iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Hahaha! I'm pretty sure Jäger didn't love me for the first year I had him. He eventually came around... Lol 😂

Salt and pepper schnauzer is looking up at you with a big smile and bright eyes. He looks like a Pixar character because it's practically illegal to be this cute in real life

Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Are you an undergraduate student interested in field biology? Then consider the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at Mountain Lake Biological Station! Fully funded! Applications due Feb. 27, 2026. Check mlbs.virginia.edu/reuprogram for more info 🧪🐟🌿🐍

Flyer for the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at Mountain Lake Biological Station. It describes eligibility, how to apply, deadlines, and the financial support and training that students will receive through the program. Questions should be emailed to Sandy Kawano at mlbs-reu@virginia.edu. More information can be found at mlbs.org.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Jäger's learning to wait and ask for permission before crossing a street. Such a smart boy! He also insists on bringing his favorite toy ('Poodle') wherever he goes. 🥰

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

I am thrilled to announce that the #FinsAndLimbs Lab received another grant to work on the evolutionary biomechanics of water-land and fin-limb transitions. We now have $2.5 million USD to support postdocs, lab techs, and students over the next five years! May you all have a Muddy Buddy Christmas!

The faces of three derpy mudskippers wearing Christmas hats are floating on clouds with "Have a Muddy Buddy Christmas" written on top. There is a picture of the moon in the background with a black silhouette of four reindeer pulling Santa and his sleigh.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

It's 37° F outside and Jäger insisted on dragging me to the ice cream store (~0.3 mi away) bc he NEEDED a pup cup. We haven't gone there in several months, but the coldest day of Fall seems like a good day to go! Schnauzers get called "dogs with a human brain" for good reason. 🤣🤣🤣

Standard schnauzer with salt and pepper coat is sitting on asphalt, and starting at a cup of whipped cream that I'm holding in my hand. His lip is curled up bc he's about to lick his lips.

Standard schnauzer with salt and pepper coat is standing in front of posters of ice cream and frozen drinks while staring up at the window where you place the orders

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

They really are! It's adorable how much they act like little puppies. They're such goofballs, too! 🤣

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

They really are! People underestimate how smart fish can be. My mudskippers were trained to eat out of my hand! It was so cute when she would look up at me. 🥰

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

OMG there are mudskippers in Moana 2?! Love me some muddy buddies!!! 😍 DYK that mudskippers are 100% real fish with derpy faces, googly eyes, and can sometimes spend most of their time on land? Here's a pic of my old goober who lived at least 10 years! 🥰 🐟 🧪

Five mudskipper fish laying on a mudflat with their cute googly eyes looking up at you. One is brown and the other are blue

Light brown colored mudskipper fish with bulging eyes on top of its head. It's laying on a cabana like platform being chilly AF and smashing its face against the front glass to show you her teeth

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Happy Salamander Sunday! Here's a beautiful spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) from Virginia, USA. The 'porphyros' part of their scientific name is Greek for 'purple' but refers to their reddish brown coloration. 🦎 #herps #TIL

Medium sized salamander with reddish brown coloration and small black mottling. It is laying on top of a rock covered with green moss.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Join the #FinsAndLimbs lab in Washington, DC, USA! We study the comparative biomechanics, physiology, and functional morphology of locomotion in #fishes and #herps 🐟🧪🦎. We are hoping to recruit two #PhD students to start in Fall 2025! Link to full recruitment ad: drive.google.com/file/d/1m_HB....

Join the Fins and Limbs Lab! https://sandykawano.weebly.com/

Picture of a tiger salamander on the left and a mudskipper on the right. Both are laying on a yellow/brown platform that is partially submerged in water, so it looks like they are hanging out on a shoreline. Their bodies are angled towards each other, but they are looking at you.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 14/03/2024

I can't believe it! I received an NSF CAREER award to study the evolutionary #biomechanics of #salamander locomotion! Interested in joining our salamander shenanigans? We're recruiting a postdoc for Fall 2024 and a PhD student and postbac in Fall 2025! #herp 🦎 🧪 www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/...

Picture of a salamander laying on a rock with green moss. The salamander is dark brown on the top of its body and yellow on the bottom. It has big black eyes that stre into your soul.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 20/11/2023

"Hey! What are you looking at?" 😂

Standard schnauzer with a salt and pepper coat with splooting on the floor, with his butt facing you. He was the cutest little dimples on his butt, and is turning his head towards you with a smile.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 13/10/2023

Searched "shark" on my camera roll. Did not disappoint. 🤣 Here's a screenshot from "Santa Jaws". Love me some shitty sci fi movies!

Screenshot of TV screen showing a great white shark with a candy cane horn on its head, a santa hat on its dorsal fin, and christmas lights wrapped around its tail.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 27/09/2023

I like to buy "interesting" snacks for my lab to see how they react, and was giggling when I found these. Well, joke's on me cuz I wasn't able to attend lab meeting in person this week and am now stuck eating these weird ass grapes. They taste like old grapes with a synthetic aftertaste. 😵‍💫🍇

Plastic container of red grapes with a label saying "strawberry flavor and grape crunch"

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 24/09/2023

I bought the dairy cow version of Porcellio laevis isopods ('rolly pollies') to be the clean up crew for our salamanders and I'm already obsessed. So cute!!! 😍

A clear cup with moistened paper wadded into a ball and sprinkled with strands of moss. There are several large isopods (rollie polies) with black and white splotches that resemble a cow.

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 28/08/2023

Scientists of bluesky*! The world needs more reminders that we're living, breathing human beings. Quote tweet this with a picture of you doing not-science. 🧪 *taken from twitter My standard schnauzer is training to be a therapy dog & has earned 3 AKC titles including Novice Trick Dog (this pic).

Photo of a Japanese woman wearing a face mask while holding a salt and pepper standard schnauzer in her right hand and a white ribbon in her left hand. There's a sign behind them saying
"Frolick Dogs, Canine Sports Club".

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Sandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 23/08/2023

Hi @danirabaiotti.bsky.social ! May I please be added to What's Science list? I'm an Assistant Professor at George Washington University and love me some fishes and salamanders. Here's a wee baby salamander for tax. 😊

Close up of a hand holding a small salamander. The salamander is black with yellow spots on top and light grey on the bottom.

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