iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 20/09/2025

I have to keep this deliberately vague, but this is a total disaster for academic research. And imposing it so suddenly is just cruel. I’ve got friends scrambling to get back to the US before midnight tonight. Do you know how hard that is to do on 36 hours of notice?

reuters.com

Trump to impose $100,000 fee per year for H-1B visas, in blow to tech

The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B worker visas, prompting some big tech companies to warn visa holders to stay in the U.S. or quickly return.

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Janice Liedl @jliedl.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Pro tip: say no to at least 50% of requests and, whenever you decline, provide the names of two male colleagues who are shirking their share of service. (Gold star for BCCing the dean when you do so.)

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

NIH social media has been a hoot these days too.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

It’s not gatekeeping, it’s just not wanting to get a possibly preliminary and incorrect message out to a large audience until it has been examined more thoroughly.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Many people share unpublished work at conferences. Varies by field.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Possibly out of fear the story might change.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Desk rejection and request from a PO to speak about a foreign subaward this morning. Staying strong… 💪 🫠

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Dr. Kareem Carr, Ph.D. @kareemcarr.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

The US government is aiming to get rid of a quarter million people involved in science research and education by 2026. I have no words.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

What’s important is that I don’t shy away from recognizing what I really need to do. I have found this is like a muscle, and when I practice doing what I need to do (but might not “want” to do in the moment), I am usually much happier.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

But I do have to be honest with myself about what I actually want in life and to work toward those goals each day. Some days it means working on stuff I find really hard, and tolerating extended periods of boredom, frustration, shame, regret, etc. Other days can be really easy.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

This DOESN’T mean I am constantly grinding through my to-do list. That’s a super sad life I wouldn’t wish on anyone. (I’ve been there.)

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

I used to think that if I felt stressed or sad, I needed a distraction to feel better, and then I could get on with my life. I finally realized that’s not usually the most loving response. The most important part of my regular self-care is in fact confronting what I most need to do.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

When I do the scary things I know I need to, I am a much happier person because I'm growing into the kind of person I want to be. It took me a long time to lean into this desire. From the outside, it's hard to distinguish from punitive "self-discipline."

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Something I re-learn throughout life, a little better each time: Self-care means not avoiding what scares me. This can be tricky because 'what scares me' changes over time. This week, it's reading certain papers. Reading papers used to be my main procrastination method!

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Jean-François Cudennec @limpetnerd.eurosky.social · 20/06/2025

🧪 Winner of the 2018 Nikon Small World in Motion : 16 hours of Zebrafish embryo growing its sensory nervous system 🔬 Dr. Elizabeth M. Haynes & Jiaye "Henry" He - University of Winsconsin

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Maya Sen @mayasen.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

“That’s an awfully nice university you have there. Would be a shame if something happened to it.” -DOJ www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/u...

nytimes.com

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

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DisabledInSTEM @disabledinstem.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Since the US politics have decided to target DEI spaces, I’ve seen a huge drop of engagement in #DisabledInSTEM Disabled, disability and accessibility are part of the list of banned words for grants too really really highlights that these identities are being specifically targeted to be silenced.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Once again, mostly coaching myself here. 😅 I'm probably going to have a talk like this this week with another PI about a project that needs adjustment. #newpi #phdadvice #postdoc

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

5. If you can't address the top problems quickly, talk to your advisor. Emphasize your proposed next steps. These kinds of strategic decisions about research direction are your advisor's bread and butter. These kinds of talks show you are a mature, thoughtful scientist and a reliable collaborator.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

1. Ask yourself what ideas underlie your dislike. What's wrong with the work? 2. What are the most logical next steps to address each concern? 3. Rank the concerns in order of importance/emotional intensity. 4. Figure out your opportunity cost. What else would you be working on? (cont'd)

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Trainees, you have my sympathy if you don't like your project but also feel trapped by it. I've been there. I think there are some things you could do (and that I wish I had done). 🌟 The most important is not to assume that because you dislike your research, you should quit. 🌟

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

I'm learning (slowly) to pay more attention to the dislike, rather than ignoring it and feeling guilty about it. Usually we can pivot and make the project interesting again, or we can accept it needs to be abandoned for something better.* *with the caveat that new projects look deceptively easy

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Whenever I dislike a research project, I eventually discover it's because some part of it feels stale or wrong: We're not asking the right question, an assumption is bad, or some other work in the field has started to eclipse it, so it's no longer a priority. 🧵

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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Judge Young's order has come in. Grant terminations in the plaintiff states or to the plaintiff orgs (APHA, UAW) are officially void and illegal. It also says that the "Challenged Directives" are arbitrary and capricious — and thus illegal as well. Now what exactly are are these directives? 🧵

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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 19/06/2025

Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Aaaaaand the page seems to be down already?!

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Dr. Rabbithole @drrabbithole.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

GOOD NEWS! The NIH guide notice prohibiting grantees from engaging in or promoting DEI activities or from engaging in "prohibited boycotts" (such as BDS) has been rescinded!!!! grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

media.tenor.com

a cartoon character says good news in front of a futurama sign

ALT: a cartoon character says good news in front of a futurama sign

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

It has taken me a long time to accept that research requires embracing discomfort as we grow our skills and grapple with the unknown. When I was starting out (including as PI), I didn't know that it was okay for things to feel so hard. It's possible to enjoy the process, even while it's tough.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

For scientists who can do it, I can’t think of a better use of their time.

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Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · 07/06/2025

The deadline is soon! Nature has launched its seventh global survey of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) doctoral students, which will probe graduate students’ views about their goals and challenges, and their experiences of their studies so far. #Academicsky 🧪

go.nature.com

PhD students in STEM: Nature wants to hear from you

Buried in lab work or drowning in data? Take a break and help shape the future of PhD education.

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 24/05/2025

tl;dr — this EO co-opts the language of open science to implement a system of political control wherein presidential appointees are given broad latitude to designate any number of reasonable scientific activities and inferences as scientific misconduct, and to penalize those involved accordingly.

whitehouse.gov

Restoring Gold Standard Science

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7301 of title 5, United

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

If any potential advisor or collaborator talks like this while in charge, wish them luck, run, and never look back.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

I’m seeing it in academic science.

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ghost malone ergo propter bones @proptermalone.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

people need to internalize, very quickly, that federal research grants are a hypercompetitive contracting process not charity, and that what Uncle Sam gets in return for that money is American dominance in the future

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Seems like a basic courtesy, especially by for-profit publishers, to run these checks and immediately desk reject. (And potentially ban the authors from future submissions, after some inquiry—methods paragraphs excepted.) I feel sorry for the reviewers and readers.

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

I recently learned there are current graduate students selling materials and coaching programs on PhD admissions. I admire their entrepreneurial spirit, but can someone explain why people with negligible to zero experience reviewing PhD applications are trusted in this role? #PhDSky #PhDLife #phd

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Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

How is this a response to "challenging times"--its the opposite of that. To me it looks like a capitulation to Trump. Shame on @hhmi.org

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Now is not the time for private institutions to be making the situation worse.

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David Malakoff @davidmalakoff.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Another scoop from Jeff Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social): NSF's ~1400 grant terminations have disproportionately affected PIs from groups underrepresented in science: women, racial & ethnic minorities, & those with disabilities. 1/3 www.science.org/content/arti...

science.org

Trump officials take steps toward a radically different NSF

Efforts to shrink staff, budget, and focus have alarmed members of Congress

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

This isn't to say assertiveness can't be valuable, but don't beat yourself up over it. Confidence tends to emerge from realizing you know your stuff, which takes time, experience, and some external validation. (It can also come from realizing that others don't know as much as they think they do.)

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stem phd mentor @stemphdmentor.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

A PhD student and woman in a male-dominated field worried (among other things) that she wasn't assertive enough. My advice: Go easy on yourself for not being assertive enough. Some of your peers are definitely too assertive and not thinking twice about it. #womeninSTEM #academicsky #phdsky

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Michal Caspi Tal, PhD @immunofever.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Kseniia Petrova's story is worth reading www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/o...

nytimes.com

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Jessica Tollkuhn @tollkuhn.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

please tell your letter-writers if you get the job/award!

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