone. www.nber.org/system/files... 1010537
Reposted by Theo Masters-WaageNature @nature.com · 17/01/2025Latest from the Nature Careers Podcast 🔊 How to be a brilliant ally to your neurodivergent lab mate go.nature.com/40doFFugo.nature.comHow to be a brilliant ally to your neurodivergent lab mateTwo researchers, one with bipolar disorder and ADHD, the other with autism, discuss supportive workplaces, building networks, and how and when to disclose diagnoses. 0225
Reposted by Theo Masters-Waagejamelle @jamellebouie.net · 16/01/2025rewatching FIGHT CLUB this week i was very struck by how a movie that is very plainly a critique of this vision of masculinity was taken up as a valorization of it 485106621017
Theo Masters-Waage @masterswaage.bsky.social · 16/01/2025I think as scientists and researchers we need to be mindful of who we give our great ideas to. One of my favourite things about academics is that they could probably all be earning more money working for a company, but they don't. All hail intrinsic motivation. 000