Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
@ewcss.info
Ad Astra Fellow, Asst. Prof. of Digital Chemistry, @ucddublin.bsky.social |
Editor, @joss-openjournals.bsky.social |
Personal: ewcss.info |
Research group (@coreacter.org): CoReACTER.org |
ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1554-197X |
All opinions mine
Editor, @joss-openjournals.bsky.social |
Personal: ewcss.info |
Research group (@coreacter.org): CoReACTER.org |
ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1554-197X |
All opinions mine
Pinned
Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
@ewcss.info
· Nov 13
Please share!
The CoReACTER is hiring 1 PhD student (4 years, start date Sept. 1, 2026) to work on multi-scale modeling of reactivity in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries.
Apply by Jan. 16, 2026
#PhDjobs #PhDSky #CompChem #WomenInSTEM #LGBTQSTEM #BlackInSTEM #diversityinSTEM #LatinxSTEM #disabledinSTEM
The CoReACTER is hiring 1 PhD student (4 years, start date Sept. 1, 2026) to work on multi-scale modeling of reactivity in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries.
Apply by Jan. 16, 2026
#PhDjobs #PhDSky #CompChem #WomenInSTEM #LGBTQSTEM #BlackInSTEM #diversityinSTEM #LatinxSTEM #disabledinSTEM
www.ucd.ie
Come join me in Ireland @ucddublin.bsky.social @ucdchemistry.bsky.social! Help us understand the messiness of cross-talk in metal-ion batteries!
#BattChat #NewPI #sustainability #electrochem
#BattChat #NewPI #sustainability #electrochem
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
"Earlier this month, the Finnish government released its Truth and Reconciliation report."
"[C]entrality of climate change in its findings and recommendations."
"[L]eaders must renew their cooperation with the Sámi to face these threats head on."
#Finland #Climate #Forests #Mining
"[C]entrality of climate change in its findings and recommendations."
"[L]eaders must renew their cooperation with the Sámi to face these threats head on."
#Finland #Climate #Forests #Mining
Report: Climate is central to truth and reconciliation for the Sámi in Finland
As Finland reckons with its historic mistreatment of the Indigenous Sámi people, climate change complicates the path forward.
grist.org
December 24, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Started reading Robert Macfarlane’s “Is a River Alive?” y’day and it has sucked me in like few physical books have in recent years. This quote from Ursula K Le Guin stopped me in my tracks just now, for I have really struggled with being a prof in a college of natural resources for quite a while:
December 23, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Started reading Robert Macfarlane’s “Is a River Alive?” y’day and it has sucked me in like few physical books have in recent years. This quote from Ursula K Le Guin stopped me in my tracks just now, for I have really struggled with being a prof in a college of natural resources for quite a while:
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
It's Festivus, so I'm going to air some grievances.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
December 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It's Festivus, so I'm going to air some grievances.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
"… I share my story in the hope that others … will reflect on moments when trust mattered in their own career journey, and on the responsibility we each hold in ensuring that the next generation enters a scientific world where safety is actively protected." https://scim.ag/4sdMVof
December 22, 2025 at 10:02 PM
"… I share my story in the hope that others … will reflect on moments when trust mattered in their own career journey, and on the responsibility we each hold in ensuring that the next generation enters a scientific world where safety is actively protected." https://scim.ag/4sdMVof
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Academics: what's the best bit of knowledge you created this year?
I co-authored a new model of the Irish Neolithic, effectively rewriting social structure and the role of large funerary monuments for the creation of community identities
I co-authored a new model of the Irish Neolithic, effectively rewriting social structure and the role of large funerary monuments for the creation of community identities
What historians (and other scholars do) is create knowledge. We should use that phrase more and talk about what it means. I think we don't, and it's part of why AI enthusiasts are confused when we don't readily agree that our work can be replicated/replaced by their products.
December 22, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Academics: what's the best bit of knowledge you created this year?
I co-authored a new model of the Irish Neolithic, effectively rewriting social structure and the role of large funerary monuments for the creation of community identities
I co-authored a new model of the Irish Neolithic, effectively rewriting social structure and the role of large funerary monuments for the creation of community identities
Love this. The knowledge that I'm most proud to have created is a critique of "foundation models", including but not limited to LLMs, based on scientific and chemical ethics. This involved a grounded theory analysis of chemical codes of ethics to define what "chemical ethics" even are.
December 22, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Love this. The knowledge that I'm most proud to have created is a critique of "foundation models", including but not limited to LLMs, based on scientific and chemical ethics. This involved a grounded theory analysis of chemical codes of ethics to define what "chemical ethics" even are.
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Can you pledge $5 a week so Ruaa and her family can eat? #MutualAidBoost #FundSky #HelpSky
chuffed.org/project/help...
chuffed.org/project/help...
December 20, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Can you pledge $5 a week so Ruaa and her family can eat? #MutualAidBoost #FundSky #HelpSky
chuffed.org/project/help...
chuffed.org/project/help...
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Really interesting research showing that while ultra-specialization in a single discipline might lead to better results early in one’s career, multi-discipline training and practice pays off big time in the long run. This applies to a range of professions from scientists to athletes and more
Recent discoveries on the acquisition of the highest levels of human performance
Scientists have long debated the origins of exceptional human achievements. This literature review summarizes recent evidence from multiple domains on the acquisition of world-class performance. We re...
www.science.org
December 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Really interesting research showing that while ultra-specialization in a single discipline might lead to better results early in one’s career, multi-discipline training and practice pays off big time in the long run. This applies to a range of professions from scientists to athletes and more
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
If you're not studying it, then it's not your area of study. This isn't remotely difficult to understand.
December 21, 2025 at 7:52 PM
If you're not studying it, then it's not your area of study. This isn't remotely difficult to understand.
Trying to transition away from GitHub towards Codeberg, given Microsoft's abysmal politics (would have done this sooner but didn't know a FOSS-based alternative existed!). Still a work in progress, but I did manage to get a new website up using Codeberg Pages: ewcss.info.
Evan Walter Clark Spotte-Smith (they/them)
ewcss.info
December 21, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Trying to transition away from GitHub towards Codeberg, given Microsoft's abysmal politics (would have done this sooner but didn't know a FOSS-based alternative existed!). Still a work in progress, but I did manage to get a new website up using Codeberg Pages: ewcss.info.
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
I feel like "academic hiring" discourse is always kind of downstream of the fact that in the 50s we started building a giant public system to make a college education almost universally available and in the 80s and 90s we started taking it apart to go back to the only-the-rich model
December 20, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I feel like "academic hiring" discourse is always kind of downstream of the fact that in the 50s we started building a giant public system to make a college education almost universally available and in the 80s and 90s we started taking it apart to go back to the only-the-rich model
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
In the wake of this news from UNC, I'm seeing some talk about copyright ownership and faculty scholarship.
If you're interested in the topic, here's a good explainer from from @authorsalliance.bsky.social:
If you're interested in the topic, here's a good explainer from from @authorsalliance.bsky.social:
December 20, 2025 at 1:33 PM
In the wake of this news from UNC, I'm seeing some talk about copyright ownership and faculty scholarship.
If you're interested in the topic, here's a good explainer from from @authorsalliance.bsky.social:
If you're interested in the topic, here's a good explainer from from @authorsalliance.bsky.social:
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
“Specific areas of interest include but are not limited to chemical biology of disease related proteins, natural product biosynthesis and enzyme discovery; structural biology and mechanistic enzymology; and microbial engineering.”
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology is looking for a new Professor. There are a few priority areas including microbial engineering (broadly defined, from pathways to cells to microbiomes). Closing 12 Jan.
Join us in the best city in the UK 😜
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join us in the best city in the UK 😜
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
December 20, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
They've been draining talent from academic research and teaching for decades. This is just their final push
Built a system where scientists like me joined industry for the financial security and health insurance. I couldn't afford to teach as an adjunct even though that was my dream
Built a system where scientists like me joined industry for the financial security and health insurance. I couldn't afford to teach as an adjunct even though that was my dream
When I'm feeling particularly hopeless about the future of professoring as a profession, I try to remind myself: That's what they want. They want us to not want to be professors anymore.
December 21, 2025 at 6:22 AM
They've been draining talent from academic research and teaching for decades. This is just their final push
Built a system where scientists like me joined industry for the financial security and health insurance. I couldn't afford to teach as an adjunct even though that was my dream
Built a system where scientists like me joined industry for the financial security and health insurance. I couldn't afford to teach as an adjunct even though that was my dream
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
When I'm feeling particularly hopeless about the future of professoring as a profession, I try to remind myself: That's what they want. They want us to not want to be professors anymore.
December 19, 2025 at 8:57 PM
When I'm feeling particularly hopeless about the future of professoring as a profession, I try to remind myself: That's what they want. They want us to not want to be professors anymore.
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
I know disciplinary standards differ, but I've been at this for decades and I've never cited a paper I didn't read. Didn't like, sure; didn't understand, often; kind of drifted off in the middle there, it happens. But didn't read at all? Nah. Come on.
December 19, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I know disciplinary standards differ, but I've been at this for decades and I've never cited a paper I didn't read. Didn't like, sure; didn't understand, often; kind of drifted off in the middle there, it happens. But didn't read at all? Nah. Come on.
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.
December 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
I always frame citational practice as relational:
Whose ideas do I want to inherit and carry forward?
Whose/which ideas am I responsible to/for?
Which thinkers have offered me intellectual, emotional, spiritual guidance?
Who are my ontoepistemological ancestors?
#AcademicSky #AcademicChatter
Whose ideas do I want to inherit and carry forward?
Whose/which ideas am I responsible to/for?
Which thinkers have offered me intellectual, emotional, spiritual guidance?
Who are my ontoepistemological ancestors?
#AcademicSky #AcademicChatter
Fascinating.
Root question is, what kind of intellectual and social practice is citation? What work does it do for us?
Root question is, what kind of intellectual and social practice is citation? What work does it do for us?
December 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I always frame citational practice as relational:
Whose ideas do I want to inherit and carry forward?
Whose/which ideas am I responsible to/for?
Which thinkers have offered me intellectual, emotional, spiritual guidance?
Who are my ontoepistemological ancestors?
#AcademicSky #AcademicChatter
Whose ideas do I want to inherit and carry forward?
Whose/which ideas am I responsible to/for?
Which thinkers have offered me intellectual, emotional, spiritual guidance?
Who are my ontoepistemological ancestors?
#AcademicSky #AcademicChatter
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
I've already been hearing faculty discussion adapting to this policy by basically writing stripped down syllabi that include *only* the required boilerplate and nothing else, with things like course themes, reading schedules and such kept in separate documents to avoid the university owning them.
The UNC system just released its final policy on mandatory syllabi disclosure, stating that syllabi are university (not faculty) IP and certain course info must be posted on new, publicly searchable databases before every semester.
A thread about what's changed from the draft I reported on earlier:
A thread about what's changed from the draft I reported on earlier:
NEW: Public universities in red states, from Texas to Florida, are increasingly required to make their syllabi public. The University of North Carolina may be next. Does "syllabi transparency" help combat distrust in higher ed, or feed ill-informed suspicions of it? www.chronicle.com/article/when...
December 20, 2025 at 3:01 AM
I've already been hearing faculty discussion adapting to this policy by basically writing stripped down syllabi that include *only* the required boilerplate and nothing else, with things like course themes, reading schedules and such kept in separate documents to avoid the university owning them.
Another opportunity to do scholarship and teach in Dublin!
#PhilJobs #HPS
TT Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin
AOS: History, Philosophy & Ethics of Science
philjobs.org/job/show/30601
Great this job ad explicitly mentions *geosciences* as one of areas of sciences of interest. (I have asked PhilJobs to include a box in this area)
TT Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin
AOS: History, Philosophy & Ethics of Science
philjobs.org/job/show/30601
Great this job ad explicitly mentions *geosciences* as one of areas of sciences of interest. (I have asked PhilJobs to include a box in this area)
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin
- PhilJobs:JFP
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin
An international database of jobs for philosophers
philjobs.org
December 20, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Another opportunity to do scholarship and teach in Dublin!
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite
Reposted by Evan Spotte-Smith (they/them)
The name "Popular Science" doesn't mean we shift our coverage depending on public opinion. It means we cover relevant subjects that are rigorously researched, reliable, and grounded in reality.
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
First-of-a-kind study shows encouraging data for trans kids who socially transition
Ninety-four percent of participants in a new study stood firm in their trans identity after five years, and "detransitioning" is rare.
www.popsci.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:16 PM
The name "Popular Science" doesn't mean we shift our coverage depending on public opinion. It means we cover relevant subjects that are rigorously researched, reliable, and grounded in reality.
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...