Sign in

Dr. Marissa Civic

@stemfactually.com
15K followers 17K following 741 posts

Owner of STEM Factually | Inorganic Chemist | Former Professor | NY, US Substack: drmarissacivic.substack.com Podcast: bit.ly/3ZOrZbc Science Store: bit.ly/4hDb2HH Website: www.stemfactually.com

PostsRepliesMedia
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 14/09/2026
We need more versatile technical opportunities for women who pause advanced STEM careers to raise babies. I don't even qualify for several volunteer positions w/o recent work experience despite my background as a PhD & professor. I didn't forget my research...I can judge a HS science fair. 🧪🦋🥽🧬⚛️🍎👩‍🔬
1160
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 27/08/2026
Back to school and wondering if STEM graduate school is the right choice for you? Sign up below for a free virtual workshop taught by me, a former STEM professor and PhD chemist. 20/20/20 lecture, q&a, and guided discussion. Sept. 15, 6:30 pm Eastern. 👩‍🔬🍎⚛️🧬🥽🧪🦋🎓🔬
linkedin.com
www.stemfactually.com - Office Hours | STEM Factually
Join Dr. Civic for STEM Factually Office Hours, our new virtual guided group mentor series. Office hours is currently offered at no cost. Format is a 20/20/20 mini lecture, Q&A, and guided discussio...
152
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 25/08/2026
The only "correct" academic path is the one you’re happy with. I just launched the official STEM Factually LinkedIn page! ​Give us a follow for updates on structured group mentoring sessions currently offered at no cost. Mentoring shouldn't be hard to find 🧪👩‍🔬🍎⚛️🧬🥽 www.linkedin.com/company/stem...
linkedin.com
STEM Factually | LinkedIn
STEM Factually | 8 followers on LinkedIn. STEM mentorship and academic consulting from a former professor, personalized to your endeavors and perspective. | About STEM Factually STEM Factually provid...
072
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 23/07/2026
Banded longhorn beetle #bugsky 🦋🪲🌱 #photography
Banded longhorn beetle on coneflower
1202
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 22/07/2026
This beautiful #butterfly has been feasting in my garden all afternoon. Enjoy these closeups! I like how her proboscis is very visible in the second photo! #photography #art #nature #bugsky #bloomscrolling 🦋🌱🐡🧬🍎🧪👩‍🔬
Eastern yellow swallowtail on coneflowerEastern yellow swallowtail on coneflower
36913
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 19/07/2026
While these fritillaries love the coneflowers in my garden, they actually rely on wild violets for laying their eggs. They lay their eggs on withered violets and caterpillars hatch and go into a dormant state for winter. #bugsky #bloomscrolling #butterfly #photography #naturephotography 🍎🧬🧪👩‍🔬🌱🦋🐡
Butterfly on coneflower
17212
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 19/07/2026
The number of sustainability infographics I see on #linkedin made with #AI is ridiculous. It takes an hour, two tops, to make an aesthetic and educational infographic on PowerPoint. Or use photos from unsplash. There are options other than AI 🧪👩‍🔬⚛️🧬🍎🥽🐡
2142
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 18/07/2026
#bloomscroll #bloomscrolling 🦋🌱
Coneflower
1280
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 17/07/2026
Butterfly in my garden! #bugsky 🦋🌱
Butterfly on a rock
0411
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 17/07/2026
Mini harvest! Surprised I got some before the chipmunks! 🌱🍓🍅
Some strawberries and small tomatoes in a bowl
1331
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 15/07/2026
Just a friendly FYI, if you're looking out your windows and it looks yellow and post-apocalyptic, that's climate change causing an increase in wildfires. Smoke particles scatter sunlight changing which wavelengths that reach our eyes #climatechangeisreal 👩‍🔬🦋🧪
4198
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 13/07/2026
When judging science fairs, I often see high school projects focus more on broader impact than on novelty or intellectual merit. My next newsletter will explore why this happens and how we can better prepare students for college-level STEM research. 🧪🥽👩‍🔬🍎🧬🦋⚛️ www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...
linkedin.com
STEM Factually: Office Hours | LinkedIn
Virtual mentoring and guidance for the STEM community from Dr. Marissa Civic, PhD and former professor
062
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 12/07/2026
Cool read: www.americanscientist.org/article/curi... Hydrangea color varies based on aluminum availability, not internal pH shifts. Soil pH determines if roots can absorb metals to form colorful coordination complexes w/anthocyanin pigments. White ones lack these pigments 🦋🐡🧬🧪🥽👩‍🔬🍎📷🌱 #bloomscrolling
White hydrangea
46921
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 12/07/2026
Very excited to introduce my new logo! I'll be gradually updating my sites to incorporate it. www.stemfactually.com #stemfactually #smallbusiness #logo #graphicdesign #stem #womanownedbusiness
A stem factually logo with a leaf and little water molecules above it. Below the business name it says Academic Consulting and Mentoring.
160
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 11/07/2026
Butterfly weed is another host plant for monarch butterflies. It's a type of milkweed and a valuable native plant across most of the US. It lacks the white sap associated with common milkweed. This photo was taken in my Dad's gardens. 🦋🌱🍎👩‍🔬🥽🧪🧬🐡 #photography
Butterfly weed orange flowers on a leafy green background
1503
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 11/07/2026
Robber fly enjoying lunch. Robber flies inject a neurotoxin into their prey which liquifies their insides. 🦋🧪🥽👩‍🔬🍎🌱🐡🧬 #photography #bugsky
2360
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 10/07/2026
Never forget to stop and smell the...bugs? Here's a netwing beetle who could use some appreciation. Found him hanging out in my pumpkin vines. 🌱🍎👩‍🔬🥽🧪🪲🦋🐡 #photography #art #bugsky
Netwing beetle on pumpkin vine leaf.
0200
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 10/07/2026
Not all ladybugs we see in our gardens are native. I found this Asian lady beetle in my garden today. You can tell by the "W" shape on the white part of its exoskeleton. They're welcome in my garden if they're eating aphids, but I'd like to try to support a native population. 🧪🥽👩‍🔬🌱🍎🐞🦋
Asian lady beetle on a leaf
1245
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 10/07/2026
Found this little leafhopper nymph eating my sage plant. Fortunately there's enough for both of us Note all the little hairs on the leaf. They make the sage surprisingly hydrophobic which helps with cleaning and reducing fungal growth. I'll comment a photo of water beads on the leaves! 🦋🧪🥽🧬👩‍🔬🌱🌿🍎
Leaf hopper nymph on sage leaf
1263
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 08/07/2026
Made a simple coin cell battery with the kids today. They really appreciated the concept of a battery when we wrapped it up and related it to the ones we buy in the store. Got 1 V and powered a small LED. 👩‍🔬🧬🧪🦋🥽🍎🔋 #kids #parenting #momsknowsciencetoo
Coin cell battery with copper and zinc disks.
2294
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 08/07/2026
Why do elementary science curricula often contain zero quantitative analysis? I'm trying to compile a curriculum for 1st grade homeschool and everything is qualitative. Little kids can learn how to use a ruler, measure distances, etc. Math is fun...my kids love a good excel spreadsheet 🍎🥽🦋🧪👩‍🔬🧬 #math
7150
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 06/07/2026
Update, but the last one for this bunch because my kids ate the blue ones! 🧪👩‍🔬🥽🍎🫐🦋🌱
Blueberries
1161
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 06/07/2026
Tried to get a bee photo for everyone but the bumble got angry when he saw the pumpkin flowers closed and buzzed off above my fairly high roof in a tizzy 🐝🦋🌱
050
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 05/07/2026
Post your favorite garden helpers! For me it's probably toads and bumblebees. Found this guy in my garden yesterday! Not only do toads eat pests, their skin contains neat antimicrobial peptides that help protect them while they hang out in the dirt. 🌱🦋🍎🥽👩‍🔬🧪🐸🧬
Toad on leaves
714214
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 04/07/2026
Blueberries soon enough! 🫐 Just waiting on some sugars and anthocyanins 🧪👩‍🔬🥽🍎🌱🦋 #photography #garden #plants #nature
Blueberries
613919
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 03/07/2026
Interesting read. Baby formula is not required to be tested for botulism due to the difficulties with detecting spores in powder. 🦋🥽🧪👩‍🔬🍎 Why botulism keeps cropping up in infant formula | Scientific American share.google/PtBAni66NLsr...
share.google
Why botulism keeps cropping up in infant formula
The toxin behind two outbreaks in seven months is hard to find—and just a handful of labs are equipped to look for it at all
064
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 02/07/2026
#bloomscrolling #flowers #summer #photography #art #noAI
Yellow flowers
080
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 02/07/2026
Found an invasive bee with his foot stuck in milkweed (natives are stronger and able to break free), and a goldenrod crab spider seized the moment and ate him #natureismetal 🌱🦋 #bugsky
Spider eating a bee stuck in milkweed
2261
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 01/07/2026
It's a big world out there! *Insert shameless plug about hiring a STEM Mentor* lol Check out this spotless lady beetle I found in my garden yesterday! Thanks for eating all those aphids 🪲 🐞 #bugsky #ladybugwithnospots #photography #photo #stemfactually 🦋🌱🧪👩‍🔬🍎🥽🐡
Spotless ladybug on the edge of a white planter
0264
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 01/07/2026
Got "swarmed" by these weevils in my garden yesterday. #bugsky 🌱🦋🪲
Bugs on a hatWeevil on a hat
0100
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 29/06/2026
#bloomscroll #bloomscrolling #flowers 🌱🦋
Daisy
1232
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 29/06/2026
Bets on if this will turn red before the chipmunks steal it? Here's a fun read about strawberry chemistry from @rsc.org : What's in your strawberries? | Feature | RSC Education share.google/uJakzMQJDkVw... 🍓 🌱🧪👩‍🔬🥽🍎🦋
Green strawberry in a garden bed.
2152
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 28/06/2026
Milkweed isn't just home to our favorite caterpillars, lots of other bugs call it home and/or a food source as well. Check out this goldenrod crab spider, #bees, and beetle hanging out on their food source. #summer 🧪👩‍🔬🥽🐡🍎🌱🐛🦋🐝 🕷️
2489
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 28/06/2026
I won an #aldi blind box and I feel like the luckiest person alive. Who needs the lottery 🦋
140
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 27/06/2026
It's milkweed season! Keep an eye out for these guys! Monarchs only eat milkweed, so think and identify before pulling weeds and using herbicides. Without flowers, we have no pollinators. 🦋🌱🍎🐛🐡🥽👩‍🔬🧪
Monarch caterpillar on milkweed leaf
729381
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 26/06/2026
Looks like this year's first garden fruit is a coolapeno! I accidentally mistook it for a jalapeno, but I'm excited to try it. #funfact the molecule missing is called capsaicin (C₁₈H₂₇NO₃) #summer 🦋🌱🍎🧬🥽👩‍🔬🌶️🫑🧪
A coolapeno in a garden bed.
0191
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 25/06/2026
Oh hey there little fella! 🥽🍎🧬🦋🌱🐡🧪🐞
Black and white bug on a soybean plant leaf
2485
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 24/06/2026
Found this beautiful bee buzzing in what I think is false indigo in my new yard. Thanks for pollinating, friend! #bloomscroll #bloomscrolling #bee #savethebees #summer 🧪👩‍🔬🌱🌸🐝🪻🌷
Bee in a purple flower
1175
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 23/06/2026
I have a few openings late summer/fall for STEM mentees. An academic mentor is a great way to stay on track, and a former STEM professor can offer guidance on content, research, applications, etc. and is a great weekly resource for grad- or undergrad- related questions. DM for a free consult 👩‍🔬🦋⚛️🧬🍎🥽🧪
185
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 07/06/2026
Soon we will have blueberries! If the chipmunks don't eat them all green ha 🫐 🐿️ 🌱👩‍🔬🦋
Cluster of green blueberries on bush
1374
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 07/06/2026
When do the nightmares stop where I am back in grad school because I never actually was awarded my PhD and my advisor refuses to let me defend. It's been like ten years 😂 👩‍🔬🧪🥽🍎🧬⚛️🦋
7283
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 06/06/2026
Cranesbill. I've enjoyed discovering all the new flowers in the yard. We bought the house last winter! #bloomscrolling #bloomscroll #spring #flowers #newhouse 🌱🦋🌸
Pink flower with blurred foliage background
0435
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 05/06/2026
Found a beautiful peony #bloomscrolling #bloomscroll 👩‍🔬🦋🌱🌸 #spring
Pink peony
0311
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 03/06/2026
🧪👩‍🔬🥽🍎🧬⚛️🦋 www.linkedin.com/posts/mariss...
linkedin.com
ACS Science Coaches - American Chemical Society | Marissa Civic
I've volunteered for the American Chemical Society Science Coaches program for several years and strongly recommend other qualified individuals do the same. The ACS pairs grad students, postdocs, pr...
092
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 01/06/2026
🧪👩‍🔬🥽🦋⚛️🧬🍎 www.linkedin.com/posts/mariss...
linkedin.com
Professors have a role that is not on a syllabus or the forefront of the job description & it dictates who builds a career in STEM. People assume professors research, teach, & secure funding....
Professors have a role that is not on a syllabus or the forefront of the job description & it dictates who builds a career in STEM. People assume professors research, teach, & secure funding. We know...
020
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 24/05/2026
Anecdote and Analysis: Incessant Unsolicited Advice as a Woman in STEM Part II Ever freeze when facing adversity in the workplace? Me too. Read my latest article to hear about my analysis of a situation where I faced sexism and froze. ⚛️🦋🧬🥽🧪👩‍🔬🍎 www.linkedin.com/pulse/anecdo...
linkedin.com
Anecdote and Analysis: Incessant Unsolicited Advice as a Woman in STEM Part II
..
1121
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 18/05/2026
My latest post! 👩‍🔬🧪🥽🍎⚛️🧬🦋🎓🐡 open.substack.com/pub/drmariss...
open.substack.com
Anecdote and Analysis: Incessant Unsolicited Advice as a Woman in STEM Part I
...and how to handle it professionally
1275
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 04/05/2026
www.linkedin.com/posts/mariss... 👩‍🔬🧪🥽🍎⚛️🧬🦋
linkedin.com
Anecdote & Analysis: A Discussion on Societal Expectations That Shape How Women Communicate Personally and Professionally | Marissa Civic
Why are women in STEM often given feedback on their soft skills and personal characteristics rather than being engaged in technical discussion or research critique? In this edition of the STEM Factua...
083
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 30/04/2026
I've started a #newsletter over on #LinkedIn. Bluesky generates the most views on Substack, so I thought I'd share with those interested in my writing. Thank you for following along. I take suggestions if anyone has relevant questions for my next article 👩‍🔬🧪🥽🍎⚛️🧬🐡🦋🔬🧠🧲🔭 www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...
linkedin.com
STEM Factually: Office Hours | LinkedIn
Virtual mentoring and guidance for the STEM community from Dr. Marissa Civic, PhD and former professor
141
Dr. Marissa Civic @stemfactually.com · 29/04/2026
Found some grape hyacinth! #bloomscrolling #spring 🌱🍎👩‍🔬🪻
Purple grape hyacinth White grape hyacinth
1275