@j9austin.bsky.social
Genetic Counselor, Professor/Dept. Head at the University of British Columbia. Editor in Chief: Journal of Genetic Counseling. Prez of International Society of Psychiatric Genetics. Unceded Coast Salish Territories. They/them
University reputations and finances often hinge on their position in global ranking tables that prioritize narrow aspects of academic life. Elizabeth Gadd writes about three changes that would give institutions the freedom to explore fresh ways of working. #Academicsky 🧪
16.11.2025 23:48 — 👍 49 🔁 19 💬 1 📌 2Wanna support the 600 people who spoke out against his proposed budget? Here’s so easy armchair activism to participate in. I did this already and please, if you’re in Vancouver please do so too…theres a template and it takes like 2 mins…
17.11.2025 02:52 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Day 16: smile
#LyricsPrompt2025
Bon jovi - you give love a bad name
“An angel’s SMILE upon your lips, blood red nails on your fingertips”
m.youtube.com/watch?v=KrZH...
Mad Max fury road… over and over 😍
16.11.2025 13:50 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Day 15: evening
#LyricsPrompt2025
Eurythmics- when the day goes down
m.youtube.com/watch?v=D86E...
Honestly this article is terrible, and I need to talk about why
13.11.2025 01:20 — 👍 15 🔁 6 💬 2 📌 1
Everything about this story is awesome. Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/s...
A photo of a woman in pink in a wheelchair. She has an intubation for oxygen. She looks up at the viewer. Words: This is Alice's friend Sandy Ho, posting. Per Alice's wishes, this message is being shared at the time of her passing Hi everyone, it looks like I ran out of time. I have so many dreams that I wanted to fulfill and plans to create new stories for you. There are a few in progress that might come to fruition in a few years if things work out. I did not ever imagine ! would live to this age and end up a writer, editor, activist, and more. As a kid riddled with insecurity and internalized ableism, I could not see a path forward. It was thanks to friendships and some great teachers who believed in me that I was able to fight my way out of miserable situations into a place where I finally felt comfortable in my skin. We need more stories about us and our culture. You all, we all, deserve the everything and more in such a hostile, ableist environment. Our wisdom is incisive and unflinching. I'm honored to be your ancestor and believe disabled oracles like us will light the way to the future. Don't let the bastards grind you down. I love you all. may her memory
I am gutted to learn of @sfdirewolf.bsky.social (Alice Wong’s) passing. She was always a warm friend, a wonderful spirit, and someone who fostered my own growth. She helped me see that, as a #disabled person with chronic illness, I matter—I am whole. I’ll be posting some of Alice’s work. ❤️ forever
15.11.2025 11:37 — 👍 801 🔁 264 💬 11 📌 28
Day 14: careful
#LyricsPrompt2025
T’pau - china in your hand
Doesn’t have the actual word “careful” in it, but it’s STRONGLY implied 😂
m.youtube.com/watch?v=PSh6...
Ive been fighting posting the George Michael version for the past hour...so thank you for this! :) I'm with you, my brain does the same thing, apparently.
14.11.2025 17:01 — 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0"The 'reduction in enthusiasm' [for climate action] among rich nations didn’t happen by accident.
It’s the product of a deliberate and systematic assault on knowledge by some of the richest people on Earth.
Preventing climate breakdown means protecting ourselves from the storm of lies."
A morbidly inclined sheep, who likes to hang around in graveyards, detests parties and owns original pressings of the entire classic run of Leonard Cohen LPs from 1967-1974.
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent sheep I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
Flyer with a green background for UBC geography colloquium on november 18th featuring jasbir puar and yours truly called “you cant pinkwash a genocide: sex/gender/fascism”
And then this coming week
13.11.2025 22:15 — 👍 13 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0We have an instant pot with a sous vide setting… it’s awesome for ramen eggs, fish as well as meat! And of course the instant pot pressure cooker setting is awesome for beans, rice, etc…
14.11.2025 01:33 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0🧪
13.11.2025 19:20 — 👍 24 🔁 14 💬 2 📌 0Ok folks we are back at it again from 1-5. Yesterday was a lot. Heard from so many passionate Vancouverites.
Unfortunately I heard the mayor say it was a waste of time. But I assure you, I’m listening.
Day 13: Summer
#LyricsPrompt2025
Don Henley: Boys of summer
ok.ru/video/510669...
Today is #GeneticCounselorAppreciationDay
Do you know a genetic counselor? Today is the day to let them know you appreciate them 😃
Personally, I am so grateful for my genetic counselor colleagues with whom I have found real community. Having like minded people to strive with to make things better: 🥰
Some more charts for the Vancouver budget, a response from Ken Sim on the future of the city’s climate department, and a decision to wear a sweater on camera which I’m frankly still on the fence about
13.11.2025 03:58 — 👍 68 🔁 11 💬 8 📌 2It’s nearly 9pm and people are still speaking at the Vancouver budget hearing… so proud of all my fellow vancouverites for speaking up … this gives me hope! 🥲💪🤩 Im cheering you all on with gratitude! 🙏
13.11.2025 04:51 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0so proud of all the vancouverites turning up to shout down the proposed 0% property tax that's a gift to homeowners and a fuck-you to everyone else.
go, human decency!
Day 12: fire
#LyricsPrompt2025
This one was immediate …
Duran Duran - a view to a kill
🎶dance into the Fiiii-yah🎶
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp4C...
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
George Monbiot absolutely nails Keir Starmer's Labour Government. 'More Tory than the Tories'
12.11.2025 12:48 — 👍 47 🔁 24 💬 1 📌 3
Is it the one that was in the movie lost boys? If so, it’s “i still believe”
youtu.be/LpuwcINDHnQ (or maybe this was just an excuse to post this song 😂)
Day 11: coat #LyricsPrompt2025
Macklemore- thrift shop
“Im in this big ass COAT from
The thrift shop down the road ”
m.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8m...
Clear out toys now!
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
11.11.2025 11:00 — 👍 1458 🔁 956 💬 17 📌 22
11.11.2025 13:10 — 👍 102 🔁 18 💬 1 📌 0
Sarah Kendzior • 4m I've been suspended from BlueSky. I don't know why. I wasn't online much today, and the last things I posted were excerpts from my substack newsletter articles. The suspension followed without explanation. It seems there's a crackdown. If you enjoy my work and want to make sure you can access it, subscribe! It's free - I would never paywall in times of peril — and voluntary paying subscribers keep it going. It would be great to have your support at this time. Thanks!
In a rare case of Substack notes usefulness, I just learned that Sarah Kendzior (author of They Knew and a brilliant writer) got bounced from Bluesky. What the hell? new @sarahkendzior.bsky.social
11.11.2025 04:09 — 👍 1261 🔁 677 💬 56 📌 138Worth noting that because Sim brought forward his proposal for a property tax freeze requiring millions in cuts with just weeks left in the budget process, this is not up for public debate and is not outlined in the documents available to councillors when they vote on this
11.11.2025 03:26 — 👍 188 🔁 78 💬 6 📌 5
