Erin Conwell
@erconwell.bsky.social
Language development researcher, psychology professor, mediocre sewist, snow shoveler, mom. Usually in Fargo, ND, USA.
I was trying to send a Zoom link to a colleague and nearly sent this instead....
www.inforum.com/video/zw6c3gbk
www.inforum.com/video/zw6c3gbk
WATCH: Cows on the loose in South Fargo
www.inforum.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:51 PM
I was trying to send a Zoom link to a colleague and nearly sent this instead....
www.inforum.com/video/zw6c3gbk
www.inforum.com/video/zw6c3gbk
If you have some funds to spare, time to donate to your local food bank or to Feeding America. Cash is more flexible than in-kind donations, but those won't hurt either. www.feedingamerica.org
October 26, 2025 at 4:22 PM
If you have some funds to spare, time to donate to your local food bank or to Feeding America. Cash is more flexible than in-kind donations, but those won't hurt either. www.feedingamerica.org
Reposted by Erin Conwell
"Vanderbilt is failing in its moral responsibility to push back against rising authoritarianism and political coercion."
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
Here's why Vanderbilt's response to the Trump higher ed 'compact' is not enough | Opinion
With the deadline looming for colleges to sign Trump's "compact," Vanderbilt must resist, says one university professor.
www.tennessean.com
October 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM
"Vanderbilt is failing in its moral responsibility to push back against rising authoritarianism and political coercion."
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
Our child is responsible for making and distributing at least 3 different kinds of stage blood for the school musical this year.
We're very proud.
We're very proud.
Some nice coverage of Fargo North High's upcoming production of EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL. The kiddo is the Student Blood Lead for this show, which means she has been perfecting the stage blood they need for the stage & for the splatter zone (which is different stuff!)
It's alive! Set design, staging help local theaters scare up good times with horror productions
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” and "Misery" continue their runs this weekend with "Evil Dead: The Musical" starting Thursday, Oct. 30.
www.inforum.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Our child is responsible for making and distributing at least 3 different kinds of stage blood for the school musical this year.
We're very proud.
We're very proud.
Reposted by Erin Conwell
"...appear to be typical of an investment strategy whereby donors, aided by university administrators and regents, circumvent faculty governance in order to treat universities like incubators or, worse, as click-farms to inflate the user data seemingly keeping the AI investment machine humming."
October 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM
"...appear to be typical of an investment strategy whereby donors, aided by university administrators and regents, circumvent faculty governance in order to treat universities like incubators or, worse, as click-farms to inflate the user data seemingly keeping the AI investment machine humming."
Reposted by Erin Conwell
Heyyyy we desperately need more archaeologists to volunteer to answer questions from students via video chat through @skypeascientist.bsky.social.
We have 80 unmatched teams. We’ve already matched 650 😵💫
If you know any archaeologists, please send them here www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
We have 80 unmatched teams. We’ve already matched 650 😵💫
If you know any archaeologists, please send them here www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
Sign Up
Skype a Scientist gives you the opportunity to connect with students and the public around the world.
www.skypeascientist.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Heyyyy we desperately need more archaeologists to volunteer to answer questions from students via video chat through @skypeascientist.bsky.social.
We have 80 unmatched teams. We’ve already matched 650 😵💫
If you know any archaeologists, please send them here www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
We have 80 unmatched teams. We’ve already matched 650 😵💫
If you know any archaeologists, please send them here www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
Reposted by Erin Conwell
A quick webpage update to showcase my textbook PRACTICAL VISION SCIENCE! If you're thinking about options for your Spring course in #visionscience, check it out! sites.google.com/view/hands-o...
Hands-on Vision Science - Practical Vision Science textbook
I'm passionate about developing hands-on learning experiences to support vision science education in undergraduate classrooms and informal learning for all ages. Practical Vision Science is my attempt...
sites.google.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
A quick webpage update to showcase my textbook PRACTICAL VISION SCIENCE! If you're thinking about options for your Spring course in #visionscience, check it out! sites.google.com/view/hands-o...
Reposted by Erin Conwell
Can AI simulations of human research participants advance cognitive science? In @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social, @lmesseri.bsky.social & I analyze this vision. We show how “AI Surrogates” entrench practices that limit the generalizability of cognitive science while aspiring to do the opposite. 1/
AI Surrogates and illusions of generalizability in cognitive science
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have generated enthusiasm for using AI simulations of human research participants to generate new know…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Can AI simulations of human research participants advance cognitive science? In @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social, @lmesseri.bsky.social & I analyze this vision. We show how “AI Surrogates” entrench practices that limit the generalizability of cognitive science while aspiring to do the opposite. 1/
Reposted by Erin Conwell
Hi I'm an @insidehighered.com reporter writing about which universities are cutting travel expenses, freezing hiring or slashing other costs citing the fed government shutdown. Please DM me or email me any examples at ryan.quinn@insidehighered.com today (especially statements on websites)!
October 21, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Hi I'm an @insidehighered.com reporter writing about which universities are cutting travel expenses, freezing hiring or slashing other costs citing the fed government shutdown. Please DM me or email me any examples at ryan.quinn@insidehighered.com today (especially statements on websites)!
Reposted by Erin Conwell
Shoutout to whoever was like the news sucks, let’s spice it up by doing a jewel heist at the Louvre
October 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Shoutout to whoever was like the news sucks, let’s spice it up by doing a jewel heist at the Louvre
Medora, North Dakota, had 8 people at their rally yesterday, which is 6.6% of their total population. Valley City (pop. ~6600) had 150, and Williston (oil country) had about 100. It takes genuine courage to stand up in those parts of this state.
'I love America:’ Thousands join No Kings rallies in 11 North Dakota cities • North Dakota Monitor
North Dakotans who joined No Kings rallies in 11 cities Saturday pushed back on criticism that the events were anti-American. “I love America, I love the Constitution, and I love what this country rep...
northdakotamonitor.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Medora, North Dakota, had 8 people at their rally yesterday, which is 6.6% of their total population. Valley City (pop. ~6600) had 150, and Williston (oil country) had about 100. It takes genuine courage to stand up in those parts of this state.
Couldn't make it this time, but very glad to see that my neighbors showed up.
October 18, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Couldn't make it this time, but very glad to see that my neighbors showed up.
New post from my kid: On The Witch, scapegoats, and the fact that everybody floats.
Kids These Days Don't Care About Living Deliciously Anymore
Hi all and welcome back to week two of the 2025 So Desensitized Spooky Season Spooktacular! Wrapping up this week we’ve got Robert Eggers’ The Witch, and...
buttondown.com
October 17, 2025 at 10:38 PM
New post from my kid: On The Witch, scapegoats, and the fact that everybody floats.
Reposted by Erin Conwell
Open immediately -- postdoc, speech motor control and speech motor neuroscience w/ C. Niziolek + B. Parrell, U. Wisconsin Madison blab.wisc.edu/join-the-lab/ [see Postdoctoral researchers tab]
October 14, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Open immediately -- postdoc, speech motor control and speech motor neuroscience w/ C. Niziolek + B. Parrell, U. Wisconsin Madison blab.wisc.edu/join-the-lab/ [see Postdoctoral researchers tab]
I'm not always proud of my alma mater's political decisions, but I'm glad they got this one right.
MIT rejects "compact" proposed by the Trump administration.
MIT prez wrote: it "would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution" and "is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...
MIT prez wrote: it "would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution" and "is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...
Regarding the Compact | MIT Organization Chart
orgchart.mit.edu
October 10, 2025 at 2:38 PM
I'm not always proud of my alma mater's political decisions, but I'm glad they got this one right.
Yesterday, families of transgender children in ND lost their lawsuit against our anti-gender-affirming care law. If you are able, consider supporting this (or any other) organization that will help them get the care they need to thrive as themselves. southernequality.org/nd/
Resources for Trans Youth In North Dakota
In North Dakota, HB1254 bans best-practice healthcare for transgender youth, making hormone therapy, puberty-delaying medication, and surgery inaccessible in North Dakota for any trans person until th...
southernequality.org
October 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Yesterday, families of transgender children in ND lost their lawsuit against our anti-gender-affirming care law. If you are able, consider supporting this (or any other) organization that will help them get the care they need to thrive as themselves. southernequality.org/nd/
This study sets the stage for a lot of exciting questions and we were delighted to have it at Language Development Research (@langdevres.bsky.social).
🧠 New research from @OfficialUoM shows that where teachers teach affects how they talk to children — and that matters for language development. #ChildDevelopment #LanguageResearch #EarlyYears #MuseumLearning #UoMResearch #LuCiD
October 8, 2025 at 12:56 PM
This study sets the stage for a lot of exciting questions and we were delighted to have it at Language Development Research (@langdevres.bsky.social).
If you need a good laugh, here you go. (Read Séamas' memoir. It's great!)
If you work with children at all, you should probably also take this as a reminder that their minds are strange and wondrous things and their outward behaviors give us only the tiniest glimpse.
If you work with children at all, you should probably also take this as a reminder that their minds are strange and wondrous things and their outward behaviors give us only the tiniest glimpse.
When I was 7, my teacher told us to write an article about “world cultures” for school over the weekend. I remembered it late on Sunday so in a panic I made up something called the "Icelandic Fish Festival", figuring said teacher wouldn’t know either way.
October 6, 2025 at 7:42 PM
If you need a good laugh, here you go. (Read Séamas' memoir. It's great!)
If you work with children at all, you should probably also take this as a reminder that their minds are strange and wondrous things and their outward behaviors give us only the tiniest glimpse.
If you work with children at all, you should probably also take this as a reminder that their minds are strange and wondrous things and their outward behaviors give us only the tiniest glimpse.
Reposted by Erin Conwell
New post from the kiddo over at So Desensitized! This is the beginning of her October series focusing on witches, starting with THE CRAFT. Go subscribe if you like #Horror and great writing about pop culture! #HorrorSky #HorrorMovies #FilmSky
Kids These Days Don't Join Covens Anymore
Hi all, and welcome to the first week of the 2025 So Desensitized Spooky Season Spooktacular! Posts will be out on Mondays and Fridays all the way up until...
buttondown.com
October 6, 2025 at 2:14 PM
New post from the kiddo over at So Desensitized! This is the beginning of her October series focusing on witches, starting with THE CRAFT. Go subscribe if you like #Horror and great writing about pop culture! #HorrorSky #HorrorMovies #FilmSky
Reposted by Erin Conwell
📢 My department is hiring! University of Chicago is hiring an Assistant Professor in Phonology! (EOE/Vet/Disability) See the link for more information. 📢
jobs.chronicle.com/job/37894671...
jobs.chronicle.com/job/37894671...
Assistant Professor in Phonology - Chicago, Illinois (US) job with The University of Chicago | 37894671
The Department of Linguistics invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Phonology with an expected start date of July...
jobs.chronicle.com
October 2, 2025 at 3:18 PM
📢 My department is hiring! University of Chicago is hiring an Assistant Professor in Phonology! (EOE/Vet/Disability) See the link for more information. 📢
jobs.chronicle.com/job/37894671...
jobs.chronicle.com/job/37894671...
This and the OED are the only LLMs you'll see me using.
(And Teanglann for Irish.)
(And Teanglann for Irish.)
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 1, 2025 at 4:55 PM
This and the OED are the only LLMs you'll see me using.
(And Teanglann for Irish.)
(And Teanglann for Irish.)
Reposted by Erin Conwell
Every time the subject of Jimmy Fallon’s spinelessness comes up, I think of this passage from Tina Fey’s Bossypants
![66 Amy Poehler was new to SNL and we were all crowded into the seventeenth-floor writers' room, waiting for the Wednesday night read-through to start.
[...] Amy was in the middle of some such nonsense with Seth Meyers across the table, and she did something vulgar as a joke. I can't remember what it was exactly, except it was dirty and loud and
"unladylike"
Jimmy Fallon [...] turned to her and in a faux-squeamish voice said, "Stop that!
It's not cute! I don't like it." Amy dropped what she was doing, went black in the eyes for a second, and wheeled around on him. "I don't fucking care if you like it." Jimmy was visibly startled. Amy went right back to enjoying her ridiculous bit.
With that exchange, a cosmic shift took place. Amy made it clear that she wasn't there to be cute. She wasn't there to play wives and girlfriends in the boys' scenes.
She was there to do what she wanted to do and she did not fucking care if you like it.
Tina Fey, Bossypants](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cnpe7qvcyjrhm6w7w7e4atur/bafkreidxzohjg6goqyzkmz67xuf2niavnkm5hm5b7yzypwnlflplfhogby@jpeg)
October 1, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Every time the subject of Jimmy Fallon’s spinelessness comes up, I think of this passage from Tina Fey’s Bossypants
The Department of Psychology at NDSU invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Developmental Psychology, broadly defined. For best consideration, applications should be received by October 10. Questions can be directed to me. Please share widely!
prd.hcm.ndus.edu/psp/recruit/...
prd.hcm.ndus.edu/psp/recruit/...
prd.hcm.ndus.edu
September 30, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The Department of Psychology at NDSU invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Developmental Psychology, broadly defined. For best consideration, applications should be received by October 10. Questions can be directed to me. Please share widely!
prd.hcm.ndus.edu/psp/recruit/...
prd.hcm.ndus.edu/psp/recruit/...
Reposted by Erin Conwell
The kiddo has a new article up today at @whatsleepsbeneath.com! Besides being her first paid piece, it's an excellent analysis of Buffalo Bill (from Silence of the Lambs) & Denise Bryson (from #TwinPeaks) vis-a-vis trans representation. Go check it out! #Horror #HorrorMovie #FilmSky #HorrorSky
FBI Agents, Serial Killers, and Red Lipstick: On Denise Bryson and Buffalo Bill
In the '90s, after the precedent was set over the last decade, two wildly different trans characters were brought into existence just two months apart. The first, Special Agent Denise Bryson, DEA in ...
www.whatsleepsbeneath.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:54 PM
The kiddo has a new article up today at @whatsleepsbeneath.com! Besides being her first paid piece, it's an excellent analysis of Buffalo Bill (from Silence of the Lambs) & Denise Bryson (from #TwinPeaks) vis-a-vis trans representation. Go check it out! #Horror #HorrorMovie #FilmSky #HorrorSky