Ann A. O’Connell

Global renewable energy generation surpasses coal for first time Record solar expansion and steady wind growth driving world’s shift away from fossil fuels in 2025, report finds

Positive news to finish off your Monday :-)
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Resolution of the University of Virginia Faculty Senate (thus not institutional policy and entirely non-binding, but still inspirational): Resolution Opposing the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" WHEREAS the United States Secretary of Education has requested that the University of Virginia enter into a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education", and WHEREAS the Compact contains provisions antithetical to the mission and traditions of the University, and WHEREAS the Compact contains provisions which endanger the independence and integrity of the University, and WHEREAS the compact likely violates state and federal law, and infringes upon the constitutional rights of members of the University community, and WHEREAS the University of Virginia exemplifies American academic values of the highest standard, including universal right to free speech and the cultivation of academic freedom; therefore BE IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate of the University of Virginia firmly opposes this Compact as written and calls upon Interim President Mahoney and the Board of Visitors to also reject this Compact outright as well as any similar proposal compromising the mission, values, and independence of the University. Feature Date: Friday, October 3, 2025

Do not pay $100,000 to become a podcaster for the love of god

Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."

Open call: Resonance

Geneva-based artists and collectives are invited to submit proposals for a fully funded, two-month residency at CERN. The selected artist will expand their practice and develop new work in dialogue with CERN’s scientific community.

Deadline: 3 November 2025

Image of the Emancipation Proclamation stamp being considered to be reissued. Text states “Henceforward shall be free: Emancipation Proclamation: Abraham Lincoln 1863

The #USPS is holding a vote to choose a stamp to reissue, and one of them is the “Emancipation Proclamation” stamp. Wouldn’t it be great if that one won by a landslide?

#Vote online at www.stampsforever.com/vote

The deadline is Sept 30th, please act now!

Why Social Policy Belongs in the IMF’s Core Mandate on Fiscal Policy At this year’s Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the IMF for “mission creep,” arguing that it has diverted attenti...

"The IMF's fiscal policy advice has improved significantly by integrating social concerns. A reversal of this would represent a major setback."

Sanjeev Gupta on why the IMF should continue to integrate social policy, rather than divert attention away:
https://bit.ly/45YF44R

The biggest sporting event in the world is happening in our backyard. But most New Yorkers will be priced out of watching it live.

Sign our petition calling on FIFA to put game over greed: zohranfornyc.com/gameovergreed

It's great to see Mendez Acosta's and my work discussed at the Association for Education Assessment in Africa annual conference.

Here's the presentation from Professor @annieoc.bsky.social www.facebook.com/watch/live/?...

Here's our paper academic.oup.com/jae/article/...

Three Movies to Remind You of What a Great Teacher Can Do In many countries, now is the season when students return to the classroom. Teachers fight to educate children despite few materials, little supervision, and an array of other challenging working cond...

As students across the globe return to classrooms, @daveevansphd.bsky.social suggests three movies highlighting the importance of teachers in LMICs:

🎞️ Radical (2023)
🎞️ Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019)
🎞️ Rule Breakers (2025)

More on the movies:
https://bit.ly/3JFWFG3

Great paper! And thanks for your post!

Amid Trump’s attacks on higher ed, professors need to keep standing up for our democracy | Opinion Across the nation, there has been a groundswell of academics who have decided to speak out for their institutions — and we all must keep doing so.

I have an op-ed at @inquirer.com today.

All of us who care about democracy need to decide how we'll respond as we see our institutions, our work, and our communities being attacked.

Many of us in academia are standing up for our values and our students.

www.inquirer.com/opinion/comm...

Visibility, accessibility at the heart of Boston’s HBCU Classic between Morehouse College and Johnson C. Smith University - The Boston Globe The schools will square off on Saturday at Harvard Stadium, marking the city's first football game between HBCUs since 1971.

Saturday’s Essence HBCU Classic at Harvard Stadium between Johnson C. Smith University and Morehouse College will be Boston’s largest sporting event involving Historically Black Colleges and Universities in five decades.

Why billions of folks can't easily get a drink or flush a toilet A report from the World Health Organization says 1 in 4 people lack access to safe water to drink. Even more don't have water for sanitation. We asked someone who grew up that way to share childhood memories.

A report from the World Health Organization says 1 in 4 people lack access to safe water to drink. Even more don't have water for sanitation. We asked someone who grew up that way to share childhood memories.

These are the words of a lunatic who does not belong in government, much less as our nation's top health official.

It is dangerous to allow him to oversee ALL federal health research and public health infrastructure. It is never too late to do the right thing. Fire RFK Jr.

Paterson Great Falls Festival - Aug. 30th - Sept. 1st · Mobilize Join us to register voters, recruit volunteers, and get the word out about our Democratic team at the Paterson Great Falls Festival!

#Paterson #NJ
Saturday, August 30 – Monday, September 1
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
72 McBride Ave Ext
Paterson, NJ 07501

www.mobilize.us/mobilize/eve...

Please share

Perfect illustration of his brutal lack of of compassion or empathy 😒👇🏼

Game on.

NEW: Russian occupation authorities are introducing new restrictions on communications in occupied Ukraine while continuing to impose the use of the Russian-controlled MAX messaging software. 🧵(1/7)

Read more: isw.pub/OccupationUp...

Other Key Takeaways ⬇️

YouTube video by Robert Reich Five Ways to Fight Trump's Fascism

American treasure, prof. Reich, continues to provide excellent analysis, and leadership. Here are 5 things we can all do to fight fascism: call US reps every day; attend town halls; join local #resistance grps; boycott right wing corps; & protect the vulnerable. 5mins
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W-l...

Despite Donald Trump's whining about "fake news," his administration has rolled back efforts to combat it, allowing fakes to flourish.

Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

Let’s make a planet in which nobody is starving. Let’s make a planet in which men and women have equal access to power. Let us make a planet in which no ethnic group has it over another ethnic group. Let’s have a planet in which science and engineering is used for the benefit of everybody on the planet. And my personal idiosyncrasy, let’s have a world in which we go to other worlds. ~ Carl Sagan

YouTube video by Brennan Center for Justice Federal Threats in Elections

The Federal government is a threat to our elections. youtube.com/shorts/zpTZZ...

#ReleaseTheCuomoList

I will never get over how creepy it is how the NIH X account is a full time propaganda machine now

This.

#bluesky needs more baby goats... ☺️

This is just going to be applicable pretty much every day from now on.