Brenton DeBoef

YouTube video by TEDx Talks How science and theology can help advance truth | Brenton DeBoef | TEDxURI

My TEDx talk was originally titled"The holy grail of science communication," but since it was chosen as an Editor’s Pick, TED changed it. Either way, I'm humbled and grateful to get to share my experiences on the TED stage.

youtu.be/W14BrQX2UkM?...

We are looking for PhD candidates to work in Paris at @sorbonne-universite.fr on synthesis & (photo)catalysis inside cyclodextrins with bimetallic complexes in collaboration with @metallacycle.bsky.social

Trump’s cuts threaten key NSF undergrad research program For decades, Research Experience for Undergraduates has been a golden ticket for students, funding summer research projects at top institutions. Now, at least a dozen are canceled.

I’m seriously about to cry. The NSF REU program was the key to my entire career.

www.insidehighered.com/news/student...

I wrote a book. I go on about it a lot. It's called "Managing Your Mental Health During Your PhD: A Survival Guide". I promised myself it wouldn't just tell PhDs to "eat well" like that is a magic fix for poor supervision, uncertainty and/or research not going to plan, and I think I achieved that.

A dark, nearly black background with faint streaks of sunlight forming diagonal beams. In one of these beams, near the right side of the image, a minuscule, barely visible pale blue dot—Earth—stands out, appearing fragile and isolated against the vast emptiness of space. Taken on Feb. 14, 1990, by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft from 3.7 billion miles (6 billion kilometers) away, this iconic photograph underscores the profound vastness of the cosmos and Earth's tiny presence within it

35 years ago today, one of the most ICONIC and profound images was taken.

the pale blue dot.

list of banned keywords

🚨BREAKING. From a program officer at the National Science Foundation, a list of keywords that can cause a grant to be pulled. I will be sharing screenshots of these keywords along with a decision tree. Please share widely. This is a crisis for academic freedom & science.

I’m the PI for the GRFP award at my institution. We received a bulk payment from NSF for all of our fellows a few weeks ago—Before the freeze went into effect. I assume that’s true for other institutions.

I would totally give $25 to any reporter who asks the President about unobtanium deposits in Greenland. Please, just for my benefit.

An interesting podcast highlighting the intersectionality of academia and (poor) mental health.

The idea of building supportive and sustained programs for junior faculty, and others, is on the top my mind.

What are your universities doing in this space? I’d love to know!

#academicsky

Post the amazing science things you have done with federal funding.

CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately. The surprise decision is focused on the U.S.

Withdrawing US funding from the World Health Organization is a potential disaster for public health worldwide, due to the impact it will have on the important work the WHO does. Preventing the CDC from even *talking* with WHO personnel is a step much farther toward undermining global health & safety

Academic Skyers: I am compiling a list of policies and statements from various universities about how they are handling the "pause" in terms of stopping expenditures (or not).

Please respond to this post with your institution and materials.

THANK YOU!

PEPFAR is a one of the best things the USA has ever supported, giving life to millions. This is evil.

NSF says review panels scheduled for this week will be rescheduled to a future date. Unclear what that means for future panels.

I'm still following this story. If you were on a review panel that was canceled or can speak to how these cancelations impact research, reach out.

Contact info below ⬇️

That’s a cool transformation. Congrats.

Find and contact elected officials | USAGov Use USAGov’s Contact Your Elected Officials tool to get contact information for your members of Congress, the president, and state and local officials.

It is very easy to call your representatives’ offices. They have to log your calls and the call numbers are meaningful. You don’t even have to try to convince anyone; just call and tell them your concerns. They are there to represent you. Let them know what that means. www.usa.gov/elected-offi...

I was just thinking the same thing. And we thought the pandemic tried our mettle…

If you’re in the US and you’d like to know what projects and vital services federal grants currently fund in your state, you can search here: www.usaspending.gov

And you can find the contact information for your elected representatives here: www.usa.gov/elected-offi...

They need to hear from you.

Words to live by

Rhode Islanders - it’s time to mobilize.

The FDA has scrubbed from its website guidance on conducting medical trials with representative numbers of men/women and racial/ethnic minorities. these aren't symbolic issues. Drugs affect men/men, people with different genetic backgrounds differently. talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/medic...

Some chemists fear delays in NIH funding Meeting cancellations at US health agency force pause in grant reviews

Funding can make or break a lab, so there's a lot of concern over recent cancellation of NIH study sections and other meetings. Some folks I spoke to are also worried about changes that could be coming to NIH funding process.

cen.acs.org/policy/resea...

#ChemSky @cenmag.bsky.social

Good God

Trump's NIH Freeze Puts Scientific Research at Risk America’s best scientific minds are scrambling to determine the impact of the disruption.

Excellent perspective by @lisamjarvis.bsky.social @bloomberg.com on the deep freeze at NIH

Willing to comment for a trusted outlet on the current NIH mess on the record? DM me, please.

Please RT

#chemsky 🧪⚗️

The Bishop Who Pleaded With Trump: ‘Was Anyone Going to Say Anything?’ Bishop Budde locked eyes with President Trump and made a plea for mercy — and the war over spiritual authority in America was ignited anew.

To all my Christian brothers and sisters…

She is Jeremiah
She is Esther
She is Bonhoeffer

Speaking truth to power is not popular, but it is righteousness. Both history and God will judge Trump and Bonne. How do you think that will turn out?

Isaiah 1:17, Micah 6:8

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/u...

#Chemsky looking for researchers affected by the NIH freeze. Hoping to get folks from all career levels.

DM or email (k_vasquez@acs.org). I also have Signal (DM for info). We can talk about keeping you anonymous if your worried.

NIH In Your State - United For Medical Research Select a state on the map to see the impact of NIH funding across America.

This map shows how much NIH funding goes to your state. I used the info on my state when I called officials to ask them to push back against the freeze. And if I can do it when my senators are Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville...well, I mean...

www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...

That’s a really cool transformation!

Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring Researchers facing

Oh my God. This is bad..really bad.

Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...