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Tanya Noel (she/her)

@tcnoel.bsky.social
841 followers 873 following 203 posts

Educator, microbiologist. Human. Canadian, living in US, working in Canada - UWindsor - on traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg people. Cat, bird, and water bear aficionado, along with 🦠🧫🍄📚🍫

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Reposted by Tanya Noel (she/her)
Be Giant @be-giant.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Happy National Pawpaw Day! Pawpaws taste far more tropical than you’d expect from a North American fruit, and used to grow in abundance in southwestern Ontario. An Indigenous-led movement is pushing to bring them back. Our deep dive into this fascinating fruit tree: www.begiant.ca/stories/plac...
begiant.ca
The quest to bring the ancient pawpaw fruit back to Ontario
An Indigenous-led movement is restoring the tropical-tasting, climate-resilient fruit tree
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Lesley MacNeil @steeltownworms.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Wow. None of the authors are researchers in Canada!
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Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
And a blog post.
higheredstrategy.com
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Crap H-Index Paper | HESA
Today I want to focus on a publication which came out from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute called   “The equity excellence trade-off: A study of EDI in the Canada Research Chairs programs” which appea...
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Lily Khadempour @khadlily.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I'm happy to share my new paper "A new conceptual framework for host-microbe symbiosis" If you've seen me give a talk in the last 5 years, then you've seen me talk about this. It's been a journey. academic.oup.com/ismehm/artic... #MicroSky #MicrobiomeSky
academic.oup.com
A new conceptual framework for host-microbe symbiosis
Abstract. Host-microbe relationships are studied across biological disciplines, with unique but overlapping conceptual frameworks arising from each of them
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Once again, sincere thanks to the admissions offices of professional schools that request references only for applicants being interviewed! (I want to support my students, but this time of year is hellish with references for med school applications from schools requiring along with applications. )
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Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Here is my letter to the MacDonald Laurier Institute on the subject of their appalling research. Use as you will. I recommend sending something of your own, though. And if you know anyone associated with MLI - and Board directors, say - send it to them, too.
docs.google.com
Alex Usher email to Brian Lee Crowley
(text of an email sent to Brian Lee Crowley of the MacDonald Laurier Institute on September 2, 2026) Dear Brian, I am writing to you and your board with respect to the publication “The equity excelle...
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NE Ohio Regional Sewer District @neorsd.org · 10/09/2026
this is inspiring a debate, do you fold your phone over or under
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
My syllabi have seen many changes over the years, few so dramatic as my stance on GenAI. Initially: "Be careful using GenAI". Now: "GenAI is a scourge to the planet & society, with most uses completely antithetical to my values/goals as an educator & human being 🤮🔥". (Not quite in those words.)
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Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
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Elise A. Mitchell @bydreamphd.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I’ve had this convo privately enough times in the last week to go public: I don’t think there is any valuable way to use AI in a history classroom.
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CCPA — Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives @policyalternatives.ca · 27/08/2026
Canadians aren’t clamouring for U.S.-style health care privatization. In fact, it’s the opposite. Canadians remain deeply committed to equal access to health care based on need and not wealth. By @alonghurst.bsky.social camrosevoice.ca/health/the-p...
camrosevoice.ca
The poll is in: Albertans don’t want two-tier health care - Camrose Voice
Eighty-six per cent still see universal care based on need, not ability to pay, as a core Canadian value
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Josh Eyler @josheyler.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Major kudos to MIT, who just put out a report about AI on their campus that lucidly explains the threat posed by AI to cognition and the student experience, while at the same time prioritizes learning, students, and the value of education. 1/x aiandeducation.mit.edu/report/
aiandeducation.mit.edu
Report – AI and Education
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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 26/08/2026
Nature honors Dolly Parton's scientific legacy. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Dolly Parton dies aged 80 – researchers celebrate her contributions to science
The country singer was an advocate for vaccines, public health, literacy and marginalized communities.
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Jessica Ellis @baddestmamajama.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Part of the reason a lot of super rich people are so awful is that when normal people get an absurd amount of money, they immediately start looking around for who they can help.
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Cameron Thrash @jcamthrash.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
As a component of aseptic technique, Bunsen burners do not universally decrease deposition of microbe-containing particles journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.... #jcampubs
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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
The first new tuberculosis vaccine in a century is heading for mass production. TB still kills 1.23 million people a year. WHO estimates a vaccine with this efficacy profile could prevent 76 million cases and save 8.5 million lives over 25 years. Reuters buff.ly/fI5mDxR #ShareGoodNewsToo
reuters.com
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/indias-serum-institute-partners-with-gates-mri-make-expiremental-tb-vaccine-2026-07-16/
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Evelyndroid's Aperture Science and Bugge-Finding 🏳️‍⚧️🕷️ @apsciencebylyn.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
What if we cultivated our species as hard as we've cultivated Brassica Like a bunch of us cultivated to have gigantic thick toes
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Sorry to hear this happened - ugh. At the same time, I’m excited to read your new book!
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Tristan A.F. Long @thelonglab.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
WTF!?! universityaffairs.ca/news/propose...
universityaffairs.ca
Proposed Alto rail route slashes through Queen’s field biology station - University Affairs
Federal government praises the wilderness station as ‘globally unique,’ considers cleaving it with high-speed train.
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Joanne Freeman @jbf1755.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Well then. Measles was declared eliminated in 2000. But... "More measles cases have been reported in the United States in the last two years than in all the years from 2000 through 2024 combined." Thanks, RFK, JR. [Gift article] www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/w...
nytimes.com
Measles Cases Hit New Record in U.S., as Vaccination Rates Wane (Gift Article)
More measles cases have been reported in the United States in the last two years than in all the years from 2000 through 2024 combined.
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College of Biological Science @uofgcbs.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Dr. Ryan Norris @integrativebiology.bsky.social speaks to CBC KW about the monarch butterfly's journey from Mexico.🦋 www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... @uofguelphnews.bsky.social
Monarch on a coneflower
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Bessie the Cow @bovinebessie.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Simpsons at itchy and scratchy land: 
See all that stuff in there, Homer?
That's why your robot never worked.
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Canadian Climate Institute @climateinstitute.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
B.C. just announced it's tripling its EV charging network through BC Hydro to 3,500 ports by 2035, backed by $700M. This is the kind of infrastructure investment that is needed in provinces across the country.⚡ news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026ECS0041…
news.gov.bc.ca
Tripling public charging network by 2035
Provincewide expansion will deliver faster, more convenient charging for EV drivers in B.C.
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Beanewood Commafurbatch Ending @beanedictc.dftba.social · 04/07/2026
And people are still dying today. Not because we lack the drugs to treat or prevent it, like we did 45 years ago, but because companies like @gilead.com deny access to the drugs to people who need them: www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/campa... #2Shots$40Everywhere
doctorswithoutborders.org
Lenacapavir: Two Shots. $40. Everywhere.
A gamechanger in HIV prevention is now here: lenacapavir (LEN), an injection which only needs to be given twice a year and is nearly 100% effective in
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Kate Jewell @katejewell.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Here’s the thing: I could probably come up with lots of creative, AI-proof online approaches. But finding the time to reflect an innovate comes at a premium. I often revamp my courses, but this is an order of magnitude much higher in redesign. AI is not a pedagogical crisis, it’s a labor crisis.
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NBC News @nbcnews.com · 10/07/2026
Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo who captured hearts around the world, celebrates her 2nd birthday at a Thai zoo.
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Jess Piper Fan Page 💙 📚 @jesspiperfanpage.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Gila Monster able to survive without food for long periods of time led to Ozempic @piperformissouri.bsky.social @abbarsha.bsky.social @labarnitz.bsky.social @lyndapole.bsky.social @fireeyebooks.bsky.social @moberzan.bsky.social @mrsdeborahlynn.bsky.social / www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiHH...
youtube.com
Ozempic: How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard paved way for popular diabetes drug
YouTube video by Global News
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Journal of Forestry Research @forestryjfr.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
🍄 Some of the most important relationships in forests happen below ground. 🌱 JFR research found that beneficial fungi improved both lingonberry growth and soil fertility. See the findings: link.springer.com/article/10.1... #JFR #ForestResearch #SoilHealth #ForestEcology🍁
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Jo Latimore @jolatimore.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Michigan plant lovers rejoice! The Michigan Flora app has been released! news.umich.edu/new-plant-id...
news.umich.edu
New plant identification app available, powered by U-M Herbarium
Biologists and plant enthusiasts now have the power of Michigan's most complete plant identification guide in the palm of their hands.
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
It’s been a very long time since I’ve been stoked to see gel electrolysis bands. Colony PCR seems to have worked! Love the TEPI training lab time! 🧫
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Reposted by Tanya Noel (she/her)
John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 07/07/2026
Uhhhhhh, don't use it? wapo.st/3TmHl5G
wapo.st
Column | How to stop ChatGPT from ruining how you think
Studies show that using AI can lead people to “cognitive surrender.” But with the right approach, it can also elevate your thinking.
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
It begins!!! So excited.
Tiny Earth instructor guidebook
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Chronicle of Higher Education @chronicle.com · 02/07/2026
AI is upending teaching practices, but professors say administrators remain largely oblivious to how much time faculty members spend redesigning their courses. That and more in our Teaching newsletter. Sign up today. chroni.cl/4eW6wDC
chronicle.com
How AI Is Forcing Professors to Overhaul the Way They Teach
Whether they are AI-proofing courses or incorporating AI into assignments, instructors are spending a lot of time revamping their teaching.
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Open Consortium of Undergraduate Biology Educators (oCUBE) @ocubeorg.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
A quick update on the recent by-law vote, elections, and your 2026-2027 Leadership & Committees
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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
German researchers have built the most efficient solar panel ever, turning 34.4% of sunlight into electricity. That’s way higher than ordinary rooftop panels, which usually convert between 20-23%. buff.ly/GRh5GzJ #ShareGoodNewsToo
buff.ly
Most Efficient Solar Module in the World — New Record - CleanTechnica
Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) is no stranger to solar power records, and it’s just set another…
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
The Canada Day content I am here for! 🇨🇦 🦀 🤓
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Thanks for this. I also appreciated Ben Gooch's perspective on AI scribes: benngooch.substack.com/p/i-was-an-e...
benngooch.substack.com
I Was an Enthusiastic Early Adopter of AI Scribes. Here’s Why I Stopped
A GP reflects on what eighteen months of ambient scribing taught them about the consultation they thought they already understood.
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Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
🚨 New in @statnews.com with Placide Mbala Emergence of #Ebola & possible #Marburg in central Africa should force us to rethink outbreak diagnostics. If diagnostic systems can only identify the pathogens we already know about, we will always be one outbreak behind. www.statnews.com/2026/07/01/e...
statnews.com
What Ebola and Marburg are teaching us about the next pandemic
“What is urgently needed is a shift from pathogen-specific diagnostics toward pathogen-agnostic diagnostic systems,” write Krutika Kuppalli and Placide Mbala.
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UChicago AAUP @uchicagoaaup.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
chicagomaroon.com/52978/viewpo...
chicagomaroon.com
Welcoming Claude Into the Classroom Risks the Soul of Education
Faculty have a responsibility to protect classrooms as a training ground for thinking, and proliferating LLMs endanger this core mission of the University.
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UChicago AAUP @uchicagoaaup.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Excellent op-ed from our own Mark Levin on UChicago's deal with Anthropic:
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ocufa.bsky.social @ocufa.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
We're glad to see govt consulting with the Ontario College of Teachers on teacher education. We hope they will consult all relevant expert stakeholders at this critical moment. Our recommendations: tinyurl.com/avpdkhff
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Constance Lee Menefee @conniemenefee.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
"Lobster diver swallowed by whale" hit media in 2021. Horrors! My bad limerick in "honor" of the "horror." There once was a diver from Nantucket Who put lobsters into a bucket, Got waaay to close to a humpback And was caught in a mighty gulp gap Before the whale said, "Phooey! Oh, chuck it."
Image is from the CLM #PenAndInk Archives - Humpback whales filter-feed! A gulp size is about 5,000 gallons. ... enough to fill a "12-foot by 10-foot swimming pool at a depth of 7-feet" ...
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Laura Martínez 🥑 @miblogestublog.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Everything is terrible, so here's a duck wearing the Mexico soccer jersey
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
I am looking forward to the TEPI training in July in Ottawa!
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Tanya Noel (she/her) @tcnoel.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Came across this, can't help but think about all the times I've wanted to shout this from the rooftops (or, at least, gently remind colleagues of, in various contexts) ... From Hurley, et al. (2021). Tiny earth: a big idea for STEM education and antibiotic discovery. MBio, 12(1), 10-1128.
Screenshot of text with last sentence highlighted: "Continued reliance on less effective teaching methods is astonishing given decades of compelling evidence that inquiry-based learning is a superior way for  most students to learn (1, 3–7). Scientists should be swayed by evidence."
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Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
⚠️ Another problem with AI: makes us worse at spotting bunk! The consequences of relying on AI for accurate news news.mit.edu/2026/consequ... "...participants who relied on AI systems to verify facts actually got worse at detecting misinformation on their own when their chatbots were taken away."
news.mit.edu
The consequences of relying on AI for accurate news
Research from the MIT Media Lab found that, over the course of a month, participants who relied on AI systems to verify facts actually got worse at detecting misinformation on their own when their cha...
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Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis @kendrawrites.com · 28/04/2026
One of the problems with technology today is if you're a millenial/xennial you remember when tech worked.
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Artologica aka Michele Banks @artologica.net · 24/04/2026
New Anti-AI watercolors! Tell the world how you feel. artologica.etsy.com
Three paintings with brains in blue, purple and green. All of them have anti AI slogans on them
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Botany One @botany.one · 24/04/2026
The Invisible Cost of Seed Ageing www.botany.one/the-invisibl... Researchers found that ageing Brassica napus seeds lose not only vigour, but also microbial diversity, raising new questions about how we store seeds for the future. #Botany #PlantScience
botany.one
The Invisible Cost of Seed Ageing
Researchers found that ageing Brassica napus seeds lose not only vigour, but also microbial diversity, raising new questions about how we store seeds for the future.
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STCmicrobeblog @stcmicrobeblog.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Drought Drives Resistance Noteworthy — An unrecognized link found between climate and antibiotic resistance.
smallthingsconsidered.blog
Drought Drives Resistance
Noteworthy — An unrecognized link found between climate and antibiotic resistance.
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