Brian O'Meara

Not clear that data help in these sort of discussions, but why not make it as easy as possible to gather the resources to make a case (and maybe find ways to check data provided by others)

Line plot of Biology degrees over time at U Nebraska, Lincoln. It shows both first major and second major

Table of info on enrollment, revenue, and number of library books at U. Nebraska, Lincoln over the last few years.

Still very much a beta, but I made an #rstats package to help faculty and others more easily get data to engage in discussions on closing departments, etc. It's at bomeara.github.io/sharedgovern...

Issues, pull requests, etc. gladly accepted. Uses IPEDS and college scorecard data.

“The Daily Nebraskan found in the leaked spreadsheet that every program eliminated appeared to be profitable…every program that the chancellor proposed eliminating generated more money from tuition dollars than the department costs to run”

Macro photo of a large, leggy, shiny orange ant in oblique face/side view with its head partway into a small white flower, in a field of dozens of similar flowers. The ant's head has a light dusting of white pollen.

A Formica incerta field ant worker drinks nectar from a Queen Anne's Lace. Tennessee.

Question from a student for @sse-evolution.bsky.social -- is there support for committee members to go to Evolution (registration covered, etc.)? I know the society has been great about making leadership more feasible for folks, just not sure what current options are.

BREAKING: ‘This hurts’: UNL eliminates 4 programs despite faculty, student pleas The University of Nebraska-Lincoln eliminates the Earth and atmospheric sciences 8-0, educational administration 7-1, statistics 7-1, textiles, merchandising and fashion design 7-1 programs.

It's over.

Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.

www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...

A black crowned night heron standing in the grass with its bill wide open.

Somebody is excited for fish

three students sit around and look at post-it notes

five students hang out in an exhibit about bats. they are excited about bats. bats!

a bunch of trainees in front of the washington monument

students pointing at a whiteboard and laughing

I'm devastated by what the field has lost in terms of pandemic prevention research and infrastructure, but even more for the (to date, 60+) PhD students and postdocs on the project, many of whom face an immediate funding cliff at the end of the year. NSF had the funds for them and just didn't pay /3

Hi everyone, I wanted to share some sad news about the future of the Verena program. As you know, in September, NSF delayed our annual payment indefinitely, and asked us to keep spending closer and closer to zero until they could “justify” another payment. We began to run out of funds at some universities this month, and will be fully spent out by late spring, so the goal was to get paid in December. We’ve been working with our program officer to make this happen, but sadly, we’ve learned we’re not getting an increment again, and there’s no clarity on when or how much we will be paid in the remainder of the grant (through September 1, 2027). Because of this, the Executive Committee has made the difficult decision to essentially shut the BII down until / unless something changes. What that means is an indefinite end to all programs (e.g., seminar), training activities (integration workshops, trainee corner), and evaluation. On research, what’s able to continue will have to be navigated by each investigator; our goal is to work together to push out all the impactful science we’ve spent three years collecting and analyzing data for, but we also know that priorities may shift around to keep people employed. If we’re lucky, Congress will pass a budget that lets us continue doing something like what we planned, and we’ll pick that back up when Zoe and Collin are back in April. Until then, Verena will continue to exist as a community where we can collaborate (and give and receive support!), and we’re working to find funding sources that can pick up from where the BII left off. On a personal note: it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to work with all of you, and an unbelievably lucky thing to get to run an NSF center in my 20s. I’ve loved this project, and I hope it’s made as much of a difference in your lives as it has in mine. In case I don’t see you later: happy holidays, be well, and so long and thanks for all the viruses. Best, Colin

Yesterday, we sent this message to the @viralemergence.org team, bringing a (hopefully temporary) end to our project three years into what started as a decade of planned work. /1

It’s great they’re being this transparent about what they can and can’t do. It’s odd they don’t allow refunds now given changing conditions: “Refunds will not be issued for cancelled registrations after 17 November 2025.” Maybe this will be adjusted.

www.agu.org/annual-meeti...

%notin% coming soon to an #rstats environment near you 🤩

developer.r-project.org/blosxom.cgi/...

An array of pin badges. Rockets, test tubes, dna, safety symbols. They are in the colours of the Pride flags.

It’s small business Saturday.
Buy quirky, different, unusual and unique.
My little offering dozens of pride themes science and Sci Fi pins.
proudscience.etsy.com

Also, what should I make in 2026?!

Not sure our paper rocks as much as Katharina’s cover illustration, but we’re very delighted it was picked as ‘Editor’s Choice’ on @evolletters.bsky.social!

New Orleans updates | AGU25 AGU is committed to a safe and welcoming Annual Meeting for everyone.

Information and traveler recommendations from @agu.org for #AGU25 regarding US "Federal presence in New Orleans": www.agu.org/agu25-neworl...

Check out our review/perspective piece on phylogenetic diversification analysis, intended for the 75th anniversary of
@systbiol.bsky.social. I had the privilege of working with great coauthors, @fhenaodiaz.bsky.social, @tvasconcelos.bsky.social and @roszenil.bsky.social!
doi.org/10.1093/sysb...

Congratulations to UMMP Associate Research Scientist Miriam Zelditch on the release of the third edition of the indispensable "Geometric Morphometrics for Biologists" (a.k.a. the green book)! #FossilFriday

Google AI search tells users to glue pizza and eat rocks Google has defended the answers given by AI Overview, describing them as "isolated examples".

I mean there is evidence for *some* creativity from amalgamations. Like glue on pizza. 😉

www.bbc.com/news/article...

The UC Davis Ecology and Evolution in Working Landscapes REU provides undergrads with research experience in ecology and evolution in natural and managed landscapes. Apply now through Feb 15 via etap.nsf.gov

Contact me or @clhom.bsky.social for questions!

Latest preprint with @hairyllama.bsky.social and @evol-molly.bsky.social This is a program that helps calculate several phylogenetic support measures.

I might be driving a kid back from college so I’m not sure I can make it, either. But hopefully colleagues will share, and any big news will be reported

SMBE2026 Symposium 7 | From trees to graphs: methodological advances and innovative applications of graphs in evolutionary analysis

SMBE2026 Symposium 7 | From trees to graphs: methodological advances and innovative applications of graphs in evolutionary analysis

📨 Abstract submission
smbe2026.org/abstracts

📋 Programme details
smbe2026.org/programme

#SMBE2026

I'm curious about info to be released at the NSF BIO's Dec 18 office hour where "we’ll be joined by leadership to outline updates to NSF’s review process." I'm finishing up another proposal now, and knowing how to tune it for the changed? review process could be useful.

www.nsf.gov/events/nsf-b...

Old way: “You should sequence more genes. Your phylogeny is very poorly resolved”

New: “I see you met Paint Water”

[alt: a child’s drawing of a green cone with many limbs with variable numbers of digits, looking like polytomies, with a blue head and the name Paint Water]

Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program | REU | The Morton Arboretum Learn more about Center for Tree Science research experiences for undergraduates at The Morton Arboretum.

Are you an #undergrad interested in #phenology, #trees, #herbarium & #livingCollections? Join our @mortonarboretum.bsky.social Herbarium / Systematics Lab as a summer NSF REU participant for a great project with my staff & me!

Apply today: mortonarb.org/science/oppo...

Message w/ Qs, & pls share!

Example rayshader output. A 3d map slice showing Monterey, California, and the area around it with height and depth. Land is in shades of green, ocean in blue, with rendered shadows.

I still like @tylermw.com’s www.rayshader.com. Haven’t found a great use case in my work yet (curse you, pdf format that doesn’t allow animated gifs), and there are arguments against 3d, but on the other hand, beauty is a feature. #rstats

Great question!

1) First and foremost, we evaluate a candidate based on the departmental guidelines and expectations provided. We don't hold the candidate to arbitrary standards, or even to those of our own institution unless asked to do so. We assess the materials against the guidelines provided.

Gonna wallow for a second: I'll share more info tomorrow, but over the last couple weeks, we've finally put our NSF center on ice as we continue to just not get paid and run out of money. I'm just so sad and angry about it. No real "but" at the end of this

Man there's something about being asked for $3500 to publish an article in a journal you've been serving as a volunteer editor at for six years that's just...really special.

Thanks for the kind words!