Dr. Sarah Gaither

So so exciting!!!

Couldn’t be happier for Mercedes Muñoz! She has such a big heart and a brilliant mind, and seeing her land this faculty position feels like watching someone step right into where they’re meant to be. I feel so honored to have been a part of her journey!

Not too bad at all!!

With less than one week of classes left, I’ve officially reached the high point of the term (and the fact that I am temporarily in an 8th floor office with this view of Duke has nothing to do with it!). At this altitude, everything I stressed about looks way smaller. It’s all about perspective.

a raccoon is smiling and laughing with its hands folded in prayer . ALT: a raccoon is smiling and laughing with its hands folded in prayer .

Letter-of-rec writing season: DONE! 🎉
Now accepting good vibes only as I hope there isn’t a surprise request crouching in my inbox like a mischievous raccoon.

This paper was led by my former student Brenda Straka who is now faculty at UIUC! Check out our newest work! ⬇️⬇️

Thankful for each and every single one of you in my lab!!

That’s exactly right!

💩

Leftover pasta really is the best!! (The only positive part of this post ha ha)

Ya pros and cons always…I like being my own boss and owning my schedule a lot. BUT more money would be nice too!

Ohhh! Ha ha I thought you were implying me in that comment lol but yes!! It is all just silly!!!

Not sure I see what you mean here? What I meant was these ratings are just silly and we should just read the letter content we all put effort to write

a man with a mustache says but why in yellow letters ALT: a man with a mustache says but why in yellow letters

It’s letter-of-recommendation season again, when universities ask me to rate a 21 year old student’s ability to “see the big picture of life” while I eat leftover pasta in a Tupperware…

But sounds like you are doing great!!! Eat some tortellini en brodo for me (my daughter's fav when we were there)

Yes!! I was in Italy for two months last fall and gesture is everywhere! Another great example of cultural differences in communication!

It isn’t that you don’t match, it is to highlight the fact that we all talk and communicate differently and that a lot of those differences may be culturally specific or norms we learned from others

Yes! There are so many culturally-specific gestures!

Yes! The moment I saw that in the lit review I knew this was a strongly engrained cultural difference!! #cultureiscool

Talking with Our Hands: Duke Study Reveals How Culture Shapes Our Gestures You are having dinner with friends, and the conversation is lively. Do your hands join the chat, or do they stay focused on your knife and fork?

Do your hands talk when you do? 🗣️✋

Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.

trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...

So happy for my lab!!! See you in Chicago!

“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” —John Lewis #electionday #govote

Thank you!!!

So incredibly honored to be named a @spspnews.bsky.social Fellow this year!! Hooray for science!! 🎉🥳

spsp.org/news/spsp-ne...

No tricks here, just the best lab!!

Data manipulation within the US Federal Government A US Department of Veterans Affairs dataset compiling veteran health-care use in 2021 was quietly amended on March 5, 2025. A column titled gender was renamed sex, and the words were also switched in ...

"Data manipulation by the US Gov...makes crucial datasets untrustworthy and unusable. If the US Government secretly changes datasets for political reasons, researchers relying on the data might erroneously recommend ineffective or counterproductive interventions."
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a desk holding a piece of paper ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a desk holding a piece of paper

Best academic related phone autocorrect I had this morning: instead of “prep” it corrected to oreo. Yes, we all need more oreos!!

Remind kids that there's more to life than simply being someone's child This practice of introducing kids to their various roles also broadens their horizon.

Check out some coverage of one of my past papers highlighting multiple identities and flexible thinking in kids! @dukeidlab.bsky.social is running some follow up studies now for anyone with 8-10 year olds out there, the study is on zoom! Let me know! #psychology
iol.co.za/lifestyle/fa...

Impossible to advise on!!!!