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sam blickhan

@snblickhan.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1K following 559 posts

She/her. Chicago. People, tech, museums, research. Zooniverse.org Director & #DH lead at Adler Planetarium. PhD. CW Handbook: britishlibrary.pubpub.org Lapsed musicologist/medievalist. Fiber artist. Musician: umbrellabirds.bandcamp.com

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Reposted by sam blickhan
Amanda Wyatt! Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
For some particular infra folks who actually lead the university: deliberately overlooked, routinely underestimated, capaciously knowledgeable, injecting care into bureaucracy. Thanks to all the Doloreses for making academia run instead of trying to say "AI" loudest. Many Dolores; no president.
Photo of 4 of the same letterpress prints on royal blue paper with blue ink, arranged in a 2x2 grid. It says "more doloreses / no president"Photo of 4 of the same letterpress prints on tan chip paper with dark blue ink, arranged in a 2x2 grid. They say "more doloreses / no president"Photo of letterpress wood type arranged on a printing press bed with blue ink on the type, used to make the percy's in the previous photosScreenshot of a QT by me from a month back, of a good tweet by Tressie McMillan Cottom. QT: "Thinking of that tweet re:everyone in academia knows a 60yo woman only known by her 1st name, who actually runs the dept/uni. (Which is almost at an anarchist understanding: not "make Dolores president" but "many Doloreses, no president" and "how can you Dolores too")"
Dr. Cottom tweet: "Anyway, your problem isn't finding the time to take notes. The problem is that taking notes is thinking and thinking has to be done by someone. women have been doing a lot of metacognition that looks like a task when it's really thinking."
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Quinn Daedal @quinnanya.me · 22/09/2026
Day 2 of the quarter at YarnLab, and @literaturegeek.bsky.social & @snblickhan.bsky.social speedweave zine has inspired an undergrad to ask if we have one here (we do!), and if she can come back to use it later this week. #DHmakes out here doing good things, one mending job at a time.
zinebakery.com
Speedweve for Mending | Zine Bakery
#DHMakes Methodz #1, by Sam Blickhan and Amanda Wyatt Visconti
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Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I didn't hold back. These centers are a blight on higher education and we should say so. dailyiowan.com/2026/09/15/u...
“Center for Intellectual Freedom is a really Orwellian name because they’re forcing mandatory classes on students who don’t want it,” Ray said. “Just as a matter of pure consistency, if closing African American Studies was just a financial decision, the center should be closed.” Ray said universities do a better job fostering free thought than any other institution — including churches, workplaces, and the military.

“You can say and do things at universities that you cannot do anywhere else,” he said. “So the notion that universities are a problem when it comes to free speech is just a lie.”
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Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Shout out to the student journalists at The Daily Iowan for reporting on the travesty that is Iowa's Center for Intellectual Freedom. With quotes from me dailyiowan.com/2026/09/15/u...
dailyiowan.com
Uncertainty in leadership, curriculum surrounds UI Center for Intellectual Freedom
In the barren walls of his Calvin Hall office, where the Center for Intellectual Freedom resides, interim director and University of Iowa economics professor Luciano de Castro shuffles a stack of pape...
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Douglass Day @douglassday.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Announcing our new Douglass Day Community Gatherings! This year, we are hosting monthly virtual gatherings. We wanted to make space to continue growing this incredible community. Also space to share your fun & clever ideas! More info: douglassday.substack.com/p/new-commun...
New Community Gatherings! 

Join us on September 30th at 6:00pm EDT! 

We are starting monthly community gatherings to prepare for Douglass Day together! Join the first meeting on September 30th at 6:00pm on Zoom.
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Some more weaving experiments combining tapestry and inlay. Not really planning things out, going on vibes and working with loom waste wool for the contrast colors. #DHmakes
a black woven tapestry with multicolored slivers throughouta gray woven tapestry with a green-yellow pattern woven throughouta gray woven tapestry with a orange and green-yellow pattern woven throughout
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Today we launch our new @zooniverse.bsky.social AI Ethics Framework: www.zooniverse.org/about/ai-eth... It includes Key Principles, Internal Actions taken by Zooniverse, and Recommendations for Project Teams that will guide the use of AI/ML on the platform moving forward.
zooniverse.org
Zooniverse AI Ethics Framework | Zooniverse
Projects on Zooniverse that engage with artificial intelligence and/or machine learning
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Creative Commons @creativecommons.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Our updated "Guidance on Using CC Licenses in the Age of AI" contextualizes the use of existing licenses as AI reshapes the digital landscape. Our goal is to continue to balance public access with licensor choice, providing options even in this new complex world of sharing. buff.ly/feUVKin
creativecommons.org
Guidance on Using CC Licenses in an AI Ecosystem - Creative Commons
Creative Commons publishes guidance on sharing openly using CC licenses and tools to meet your goals in the age of AI.
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Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness @tangledwilderness.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Hey I'm not actually done talking about Dolly Parton. 🧵 Specifically I want to talk about her album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, released in 1980 (not the soundtrack to the film 9 to 5, that's a different thing). The whole album is about work, with most of the songs focused on a different type of worker.
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mia ridge @miaout.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Thank you, yes! 'Offering people opportunities to engage with primary sources and one another can foster literacy, community, and civic engagement, which are all vital to resisting the attacks on democracy, GLAMs, K–12, and higher education that we are witnessing around the world'
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mia ridge @miaout.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Excellence by @snblickhan.bsky.social and Victoria Van Hyning on 'participatory transcription and the complexities of text as a type of data broadly [and] how Zooniverse methods iteratively developed in response to these complexities' theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10....
theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org
https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10.5334/cstp.934
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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Both Dolly Parton and Tim Curry had such a genuine enthusiasm for performing that it was impossible not to love them for it, there were things more highly and lowly regarded in their bodies of work but both of them threw themselves into everything because it was pure joy for them and that rules
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Have been doing random tapestry experiments & trying to figure out my next weaving project. Was feeling a little frustrated, not loving the results (photo 1) & then a little inlay idea (photo 2) turned into a pattern I love, likely now a study for a bigger piece. Moving from #DHtries to #DHmakes!
A small wooden floor loom with a messy, multicolored wool weaving project in progress.  A close up of a gray tapestry weaving with a simple pink and teal pattern.
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
#DHmakes and #DHtries and #DHfails energy, all in one great post.
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Gretchen McCulloch @gretchenmcculloch.com · 05/08/2026
One of the great joys of my adult life has been realizing that I can just pick up a new skill every so often, take a fun little class in it weekly for a year or two, and simply enjoy meeting people and getting medium proficient and not attempting to become professional in it at all!
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
It's really hard to see this news about the MCW team facing redundancy risk from Exeter. They've set an incredibly high bar for participatory research & engagement with their contributors. I regularly use MCW as an exemplar for teams who want to use @zooniverse.bsky.social. Solidarity with the team.
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Zooniverse @zooniverse.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Please report the email as phishing or spam with your email provider and delete the message. Please take care to review emails from Zooniverse and confirm the sender before opening any emails or clicking any links contained within. We are working with providers to report and stop this incident.
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Zooniverse @zooniverse.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
We are aware that today (4 August 2026) some Zooniverse community members have received a suspicious email (Subject: “Your Zooniverse milestone badge is ready”) that appears to be a phishing attack. This email was not sent from the Zooniverse. Do not open this email or click any links contained.
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jessamyn @librarian.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I work at a public library. People who want to use AI seem to have no trouble doing so. People who don't want to use AI have a harder time. I crowdsourced and then finalized this document "How to disable or avoid intrusive AI" and then gave it a short URL: notoai.org Please pass along if it's useful
An aircraft passenger oxygen mask: a drop down passenger mask with air bag and yellow plastic mouth and nose cover, oxygen tube has been cut; Demonstration model used by flight attendant crew for passenger instruction. Has text on the side indicating that it's non-functional.
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By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 30/07/2026
With "surveillance pricing," businesses have finally found something AI can do way, way, *way* better than people: price gouging. 1/
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
New publication alert! "A Generalized Framework for Participatory Transcription: Lessons, Challenges, and Interdisciplinary Impact from the Zooniverse Platform" in Citizen Science: Theory & Practice. @zooniverse.bsky.social theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10....
theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org
GLAM Special Collection: A Generalized Framework for Participatory Transcription: Lessons, Challenges, and Interdisciplinary Impact from the Zooniverse Platform | Citizen Science: Theory and Practice
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Bouba's Delivery Service @fernmonkey.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Every so often I teach someone how to spin yarn on a spindle. And I always tell them that the first yarn you make will not be good yarn, and it's not meant to be, because right now you are not making wool into yarn, you're making yourself into a spinner.
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New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
This is just to say I have OCRed the text thet was in tne arch:ve and whicb yov were prabaldy seamhing for "breahtast" Fargme ms fheg mem debo:w5 sb ?mccf mmb 5c oc1b
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Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 28/07/2026
Ant-Man Will Return In: I Have Eaten The Plums That Were In The Icebox
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Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Content will never make you feel as alive as does this holy trinity of “yet agains”
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Dorothy Berry @dorothyjberry.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
This is a great student-authored short piece about, in my read, how the allure of innovation/problem solving/bragging rights has led a lot of smart people to ignore the work of archivists and historians when developing historical, archive driven tools.
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Jim Casey @jimccasey1.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Just finished a co-PI call for our "Communities in the Loop" Schmidt HAVI project with @snblickhan.bsky.social, @profdancy.bsky.social, @bcgl.bsky.social & Tiffanie Smith. Just AMAZING. Things that wouldn't have been possible even a few years ago. Can't wait to share what we've been cooking up!
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Update, view of downtown Chicago from the Adler Planetarium at 1pm. Up to 484 (Hazardous) according to fire.airnow.gov — it smells like smoke everywhere.
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Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 16/07/2026
Particulate matter levels in the Chicago area had reached an index of 355 on a scale of 500, which is considered hazardous for the general public.
chicagotribune.com
Air quality hits hazardous levels in Chicago from wildfire smoke and could worsen tonight
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
View of downtown Chicago from the Adler around 9am today. Stay safe out there everyone, and mask up if you need to go outside. Current air quality level is 284 or “Very Unhealthy” according to fire.airnow.gov
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Seth Rockman @sethrockman.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Scholarly folks who have ever received federal funding: today is the deadline for public comment on proposed revisions that will decimate our national research capacity and replace expertise with political whim. Please consider throwing in your 2¢. See below for some useful links and encouragement.
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yaoi gagarin @mel.bzky.team · 12/07/2026
well okay so the english won against the norwegians but in only a few days theyll have to face the french. anyway thats quite enough about September 25th 1066, lets look at some football news
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Jacquelyn Gill @jacquelyngill.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
For folks asking why bother commenting because the OMB won't care: comments help build cases for the courts by explicitly laying out harms. That's why it's really important to have your comments be as specific as possible. Also, contact your senators and reps! They actually do care about this.
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Julianne Dalcanton @dalcantonjd.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Blessings to the person who referred to Haaland as “Norwegian megafauna”.
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Ryan Cordell @ryancordell.org · 01/07/2026
I feel like #dhmakes would love these laser-cut looms that FabLab staff are prepping for an upcoming summer camp
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
!!! So excited to see all of this coming up! 👀
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Ed Hawkins @edhawkins.org · 29/06/2026
Amazing Chris! Thank you, and everyone who has worked on Zooniverse. It has transformed the way some science is done. My example: if you hear about the 'wettest/driest UK period in records that go back to 1836', that statement is only possible because of Zooniverse & #RainfallRescue volunteers. 👏👏
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
I got so close to getting the screenshot 😂 @zooniverse.bsky.social but we’ve officially reached: 1 BILLION CLASSIFICATIONS!!!!!
A screenshot of the Zooniverse home page with 1 classification left in the countdown to 1 billion
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
27K to go! Today is the day, y’all!
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Only about 100K @zooniverse.bsky.social classifications to go until we hit 1 BILLION 😱 Follow along here: www.zooniverse.org/about#zooniv...
zooniverse.org
About | Zooniverse
About The Zooniverse
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pam lach @plach.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
I wish more institutions would dedicate resources to home-grown critical AI experimentation, rather than ceding control and precious dollars to our tech overloads. @cunyailab.bsky.social is a model of how to do this! #ACH2026
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Jamie Folsom @jamiefolsom.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Super excited to be presenting with @roopikarisam.bsky.social this morning at #ACH2026 on "Hybrid Minimal Computing"! Slides (for my part, the technical dimension) here: dh.tools/hybrid
dh.tools
Hybrid Minimal Computing — ACH 2026
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
I’ll do a longer post later with more photos (I’ve woven all the ends in since this was taken, for example!) but here’s the rug I shared in today’s #DHMakes share-out, complete with proof of Bowie approval!
A handwoven rug in shades of blue and gray, featuring a checkerboard pattern. A brown dog is lying on top, with a pleasant expression on its face.
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sam blickhan @snblickhan.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
“Digital humanities gives us a space for connecting people who care about this kind of thing and who have the linguistic and cultural competence to be appropriately skeptical of the machine's results.” - @quinnanya.me and Regina Pieck 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 #ACH2026
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