iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

A huge thank you to the organising committee, to Nicolas Fossat for saving the day with his laptop mid-talk, and to @pbaldrich.bsky.social for the adorable Plant RNAs 🪴 pin! See you in Strasbourg 🇫🇷 next year! #RNA26 #RNA2026

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To give back: I'm offering 6 one-hour mentorship sessions for students & ECRs from Latin America interested in building a career in RNA. DM me a short paragraph on why this would be valuable to you. 📩

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Deeply honoured to be this year's Elisa Izaurralde Award for Innovation in Research, Teaching & Service recipient, celebrating the life & contributions of a remarkable scientist. 🙏🏽@rnasociety.bsky.social & every student I've had the privilege of mentoring at the RNA/bioinformatics intersection

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Science highlights: @jgezelle.bsky.social on RNase-resistant motifs, Geno Villafano on the unexpected localisation of familiar transcription factors, and so many impressive AI-driven models for predicting RNA features. The RNA Structure, Folding and Modeling II session was 🔥 #RNA2026

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Leaving #RNA2026 energised by the science, reconnecting with old friends, and finding new collaborations. A few highlights from an incredible week in Montreal 🍁🇨🇦 #RNA26 🧵

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Awesome talk by Geno Villafano at #RNA2026. All unpublished data, but first time I see a "No GenAI used for Art in Presentation" disclaimer #RNA26

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

I've also seen this in our classes. He also highlighted that biology is now facing three axes growing exponentially: sequencing capacity, computational capacity (Moore's law) and AI - a promising yet somewhat daunting landscape. Food for thought. #RNASky #Education #RNA26 #RNA2026 2/2

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Super interesting talk by @stevenbrenner.bsky.social in the #Bioinformatics session at #RNA2026. Calling attention to the fact that many students are using AI and allowing it to make decisions where they don't even know there is a decision to be made. #RNASky #Education #RNA26 1/2

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Bonjour Montréal! Here for The RNA Society Meeting 2026! Looking forward to catching up with friends, colleagues and all things #RNA research! I'll be giving a short talk on plant RNA-DNA interactions in Concurrent Session 20 (Sat May 30th, 13:30 - 14:45, Meeting room 518) See you around #RNA2026

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James Ferguson @psy-fer.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

kuva v0.2.0 Now over 60 plots! New plot types: Gantt, Network, Waffle, Horizon, PopulationPyramid, Joint, Clustermap, ROC, PR, Lollipop, Survival, Raincloud, Slope, Venn, Parallel, Mosaic, Streamgraph, Radar, Treemap, Sunburst, Bump, Funnel, Rose, Calendar, Legend, Text github.com/Psy-Fer/kuva

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PlantEvolution 🌱🌾 @plantevolution.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Exciting new work on parallel #evolution: — genetic variants across butterflies are located in similar noncoding regions in ivory and optix. — in … more distant moths, a large inversion containing ivory, closely mirroring the supergene architecture of Heliconius. journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

First #RegRNALab lunch of 2025! We welcomed our three new honours students: Bryan Chen, Winston Tan and Byron Escudero. We enjoyed some Thai food while discussing languages, and music and foodie interests. Lovely to hang outside the lab 🌱🧡 @unswrna.bsky.social @unswbabs.bsky.social #RNASky

Regrnalab group picture eating around a restaurant table

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Sophien Kamoun @kamounlab.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

I just published Don’t Perish! A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Paper (2026 edition) Great science deserves to be read—not buried under unclear writing. This is the updated 2026 edition of your favorite guide to writing scientific papers. medium.com/p/dont-peris...

medium.com

Don’t Perish! A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Paper (2026 edition)

Great science deserves to be read — not buried under unclear writing. This is the updated 2026 edition of your favorite guide to writing…

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

The face behind the data -> PhD student Xingyu Yan, showing off her recently acquired notebook (thanks to Corning Inc). #ProudPI

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

RSVP & abstracts using the link below: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... Also looking for motivated ECRs to join the organising committee. Come chat on the day or reach out directly. Hope to see you there!!! #RNASky #ECR #CareerDevelopment #UNSW #Sydney @unswrna.bsky.social @unswbabs.bsky.social

docs.google.com

Sydney RNA Salon EMCR Roundtable

Time: Thursday, April 30th, 2:15-4:30pm Location: In-person at Room G07, Biosciences Building D26 (North), UNSW Contact: sydneyrnasalon@gmail.com

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

The afternoon has two parts: 🎤 Short talks on any aspect of RNA biology — abstract submissions open until Mon 13 April, 5 pm. Priority given to students & ECRs! 🪑 Expert roundtables with senior researchers from UNSW, USYD, UTS & VCCRI. Ask questions to those who have walked the walk!

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Selene FeRNAndez @selfdz.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

📢 Sydney #RNA scientists: our next #SydneyRNASalon event is coming up! 🧬 ECR, student, or just RNA-curious? This one's for you! 📅 Thu 30 April · 2:10–4:30pm 📍 Room G07, Biosciences Building D26 UNSW 🥐 Refreshments sponsored by @rnasociety.bsky.social, Lexogen & @ramacgenomics.bsky.social

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Typo note - the best thing to do with a *community* is to really listen.

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His advice for #SMP2026 attendees: identify the problem, work out a solution, work out cost 💵, who pays for it, and who needs the solution. Talk to the people who really need it and the politics will follow. Also, there's always more benefit that you may realise - share that story - and follow up!

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Closing #SMP2026 with a conversation with Prof Hon Bill Shorten. He highlights that it is important to create safe spaces for true discussion to happen between people who disagree, without necessarily having to destroy each other. Considers that Universities could play that role.

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AH mentions that from a genomics perspective she would like to see more sustained funding, particularly for data structures that hold and keep community genomic data safe. JJ feels strongly about enhancing collaboration and relationships with community.

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AH mentions that the best thing to do with a communication is to really listen. If you can demonstrate you are there for the right reasons you can build that trust and start a long term relationship with the community. JJ advises that the research lead should engage in person with the community.

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JJ would like to see more streamlined processes for ethics to work with Indigenous communities, as well as for elders and other members of the community to be included as authors in publications to acknowledge their contributions. AH mentions community engagement can be funded as part of a grant.

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AH asks scientists that wish to engage with Indigenous communities to consider if their research will actually be of priority and beneficial to the community. Also, budget for the work requested from community members to achieve research goals and avoid having in kind contributions.

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JJ mentions that working with communities should be seen as a synergistic relationship when both parties are learning from each other, not just a one way street. The goal is to have first nations-led businesses that arise from traditional plant knowledge.

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AH highlights that the benefit to communities can go well beyond advancing knowledge and generating research outcomes, but it may also include capacity building, increasing skills and employability. It's key to listen openly to what communities actually want.

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We are now in the Collaborating with Community session at #SMP2026. Listening to the insights from Prof Joanne Jamie and A/Prof @azurehermes.bsky.social on their work engaging with Indigenous communities to design and conduct research relevant to them.

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Now at #SMP2026, panel flags clean energy, supply chain resilience, and plastic pollution as some of the key priorities under the #AmbitiousAustralia R&D framework. Building coalitions and trust in science is crucial to creating sustained influence networks that can drive real impact.

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Summary thread 🧵 on this morning's Parliamentary Forum at #SMP2026, an informative discussion with 🇦🇺 MPs (Mascarenhas, Webster, Faruqi) & Senators (Pocock, Kovacic) on what Science means to them and their party. Discussion chaired by Prof @renaeryan.bsky.social

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Did you know that kelp forests cover 1/3 of the 🌎's coastlines & support millions 👣? Did you know they are disappearing? Dr Aaron Eger from @unswbees.bsky.social, tells us about his advocacy and research work to understand and protect kelp forests at #SMP2026 Find out more: kelpforestalliance.com

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The panel also discusses how diversity increases resilience in different contexts and that can go beyond gender or cultural background - diversity of skills in government is also needed. A call for scientists to consider stepping into government roles. What each of us does matters. #SMP2026

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Substantial concern about algorithms seeding social division & misinformation. We need to communicate to the wider public why science is important & why investing in STEM is worthwhile. The panel is also discussing how to bridge the innovation gap via ⬆️structural support ⬇️undue regulation #SMP2026

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In order to change the status quo we need to be bold and courageous to advocate for an idea that might be important yet not popular. It's easy to just do 'same old' but hard to strive for true innovation. We are called to be more visible in social media in an effort to fight disinformation #SMP2026

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As scientists, we should strive to communicate how research investment will create a return for Australia. Every dollar invested in R&D, results in an average return of $9, with 70% of that return via an increase in productivity. Another key challenge is fighting misinformation. #SMP2026

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The panel advices to be willing to step up and advocate for the issue you are tackling or the idea you have. Become advocates, be activists, be persistent. Communicating effectively with politicians involves making the effort of conveying your point compellingly and succinctly. #SMP2026

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The panel also advises to take people on a scientific journey, do not assume they know what you are talking about. Also be able to relate your expertise to the issues faced by a representative's electorate. Present visual, accurate and easy to interpret visual data to convey your point #SMP2026

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Starting Day 2 of #SMP2026 with a call to scientists to become involved in guiding government priorities. Also, lots of discussion on 🇦🇺's dependency on supply chains and how STEM can help reduce dependency & increase resilience. Panel aware such advancements require adequate funding & less admin.

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We are now getting a refresher on 🇦🇺's Parliamentary and Government structures Parliamentary inquiry submissions can be made as part of an institution but ANY individual can make a personal submission! This means we can all contribute & help inform bills related to our scientific expertise #SMP2026

Scientists gathered in a room in Parliament during Science Meets Parliament 2026

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- Have scientifically literate execs in the boardroom - Understand how stakeholders understand the world and what they value - Find not the scientific questions you are interested in, but the right questions to answer that matter to stakeholders #SMP2026

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Holly Kirk @hollykirk.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Our first panel is Science Meets the Economy - Bench to Boardroom. Key messages: - Who needs the answers doesn't know the answers exist - find them & engage with them - The future is deeply uncertain, one way to approach it is to create it -> opportunity in Blue Sky research #SMP2026

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"Accountants will save the world" (but they need help to do this) Today, Science Technology Australia launches its new program "Science meets the Economy". Designed to help scientists communicate better to business and industry. #SMP2026 scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/s...

scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au

Science Meets the Economy Program | STA

Science Meets the Economy equips STEM professionals with an understanding of the business world and the economy.

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