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Melissa Burt

@melissaburt.bsky.social
398 followers 226 following 6 posts

PhD candidate at Virginia Tech Global Change | Community Ecology | Species Interactions | Fragmentation | Climate Change | Ants | Seed Dispersal | Plant Ecology

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Melissa Burt @melissaburt.bsky.social · 21h
Check out our new paper that's out in Ecology this week from the Savannah River Site Corridor Experiment!!! @susanrw.bsky.social @julianresasco.bsky.social esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Corridors increase ant diversity over time
Globally, habitat loss and fragmentation pose significant threats to biodiversity. Habitat corridors are often used in fragmented landscapes to reconnect isolated patches. However, understanding how ...
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Brian O'Meara @omearabrian.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Some resources and advice for those considering applying to the NSF GRFP this year (3 year grad school stipend: first year grad students, post-bachelor, and seniors might consider applying): brianomeara.info/posts/grfp_2... 🧪 #AcademicSky
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Climate.us @climate.us · 24/06/2026
Public trust in climate information is hard-won, something we understand as former members of the Climate(.)gov team. For our launch, @katharinehayhoe.com shared why she believes Climate.us is worthy of that trust, and why she'll be sending people here for years to come. #ClimateUS #ClimateForUs 🌍🧪
For years, Climate.gov was where I sent people for accurate, trustworthy answers about climate, from what El Nino means for the region to how extreme heat is changing where they live. Every article made complex science accessible and transparent. At a moment when social science highlights public education as a key tipping point for climate action, Climate.us doesn't just carry that forward—it raises the bar. I know I'll be sending people there for years to come. -Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D., Atmospheric Scientist, Horn Professor and Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law at Texas Tech, co-founder of the Talking Climate Collaborative and author of the Talking Climate newsletter
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Been wondering why NSF isn't spending most of its FY26 appropriation? A $1.5B tech initiative may be the reason. And big cuts to hundreds of research programs could be just the beginning of the bad news. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Exclusive: NSF slashes research programs to support new tech initiative, insiders say
Unexpected shift in funds has meant sharp drop in grants this fiscal year
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Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 08/01/2026
The US stands alone in dismissing the problem of climate change.
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Science Magazine @science.org · 16/12/2025
To ease the burden on a staff that has shrunk significantly since President Donald Trump took office, the National Science Foundation is reducing the role of outside experts in reviewing grant proposals. scim.ag/4oUfVhO
scim.ag
NSF pares down grant-review process, reducing influence of outside scientists
Memo cites overburdened staff, but some say move also aims to elevate White House priorities
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Dr. Jennifer Wade @volcanojw.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Science People: We at NSF are still recovering/catching up/getting our lives together. But the agency posted these FAQs about post-shutdown resumption of operations which might answer a lot of Qs for you: www.nsf.gov/resumption-o...
nsf.gov
Resumption of Operations at NSF
Information for NSF staff and the research community regarding the agency's resumption of operations after a lapse in appropriations.
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Terry McGlynn @hormiga.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
vox.com
DNA scientist James Watson has a remarkably long history of sexist, racist public comments
“People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty,” he said in 2003. “I think it would be great.”
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Holly Moeller @mixotrophe.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
🚨GRFP DEADLINE ALERT!🚨 I missed this in my original solicitation read-through, so FYI 📣LETTERS ARE DUE BEFORE PROPOSALS📣 this year! "Reference letters are due Friday, November 7 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)." www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
nsf.gov
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
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José Cerca @naturalselection.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
The 2025-26 Eco-Evo job list is out. Good luck to those applying! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com
ecoevojobs.net 2025-26
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Katie Stuble @holdenrestoration.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Job alert! Please share. We're looking for an urban ecologist (PhD) to join the research team at the Holden Arboretum. Develop an active research program while supporting stakeholders. 🌳 I'll be at #ESA2025 and happy to chat. #AltAc #HoldenScience #UrbanEcology holdenfg.org/career-and-i...
holdenfg.org
Career & Internships » HF&G
Holden Forests & Gardens is not just a great place to visit, it’s a wonderful place to work. Discover the opportunities now available for potential
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Marshall Shepherd @drshepherd2013.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
If you are having trouble finding National Climate Assessment reports, they are here. www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
realclimate.org
RealClimate: National Climate Assessment links
RealClimate: For some reason, it has become hard to locate the various National Climate Assessments (NCAs) that have been produced by the USGCRP over the decades (and it's pretty hard to find the USGR...
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Royal Entomological Society @royentsoc.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Do you know a young person with an interest in insects? 🦋 The Douglas Boyes Fund aims to provide people aged 14-18 with access to entomology equipment, fostering their passion for insects and inspiring them to engage and share their interest with other young individuals 🔽
buff.ly
Douglas Boyes Fund - Royal Entomological Society
The Douglas Boyes Fund has been established in honour of Douglas Boyes (1996-2021), an esteemed entomologist specialising in Lepidoptera. The Fund aims to provide young people aged 14-18 with access…
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Eos @eos.org · 21/06/2025
Today is the day to #ShowYourStripes. Here's what the show looks like @agu.org headquarters in downtown DC. More on what people are doing about the climate crisis. eos.org/tag/climate-...
showyourstripes.info
Show Your Stripes
Visualising how the climate has changed for every country across the globe
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James Temple @jtemple.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
If you’re wondering if US climate researchers are freaking out, yeah they’re freaking out.
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Dave Baltrus 🦦 @surtlab.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
All NSF GRFPs to students choosing to attend Harvard in the Fall were just terminated
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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 22/05/2025
NSF Physics was cut by 85%, basically wiping out most of its capacity for supporting research. NSF Astronomy was cut by 53% Undergrad education was cut by 71% and research on learning by 79% Graduate education was cut by 100% to ZERO. #GiftLink ⚛️🔭 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades (Gift Article)
The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more.
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Margaret Fraiser @margaretfraiser.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
NSF’s entire Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EDU/EES), which “aims to provide opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to actively participate and excel in STEM disciplines” and some of it congressionally mandated, was just notified they will be RIFed. www.nsf.gov/edu/ees/about
nsf.gov
About EES
The NSF Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EES) aims to provide opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds, especially those historically underrepresented in science and engineering.
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Science Magazine @science.org · 09/05/2025
Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.
scim.ag
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
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Dan Larremore @danlarremore.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Report from @science.org: • NSF staff told that its 37 divisions are being abolished. Programs within to be drastically reduced. • Layoffs expected, details via memo Friday 5/9. • Another round of grant terminations expected. (Already 1400 cancelled ~$1bn) www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
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500 Women Scientists @500womensci.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
🧪 funding alert! www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
spencer.org
Rapid Response Bridge Funding Program
In the face of recent abrupt shifts in federal funding for education research, including large-scale terminations of National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant awards, we have developed a rap...
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International Crane Foundation @savingcranes.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
🌎 Stand up for the Endangered Species Act—submit public comments opposing the proposed rule change that would profoundly weaken the law by May 19! Learn how you can help ➡️ bit.ly/standupesa 🪶
bit.ly
Stand Up for the Endangered Species Act - International Crane Foundation
The International Crane Foundation provides critical news and resources in the world of Cranes and Conservation. Stand Up for the Endangered Species Act
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Jordan Meier @doc-jlmeier.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
Great news: NIH postbac program is recruiting again! If your grad school plans were affected by program cutbacks or admissions freezes this year I highly encourage you to apply, this could be a perfect opportunity. Please repost. www.training.nih.gov/research-tra...
training.nih.gov
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Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
The NSF's flagship fellowship program typically gives offers to 2,000+ young scientists. This year, in the face of looming budget cuts, that number was halved: only 1,000 received an offer. Our story on what that means for the science talent pipeline: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
NSF slashes prestigious PhD fellowship awards by half
US National Science Foundation announces lowest number of Graduate Research Fellowship Programme recipients in 15 years.
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Nick Haddad @nickhaddad.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Great paper led by Claire Winfrey on edge effects on microbes in fragmented landscapes @julianresasco.bsky.social @noahfierer.bsky.social
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Habitat specialization and edge effects of soil microbial communities in a fragmented landscape
Soil microorganisms play outsized roles in nutrient cycling, plant health, and climate regulation. Despite their importance, we have a limited understanding of how soil microbes are affected by habit....
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Nick Haddad @nickhaddad.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Excellent special issue in @Ecology_Letters featuring decades long studies onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Insights Into Ecology, Evolution and Global Change Responses From Very Long‐Term Studies
Click on the article title to read more.
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Nick Haddad @nickhaddad.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Our new paper led by @tysonwepprich.bsky.social is out. When warmer temperatures increase the number of butterfly generations in a year, population growth rates are higher onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Voltinism Shifts in Response to Climate Warming Generally Benefit Populations of Multivoltine Butterflies
Insects may respond to climate warming by advancing phenology and increasing the number of generations each year (voltinism). However, one concern is that earlier phenology changes cue-response relat...
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Ryan H Glaubke @ocnogrphr.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
The Mauna Loa Observatory is the birthplace of the Keeling Curve, our longest continuous record of atmospheric CO2. It provides clear evidence that concentrations have risen since the mid-20th century. No mystery, then, why POTUS wants to sell it. The data are inconvenient. Measurements must stop.
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Robert Fletcher @fletcherecology.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
New article out today in @nature.com by Gonçalves-Souza, @nickhaddad.bsky.social, @jon-chase03.bsky.social et al. on forest fragmentation and biodiversity: www.nature.com/articles/s41... A must read for anyone interested in this topic. See my summary here: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Biodiversity declines across fragmented forests
Assessing the effect of forest fragmentation on biodiversity.
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Harry Stevens @harrystevens.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
🦋 This is the first study to combine butterfly observations from thousands of surveys across the country to create a complete picture of U.S. butterfly trends. Of 342 species, 245 suffered declines of at least 10 percent. Read the story here: www.nytimes.com/interactive/... 2/3
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Leslie Rissler @ljrissler.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
The National Science Foundation benefits communities in every state.
NSF fact sheet
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Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 21/02/2025
‼️The US-based @ipcc.bsky.social technical support unit (TSU) for Working Group 3 Co-Chairs has been terminated, and the US won’t be attending next week’s IPCC meeting where the AR7 chapter outlines will be approved. More by @afreedma.bsky.social here:
axios.com
Scoop: U.S. delegation pulled from key U.N. climate science meeting
The IPCC meeting in China is slated to determine the content in the group's next series of reports.
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Katie Hinde @mammalssuck.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
EDUCATOR SIGN-UP: All MMMaterials are freely available for all, but educators who sign-up through the form, you will get extra context & guidance (and any necessary patches/communiques) for successfully stewarding #2025MMM with your learners: forms.gle/PciZp9bzTnAM...
forms.gle
Educator Materials Request for March Mammal Madness #2025MMM
WELCOME EDUCATOR!!! Thank you & your students for participating in, as one twitter user phrased it, this "delightfully bonkers" science education outreach where the motto is always "if you're learning...
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Jacob Barney @invder.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
@globalchangevt.bsky.social welcome to BlueSky! Check out this amazing organization at VT that supports a huge diversity of faculty, students, postdocs, and researchers working on important issues. One of the many strengths being at VT!
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Melissa Burt @melissaburt.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
I think I remember a google sheet that was making the rounds last semester containing undergraduate research opportunities in ecology (and fields related to ecology). Anyone have the link?
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Prof Richard Betts @richardabetts.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Although NOAA's page on atmospheric CO2 levels has vanished, you can still get this vital information from Ralph Keeling's team at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego keelingcurve.ucsd.edu Please follow bsky.app/profile/keel... for updates and share Don't let science be hidden
A graph of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations at the Mauna Loa observatory, Hawaii, from 1958 to 4th February 2025. It shows carbon dioxide levels rising at an accelerating rate over the decades. This is known to be due to emissions of carbon dioxide from human activity, mainly fossil fuel burning but also deforestation. The first CO2 concentration value in March 1958 was 315 parts per million (ppm). The latest daily value is 426 ppm. The graph also shows a seasonal cycle of a few ppm within each year, which is known to be linked to the growing season in the northern hemisphere causing a temporary uptake of carbon in spring and summer and release in autumn. The graph is produced routinely by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.
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Jef Vizentin-Bugoni @jbugoni.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
The HAWAII-VINE Project is hiring field technicians to collect data on seed dispersal at Oahu island Details at: ornithologyexchange.org/jobs/board/s...
ornithologyexchange.org
Hourly Pooled - Field Technician for Hawai'i VINE Project
Job Description The University of Wyoming is delighted to receive your interest in our vacant position! We strive to connect with qualified and uniquely talented individuals to join our campus communi...
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Konrad Kording @kordinglab.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
NSF makes you say who you got conflicts (coauthored) with. We (really just Jordan Matelsky) just built you a tool for that. Literally one click: bib.experiments.kordinglab.com/nsf-coa
bib.experiments.kordinglab.com
NSF COA | Jordan Matelsky
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WOCinEEB @wocineeb.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Hey there Blue Sky! We are WOCinEEB, an organization for women of color & non-binary people of color in ecology, evolutionary biology, & allied fields. We offer formal & informal mentorship programs for all career stages & a space for community positivity. Join us & find your people! wocineeb.org
wocineeb.org
WOC IN EEB
An online community of women of color and non-binary people of color in ecology, evolutionary biology, and allied fields
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
I am extremely excited to announce that for the first time ever, Skype a Scientist is offering mini-grants to support IRL science communication!! Communicating science out in our communities is critical. We want to enable others to get their projects off the ground! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com
SCIENCE IRL: Community SciComm mini-grant
Skype a Scientist is offering $300-1,000 mini-grants to support boots-on-the-ground science communication. The Science IRL mini-grants will support projects that put either 1) important science messa...
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Nick Haddad @nickhaddad.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
We're hiring an ecosystem ecologist (open rank) @kelloggbiostn.bsky.social It's a great place to work and live! Lots of opportunities for collaboration including with @kbslter.bsky.social KBS Long Term Agroecosystem Research careers.msu.edu/jobs/assista...
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Acer VanWallendael @aceraceae.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
I have funding available in my lab at NC State for a graduate student interested in plant evolutionary genetics, especially in weeds. Please email me by Dec 20 for full consideration. Details and contact info on the lab website: avanwallendael.github.io/#joining-the-lab
avanwallendael.github.io
Genetic diversity in locally adapted, weedy, and invasive plants
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Lars Brudvig @lars-brudvig.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
Hanging with amazing colleagues, in longleaf pine. @melissaburt.bsky.social, Doug Levey, and Nick Haddad
For ecologists standing front of a longleaf oine
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Lars Brudvig @lars-brudvig.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
How do rare plant species respond to habitat fragmentation? We've been testing this question for the past 18 years, through demographic studies of a half dozen longleaf pine savanna groundlayer species in the SRS Corridor Project fragmentation experiment 🧪
Pink and blue pin flags in a field Pink and blue pin flags in a field Pink and blue pin flags in a field
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Ben Bond-Lamberty @benbondlamberty.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Scientists are expected to do peer reviewing but no one tells you HOW. After talking with several folks about this today at #AGU24 , it seems a good time to link to this presentation I made several years ago -- feel free to use/share! docs.google.com/presentation...
docs.google.com
Effective, efficient, and fair peer reviewing 2023
Effective, efficient, and fair peer reviewing Ben Bond-Lamberty Based on a presentation at the AGU Early Career Scientist Workshop, 2019 1
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Laura Dee @lauradee.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
We are hiring a postdoc in my lab @colorado.edu to work on this NSF CAREER proposal (tinyurl.com/cak8dkza) to quantify how and when global change (drought, warming) alters the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functioning. Job here: colorado.avature.net/searchhub/Jo... 1/2
tinyurl.com
NSF Award Search: Award # 2340606 - CAREER: Quantifying how and when global change alters the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functioning Lock
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Dr. Jessica L Ware @jessicalwarelab.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
Our 2025 #REU applications are now open! Come learn with us next summer at the #AMNH! More information can be found www.amnh.org/research/ric...
amnh.org
Biological Sciences: Research Experience for Undergraduates | AMNH
Approximately eight students gather each summer at the Museum for a ten-week experience working with curators, faculty, and post-doctoral fellows.
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Terry McGlynn @hormiga.bsky.social · 08/07/2024
A new program from NSF is targeting graduate fellowship money to people who received Honorable Mention on a GRFP within the past three years, who are currently enrolled in grad school in EPSCoR states. here is the solicitation: new.nsf.gov/funding/oppo... and a map of EPSCoR eligible states:
Alabama Alaska Arkansas Deleware Guam Hawaii Iowa Idaho Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Mississippi Montana Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico North Dakota Nevada Oklahoma Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota US Virgin Islands Vermont West Virginia Wyoming
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Susan Whitehead @susanrw.bsky.social · 05/08/2024
The Whitehead Lab is hiring! Looking for a 6 month technician to help with bat + bird research in Panama, starting late Sept or early Oct. See tinyurl.com/4cz582z3 for more details and to apply. Send me an email with any questions or hit me up at #ESA2024, I'd love to chat!
Bat approaching a Piper fruit
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