Carmel Levitan
@clevitan.bsky.social
Cognitive Scientist @ Occidental College. Interests include multisensory perception, food/flavor, collaborative open science, clean air, education, pedagogy, LGBTQ+ support. She/they.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
In addition to the good news
THIS IS A SIGN THAT PRESSURE WORKS
Don’t give in to fascists when you still have the option of resisting
🧪
THIS IS A SIGN THAT PRESSURE WORKS
Don’t give in to fascists when you still have the option of resisting
🧪
We @chronicle.com reported on Friday that applications for F31 diversity fellowships had been withdrawn.
Now, multiple scholars tell me their applications have been re-assigned to their original study sections, in a reversal of instructions NIH officials gave reviewers last week. #AcademicSky
Now, multiple scholars tell me their applications have been re-assigned to their original study sections, in a reversal of instructions NIH officials gave reviewers last week. #AcademicSky
‘We’re Being Punished’: NIH Tosses Some Grant Applications From Minority Researchers
The sudden withdrawal affects early-career scholars who applied for a prestigious federal grant with a diversity notation — flagging that they came from underrepresented backgrounds.
www.chronicle.com
February 11, 2025 at 1:59 AM
In addition to the good news
THIS IS A SIGN THAT PRESSURE WORKS
Don’t give in to fascists when you still have the option of resisting
🧪
THIS IS A SIGN THAT PRESSURE WORKS
Don’t give in to fascists when you still have the option of resisting
🧪
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
DO NOT MEMORY HOLE THE NAZI SALUTE!
Elon Musk did it not once but twice, and with vigor!
It’s been 3 weeks, and there’s been no accountability. Institutionalized Judaism has let him off the hook. It is up to us to remember, to never forget the ancestors who deserve better, and to make it stick.
Elon Musk did it not once but twice, and with vigor!
It’s been 3 weeks, and there’s been no accountability. Institutionalized Judaism has let him off the hook. It is up to us to remember, to never forget the ancestors who deserve better, and to make it stick.
February 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
DO NOT MEMORY HOLE THE NAZI SALUTE!
Elon Musk did it not once but twice, and with vigor!
It’s been 3 weeks, and there’s been no accountability. Institutionalized Judaism has let him off the hook. It is up to us to remember, to never forget the ancestors who deserve better, and to make it stick.
Elon Musk did it not once but twice, and with vigor!
It’s been 3 weeks, and there’s been no accountability. Institutionalized Judaism has let him off the hook. It is up to us to remember, to never forget the ancestors who deserve better, and to make it stick.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
Every single stupid conversation I’ve had with a scientist about anticipatory obedience and historical comparisons over the last week has had me thinking about how scientists’ political incompetence is one of the major arguments for a liberal arts education
Like you’re literally a tool without it
Like you’re literally a tool without it
A bunch of needs in labcoats:
"If we comply with the fascists demands they'll surely let us keep up our research"
Those same scientists months or years before:
"Eh, I'll skip history class. I wanna be a scientists. Not a historian lol"
"If we comply with the fascists demands they'll surely let us keep up our research"
Those same scientists months or years before:
"Eh, I'll skip history class. I wanna be a scientists. Not a historian lol"
Besides being cruel, anticipatory obedience doesn’t work www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...
February 9, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Every single stupid conversation I’ve had with a scientist about anticipatory obedience and historical comparisons over the last week has had me thinking about how scientists’ political incompetence is one of the major arguments for a liberal arts education
Like you’re literally a tool without it
Like you’re literally a tool without it
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
If you are on a study section that will not be reviewing diversity fellowships but will be reviewing "regular" fellowships, your next move is clear. Do not participate in the review unless all submissions can be reviewed together. Reclassify diversity grants as "regular" grants & review them all
I removed the ID of the posters but at what point do we have a moral imperative here? I would not want to participate in a process that explicitly discriminated against minorities. If the applications aren’t reviewed they are basically rejected no? Pull out of the reviews.
February 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
If you are on a study section that will not be reviewing diversity fellowships but will be reviewing "regular" fellowships, your next move is clear. Do not participate in the review unless all submissions can be reviewed together. Reclassify diversity grants as "regular" grants & review them all
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
1/8. This week I had a few different conversations with scholars who, in the face of the attacks on science and institutions of learning in the U.S., are wondering what to do. One suggestion I have is: keep doing your work. It matters in and of itself. Why do I say that? A few reasons.
February 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
1/8. This week I had a few different conversations with scholars who, in the face of the attacks on science and institutions of learning in the U.S., are wondering what to do. One suggestion I have is: keep doing your work. It matters in and of itself. Why do I say that? A few reasons.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
"Anyone who has studied science under the Nazis...cannot fail to be dismayed and alarmed at the parallels in the response so far of scientific institutions and academies to the purges and abuses of power following Trump’s executive orders" 🧪 #scicomm
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...
Scientific institutions have a long history of anticipatory obedience
Societies should learn from this and speak up to support inclusion
www.chemistryworld.com
February 8, 2025 at 12:00 AM
"Anyone who has studied science under the Nazis...cannot fail to be dismayed and alarmed at the parallels in the response so far of scientific institutions and academies to the purges and abuses of power following Trump’s executive orders" 🧪 #scicomm
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
Executive wants to frame the NIH indirects cut as $4B in savings.
But given that NIH returns $2.5 on every $1 investment, this would actually cost US economy a net $6 BILLION (per year!). Not to mention the human costs of wrecking education and research sectors and the communities they serve.
But given that NIH returns $2.5 on every $1 investment, this would actually cost US economy a net $6 BILLION (per year!). Not to mention the human costs of wrecking education and research sectors and the communities they serve.
Direct Economic Contributions
NIH directly supports the economy through investments in research institutions and job formation.
www.nih.gov
February 8, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Executive wants to frame the NIH indirects cut as $4B in savings.
But given that NIH returns $2.5 on every $1 investment, this would actually cost US economy a net $6 BILLION (per year!). Not to mention the human costs of wrecking education and research sectors and the communities they serve.
But given that NIH returns $2.5 on every $1 investment, this would actually cost US economy a net $6 BILLION (per year!). Not to mention the human costs of wrecking education and research sectors and the communities they serve.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
Research universities are often the largest employers in their region. They are often the primary health care providers to communities. This funding shift will not only reduce US research leadership, it will put working people out of work and reduce healthcare access.
Excellent 🧵 on this evening's NIH announcement of a dramatic reduction in indirect rates for research institutions, which amounts to a generational restructuring of the US research and development ecosystem. These cuts are effective immediately, not just for new grants but for existing ones.
6. The policy does not just affect funding going forward. All existing NIH grants will have their indirect rates cut to 15% as of today, the date of issuance.
For a large university, this creates a sudden and catastrophic shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars against already budgeted funds.
For a large university, this creates a sudden and catastrophic shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars against already budgeted funds.
February 8, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Research universities are often the largest employers in their region. They are often the primary health care providers to communities. This funding shift will not only reduce US research leadership, it will put working people out of work and reduce healthcare access.
My least favorite way to get into Science.
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the nation’s largest private funder of biomedical research, yesterday killed a $60 million program aimed at making universities’ STEM education more inclusive. scim.ag/3EtS0US
HHMI kills program aimed at boosting inclusivity in STEM education
“Inclusive excellence” program had committed $60 million to 104 institutions
scim.ag
February 8, 2025 at 1:30 AM
My least favorite way to get into Science.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
A Primer on Indirect Cost Rates
a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
ALT: a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
media.tenor.com
February 8, 2025 at 12:51 AM
A Primer on Indirect Cost Rates
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
attempting to describe the vibes of the moment. have yet to do better than: "imagine watching a documentary reenacting the burning of the Library of Alexandria set to the soundtrack of 'Yakety Sax'"
February 6, 2025 at 3:59 AM
attempting to describe the vibes of the moment. have yet to do better than: "imagine watching a documentary reenacting the burning of the Library of Alexandria set to the soundtrack of 'Yakety Sax'"
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
So many people are hoping that if they comply a little bit now, they will be in a position to resist big later, but that's not how it works
You comply a little bit now and they move the goal posts and you comply a little bit more and they move the goal posts and eventually 10+ million people die
You comply a little bit now and they move the goal posts and you comply a little bit more and they move the goal posts and eventually 10+ million people die
February 2, 2025 at 12:30 AM
So many people are hoping that if they comply a little bit now, they will be in a position to resist big later, but that's not how it works
You comply a little bit now and they move the goal posts and you comply a little bit more and they move the goal posts and eventually 10+ million people die
You comply a little bit now and they move the goal posts and you comply a little bit more and they move the goal posts and eventually 10+ million people die
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
The Altadena seed library needs all of the help it can get- if you have native plant seeds to share, please make sure they find their way to this group. Monetary donations are also hugely welcome via gofund.me/6643efc6
January 12, 2025 at 8:09 PM
The Altadena seed library needs all of the help it can get- if you have native plant seeds to share, please make sure they find their way to this group. Monetary donations are also hugely welcome via gofund.me/6643efc6
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
From @aaup.bsky.social, what to do if ICE is on your campus.
January 31, 2025 at 11:12 PM
From @aaup.bsky.social, what to do if ICE is on your campus.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
My friend,
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of deadly viruses.
My friend,
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of extreme weather.
My friend,
please hear me
when I tell you that we
are in these
eras together.
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of deadly viruses.
My friend,
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of extreme weather.
My friend,
please hear me
when I tell you that we
are in these
eras together.
January 11, 2025 at 12:33 AM
My friend,
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of deadly viruses.
My friend,
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of extreme weather.
My friend,
please hear me
when I tell you that we
are in these
eras together.
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of deadly viruses.
My friend,
you have heard them
tell you that we
are in an
era of extreme weather.
My friend,
please hear me
when I tell you that we
are in these
eras together.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
🚨 Gale Warning issued January 6 at 8:45PM PST until January 7 at 6:00PM PST by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 🚨
Additional Details Here.(2/2)
Additional Details Here.(2/2)
January 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM
🚨 Gale Warning issued January 6 at 8:45PM PST until January 7 at 6:00PM PST by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 🚨
Additional Details Here.(2/2)
Additional Details Here.(2/2)
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
Hello undergraduates! Pew Research Center is now accepting applications for our paid summer internship program in Washington, DC. Our full list of internships is here: pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Center... Applications are due Feb. 7.
January 6, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Hello undergraduates! Pew Research Center is now accepting applications for our paid summer internship program in Washington, DC. Our full list of internships is here: pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Center... Applications are due Feb. 7.
Reposted by Carmel Levitan
The piece feels so relevant today
This is a piece from 1995 that I read this week and simply cannot stop thinking about:
The Last Time I Saw Yaakov - Boston Review
No matter how political things seem, they are invariably personal.
www.bostonreview.net
October 28, 2023 at 1:43 AM
The piece feels so relevant today