iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

At some point, the "And there are disparities for X group's diagnosis and treatment because research largely overlooks them" becomes your friend, your family suffering or passing away from preventable causes, so I think what #OurFutureHealth is doing is imperative for everyone.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

We often talk about WEIRD and small sample sizes. Your health matters. Join the UK’s largest health research programme. Help make health research include you and the people you care about, now and in the future. 2,940,773 people are already taking part as of 4 October 2026 at 15:10.

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Reposted by Sara Eftekhari

Oxford Population Health @oxpop.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

More than 1/3 of adults in England have high blood pressure and 2/3 of these are unaware of their condition according to a new study of 1.4 million adults. Oxford Population Health researchers analysed clinic blood pressure measurements collected by @ourfuturehealthuk.bsky.social buff.ly/h052TSQ

Quote from Wenyu Liu, Medical Statistician at Oxford Population Health: 'While hypertension is largely a “silent killer”, the current approach to detecting and treating high blood pressure is not fit for purpose. This underscores the need for population-wide prevention strategies alongside targeted treatment for people at high cardiovascular risk.'

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

@ourfuturehealthuk.bsky.social Help yourself and help others like you be represented in health research. Find out more about your own health through analysis of your blood sample, including your risk of developing certain diseases. Free to take part, and you get a £10 voucher. #OurFutureHealth

Card with logos saying Our Future Health in partnership with NHS Scotland. It also says, “I’ve just joined Our Future Health to help tackle diseases like dementia, cancer, diabetes and stroke. Let’s prevent disease together.” The card includes the website ourfuturehealth.org.uk and a “You?” prompt.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Plant child acquired. It's kind of enjoyable fussing and caring for another living thing in my household. Feeling like a parent insisting on a coat as I place this photosynthesising child in full bright sunlight. Apparently I need to treat it like a tomato plant. So here I go. #Sarracenia

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Status report: Things don't magically solve themselves when you reach goals you've been desperately swimming for, but they do get better. Things are better. Foot on the bottom rung of the ladder. Up and up this mountain.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Also, who was going to tell me mid-market homes are a thing!? And that private student accommodations sometimes let studios to professionals (non-students) and those studios aren't owned by them, just managed on behalf of a mysterious landlord they're tight lipped about. #adulting

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

When you discover automatic repeating table headers, AFTER having adjusted a bajillion tables manually for your dissertation. I am glad. That this Word feature exists. The universe really is full of wonderful unknown things. I just REALLY wish I knew about this sooner. My soul weeps. #unitips

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Reposted by Sara Eftekhari

Lisa DeBruine @debruine.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

This article has reconfirmed my opinion that questions about sex/gender/sexuality in behavioural science should be justified to ethics committees by explaining how they are essential to the research, omitted if they aren’t, and their use explained to participants.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

The Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00 is everything I've dreamed of. It's nuts that I can go home and not think about work. And, I earn money. Enough to save a good amount. What is this baffling reality I've entered. So bizarre. I'm freeeeeee. #adulting

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Pro tip for moving: use a pair of gardening gloves, to protect your hands when moving lots of boxes.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Nothing nicer than laying to rest impending tasks that have been haunting you for weeks. Slain at my feet, you foul spectres! Nyehehehehe

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Turns out that temp agencies are the way to go when trying to get your foot through the door. Found a temp job. Buys me time and some much needed income. Hopefully next will be a permanent role, and then... saving enough for a mortgage? I so got this. Someone give me a sticker! #adulting

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

UPDATE: The chicks have entered their Snatcher and Snitch era. Each photo was taken at a different point in time, showing how their flight feathers gradually replaced their fluff feathers.

A fluffy seagull chick looking curiously at the camera, while standing on a mossy roof. There are new flight feathers visibly growing and the chick is bigger than in previous photos.

Two seagull chicks standing near one of their parents, on a mossy roof. More of the flight feathers have grown on their wings and the chicks are nearing their adult size.

Two seagull chicks standing on a mossy roof, with one yawning. Their flight feathers are fuller now and the chicks also look bigger.

Two seagull chicks standing near one of their parents on a mossy roof. The flight feathers of the chicks have fully grown and at this point the chicks have replaced the majority of their fluff feathers with fully grown feathers.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Had an interview yesterday. Afterwards felt the usual rigamarole of nerves, anticipation, and the vulnerability of hope. Listening to some heavy metal/punk rock music helped burn off the excess adrenaline. All hail Last Resort by Papa Roach, a classic.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I suggested the baby names Fluffles and Floofles. My friend (who gave me a cool clay frog) suggested that when they reach adulthood, they should be named Snatcher and Snitch.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

A gift from a friend! Made from air dry clay, acrylic paint, matt varnish, and an awesome creative mind. Gonna name the frog Lily. Felt appropriately themed.

A small, green yellow and purple frog with large eyes, made of clay, sits on a white windowsill, framed by an open window, and seen over the rim of a laptop lid.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

UPDATE: The chicks have hatched! The heatwave had me worried for the parents and the eggs, but glad to see the family is well. Apologies for the slight blur in the photo; it's an artefact of having to zoom in.

Two adult seagulls stand on a mossy rooftop near their nest with two small fluffy chicks between them. The chicks are light brown with dark spots, and blend into the mossy rooftop. A building with large windows is in the background.

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Reposted by Sara Eftekhari

lukas-fock.bsky.social @lukas-fock.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

"Theories can make more or less correct assumptions and can provide a more or less complete description of a phenomenon. [...] as scientists, our concern should not be whether or not we are under illusion, but to what extent our beliefs mismatch reality." Very interesting and concise pre-print!

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Job hunting mood of today: at peace with myself and the universe. I got a plan for what to do if I don't find a full-time job in Glasgow by July, so failure is not so scary anymore. Begone, Sword of Damocles! Now, unto seducing an organisation with a defined pension scheme into hiring me ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Behold, my work companion; the seagull nesting on the mossy roof my window looks out into.

A seagull nesting on a mossy rooftop, bathed in sunlight. The background features a tall building with grey beams and pinkish panels. The scene is bright.

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Reposted by Sara Eftekhari

Don Lynam @drlynam.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

We also argue that treating Open Science as merely one more “content area” to squeeze into graduate curricula is a category mistake. Transparency is to science what food safety is to culinary training: foundational hygiene, not an elective specialization. 5/8

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

UPDATE: I ran by the graffitied Kingfisher mural last Thursday and it's now painted as a black dog. So the answer is yes, graffitied murals do get fixed/replaced.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

As someone who did several courses and a dissertation on Psychometrics, there is a dry irony to having to sit through aptitude and reasoning tests, as well as gamified assessments during job hunting. So here I am reading the scientific article on a gamified assessment for a grad scheme 😂

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

It helps me feel not so lost and stuck. I'm trekking through the wilderness! Even though I haven't found an inn yet, there's no denying the distance I'm covering. Focusing on that helps.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Decided to make a "Job Applications Counter" with milestones set at 10, 15, 20, 30, etc. as a way of reframing things like farming quest points in a game. I'm making progress, regardless of whatever the outcome is. Whatever happens, this is proof of my fighting spirit.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

There's a post-grad and PGDE open evening this Thursday, so I'm glad I stumbled across this post haha

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Reposted by Sara Eftekhari

Phil McAleer @philmcaleer.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

I speak to a lot of undergraduate students who are interested in postgraduate study but don’t know where to start. This reminds me of myself & so I wanted to write “something” that would give people an idea of things to ask. Hope it helps: philmcaleer.github.io/thinkingmast... #EduSky #HigherEd

philmcaleer.github.io

Thinking about a Masters but not sure what to ask

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

And that's me done with my degree. Final assignment submitted.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I have been watching Haikyu!! on the Peloton as part of cross training, and the time flies by as a result. Plus the show itself is refreshing and motivating. It sparks something in me. Always made me want to run more, faster, and longer for the joy of it.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

In other news, I'm enjoying how muscular my body is slowly becoming. Nice to see indisputable results of my efforts, unlike the other nebulous aspects of my life.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Job hunting mood of today: we keep on persisting!

A cat with teary eyes gives a thumbs-up against a black background, conveying a humorous tone.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

I took a lunch break and stumbled across a TwoSet Violin opera video that introduced me to this gem (Queen of the Night aria): youtu.be/YuBeBjqKSGQ?... I'd heard clips of this before, but hadn't seen the entire aria on its own. Dear heavens, Diana Damrau. You icon! My goodness, indeed 👏👏👏👏

youtu.be

The Magic Flute – Queen of the Night aria (Mozart; Diana Damrau, The Royal Opera)

YouTube video by Royal Ballet and Opera

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

The cold hard facts are that I thought I'd have to quit part way and yet here I am, again, at the finish location, having gone through the entire training programme as intended. Take that, demons! The best cure for every whisper of self-doubt. It's like a CBT exercise 😂

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Running is such a nice way to give your demons a tangible form that you can physically work through. It's a concrete reminder, every time, that I AM persistent, I CAN do this; I HAVE, I AM, and WILL do this. I'm finding genuine peace with myself, and a growing trust in my ability and capacity.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

I just want to be a full-time employee! Please! A nice 09:00-17:00 job! A steady schedule to make plans around! Dear pantheons, heavens, hells, abyss and void, heed my plea! Give me my wings (financial independence)!

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Job hunting is like fishing. You throw bait out there and hope something bites. And you keep trying to make your bait (CV and personal statement) as appealing as possible. If something bites, you hold your breath as you try to reel it in very carefully, very aware of previous close misses.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

I may be suffering through job hunting, but life can still be enjoyable.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

A montage of me applying for jobs as my undergraduate degree finishes and my bank account looks at me expectantly whilst holding our metaphorical wailing infant in its arms.

Illustration of Batman in a blue chair typing on a keyboard. The words "KLIK KLAK" indicate typing sounds, creating a busy atmosphere. A metaphor for me applying for jobs.

A simplistic drawing of a small, tired-looking creature giving a thumbs-up. Above it, text reads "lets keep going," conveying determination. When job hunting, one must persist.

Comic-style image of a red background with bold, handwritten text inside a jagged speech-bubble saying, "Fuck it! I will thrive, regardless." A teary-eyed but determined-looking figure is illustrated sprawled below, conveying resilience and defiance. This is me dealing with yet another politely-worded rejection from a job I've applied for.

A knight in dark armor stands by a castle, holding a sword. Text overlay reads, "Lore Update: The Suffering Continues," conveying a humorous tone of a video-game protagonist on a quest.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Nothing like a nice track session with #GlasgowFrontrunners to lift the mood. The birds are chirping, the sky is still light, and I'm on a runner's high. Life is good!

Me smiling whilst taking a selfie on a narrow path between a brick wall and a fence, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background, conveying a cheerful mood.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Amendment: helping out at a specific stage of the research also helps. I helped out briefly in a project with recruitment, and that was great insight.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

The CURE plan should span at least both semesters, if not a year or two. It's the long-term big projects that helped me learn the best and most. Seeing a "real" project from inception to dissemination.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Basically, I'm trying to say that from personal experience, I think it takes multiple projects with varying levels of "guardrails", training in ethics, data management and GDPR, and involvement with "real" research for students to build their confidence in a CURE project worth its salt.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

And now my dissertation, where I get more of a guided experience of a long-term project.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

That experience helped me get an internship doing a community engagement project (lots of interviews & focus groups), where I was the PI and was doing research in the "wild", without any guardrails like the University provides.

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Sara Eftekhari @sara-eftekhari.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

From there, my involvement with a project funded by a Staff & Student Partnership Scheme, where I was encouraged to muck-in with the ethics process, Qualtrics, etc. (the mentorship was invaluable with building my confidence as a novice researcher), was the next step.

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