markpachucki

😔

I admire folks who do so, and admire even more those who can do so with a spirit of curiosity. Instead of subtweeting displeasure, has anyone here tried engaging in dialogue? (8/end)

Fewer focus on its inverse, heterophily, and even fewer are willing to actively reach across some real or perceived divide to understand someone’s behaviors, especially when those behaviors might differ from their own. (7/8)

Who knows what the best-available defense to this sort of thing is, @kjhealy.co ? I sure don’t. I'll offer (preaching to choir, I know) that many of us who study networks are perpetually vexed by the concept of homophily and why we end up connected with people like ourselves. (6/8)

I haven’t walked a mile in @nachristakis.bsky.social 's shoes, and live a different life, with surely different constraints, so I can't judge. As it looks now, this thread and these comments look pretty consistently like an online piling-on, and we know that can escalate pretty quickly. (5/8)

But yes, the devil is in the details, so going beyond generic acts to specifics: would I have sought meetings with that particular "philanthropist"? Unambiguously: no, that’s not a choice I, nor perhaps many of us, would have made.🤮 (4/8)

He's always (very) aggressively fundraised for his lab's research program, students, fellows, and staff. I benefitted from such support as an advisee, so would be a hypocrite to generically fault any scientist for seeking funding, as I (and many of us) do to support those we advise. (3/8)

I've known @nachristakis.bsky.social, a scientist and humanist, virtually my entire professional career in the context of being a strong educator, devoted spouse and parent. He’s always struck me as a kind, thoughtful, curious, and humane person. (2/8)

I feel like someone’s gotta say something, so I guess it’s going to be me. I’m 100% certain that I either know, have met, or have sought meetings with people who have done horrible things in their lives, too. How about y’all? Association is not causation, and it's not guilt — of anything. (1/8)

Texas A&M decided to publicly cancel my Ethics class, and share a false statement that I declined to provide information, which made it impossible for [them ] to request an exemption. See for yourself, if this statement is true.

They are getting creative!

write to Kevin Lewis @ UCSD about his syllabus (he’s not on here, sadly for us, but great for him)- he’s taught a course on this for years!

Trump threatened Indiana Republicans that if they didn't do what he wanted, he'd block all federal funds to their state but they ignored his threats and told him to pound sand.

Take notes, college presidents.

Also, ripping off early 90s Apple Garamond ad style isn’t very creative.

Representation in science and trust in scientists in the USA - Nature Human Behaviour Druckman et al. document gaps in trust in scientists in the USA. People from groups less represented among scientists (for example, women and those with lower economic status) are less trusting. Incre...

Paper out today in @nathumbehav.nature.com:

1) those groups (women, African Americans, lower SES, rural) that are underrepresented in science have been less trusting of science.

2) If you improve representation in science, you improve trust among those groups.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Opinion | I’m a Concert Pianist. This Is Why I Seek Imperfection.

“The realization that there is more to know about a particular subject should inspire excitement & curiosity; instead, for the performer or student who wants to seem invulnerable, it might inspire shame.” Beautiful anti-perfection meditation on art/ education/life. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/o...

I always try to talk up the great work of my colleague Jen Lundquist (not on bsky) who developed UMass’ Academic Freedom Crisis Toolkit, as a public resource, especially to help guide faculty who face online harassment, doxxing, weaponized FOIA… www.umass.edu/faculty-deve...

Also: it’s fairly common knowledge, and we already have documentation that the Genesis mission ended with not only the tragic death of Kirk’s son, but the need to reseat Spock‘s katra in his body after some fairly lengthy political and spiritual machinations. So, NOT A GREAT PLAN, White House.

Any university programming intended to address the massive faculty mental health crisis that does not include investments to remove organizational stressors is bullshit. Faculty are not weak, they’re underwater for structural reasons ffs.

Alex, what's the ref? (link sends to institution-gated login). Would love evidence-based nudges for our department curriculum folks to consider more robust integration of other-than-Stata! 🤑

This is such an important initiative from @wearehighered.bsky.social and a great way to stand together and support one another, higher ed. #academicsky @standhighered.bsky.social

Pursuing Health Equity in the United States | NEJM This video roundtable explores the distinction and relationship between diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and the pursuit of health equity, and the hurdles for improving health equity in...

My take on the backlash to DEI/health equity in the health sciences in @nejm.org roundtable: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

University of California: Reject the federal government's political control The federal government is trying to place the University of California under political control. Join with UC Unbowed before the Board of Regents meeting on November 18-20 and tell President James B. M...

Alumni & allies, the federal government is trying to place the U. of California under political control. Join with UC Unbowed before the Board of Regents meeting on 11/18-20: protect UC's independence & stand together with peer institutions. alumni.standforcampusfreedom.org/petitions/un...

Modernizing Academic Appointment & Advancement

Have you seen this CFP? www.ma3challenge.org

‘Their history is just erased’: Google drops a key program for boosting women in tech | CNN Business Google is offloading a key career resource program for supporting women in tech, another sign the search giant is unwinding its diversity programs following political pressure over diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

ASA member Donald Tomaskovic-Devey @dont-d.bsky.social (University of Massachusetts-Amherst) provides comment on Google's removal of its key career resource program for supporting women in tech.

👋🏻

Universities Are Standing Up to Trump

Courage is contagious, y'all. Keep it up. @standhighered.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/u...

What’s a College President to Do in the Trump Era? Not going on bended knee to Washington would be a good start.

“We must be steadfast in opposition to extortion under the guise of dealmaking, and we must create alliances rooted in a common devotion to freedom of inquiry…We have rejected tyranny before, and we can do it again.” — Wesleyan University President @msroth.bsky.social in @thebulwark.com #HigherEd

Thanks for your eloquence & clarity, @himself.bsky.social ! @standhighered.bsky.social is listening. Join us for a training to equip faculty/staff with practical tools to tell your stories and amplify the value of higher ed in public life. 10/29 @ 2p. Register: www.standtogetherhighered.org#reclaim

Do Feminist Scholars Still Have Academic Freedom? Personal Perspective: Gender matters for teaching about families, workplaces, and even children's literature, but when social science is censored, where does that leave students?

#academicsky @academicsky.org . Do Feminist Scholars Still Have Academic Freedom? | Psychology Today The answer is NO, not in America today....
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/gend...

Office of the President Dear Dartmouth community, As many of you know, Dartmouth was one of nine universities asked by the White House to give feedback by Oct. 20 on a draft of its “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” I am deeply committed to Dartmouth’s academic mission and values and will always defend our fierce independence. You have often heard me say that higher education is not perfect and that we can do better. At the same time, we will never compromise our academic freedom and our ability to govern ourselves. Best, Sian Leah Beilock President

It appears that my employer, Dartmouth, one of the Trump 9, has said no to the compact. All the better given that our president is cited within it. But she’s saying no. Count the small victories when they come.