Marie van Staveren
@chemdrv.bsky.social
They/them. Chemistry teaching faculty at UMBC. LongCOVID. Programming, equity, and non-traditional paths in chemistry education. Centering humans and hope. Opinions very much my own.
Liz Neeley's newsletter this week. A reminder to make sure you're doing at least one thing this week, as well as useful info for advisors facing trainee funding shenanigans.
Each Friday night, I write about what happened in US science & higher ed. 🧪
Year 2, Week 6: Feb 6
- civil servants face Schedule F
- NSF disappoints on pre & postdoc research fellowships
- Oklahoma ends tenure
- Dept of Ed Civil Rights Office fails
& much more - buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Year 2, Week 6: Feb 6
- civil servants face Schedule F
- NSF disappoints on pre & postdoc research fellowships
- Oklahoma ends tenure
- Dept of Ed Civil Rights Office fails
& much more - buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Year 2, Week 6
Jan 31-Feb 6, 2026 - bureaucromancy
buttondown.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Liz Neeley's newsletter this week. A reminder to make sure you're doing at least one thing this week, as well as useful info for advisors facing trainee funding shenanigans.
Omg Johnny Weir, your outfits are amazing
February 7, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Omg Johnny Weir, your outfits are amazing
Shout out to Baltimore DPW. We absolutely lack the infrastructure for the snow and ice we have, but each day my commute has gotten easier as the folks with the bobcats clear lanes and clean up bus stops.
February 6, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Shout out to Baltimore DPW. We absolutely lack the infrastructure for the snow and ice we have, but each day my commute has gotten easier as the folks with the bobcats clear lanes and clean up bus stops.
A practice I'm added that I want to share: each morning over breakfast I read an entire news article from a national paper and an entire article from a local.
I still learn things from socials, I still have opinions on the media. But I read something big and something local each day.
I still learn things from socials, I still have opinions on the media. But I read something big and something local each day.
February 6, 2026 at 1:45 PM
A practice I'm added that I want to share: each morning over breakfast I read an entire news article from a national paper and an entire article from a local.
I still learn things from socials, I still have opinions on the media. But I read something big and something local each day.
I still learn things from socials, I still have opinions on the media. But I read something big and something local each day.
There are 73 different places on every single program for me to click on the AI assist...please tell me we'll decide one or two places that should go, and after a while most of them will disappear.
February 5, 2026 at 2:32 PM
There are 73 different places on every single program for me to click on the AI assist...please tell me we'll decide one or two places that should go, and after a while most of them will disappear.
Also my students are so much more adaptable than many of my colleagues, and some weeks that difference is glaring.
February 5, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Also my students are so much more adaptable than many of my colleagues, and some weeks that difference is glaring.
My class yesterday worked together to do some awesome model fitting. 7/7 students knew some cool programming things by the end of the day.
February 5, 2026 at 1:14 PM
My class yesterday worked together to do some awesome model fitting. 7/7 students knew some cool programming things by the end of the day.
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
“You need only know this: Whatever is happening with your data, it is important enough to the most egregiously lawless administration in American history that it be collected and consolidated.” Always read @tressiemcphd.bsky.social (gift link)
Opinion | Democracy Dies by Database
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 12:19 PM
“You need only know this: Whatever is happening with your data, it is important enough to the most egregiously lawless administration in American history that it be collected and consolidated.” Always read @tressiemcphd.bsky.social (gift link)
The library lake might be frozen but I'm still a midwestern asshole walking across campus in a beanie and a light jacket
February 2, 2026 at 3:47 PM
The library lake might be frozen but I'm still a midwestern asshole walking across campus in a beanie and a light jacket
You know what's not good for start-of-semester anxiety? DELAYING THE START BY A WEEK
February 2, 2026 at 3:02 PM
You know what's not good for start-of-semester anxiety? DELAYING THE START BY A WEEK
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
Other people: "Don’t ask me about my political opinions of the President, because I’d rather not answer."
Me to my daughter, yelling down from our house's roof: "If I die, tell your grandkids I hated Donald Trump."
Me to my daughter, yelling down from our house's roof: "If I die, tell your grandkids I hated Donald Trump."
February 1, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Other people: "Don’t ask me about my political opinions of the President, because I’d rather not answer."
Me to my daughter, yelling down from our house's roof: "If I die, tell your grandkids I hated Donald Trump."
Me to my daughter, yelling down from our house's roof: "If I die, tell your grandkids I hated Donald Trump."
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
made the classic mistake of trying a different kind of running shoe. never do this. replace your favorite one with the exact same version until they either stop making it or your meniscus detonates
February 1, 2026 at 1:11 AM
made the classic mistake of trying a different kind of running shoe. never do this. replace your favorite one with the exact same version until they either stop making it or your meniscus detonates
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
“There’s no single answer that will solve all our future problems. There’s no magic bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers—at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.”
― Octavia E. Butler, A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
― Octavia E. Butler, A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
January 31, 2026 at 7:57 PM
“There’s no single answer that will solve all our future problems. There’s no magic bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers—at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.”
― Octavia E. Butler, A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
― Octavia E. Butler, A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
Here's this week's Meeting the Moment
buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Year 2, Week 5
Jan 24-30, 2026 - wounds to bind
buttondown.com
January 31, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Here's this week's Meeting the Moment
buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
![Comic. [A chemical formula trailing off the right side] C1076 H1080 Ac1067 Ag1069 Al1075 Am1026 Ar1075 As1070 At1047 Au1069 B1071 Ba1070 Be [caption] The approximate chemical formula for the universe](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreiheadwaulk6slb3ao3jmuve4grmz72ri4bjvi2zjfotsxjdgwlji4@jpeg)
January 30, 2026 at 2:14 AM
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
people are always like “what link do i give to?!”
one giant pile of money is actually not a great way to help people. people choosing a variety of places to give helps keep the money moving. no one org gets flooded to the point of breaking.
a PTA, the mutual aid venmo, can move $ even faster.
one giant pile of money is actually not a great way to help people. people choosing a variety of places to give helps keep the money moving. no one org gets flooded to the point of breaking.
a PTA, the mutual aid venmo, can move $ even faster.
January 28, 2026 at 3:25 PM
people are always like “what link do i give to?!”
one giant pile of money is actually not a great way to help people. people choosing a variety of places to give helps keep the money moving. no one org gets flooded to the point of breaking.
a PTA, the mutual aid venmo, can move $ even faster.
one giant pile of money is actually not a great way to help people. people choosing a variety of places to give helps keep the money moving. no one org gets flooded to the point of breaking.
a PTA, the mutual aid venmo, can move $ even faster.
Dealing with the uncertainty of the world by being obnoxiously community centered and also making my usual thousand to do lists. It's mostly working?
But if we're off school and work again tomorrow I'm gonna start offering to bleach and dye the hair of all the children in my care.
But if we're off school and work again tomorrow I'm gonna start offering to bleach and dye the hair of all the children in my care.
January 28, 2026 at 3:23 PM
Dealing with the uncertainty of the world by being obnoxiously community centered and also making my usual thousand to do lists. It's mostly working?
But if we're off school and work again tomorrow I'm gonna start offering to bleach and dye the hair of all the children in my care.
But if we're off school and work again tomorrow I'm gonna start offering to bleach and dye the hair of all the children in my care.
I learned the term "Secret white people money" from a podcast years ago. The idea is that white folks are more likely to get inter-generational wealth transfer because racism. My spouse and I do our best to keep all SWPM rolling on forward to better causes than our own spending.
January 28, 2026 at 3:22 PM
I learned the term "Secret white people money" from a podcast years ago. The idea is that white folks are more likely to get inter-generational wealth transfer because racism. My spouse and I do our best to keep all SWPM rolling on forward to better causes than our own spending.
It turns out being right before the start of the semester for an extended period of time is stressful....will we start tomorrow? Stay tuned.
January 27, 2026 at 12:44 PM
It turns out being right before the start of the semester for an extended period of time is stressful....will we start tomorrow? Stay tuned.
I'm so grateful for rowhouse living and the way it's forced me to overcome my natural inclination for hyper indepence. We've shared kids, snow pants, errands, food, ICE watch training info, shoveling, laughter, and more as this storm has rolled in.
January 25, 2026 at 2:01 PM
I'm so grateful for rowhouse living and the way it's forced me to overcome my natural inclination for hyper indepence. We've shared kids, snow pants, errands, food, ICE watch training info, shoveling, laughter, and more as this storm has rolled in.
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
Each Friday night, I write about what happened in US science & higher ed. 🧪
This was Year 2, Week 4:
- Dept of Ed ends legal defense of threats to strip $$ from schools w/ DEI programs
- sweeping new changes to univ governance in VA
- US leaves WHO & so much more - buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
This was Year 2, Week 4:
- Dept of Ed ends legal defense of threats to strip $$ from schools w/ DEI programs
- sweeping new changes to univ governance in VA
- US leaves WHO & so much more - buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Year 2, Week 4
Jan 17-23, 2026 - memories in the making
buttondown.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Each Friday night, I write about what happened in US science & higher ed. 🧪
This was Year 2, Week 4:
- Dept of Ed ends legal defense of threats to strip $$ from schools w/ DEI programs
- sweeping new changes to univ governance in VA
- US leaves WHO & so much more - buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
This was Year 2, Week 4:
- Dept of Ed ends legal defense of threats to strip $$ from schools w/ DEI programs
- sweeping new changes to univ governance in VA
- US leaves WHO & so much more - buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
There's a Baldwin quote about the children being ours floating around. I went and found where it's from, and recommend taking a read.
www.thenation.com/article/arch...
www.thenation.com/article/arch...
Notes on the House of Bondage
Baldwin sheds light on the state of America by surveying the dispiriting array of candidates for the 1980 presidential race.
www.thenation.com
January 24, 2026 at 12:33 PM
There's a Baldwin quote about the children being ours floating around. I went and found where it's from, and recommend taking a read.
www.thenation.com/article/arch...
www.thenation.com/article/arch...
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune: Jan. 24, 2026
January 23, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune: Jan. 24, 2026
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
If you develop software for research, consider responding to this survey trying to help understand who develops research software and how they work so as to get more robust support: softwaresaved.limequery.com/611257?lang=en #chemSky
2026 International RSE Survey
softwaresaved.limequery.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:14 PM
If you develop software for research, consider responding to this survey trying to help understand who develops research software and how they work so as to get more robust support: softwaresaved.limequery.com/611257?lang=en #chemSky
Reposted by Marie van Staveren
Wise words from WEB DuBois to gird us today: "It would be shame and cowardice to surrender this glorious land and its opportunities for civilization and humanity to the thugs and lynchers, the mobs and profiteers, the monopolists & gamblers who today choke its soul and steal its resources."
January 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Wise words from WEB DuBois to gird us today: "It would be shame and cowardice to surrender this glorious land and its opportunities for civilization and humanity to the thugs and lynchers, the mobs and profiteers, the monopolists & gamblers who today choke its soul and steal its resources."