Raquel Fleskes, PhD

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025!

Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide!

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

The videos are embedded in the paper itself, and can also be found on our project website www.asabgproject.com

I hope that this work inspires others to think about creative ways to do translational research in science! The film can also be used to train and teach others about aDNA.

"Immersive Videography of Ancient DNA Extraction for Community Engagement and Educational Initiatives by the Anson Street African Burial Ground Project" is out in @bioanth.org where we use a GoPro to film aDNA extraction for community engagement!
doi-org.dartmouth.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/ajpa...

Revised and Extended: What's Happening Inside the NIH and NSF

www.science.org/content/blog...

New Democratic bill targets Elon Musk Rep. Mark Pocan's ELON MUSK Act takes aim at the billionaire's federal contracts.

"Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) on Wednesday rolled out the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy (ELON MUSK) Act, which would ban 'special' government employees like Musk from having federal contracts."

This is what revisionist history looks like, in real time. And this also is why it might appear that archaeologists and historians have to dig deep to discover the existence of powerful women and marginalized groups -- because their legacies are so often erased.

'It’s tectonic:’ U.S. foreign aid freeze deals a blow to research around the globe Dismantling of USAID could disrupt many clinical trials and wipe away U.S. “soft power” in developing countries, scientists warn

“USAID-backed studies have been shuttered, data streams have dried up, researchers and technical staff have been fired or put on leave, a system to predict food crises has been muzzled, and a USAID-supported global health journal has stopped reviewing manuscripts.”

From our @science.org news team 🧪

My partner is a USAID funded postdoc and was flown home early from fieldwork in Liberia last week. On Thursday he was told to stop working completely. We don't know how long this will last.

USAID website straight up does not work anymore

It's all gone. They've taken down all the CDC datasets from data.cdc.gov

Data that's critical for public health & research. Data paid for by citizens. That the government now censors.

"Do not fear those who tell the truth. Fear those who try to hide it. They are willing to sacrifice other things."

Some additional #NSF thoughts. As always, these thoughts are mine alone. But here goes, It seems the damage this situation has already caused to the research enterprise in the US may be catastrophic (and irreparable?).

Good luck to all of us who work in the social sciences -

It’s official: all funding requests made on Tuesday by postdocs for their salaries have been unilaterally rejected by NSF.

I knew I wanted to have a child, but I felt that I needed to wait until I was in a secure job to make the transition. I felt an academic career was too precarious to start a family. I had these conversations in the first weeks of starting a PhD, and I'm sure many others have done the same

If you have students who are trans no you don’t. If you have students of color who may be affected by ICE no you don’t. If anyone asks you gender or racial the makeup of your class you don’t have to tell them.

Protect your class and protect your students by not complying in advance. They trust you.

To expand on this, right now ~200 postdoc fellows directly funded by NSF are locked out of their salary &research funds right before the first of the month. No doubt other NSF funded grads &postdocs are affected as well. All requests for funds put in before the freeze are slowly being cancelled

NSF grantees - people who have already received their grants based on a previously funded and approved research proposal - are being told to stop any activities related to DEI and accessibility.
Call this what it is: government censorship of ongoing research projects.
www.opm.gov/policy-data-...

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...

Just a reminder that Target said "no DEI at Target".
So I said "no purchases at Target".
That was easy.

Dartmouth College:

Do you know why a president would do all the most evil and heinous shit via Executive Order? Because his party can't easily make it law. And if they can't make it law, they can't make it last.

Don't let anyone make you feel like this is The End. Do not let them demoralize you. Live to see them die.

Latest from the NSF. All funding is frozen, following NIJ. In addition, my partner is a USAID funded postdoc who is currently being flown back from Liberia early with instructions to hault all research. The consequences of this cannot be understated

If you have been affected by the fires in LA, or are concerned about your ability to keep precious Drosophila strains going during the latest funding crisis, we will host your strains as a backup. Please email me.

Please amplify. If you are also able to host fly strains, add your name as well.

*TRUMP'S FREEZE ON GRANT FUNDING TEMPORARILY HALTED BY JUDGE

per @zoetillman.bsky.social

Glad to be done with X. Especially on a day like today when speaking out against the actions of the current administration are so important.

Why is sharing information to allow people to contact their representatives at their congressional office considered sensitive information??? enough to delete an account???

I will add that my first academic account on X was deactivated after I created a resource sheet that contained the office phone numbers for legislatures on committees to evaluate the African American Graves Protection Act

Coming back from maternity leave to realize that X is beyond saving. Happy to make the transition to BlueSky! Should have done it a long time ago, but better late than never.