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daroconnell.bsky.social
Darren O'Connell
@daroconnell.bsky.social
170 followers 140 following 29 posts
SFI-IRC Pathway Fellow in UCD SBES investigating the ecology and evolution of Europe's solitary mining bees. PhD from TCD Zoology in bird speciation. Molecular ecologist, bird person
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
coreyspowell.bsky.social
Fascinating graph shows the estimated total mass of all the mammals living on Earth.

In 1850, it was evenly divided between wildlife and humans + domesticated animals. Today, humans and their livestock account for about 95% of the total. 🧪

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Black labels indicate absolute biomass estimates, gray labels indicate the fraction of the total estimated biomass of mammals (see Fig. S9 for the estimated fraction of global biomass). Top: the total biomass of humans and domesticated mammals (cattle, buffalo, swine and others). Bottom: the total biomass of wild marine mammals, along with a coarse, preliminary estimate of the total biomass of wild land mammals, based on previously published temporal abundance estimates.
October 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
daroconnell.bsky.social
Delighted to be highlighted as one of the most read authors in the @britishecologicalsociety.org journal @funecology.bsky.social 🧪

This follows being higlighted as a #TopCitedArticle last month. Great to see we're having influence

#ecology #acoustics #TopViewedArticle
@ucddublin.bsky.social
1/2
May 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
daroconnell.bsky.social
Delighted to be highlighted as one of the most read authors in the @britishecologicalsociety.org journal
@funecology.bsky.social!

This follows being higlighted as a #TopCitedArticle last month. Great to see we're having influence!

#ecology #acoustics #TopViewedArticle @ucddublin.bsky.social
1/2
May 2, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
rosariolebronentomology.com
We are risking plunging the United States into a dark age of entomology next week. USDA programs are facing massive lay-offs next week and the public should be aware of the impact. If you care about food systems, forests, invasive species, this thread is for you. Read Below: 🧪 #entomology #science
April 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
daroconnell.bsky.social
Fantastic to visit the @naturalis.bsky.social for the last three weeks! 🧪

The Naturalis' incredible historical collections have allowed us insight into how mining bee species have adapted across Europe, and to a changing world from 1870 to present!

#pollination #ecology @ucddublin.bsky.social
March 21, 2025 at 2:48 PM
daroconnell.bsky.social
Delighted to be highlighted as one of the most cited authors in the @britishecologicalsociety.org journal @funecology.bsky.social in recent years!

#ecology #acoustics @ucddublin.bsky.social 1/2
March 19, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
watershedlab.bsky.social
🚨 HUGE news from Canada's tricouncils who are harmonizing their scholarship & fellowship programs, upping the total number (huzzah!), and critically, allowing foreigners to apply for doctoral and postdoc fellowships. Want to work with me? Get in touch! 🇨🇦🧪⚒️

www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/NewsDetail-D...
NSERC - Latest News - Launch of the new Harmonized Tri-agency Scholarship and Fellowship programs
As announced in Budget 2024, the scholarship and fellowship programs administered by the three federal research funding agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – have been streamlined into a new harmonized talent program called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) that will open for applications in summer 2025.
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca
March 14, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
edmhill.bsky.social
📣 Funded 3.5yr PhD opportunity for UK applicants in @hpruezi.bsky.social @liverpooluni.bsky.social. #PhDSky

🧪 On "Optimising testing & control strategies in the early stages of infectious disease outbreaks" #IDSky #EpiSky

⏳ Application deadline: 24 Mar 2025

🔗: www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/postgr...
Optimising testing and control strategies in the early stages of infectious disease outbreaks Supervisors: Dr Emily Nixon Professor Christl Donnelly Dr Richard Vipond Dr Emily Adams Research area: Maths and Computing Studying in: Department of Mathematical Sciences School of Physical Sciences Faculty of Science and Engineering Stipend Amount: Funded studentship Availability Region: Open to UK applicants Application Deadline: 24 March 2025 In the early stages of a major disease outbreak, the availability of suitable diagnostic tests is often limited, however, timely interventions are critical for controlling the spread of disease. In this PhD, you will develop mechanistic and statistical models to investigate the effectiveness of various diagnostic test deployment strategies for emerging and zoonotic diseases which are at risk of causing large outbreaks, such as respiratory viruses (Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, Respiratory syncytial virus), vector-borne diseases (Dengue, Tick-borne encephalitis) or viral haemorrhagic fevers (Nipah, Lassa fever and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever). You will investigate the effectiveness of targeting use of tests in different settings, for example in areas of high versus low transmission, or in hospitals versus the community. The optimum strategy for diagnostic test deployment will vary depending on prevalence of disease, the sensitivity and specificity of the tests and the time it takes to receive and act on results. In addition, variation between pathogens, for example, in their mode of transmission, reproduction number and incubation period, will influence which strategy is the most effective in controlling the impact of the outbreak. These insights will inform stockpiling strategies of medical countermeasures for pandemic preparedness and in the event of a major outbreak, can be used and adapted to help inform decision making. You will be part of a supportive and stimulating research environment at the University of Liverpool, with Dr Emily Nixon as your primary supervisor, with additional supervision from Professor Christl Donnelly (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Dr Emily Adams (Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford) and Dr Richard Vipond (UK Health Security Agency). This studentship will be for a maximum of 3.5 years duration starting in October 2025; it includes fees at the UK/home rate, stipend, and research-related travel. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a world leading team delivering research that is relevant to public health in the UK. This PhD opportunity is funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections (EZI). The successful candidate will therefore join the NIHR HPRU-EZI. NIHR is the UK's largest funder of health and care research and provides the people, facilities and technology that enables research to thrive. NIHR HPRUs undertake high quality research that enhances the ability of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to protect the public’s health and minimise the health impact of emergencies. There are 13 HPRUs across England. The HPRU-EZI is a partnership between the University of Liverpool, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), University of Oxford, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and UKHSA, in collaboration with University of Glasgow. HPRU-EZI has been running since 2014, and supports and strengthens UKHSA in its role protecting England from emerging infections and zoonoses (i.e. those which spread from animals to humans). HPRU-EZI has played significant roles in the past in the UK response to Ebola, Zika, COVID-19 and mpox. We will continue to address the major emerging threats; these are transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks (e.g. dengue and Lyme), the respiratory route (e.g. COVID-19 and influenza), or directly through contact (e.g. Lassa fever). For further details please see our brochure and our website: http://hpruezi.nihr.ac.uk/media/artlflhc/hpru-ezi-brochure.pdf http://hpruezi.nihr.ac.uk/
February 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM
daroconnell.bsky.social
Check out our new blog summarising recent meta-analysis assessing treatments for the Varroa mite #pathogen of honey bees!
This #invasive #parasite has huge impacts on crops from lost
#pollination 🧪

@ucddublin.bsky.social @healyke.bsky.social @cristinabotias.bsky.social

www.ucd.ie/earth/news-o...
24 February tackling varroa mite
www.ucd.ie
February 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
samillingworth.com
🔬 Trust in Scientists 🌍

A global survey of 71,922 respondents across 68 countries found that most people trust scientists and want them to engage more in policymaking.

However, small distrustful minorities can still impact decisions.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm 🧪
Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries - Nature Human Behaviour
What is the state of trust in scientists around the world? To answer this question, the authors surveyed 71,922 respondents in 68 countries and found that trust in scientists is moderately high.
www.nature.com
January 21, 2025 at 11:50 AM
daroconnell.bsky.social
Our new meta-analysis assessing treatments for the Varroa mite #pathogen of honey bees!
This #invasive #parasite has huge impacts on crops from lost
#pollination
We synthesise the best options and future prospects 🧪

@ucddublin.bsky.social @healyke.bsky.social

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A systematic meta-analysis of the efficacy of treatments for a global honey bee pathogen - the Varroa mite
The western honey bee Apis mellifera is the world's most important managed pollinator. However, globally honey bees have been facing increasing colony…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
francesjones.bsky.social
Musk's "interference" is not a party political issue, she says, but one of "spreading disinformation in an attempt to interfere with our democracy", Dorothy Bishop tells me.

Thanks to @deevybee.bsky.social, @scurry.bsky.social & @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social for speaking to me about this.
resprofnews.bsky.social Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Jan 10
Breaking: Royal Society under pressure amid Musk’s political posturing.

Critics question lack of action on billionaire’s fellowship as social media interventions dominate headlines.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
January 10, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
jonyearsley.bsky.social
Work with us: #Research Assistant in a team from @ucdscience.bsky.social , AFBI and the DAFM Plant Sciences Division in tasks ranging from fieldwork to molecular laboratory techniques of #forest #pests

Deadline: 24th Jan 2025
Details on how to apply at:
drjonyearsley.github.io/forestpests....
January 10, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
guyshrubsole.bsky.social
A tale of two headlines based on the same press release.

The reality, of course, is that the National Trust’s nature restoration efforts will bolster good farming, by “improving the health of enough soil to provide habitat for 1 billion earthworms.”
January 10, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
jpartecke.bsky.social
3-year Postdoc Position

Join our team @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social and investigate the dynamics of seasonal songbird migration using biologging technologies
See details here: bit.ly/3ZojW38

Please get in touch if interested & share with anyone else who might be!
December 9, 2024 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
drsinbin.bsky.social
🧪
annalandre.com Anna Landre @annalandre.com · Jan 7
Do you know a UK-based wheelchair user who works in a lab and would be willing to user-test our prototype of what is believed to be the first-ever lab coat adapted for wheelchair users?

Please share far & wide! Interest form: forms.office.com/e/66FhcQjqRT

More info: www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-east/new...
Two photos of Anna, a young white woman using an electric wheelchair, wearing a blue lab coat that fits her well with tables and dry-lab equipment in the background. Text reads: "A team of researchers and designers led by UCL is looking for wheelchair users working in wet lab environments to user-test what is believed to be the first-ever prototype of a lab coat adapted for wheelchair users."
January 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Darren O'Connell
yodacomplex.bsky.social
My instinctive response to the "The carbon emissions of writing and illustrating are lower for AI than for humans" paper more calmly and succinctly summarised here by Kasper Groes Albin Ludvigsen kaspergroesludvigsen.medium.com/the-carbon-e...
The Carbon Emissions of Writing and Illustrating Are Lower for AI than for Humans – review
This is a discussion of the results of the paper “The carbon emissions of writing and illustrating are lower for AI than for humans”
kaspergroesludvigsen.medium.com
January 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM