iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

My father worked in B6, the 6th basement under the World Trade Center. He had minor knee surgery on 9/10/21 and was home recovering. Totally crazy. I was in grad school, no longer in NY, sitting in a biostats class.

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Among the things I’ve made for Rosh Hashana: challah, chocolate babka, taygalach, cous cous with veggies from my garden, beet salad, a ”roast” and gravy, and tsimmis with carrots from my garden. All vegan, of course. Wishing you a shana tova, a year of compassion and kindness.

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Middle Age Riot @middleageriot.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

PHOTO: Trump supporters debate whether or not it's okay to wear white after Labor Day.

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Dr. Scandal Piñata @dr-g.myatproto.social · 08/09/2026

Understand that in normal times we would have had more people and resources on the ground, ready to help stop this, (before it gets to us, for those who only operate from self-interest)

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Congrats to @ksdrew.bsky.social for a stellar tenure talk on his super cool work on protein assemblies and protein-protein interaction (and thx for tolerating my rambling questions)!

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Oh, also, since we last spoke, I took up guitar. Highly recommend learning a new trick as an old dog. It’s humbling and exhilarating.

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Hi! Decided to check in after a hiatus where I was doing controversial, DEI things like science and riding bikes. What did I miss? Have we figured out how to solve the clusterfuck that is our country/world yet?

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

These assholes back down when we push back. We should push back more often. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/c...

nytimes.com

Trump Administration Backs Off Plan to End Ocean Monitoring

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Binning Singletons @binningsingletons.com · 05/06/2026

While at #ASMicrobe today, look for folks with buttons and stickers with this logo. Often it’s their first-time to the meeting or they’re coming alone so please take some time to talk to them about their work and welcome them to the great community we have in @asm.org #MicroSky 🧪🔬🦠

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Come see my poster showing off the @bvbrc.bsky.social at #ASMicrobe on Sunday: HEALTH-SUN-335 @binningsingletons.com

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Jason “Obstacle to Progress” Williams @jasonwilliamsny.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Heading to #ASMicrobe 2026? The Bioinformatics Resource Centers including @bvbrc.bsky.social @brcanalytics.bsky.social, and Pathogen Data Network are planning their first ever Open Community Forum! June 5 • 6:15 PM–7:30 More info and optional RSVP: pathogendatanetwork.org/network/ Please share!

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Solid Evidence @solidevidence.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

This is crazy. Imagine a hole the size of a football field that is 700 feet deep. Now fill it up with wastewater, and remove a tablespoon. That was our starting material for this study. 1/

Football field sized hole with the Washington monument in it.

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leon @leyawn.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

yeah man i'll circle back to you on that agenda item from yesterday's all hands in just a sec. our pedophile king just threatened to destroy a whole civilization

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Daniel Bolnick @danielbolnick.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

If you are a student whose NSF GRFP application was returned without review for vague 'eligibility' reasons: 1) Let your department chair & Graduate School know. Encourage them to contact NSF & congress 2) Write to your congressional reps. 3) Write to grfp@nsf.gov to request re-consideration;

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Noam Ross @noamross.net · 02/02/2026

NSF GRFP applicants (and mentors): Was your application Returned Without Review and deemed ineligible despite fitting in the allowed topics? 1) Write NSF 2) Write your Congressperson 3) CC us at grfp@grant-witness.us so we can compile + follow up Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter

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Magnus Lehnsherr @i-magnus.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Rando: "Communist!" Zohran: "It's pronounced 'cyclist!" Zohran is so good at this. #Zohran #NewYork

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

In honor of the transit bill that was passed in the middle of the night last night, saving public transit in Illinois from certain disaster, here’s a picture of my cargo bike dressed up as a @chicagocta.bsky.social train for Halloween.

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Luis Orellana (Coto) @cotoorellana.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

The average nucleotide identity (ANI) underpins how we map microbial diversity, compare species, and connect genomes to ecology. I wrote a short piece reflecting on the discovery and significance of this metric (and really enjoyed digging into the context and story behind it!) #microsky 🧬

nature.com

Average nucleotide identity — the backbone of modern ecological genomics - Nature Reviews Genetics

In this Journal Club, Luis Orellana recalls a 2005 publication by Konstantinidis and Tiedje that introduced average nucleotide identity as a sequence-based metric to determine the relatedness between ...

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Darrell Z. Grizzle @dzgrizzle.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

May it be so.

Rev. Magdalen
@revmagdalen.bsky.so...

I hope someday we defeat fascism and in the far future, No Kings Day is celebrated as a federal holiday, and little children leave out dance mixtapes and cookies for the Resistance Frog, who leaves pocket Constitutions in their shoes.

October 18, 2025 at 4:10 PM

Everybody can reply

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Kathy Park Price @kathyparkprice.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

The Life After Cars audiobook read by Doug and Sarah is out, too! You can listen while you walking, biking and taking public transit.

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

New story about yesterday’s #NoKings didn’t even make it above the fold in today’s @nytimes.com.

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Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Three reasons I have hope for America, even after a very dark week: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/why-i-have...

doomsdayscenario.co

Why I Have Hope for America

This weekend's "No Kings" rallies stand as an important corrective amid a dark moment

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Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

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Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

I don’t know who needs to hear this but the CDC is being eviscerated right now. America is not going to have any kind of outbreak response capacity after tonight. Americans’ health data is no longer secure. Say goodbye to federal public health in any capacity. It’s a disaster. We won’t recover.

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Apple has removed an ICE tracking app that allows users to report ICE activity nearby from its App Store. The removal came after a direct demand from Trump’s DOJ. Once again, Big Tech is bending the knee to our tyrant-in-chief to protect its bottom line.

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Amy @lolennui.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

bluesky please don’t implode, I refuse to try any more new things

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Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Logan Square neighborhood, Chicago. Man wearing a balaclava in a white, unmarked vehicle, pulls the pin on a tear gas canister and tosses it in the road. "Just trying to grab some lunch and these fucking losers showed up. FUCK ICE!" source: www.reddit.com/r/LoganSquar...

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Among them, a Poretsky Lab alum whom we miss very much here in Chicago (but are so excited for.)

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Marc Murphy @murphycartoons.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Hi, Pete Hegseth. It’s me. Army veteran, Judge Advocate lawyer, and law professor. Your vain and gross performance to our nation’s military leaders succeeded only in proving your incompetence, dangerousness, and childishness. You’re a petty spoiled 7th grade boy without the sophistication or class.

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Black Microbiologists Assoc (Black In Micro) @blackinmicro.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

This is your daily reminder that registration is open and *FREE* for #BiM2025 #BlackInMicro Week. Get ready to join our online celebration: linktr.ee/BlackInMicro (or see link in bio)

The summarised schedule of Black in Micro Week 2025, October 14-16. All times are in Eastern Standard Time. Mon 14: Pathways for Change. Welcome and Keynote Address 12pm. Marian Johnson-Thompson, PhD. Panel Discussion: Finding Black Spaces in STEM, 1:15-2:15 PM. Weds 15, Careers & Research: ECR Symposium 9-12 PM. Panel discussion: Navigating Careers in Microbiology 2-3 PM. Thurs 16, Community: Panel Discussion - Empowering Your Science 12-1:15 PM. Workshop: Science in Action

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NE Ohio Regional Sewer District @neorsd.org · 01/10/2025

I’m a sewage system. I also have a great personality.

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD
@elizabethjacobs.bsky.social
I'm an epidemiologist. Sewage systems are sexy.

Dosco Jones @doscojones.bsky.social
I'm an engineer. Sewage systems are sexy.

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Jason “Obstacle to Progress” Williams @jasonwilliamsny.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Please share with anyone who cares about NSF support for graduate students and take 30 seconds to sign and leave a comment. The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/

jasonjwilliamsny.github.io

An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

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Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

NSF GRFP is out 2.5 months late w/key changes 1. 2nd year graduate students not eligible. 2. "alignment with Administration priorities" 3. Unlike prior years, they DO NOT specify the expected number of awards... that is a BIG problem. a brief 🧵 w/receipts www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

nsf.gov

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

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Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Only an administration intent on committing war crimes in the present and future would stoop to calling Wounded Knee a "battle" rather than what it truly was: a massacre of over 250 Lakotas, mainly women, children, and the elderly. 1/

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Stay ahead in infectious disease research! Join the Tools for Tomorrow Webinar Series from the NIAID BRCs. Monthly updates, new tools, fresh insights. Starts Oct 10, 2 PM UTC. Register: tinyurl.com/NIAIDBRCWebi...

tinyurl.com

Microsoft Forms

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Wes Smith Ω 🧢 @wessmith123.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

So if Jimmy Kimmel had just suggested killing homeless people by involuntary lethal injection, like Brian Kilmeade did on Fox, he’d still have a job?

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Malcolm Nance, Leading Resister @malcolmnance.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

TERRORISM EXPERT HERE: He cannot designate an idea as a terrorist group. There is no org called ANTIFA. There is no leadership or funding path or no membership. Also there is no terrorism law in America. Ask Luigi. He wants to call anyone a terrorist. That’s Fascism. #ReleaseTheEpsteinFiles

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

I did lab work and didn’t hurt myself or break anything. I did, however, have to constantly ask the labbies where things were.

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Bill Savage @rogersparkman.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Scenes from the nightmare hellscape that is Chicago!

Chicago slyline at Grant Park starting point for Bike the Drive. Hmmm. That Revolution Brewing banner gives me an idea for topping up my carb intake.

Bike the drive bikers with Field Museum in background. Riders of all shapes, sizes, and ages.

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

So gross. Starting on the front page, too, along with an article about durian. As if there’s a shortage of news to report on.

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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Dr. Dmitri Daskalakis, who resigned from the CDC says that RFKJr said he believes that Avian flu should be allowed to "burn through" the chickens and then children and others, so we can propagate a "stronger species". RFKJr believes in eugenics. RFKJr needs to resign or be fired.

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Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

It bears repeating that nearly the entire US enterprise in science and technology has been irreversibly gutted. This is shocking. All this loss has occurred without any real benefit to the average US citizen. Except we now have the biggest, best funded secret police force perhaps ever. Yay for us!

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Matt Bracken @brackenlab.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Multiple ecology faculty positions at @notredame.bsky.social. Apply at apply.interfolio.com/171650. (1/2). 🌎🌐🧪

Multiple Early Career Faculty Positions in Ecology

The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for multiple, tenure-track assistant professor positions that will enhance existing institutional excellence in ecology. We are searching broadly for creative and collaborative individuals (1) working at any spatial scale, from local to global, in any system, (2) studying any level of biological organization, from genes to ecosystems, and (3) using any mode of inference, from empirical to theoretical. Applicants should demonstrate research excellence that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries; ongoing growth in the department will emphasize new hires that use quantitative and/or integrative approaches to study ecological processes. Postdoctoral experience is desirable in applicants. Successful candidates will engage with and benefit from UNDERC, Notre Dame’s 8000-acre environmental field station and home to NEON’s Great Lakes domain, superb on-campus chemical and genomic analytical facilities, an experimental research facility located close to campus, cross-disciplinary interactions through multiple centers and institutes including the Environmental Change Initiative, and a unique Interdisciplinary Graduate Training Program in Environment and Society. New faculty will benefit from Notre Dame’s recent campus-wide Strategic Framework that included the Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative. Modern research facilities exist in a new environmental research building, which opened in 2025.

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Rachel Poretsky @rporetsky.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

I’ll be speaking at a Chicago @standupforscience.bsky.social teach-in! 📅 Date & Time: Saturday, August 30, 12:00 PM CST 📍 Location: Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago Public Library (and online) 1150 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 🔗 Register here: act.standupforscience.net/events/teach...

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