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Ali Cohen

@aliocohen.bsky.social

asst prof at Emory University studying how motivation & emotion influence learning, memory, & brain function across development https://thelumenlab.org/

1,207 Followers  |  423 Following  |  36 Posts  |  Joined: 18.09.2023  |  2.0201

Latest posts by aliocohen.bsky.social on Bluesky

There are approximately 1000 research groups on the #NIH campuses, including Steve Rosenberg's research group, which develops groundbreaking T-cell therapies for cancer.

Effectively all of those groups were suddenly prohibited from buying any (!) supplies last year.

That is on the leadership.

03.02.2026 22:45 β€” πŸ‘ 99    πŸ” 57    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.

www.nature.com/immersive/d4...

20.01.2026 22:53 β€” πŸ‘ 14463    πŸ” 8335    πŸ’¬ 91    πŸ“Œ 767
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Check out our Spring 2026 lineup!

13.01.2026 21:11 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
ELM Lab @ UNH

A few days left to apply to join my lab as a PhD student! We study how people explore, how new ideas form, and how thinking develops. Learn more at liquinlab.github.io. Application review begins 1/15.
#PsychSciSky #CogPsyc #CogSci #DevPsyc

12.01.2026 21:48 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Hey @aaas.org I am a member and Fellow and am appalled by that statement. The devastating impact on trainees and their fellowships, the anxiety all have felt, and the devastating cuts in some fields are just some examples. Perhaps you all could respond directly??

10.01.2026 14:45 β€” πŸ‘ 44    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

Fresh off the press from all-star post-doc Blake Elliott: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

We show that the HPC supports coincidence detection across VTA and lPFC in service of novelty-evoked invigoration. Stay-tuned for how these circuits are altered in psychosis risk.

07.01.2026 02:00 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Subjective functions Where do objective functions come from? How do we select what goals to pursue? Human intelligence is adept at synthesizing new objective functions on the fly. How does this work, and can we endow arti...

Goal selection through the lens of subjective functions:
arxiv.org/abs/2512.15948
I welcome any feedback on these preliminary ideas.

19.12.2025 03:15 β€” πŸ‘ 65    πŸ” 27    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1

AS A PROFESSOR, I AM ASKING

HOW ARE OUR STUDENTS SUPPOSED TO LEARN IN THESE CONDITIONS?

HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO TO SCHOOL AND TAKE EXAMS KNOWING SOMEONE MIGHT JUST SHOW UP WITH AN EASY TO ACQUIRE AUTOMATIC WEAPON?

HOW??????????

13.12.2025 23:23 β€” πŸ‘ 2216    πŸ” 622    πŸ’¬ 19    πŸ“Œ 18
Video thumbnail

Welcome to the first (happy) faces of #Emory2030 and thanks for giving us our favorite video of the year πŸ’™ πŸ’›

Meet the Class of 3030 (so far) ➑️ https://bit.ly/48wlyxQ

11.12.2025 21:58 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Interactive Cognition Lab | USC Interactive Cognition Lab at USC, led by principal investigator, Dr. Nina Rouhani.

I will be recruiting 🌟PhD students🌟 for my newish lab! If you're interested in learning & memory mechanisms applied to individual, interactive & collective behavior using computational modeling, real-world experiments and fMRI, email me! RTs much appreciated πŸ™ rouhanilab.com

24.10.2025 16:57 β€” πŸ‘ 92    πŸ” 79    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2
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Guest Essay: Unity is the only way out of Trump’s β€˜compact’ - Washington Square News Grace Lindsay is an Assistant Professor of Psychology & Data Science at New York University. Nine universities received an Oct. 1 letter from the Trump administration with an offer: If you agree to a ...

I wrote an op-ed for the Washington Square News about the government's attempt to extort universities. nyunews.com/opinion/gues...

23.10.2025 02:27 β€” πŸ‘ 45    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio

We are hiring at Emory Psychology in Developmental!

Come join a wonderful department in a great city β˜€οΈ

apply.interfolio.com/173594

07.10.2025 18:50 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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My new op-ed with @lkfazio.bsky.social:

Trump sent a 'compact' to our universities. They should reject this devil's bargain.
Any institution that yields to these broad and intrusive demands would forever be subservient to the whims of the government.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

06.10.2025 23:48 β€” πŸ‘ 648    πŸ” 210    πŸ’¬ 11    πŸ“Œ 10
Dartmouth’s president declines trumps compact.

Dartmouth’s president declines trumps compact.

Dartmouth says no.

04.10.2025 01:07 β€” πŸ‘ 57    πŸ” 20    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2

Indeed! What a gift to spend a week in such a delightfully collaborative and thoughtful community ☺️ πŸ™

04.09.2025 21:27 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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#Neuro4Pros 4ever πŸ§ πŸ€“
Grateful for a week of learning from & being in community with fellow early career profs & amazing facilitators @gunnarblohm.bsky.social @kordinglab.bsky.social @meganakpeters.bsky.social @yaelniv.bsky.social @patrickmineault.bsky.social Hannah Bayer

πŸ“Έ: @mohebial.bsky.social

01.09.2025 22:02 β€” πŸ‘ 21    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Run don’t walk to the #Neuro4Pros summer school if it happens again and you’re an early career prof

Thanks again for the absolute best time ⭐️ @gunnarblohm.bsky.social @kordinglab.bsky.social @yaelniv.bsky.social @meganakpeters.bsky.social @patrickmineault.bsky.social, and Hannah Bayer

30.08.2025 12:37 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
rainbow rubber duckies all in a line

rainbow rubber duckies all in a line

🐀Promise you this is one you'll want to say you were a part of...

Help us get our 'ducks in a row' and IMPEACH AND REMOVE THAT DANG QUACK!!!! πŸ“£πŸ¦†πŸ“£πŸ¦†πŸ“£πŸ¦†πŸ“£πŸ¦†

Link here: tinyurl.com/sufsci

21.08.2025 18:00 β€” πŸ‘ 124    πŸ” 49    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 8

It is impossible to explain to civilians how it feels to finally, FINALLY, land a clearly within-payline NIH grant score and then have it go unfunded because of all this regime bullshit.

You all have my sympathies. Unfair doesn’t even begin to describe it.

18.08.2025 04:14 β€” πŸ‘ 805    πŸ” 139    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 9
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Rally: Sound Science Saves Lives Β· Mobilize Science and public research are under attack in this country. Indiscriminate cuts to federal research agencies and political interference are causing research studies to be paused, programs halted, an...

Sound Science Saves Lives. Following the attack on our neighbors at the CDC and the lockdown here at Emory, this message feels more important than ever.

Will you join the GA scientific community @ossoff.senate.gov @warnock.senate.gov @repnikema.bsky.social

www.mobilize.us/mobilize/eve...

11.08.2025 21:50 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I have an incentive for rich people like you @mcuban.bsky.social

Federally funded R&D has fueled the innovation that drives American prosperity. Scores of billionaires owe their fortunes to advancements made in labs across the nation.

An investment in @standupforscience.bsky.social to help save…

10.08.2025 21:52 β€” πŸ‘ 213    πŸ” 29    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 2

There is nothing normal about this. We refuse to allow this to be the norm.

We will not stick our heads in the sand because it’s comfortable.

Today we need to rest and recover, but we will never stop fighting for what is right.

09.08.2025 15:10 β€” πŸ‘ 441    πŸ” 38    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I've been trying to really gently move folks I know into understanding that we will not be going back to Beforeβ„’. The amount of fundamental damage that has been done to our institutions can't simply be spackled up and painted overβ€”the cracks are in the foundation and must be repaired.

04.08.2025 18:15 β€” πŸ‘ 539    πŸ” 120    πŸ’¬ 14    πŸ“Œ 7
OSF

πŸ“£ New preprint from the SCIMaP team!

Across three studies, we show that communicating the economic impact of NIH funding cutsβ€”especially with interactive quizzes and mapsβ€”decreases approval and motivates action to oppose the cuts, across the political spectrum. 🧡 1/8
osf.io/preprints/ps...

04.08.2025 21:52 β€” πŸ‘ 124    πŸ” 65    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 9
A bold, patriotic-themed flyer for β€œ31 Days of Action” by Stand Up for Science. The top half features red diagonal banners with white text reading β€œ31 Days of Action” and the Stand Up for Science logo beneath it. The background includes blue ink splatters, red and white stars, and distressed textures evoking protest art. The right side prominently displays the Statue of Liberty in grayscale, holding her torch high. At the bottom, there is a red QR code and a blue banner with the URL: β€œstandupforscience.net/31-DAYS-OF-ACTION”. The overall design conveys urgency, activism, and American iconography.

A bold, patriotic-themed flyer for β€œ31 Days of Action” by Stand Up for Science. The top half features red diagonal banners with white text reading β€œ31 Days of Action” and the Stand Up for Science logo beneath it. The background includes blue ink splatters, red and white stars, and distressed textures evoking protest art. The right side prominently displays the Statue of Liberty in grayscale, holding her torch high. At the bottom, there is a red QR code and a blue banner with the URL: β€œstandupforscience.net/31-DAYS-OF-ACTION”. The overall design conveys urgency, activism, and American iconography.

πŸ“£ ANNOUNCEMENT: 31 Days of Action – All August!

Funding cuts. Banned words. Fired public servants.

Trump & his cronies are dismantling America’s greatest experiment - our democracy - & with it, science.

Between now & Sept 30th we decide: Are we a democracy… or an oligarchy?

(1/4)

01.08.2025 16:44 β€” πŸ‘ 185    πŸ” 118    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 9
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Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.

WSJ story about OMB blocking NIH spending and grant making

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

1/n

30.07.2025 02:06 β€” πŸ‘ 71    πŸ” 38    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 4

Nobody wants this.

23.07.2025 23:59 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

That’s my best friend!! 10s across the boardπŸ‘πŸ‘

16.07.2025 00:38 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Scientists unravel how a tiny region of the brain helps us form distinct memories, opening new avenues for PTSD, Alzheimer’s research The locus coeruleus works like a β€œreset” button that separates the memory of one meaningful event from the next.

New press on our study linking the locus coeruleus to memory formation πŸ”΅: newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/bra... .

β€œβ€¦at a time when legislation promises β€˜big and beautiful change,’ it turns out one of the brain’s smallest players may have the biggest impact on how we understand and remember our lives.”

16.07.2025 00:36 β€” πŸ‘ 33    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1

@aliocohen is following 20 prominent accounts