Julia Wester, PhD
@drjuliawester.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary environmental social scientist, educator, organizer | Field School and UMiami | Unironically loves Florida, even when it hurts me
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
We had to monitor so many biathlon races that we barely had time for anything extra besides watching Ilia get the yips
February 16, 2026 at 4:58 AM
We had to monitor so many biathlon races that we barely had time for anything extra besides watching Ilia get the yips
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
genuinely just don't even know how to talk about this stuff, these people are so fucking evil
February 13, 2026 at 8:30 PM
genuinely just don't even know how to talk about this stuff, these people are so fucking evil
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
Trump posted a video depicting the first Black president and his wife as apes and his excuse for this is that it's a riff on The Lion King, a movie that does not feature any apes. Somehow this was a one-day story and we've already moved on.
February 13, 2026 at 3:30 AM
Trump posted a video depicting the first Black president and his wife as apes and his excuse for this is that it's a riff on The Lion King, a movie that does not feature any apes. Somehow this was a one-day story and we've already moved on.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
Rockwell would have painted this.
Every photo from Minneapolis looks like this. Cops decked out with guns and full tac gear facing off against people in bathrobes, parkas, and sweatpants armed only with whistles and cell phones.
Yet every verified MAGA chode on X dutifully calls it a riot or violent insurrection.
Yet every verified MAGA chode on X dutifully calls it a riot or violent insurrection.
February 12, 2026 at 12:32 AM
Rockwell would have painted this.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
February 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
This, from @jamellebouie.net is exactly right. And I think so many folks have refused to see or admit what Trump is because admitting implicates them, or their families, so denial is easier.
February 8, 2026 at 5:33 PM
This, from @jamellebouie.net is exactly right. And I think so many folks have refused to see or admit what Trump is because admitting implicates them, or their families, so denial is easier.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
crickets from the free speech crowd, of course
FAMU can't use the word Black on anything posted around campus related to Black History Month, to stay in compliance with Florida state laws against DEI. Black students can't use the word Black at their Historically Black College during Black History Month.
February 8, 2026 at 3:35 PM
crickets from the free speech crowd, of course
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
IF THIS WORKED, SHE WOULDN'T NEED TO SELL THE TECHNIQUES TO YOU
“If I can generate a book in a day, and you need six months to write a book, who’s going to win the race?” God this is bleak
The New Fabio Is Claude
www.nytimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:28 PM
IF THIS WORKED, SHE WOULDN'T NEED TO SELL THE TECHNIQUES TO YOU
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
reading about organisms that aren’t your specialty is like
margins of the quorbus eplungulate, ploobular processes bent posteriorly towards the foobulum
define term “eplungulate”
- lacking plungae. synonym: thubulous
margins of the quorbus eplungulate, ploobular processes bent posteriorly towards the foobulum
define term “eplungulate”
- lacking plungae. synonym: thubulous
February 2, 2026 at 10:14 PM
reading about organisms that aren’t your specialty is like
margins of the quorbus eplungulate, ploobular processes bent posteriorly towards the foobulum
define term “eplungulate”
- lacking plungae. synonym: thubulous
margins of the quorbus eplungulate, ploobular processes bent posteriorly towards the foobulum
define term “eplungulate”
- lacking plungae. synonym: thubulous
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
It’s 2026. There is a measles outbreak in the prison for babies
February 2, 2026 at 7:15 AM
It’s 2026. There is a measles outbreak in the prison for babies
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
wake up babe the right is doing drapetomania for white women engaging in race treason bsky.app/profile/hann...
I don't know, Heritage Foundation-tied publication, maybe white liberal women are mad because a federal immigration official shot and killed one of them. And then called her a "bitch"? You know, on camera? www.dailysignal.com/2026/01/27/w...
The Unhinged Rage of White Liberal Women, Explained
Why are white liberal women lashing out against ICE? Is there an underlying rage that we fellas have missed?
www.dailysignal.com
January 28, 2026 at 4:30 PM
wake up babe the right is doing drapetomania for white women engaging in race treason bsky.app/profile/hann...
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
olive oil is a legitimate interest
January 28, 2026 at 1:55 AM
olive oil is a legitimate interest
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
Last week in Minnesota, I watched ordinary people risk their lives to protect their neighbors. In the process, they not only won a significant—though not final—victory against authoritarianism, they proved virtually every MAGA social theory wrong. (gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
January 27, 2026 at 1:06 PM
Last week in Minnesota, I watched ordinary people risk their lives to protect their neighbors. In the process, they not only won a significant—though not final—victory against authoritarianism, they proved virtually every MAGA social theory wrong. (gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
Minnesotans are showing the soul of the United States to the world.
January 25, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Minnesotans are showing the soul of the United States to the world.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
unfortunately it appears that things are really complicated and getting the details matters a lot, sometimes more than anything, and also evil is extremely real. sorta the worst of both worlds there.
Me my whole life: Nothing is black and white. You have to consider nuance
Now: We face a heinous, remorseless evil
Now: We face a heinous, remorseless evil
January 23, 2026 at 8:25 PM
unfortunately it appears that things are really complicated and getting the details matters a lot, sometimes more than anything, and also evil is extremely real. sorta the worst of both worlds there.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
Maybe the most important thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that the solution to what looks like a collective action problem is to just start solving it. People will show up.
January 18, 2026 at 3:58 AM
Maybe the most important thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that the solution to what looks like a collective action problem is to just start solving it. People will show up.
I can see direct through lines from the times in my life when I was flailing/dicking around and getting really good at things later. It’s part of the process.
this shouldn't be surprising to anyone: specialization is for insects
fairly certain i qualify as a high performance adult by these standards and i wasn't good at anything as a kid besides reading a shitload of random books
www.wsj.com/science/elit...
fairly certain i qualify as a high performance adult by these standards and i wasn't good at anything as a kid besides reading a shitload of random books
www.wsj.com/science/elit...
Most Top-Achieving Adults Weren’t Elite Specialists in Childhood, New Study Finds
An analysis of elite performers, from Olympic athletes to Nobel laureates, found that those who don’t specialize too soon go farther.
www.wsj.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I can see direct through lines from the times in my life when I was flailing/dicking around and getting really good at things later. It’s part of the process.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
this shouldn't be surprising to anyone: specialization is for insects
fairly certain i qualify as a high performance adult by these standards and i wasn't good at anything as a kid besides reading a shitload of random books
www.wsj.com/science/elit...
fairly certain i qualify as a high performance adult by these standards and i wasn't good at anything as a kid besides reading a shitload of random books
www.wsj.com/science/elit...
Most Top-Achieving Adults Weren’t Elite Specialists in Childhood, New Study Finds
An analysis of elite performers, from Olympic athletes to Nobel laureates, found that those who don’t specialize too soon go farther.
www.wsj.com
December 18, 2025 at 10:05 PM
this shouldn't be surprising to anyone: specialization is for insects
fairly certain i qualify as a high performance adult by these standards and i wasn't good at anything as a kid besides reading a shitload of random books
www.wsj.com/science/elit...
fairly certain i qualify as a high performance adult by these standards and i wasn't good at anything as a kid besides reading a shitload of random books
www.wsj.com/science/elit...
so in the last 2 days I have received 2 "welcome to gemini" emails. Both say I received them because I "signed up" for gemini which I definitely didn't. Anyone know what this is about? Any tips on turning it off? Web search has failed to turn up answer. Wild how hard it is to opt out of this stuff.
December 12, 2025 at 12:41 AM
so in the last 2 days I have received 2 "welcome to gemini" emails. Both say I received them because I "signed up" for gemini which I definitely didn't. Anyone know what this is about? Any tips on turning it off? Web search has failed to turn up answer. Wild how hard it is to opt out of this stuff.
💀
nice try but i've read enough carl hiaasen, you can't trick me into taking miami politics seriously even when the outcome is good
December 10, 2025 at 4:36 AM
💀
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
CONFIRMED: Eileen Higgins, a Democrat, will be the new mayor of Miami.
She'll be the city's first Democratic mayor since the 1990s. She flipped the office from Republicans, and does so easily. She leads the DeSantis-endorsed Emilio González 59/41 right now with most ballots counted.
She'll be the city's first Democratic mayor since the 1990s. She flipped the office from Republicans, and does so easily. She leads the DeSantis-endorsed Emilio González 59/41 right now with most ballots counted.
December 10, 2025 at 12:18 AM
CONFIRMED: Eileen Higgins, a Democrat, will be the new mayor of Miami.
She'll be the city's first Democratic mayor since the 1990s. She flipped the office from Republicans, and does so easily. She leads the DeSantis-endorsed Emilio González 59/41 right now with most ballots counted.
She'll be the city's first Democratic mayor since the 1990s. She flipped the office from Republicans, and does so easily. She leads the DeSantis-endorsed Emilio González 59/41 right now with most ballots counted.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
every time somebody asks me for help with an LLM problem at work, the checklist starts with "do you understand what you are trying to do well enough to explain it to me, a human with way more preexisting context about your problem than the LLM has?". most fail.
November 19, 2025 at 7:46 AM
every time somebody asks me for help with an LLM problem at work, the checklist starts with "do you understand what you are trying to do well enough to explain it to me, a human with way more preexisting context about your problem than the LLM has?". most fail.
ruh roh
This is terrifying.
"[AI agents] can... infer a researcher's latent hypotheses and produce data that artificially confirms them."
...
"We can no longer trust that survey responses are coming from real people" -@seanjwestwood.bsky.social
"[AI agents] can... infer a researcher's latent hypotheses and produce data that artificially confirms them."
...
"We can no longer trust that survey responses are coming from real people" -@seanjwestwood.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
ruh roh
Don’t try to tell me when something should be a table google sheets. I decide when things should be tables.
November 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Don’t try to tell me when something should be a table google sheets. I decide when things should be tables.
Reposted by Julia Wester, PhD
A lot of education discourse is at root an inability to decide whether the purpose of our education system is to 1) teach material and measure learning 2) reward students who work hard 3) separate the smart kids (destined for smart guy jobs) from the dumb kids (destined to serve the smart guys)
November 15, 2025 at 5:52 PM
A lot of education discourse is at root an inability to decide whether the purpose of our education system is to 1) teach material and measure learning 2) reward students who work hard 3) separate the smart kids (destined for smart guy jobs) from the dumb kids (destined to serve the smart guys)