Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
@clarissasorensenunruh.com
Learning/Teaching Enthusiast | Chem & Stats Prof | #STEMEd researcher | Emancipatory Pedagogies (Ungrading, Open, Critical, etc.) | Belonging | Grief & HERO (with Christy Albright) | LGBQTIA2S+ 🏳️🌈| She/They | 😈
Pinned
a rainbow background with the words love is unstoppa written on it
Alt: a rainbow background that emerges from left to right like someone is painting and creating a color palette with the words love is unstoppable on it.
media.tenor.com
#LGTBQ+ Chemists unite! #ACSFall2025
Side note: CALC still has to be approved by the Board, but we expect this to happen.
Do I want to be on CALC? Yes. Do like 80 other people? Also yes. So we’ll see.
Side note: CALC still has to be approved by the Board, but we expect this to happen.
Do I want to be on CALC? Yes. Do like 80 other people? Also yes. So we’ll see.
Happy Sunday everyone. Just checking in to see how y’all are doing?!?
November 17, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Happy Sunday everyone. Just checking in to see how y’all are doing?!?
What an astoundingly beautiful conversation this was! I am still listening and reverberating with its insights. Christy & I did a Teaching in Higher Ed podcast with Bonni about grief & it was one of the most joyful conversations I think I’ve heard captured.
teachinginhighered.com/podcast/teac...
teachinginhighered.com/podcast/teac...
Teaching, Learning, and the Lessons of Grief, with Christy Albright + Clarissa Sorensen Unruh – Teaching in Higher Ed
Christy Albright + Clarissa Sorensen Unruh share about teaching, learning, and the lessons of grief on episode 596 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast
teachinginhighered.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:32 PM
What an astoundingly beautiful conversation this was! I am still listening and reverberating with its insights. Christy & I did a Teaching in Higher Ed podcast with Bonni about grief & it was one of the most joyful conversations I think I’ve heard captured.
teachinginhighered.com/podcast/teac...
teachinginhighered.com/podcast/teac...
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
DNA scientist James Watson has a remarkably long history of sexist, racist public comments
“People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty,” he said in 2003. “I think it would be great.”
www.vox.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
We need to know what humans do before we argue that machines can do it just the same. There can’t be AI literacy without a literacy in being human: how we make meaning in work and life, distinguishing the artificial from the imaginary from the true. mail.cyberneticforests.com/human-litera...
Human Literacy
Something I Can Tell Students Now That I Am Not Teaching
You and I probably both keep hearing that students should be working toward AI literacy. They should know what to type into prompt windows, ...
mail.cyberneticforests.com
August 24, 2025 at 12:25 PM
We need to know what humans do before we argue that machines can do it just the same. There can’t be AI literacy without a literacy in being human: how we make meaning in work and life, distinguishing the artificial from the imaginary from the true. mail.cyberneticforests.com/human-litera...
FUND THIS CRITICAL WORK ALREADY @gatesfoundation.bsky.social
MacKenzie Scott Foundation
Hewlett Foundation NIH
www.science.org/content/arti...
MacKenzie Scott Foundation
Hewlett Foundation NIH
www.science.org/content/arti...
Driven by the pain of endometriosis, this scientist is uncovering clues to its causes
Katie Burns is helping reveal the immune system’s role in the long-neglected disease
www.science.org
August 26, 2025 at 12:26 PM
FUND THIS CRITICAL WORK ALREADY @gatesfoundation.bsky.social
MacKenzie Scott Foundation
Hewlett Foundation NIH
www.science.org/content/arti...
MacKenzie Scott Foundation
Hewlett Foundation NIH
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
Tried out Grammarly's AI grade predictor. Didn't want to use actual student work, so I had ChatGPT write a paper for one of my assignments and gave that to Grammarly. Grammarly promises to use publicly available info about your instructor to predict what they will say. The advice was *not* what I /1
August 20, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Tried out Grammarly's AI grade predictor. Didn't want to use actual student work, so I had ChatGPT write a paper for one of my assignments and gave that to Grammarly. Grammarly promises to use publicly available info about your instructor to predict what they will say. The advice was *not* what I /1
Ok, #ChemSky folks were saying that they missed when their pocket friends talk about #ACSFall2025, & while I didn’t go to DC (insta or Discord are better places to get pics of the experience from other former #ChemTwitter folks), I’m gonna talk about what I did go to virtually - governance. #LetsGo
August 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Ok, #ChemSky folks were saying that they missed when their pocket friends talk about #ACSFall2025, & while I didn’t go to DC (insta or Discord are better places to get pics of the experience from other former #ChemTwitter folks), I’m gonna talk about what I did go to virtually - governance. #LetsGo
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
I just left the Everglades Immigrant Interment Camp. No, I’m not using their ridiculous name. It was a very tough to witness humans in those cages. Every Floridian should be ashamed that our taxpayer money is being used for this.
July 12, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I just left the Everglades Immigrant Interment Camp. No, I’m not using their ridiculous name. It was a very tough to witness humans in those cages. Every Floridian should be ashamed that our taxpayer money is being used for this.
Amen and amen. Like JFC stop trolling Tressie y’all.
I pray that someday people can act normal with @tressiemcphd.bsky.social on the internet
July 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Amen and amen. Like JFC stop trolling Tressie y’all.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
What shocks me is how many professors, administrators and students who blithely use LLMs do not know this
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
July 3, 2025 at 1:36 AM
What shocks me is how many professors, administrators and students who blithely use LLMs do not know this
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
Congrats to Prof. @donnablack.bsky.social, recipient of the 2025 Centenary Prize for Chemistry and Communication from @rsc.org—awarded for pioneering work in kinetic methods of organic catalysis, asymmetric catalysis mechanisms, homochirality, and excellence in communication. More: ow.ly/iFhM50Wgn0z
June 26, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Congrats to Prof. @donnablack.bsky.social, recipient of the 2025 Centenary Prize for Chemistry and Communication from @rsc.org—awarded for pioneering work in kinetic methods of organic catalysis, asymmetric catalysis mechanisms, homochirality, and excellence in communication. More: ow.ly/iFhM50Wgn0z
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
The bipartisan American Science Acceleration Project sounds promising, but "move fast and break things" isn't a strategy for trustworthy research. I write in @science.org about why we need acceleration that opens doors to participation and accountability.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Ten times faster is not 10 times better
As the Trump administration systematically defunds the American research ecosystem, while disingenuously promising a return to so-called “gold standard science,” hope can be drawn from the new biparti...
www.science.org
June 27, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The bipartisan American Science Acceleration Project sounds promising, but "move fast and break things" isn't a strategy for trustworthy research. I write in @science.org about why we need acceleration that opens doors to participation and accountability.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
I am incensed. This is all so heartbreaking and despicable. The Iranian people do not deserve this violence. We do not deserve this governance. The world does not deserve this. These outrages must end.
June 22, 2025 at 2:14 AM
I am incensed. This is all so heartbreaking and despicable. The Iranian people do not deserve this violence. We do not deserve this governance. The world does not deserve this. These outrages must end.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
“If, then, we “full-time” intellectuals restrict our knowledge to those who have been fortunate enough to get full-time education and to work in universities, we are simply reproducing, by our own efforts, the unequal distribution of knowledge and education in our societies.” — Stuart Hall
www.bostonreview.net/articles/whe...
Recently found speech by Stuart Hall that could have been written today…
Recently found speech by Stuart Hall that could have been written today…
When We Are All Enemies of the State - Boston Review
A recently discovered 1974 speech by Stuart Hall on Walter Rodney—and why fascists fear ideas.
www.bostonreview.net
June 19, 2025 at 8:51 PM
“If, then, we “full-time” intellectuals restrict our knowledge to those who have been fortunate enough to get full-time education and to work in universities, we are simply reproducing, by our own efforts, the unequal distribution of knowledge and education in our societies.” — Stuart Hall
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
Just saw the old Bugs Bunny toon "Sahara Hare" where he finds a "mirage-ee". I was surprised how the clip kinda illustrates diffusion model genAI. I think we found the perfect GIF for the paper @annamillsoer.bsky.social and I wrote on AI's so-call "hallucination": papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
May 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Just saw the old Bugs Bunny toon "Sahara Hare" where he finds a "mirage-ee". I was surprised how the clip kinda illustrates diffusion model genAI. I think we found the perfect GIF for the paper @annamillsoer.bsky.social and I wrote on AI's so-call "hallucination": papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Coming to terms with Qualitative Research through an ungrading lens
As part of my dissertation, I am writing a paper that describes a qualitative study based on interviews with chemistry ungrading faculty. The qualitative study process, including its communication, has been more difficult than it…
As part of my dissertation, I am writing a paper that describes a qualitative study based on interviews with chemistry ungrading faculty. The qualitative study process, including its communication, has been more difficult than it…
Coming to terms with Qualitative Research through an ungrading lens
As part of my dissertation, I am writing a paper that describes a qualitative study based on interviews with chemistry ungrading faculty. The qualitative study process, including its communication, has been more difficult than it should be and the problem seems to be me. Creswell and Poth (2024), in the 5th edition of Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design (often considered a defining text in qualitative research methodology classes), define qualitative research as:
clarissasorensenunruh.com
June 21, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Coming to terms with Qualitative Research through an ungrading lens
As part of my dissertation, I am writing a paper that describes a qualitative study based on interviews with chemistry ungrading faculty. The qualitative study process, including its communication, has been more difficult than it…
As part of my dissertation, I am writing a paper that describes a qualitative study based on interviews with chemistry ungrading faculty. The qualitative study process, including its communication, has been more difficult than it…
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
The NYT decided to kick trans people in the teeth the day after Skrmetti. They wrote a hit piece blaming trans people for their own oppression and attacked the people who have fought hardest to stop this effort to eradicate us.
They turned to Brianna Wu to further their narrative.
They turned to Brianna Wu to further their narrative.
June 19, 2025 at 12:54 PM
The NYT decided to kick trans people in the teeth the day after Skrmetti. They wrote a hit piece blaming trans people for their own oppression and attacked the people who have fought hardest to stop this effort to eradicate us.
They turned to Brianna Wu to further their narrative.
They turned to Brianna Wu to further their narrative.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
Happy pride 🌈❤️
BREAKING: ICE agents are complaining that every time they go out to abduct people, in unmarked cars, wearing masks and no uniforms or badges, protesters dump buckets of glitter on them so that everyone can tell they’re ICE for days afterward.
a drag queen is standing in front of a purple background and the word glitter is on the bottom .
ALT: a drag queen is standing in front of a purple background and the word glitter is on the bottom .
media.tenor.com
June 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Happy pride 🌈❤️
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
BREAKING:
The White House lashed out at the creators of this ad for "fear-mongering".
It must have really struck a nerve. Maybe they don't like being outed as fascists.
You know what to do: SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE!
#MAGAKidnappers
The White House lashed out at the creators of this ad for "fear-mongering".
It must have really struck a nerve. Maybe they don't like being outed as fascists.
You know what to do: SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE!
#MAGAKidnappers
June 18, 2025 at 7:20 PM
BREAKING:
The White House lashed out at the creators of this ad for "fear-mongering".
It must have really struck a nerve. Maybe they don't like being outed as fascists.
You know what to do: SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE!
#MAGAKidnappers
The White House lashed out at the creators of this ad for "fear-mongering".
It must have really struck a nerve. Maybe they don't like being outed as fascists.
You know what to do: SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE!
#MAGAKidnappers
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
I find it extremely depressing that this account gets so much traction but I understand the appeal. People want to believe there’s a secret resistance movement of park rangers out there. But they’re just cosplaying. And selling merch.
The Alt National Park Service account calls itself the official "resistance" team of the US National Park Service. With 887k followers, is one of the biggest accounts on Bluesky. It is the 11 most followed account according to some trackers.
This thread will dive into its activity.
🧵 1/x.
This thread will dive into its activity.
🧵 1/x.
June 17, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I find it extremely depressing that this account gets so much traction but I understand the appeal. People want to believe there’s a secret resistance movement of park rangers out there. But they’re just cosplaying. And selling merch.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
The Minnesota assassin appears to be a hate-filled right winger. So can we stop walking on eggshells about MAGA's legitimization of political violence?
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
June 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The Minnesota assassin appears to be a hate-filled right winger. So can we stop walking on eggshells about MAGA's legitimization of political violence?
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
The wellness to alt right pipeline is a damn superhighway.
Fatphbia, ableism, and eugenics.
Fatphbia, ableism, and eugenics.
I could talk all day about the wellness to alt right pipeline. Beef tallow is a big part of it. Which is funny because it's extremely comedogenic. Like of course it feels moisturizing, it's FAT. But the molecule isn't even small enough to penetrate the skin so it just sits on top breaking you out 😞
June 15, 2025 at 7:05 PM
The wellness to alt right pipeline is a damn superhighway.
Fatphbia, ableism, and eugenics.
Fatphbia, ableism, and eugenics.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
Clear-headed analysis from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social, who deserves extra praise for the desccription of Joe Rogan:
"He is entertaining, on some level, but he isn’t good. The show is popular because Rogan is as fine a way to distract yourself for a couple of hours as a white noise machine."
"He is entertaining, on some level, but he isn’t good. The show is popular because Rogan is as fine a way to distract yourself for a couple of hours as a white noise machine."
Opinion | Obama Isn’t Going to Save You
www.nytimes.com
June 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Clear-headed analysis from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social, who deserves extra praise for the desccription of Joe Rogan:
"He is entertaining, on some level, but he isn’t good. The show is popular because Rogan is as fine a way to distract yourself for a couple of hours as a white noise machine."
"He is entertaining, on some level, but he isn’t good. The show is popular because Rogan is as fine a way to distract yourself for a couple of hours as a white noise machine."
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
I’ve really started to embrace this. Instead of FOMO, have HONK—happiness of not knowing.
June 14, 2025 at 9:05 PM
I’ve really started to embrace this. Instead of FOMO, have HONK—happiness of not knowing.
Reposted by Rissa Sorensen-Unruh
The Declaration of Independence specifies 27 grievances with King George III and Britain.
Donald Trump has committed at least 16 of those same offenses.
#NoKings
Donald Trump has committed at least 16 of those same offenses.
#NoKings
![Screenshot of a list of the 27 specific grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence. Donald Trump's regime has committed at least 16 of them in whole or in part, highlighted in yellow and listed below:
"1. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
2. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
3. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither [Partial]
4. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
5. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
6. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
7. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
8. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
9. For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
10. For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
11. For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
12. For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
13. [Partial], abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
14. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
15. [Partial], and destroyed the lives of our people.
16. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us [Partial]"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:b3psimnw5xxta2n4h5qzxu55/bafkreifschk5h5rhi7ezooza77xgc5hzxi62up3eoqqift5btkt7kui4li@jpeg)
June 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
The Declaration of Independence specifies 27 grievances with King George III and Britain.
Donald Trump has committed at least 16 of those same offenses.
#NoKings
Donald Trump has committed at least 16 of those same offenses.
#NoKings