Hilding Neilson

“universities must stop treating Indigenous Knowledge as supplementary to ‘real knowledge’—this perpetuates white supremacy in science.”

Super pleased to share a new article that I helped co-author, alongside some amazing Indigenous colleagues, out today in Nature!

Canada urges Palestine to reject terrorism, instead focus on selling weapons to other countries, or allow mining companies to wreak havoc on other nations

Here are my thoughts about the impact of closure of Office of Public Engagement in Memorial's St. John's campus

We lose so much without this office's programs and staff

1/ #NewfoundlandAndLabrador #PublicEngagement #BudgetCuts

www.saltwire.com/newfoundland...

First Nations leaders say Carney's C-5 summit sparks more concerns, questions | CBC News First Nations leaders from across the country are meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney and officials in Gatineau, Que., this week on Bill C-5.

"They want to do billion dollar projects sidestepping all types of regulations and they can't even get a two day event done properly" - Grand Chief Cody Diabo

Canada needs to step up and enact TRUE nation-to-nation relationships, ones that acknowledge FNIM sovereignty.

www.cbc.ca/news/indigen...

Honestly, this is one of the most important things we’ve ever written.

Please take a moment to read and share.

I gave a talk on Indigenizing the Drake equation that was kindly received. I am grateful to the organizers, Elders and knowledge keepers for such a good conference.

Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age An international symposium to be held at the University of Melbourne (Australia) from 7-11 July 2025, sponsored by the International Astronnmical Union (IAU) and the Interntional Society for Archaeoas...

On my way home after a productive and interesting conference IAUS399 “Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age” www.archaeoastronomy.org/iaus399. Lots of good discussion about Archaeoastronomy, ethnoastronomy, decolonizing astronomy and more.

Thank you Sam for your kind words.

Over 2,000 senior staff set to leave NASA under agency push The losses could endanger the administration’s plans for landing astronauts on the moon and Mars.

ALL CAPS

THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...

GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪

www.politico.com/news/2025/07...

Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age An international symposium to be held at the University of Melbourne (Australia) from 7-11 July 2025, sponsored by the International Astronnmical Union (IAU) and the Interntional Society for Archaeoas...

Very excited to be travelling to Australia to participate in the IAU Symposium “Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age” www.archaeoastronomy.org/iaus399. This should be an amazing learning experience

One bright spot in a week of shit. May the Schwartz be with you.

It’s scary to think we might return to a time where we have to worry about growing holes in the ozone layer.

Why space exploration must not be left to a few powerful nations Indigenous people and others need a say in space-industry decisions. Here’s how that can happen.

I’m so proud to be a part of this new publication in Nature www.nature.com/articles/d41... where we discuss the need to be more inclusive of Indigenous communities and support underrepresented nations in the human future in space

Image of the solar disk with sunspots visible. One sunspot near the center and a patch of sunspots near the limb at the right.

The telescope observing the Sun in front of the tower and the Core Science Facility in the background.

The telescope with the Memorial University clock tower in the background.

A beautiful day in St. John’s to observe the Sun at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador to celebrate the end of term.

Today is my first talk at Université de Moncton despite the rain and snow

Inside arXiv—the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science Modern science wouldn’t exist without the online research repository known as arXiv. Three decades in, its creator still can’t let it go.

I first used the arXiv as a teen in East L.A., well before I had access to an academic library.

It is an extraordinary contribution to science.

www.wired.com/story/inside...

How many youth/students/learners are going to be left behind because of these cuts this year and next year and next year and so on?

I wish I could understand why this is the goal of NL governments but MUN is important for the province. The first time I understood that I could even have the potential to succeed at university was when a MUN prof hosted a math Olympiad at my home town.

The NL provincial government cuts have only contributed to the enshittification of MUN. Even in the three years I’ve been here I seen student opportunities and supports disappear while tuition and fees grow.

There were opportunities to be a teaching assistant in my 3rd year. There were opportunities to learn and grow everywhere at that university. That might not be the possible experience at that university now but it is definitely not possible @memorialu.bsky.social.

At that other school I had opportunities for research internships EVERY summer I was there, all but one paid by faculty research grants. There were visits most weeks from scientists from around the world.

Thanks to student loans back then I went to a university with, at the time, some of the highest tuition rates after spending 1 year at the Corner Brook campus.

I’ve been reflecting about this a lot recently. More so, if I were 18 again would I even be able to go to university? My family had financial troubles and I almost didn’t get to go to university then. Now I’m pretty sure i wouldn’t be able to except for maybe @memorialu.bsky.social but why would i?

I’ll be giving talks on Astronomy/Outer Space and Colonialism; SETI and pulsating variable stars

Poster with picture of me noting the SPARK Lecture Tour award.

Poster listing the locations and dates for talks March 31 at Université de Moncton, April 1 at Mount Allison University, April 2 at St. Francis Xavier University and the University of P.E.I. and April 3 at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton.

Next week I’m doing the CISE-SPARK lecture tour across the Maritimes. ciseatlantic.ca/initiatives/.... I am grateful for the support from the Atlantic Chairs for Inclusion in Science and Engineering @cise-atlantic.bsky.social for this opportunity.

The solar disk imaged using a Unistellar EVScope with some small sunspots.

The solar disk imaged using a DWARFLAB 3 scope with some small sunspots.

The solar disk imaged using a Unistellar EVScope with some small sunspots.

When the weather’s nice you gotta look for sunspots. The pink sun is taken using the DWARFLAB 3 scope and the other two using the Unistellar evscope. #astronomy #wxnl #solar

Space and the night sky is in danger from rampant growth of an under regulated space industry. I am honored to be part of the conversation in this weeks Nature.

Swarms of satellites are harming astronomy. Here’s how researchers are fighting back SpaceX and other companies plan to launch tens of thousands of satellites, which could mar astronomical observations and pollute the atmosphere.

Space sustainability in today's @nature.com:

🛰️ How satellite constellations & #astronomy can learn to get along www.nature.com/articles/d41...

🛰️ Next steps for dark and quiet skies www.nature.com/articles/d41...

🙃 Stop Dropping Space Debris On Our Heads www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Image of the Sun’ disk with sunspots.

Solar observing (briefly) in -10 degrees C in St. John’s #astronomy #AstronomyOnTheRock #nlwx