M. S. AtKisson
@igrrrl.bsky.social
Grant writing and research leadership. Highly specialized wetware hacker. Mom of a trans son and a Marine. Mostly live on a 40ft Hallberg-Rassy. She/her/Dr.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
as a girl with a PhD in natural language processing and machine learning it's actually offensive to me when you say "we don't know how LLMs work so they might be conscious"
I didn't spend 10 years in mines of academia to be told ignorance is morally equal knowledge.
We know exactly how LLMs work.
I didn't spend 10 years in mines of academia to be told ignorance is morally equal knowledge.
We know exactly how LLMs work.
October 4, 2025 at 10:23 PM
as a girl with a PhD in natural language processing and machine learning it's actually offensive to me when you say "we don't know how LLMs work so they might be conscious"
I didn't spend 10 years in mines of academia to be told ignorance is morally equal knowledge.
We know exactly how LLMs work.
I didn't spend 10 years in mines of academia to be told ignorance is morally equal knowledge.
We know exactly how LLMs work.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
pyramidical silence
November 9, 2025 at 7:47 PM
pyramidical silence
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
This is such a delightful twist.
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux has become an internet sensation after an Associated Press photo captured him outside the Louvre on the day of a crown jewels heist.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
This is such a delightful twist.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
November 9, 2025 at 12:10 AM
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
Not at all concerning
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next
www.authoritarian-stack.info
November 8, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Not at all concerning
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
If they're closing the commissaries, then a LOT more military personnel are going to need SNAP.
Just another pointless self-inflicted wound.
Just another pointless self-inflicted wound.
Military officials tell troops 168 commissaries could close next month trib.al/3F3Ks58
Military officials tell troops 168 commissaries could close next month
Officials say commissaries will be open through Thanksgiving, but many stateside stores could close soon after due to the government shutdown.
trib.al
November 8, 2025 at 2:42 AM
If they're closing the commissaries, then a LOT more military personnel are going to need SNAP.
Just another pointless self-inflicted wound.
Just another pointless self-inflicted wound.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
8 high level positions at NIH posted including 6 institute director positions (NIMH, NIGMS, NICHD, NIDCR, NHGRI, NLM).
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
hr.nih.gov
November 7, 2025 at 10:20 PM
8 high level positions at NIH posted including 6 institute director positions (NIMH, NIGMS, NICHD, NIDCR, NHGRI, NLM).
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
I think we need to stop calling it empathy and go back to calling it decency. It isn't a favour you're doing someone else, it's you proving that you aren't a fucking ghoul
November 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I think we need to stop calling it empathy and go back to calling it decency. It isn't a favour you're doing someone else, it's you proving that you aren't a fucking ghoul
Randomly: I was reminded today that in the early 80s I wrote a punk song about tapping ascites tumors for monoclonal antibodies.
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Randomly: I was reminded today that in the early 80s I wrote a punk song about tapping ascites tumors for monoclonal antibodies.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
#OTD 1867, Marie Curie was born.
During WWI, Curie created a vehicle that contained a hospital bed, a generator, an X-ray machine and photographic darkroom equipment. These “petite Curies" (below) could be driven right up to the Front. Curie also helped train 150 women as radiology technicians.
During WWI, Curie created a vehicle that contained a hospital bed, a generator, an X-ray machine and photographic darkroom equipment. These “petite Curies" (below) could be driven right up to the Front. Curie also helped train 150 women as radiology technicians.
November 7, 2025 at 1:13 PM
#OTD 1867, Marie Curie was born.
During WWI, Curie created a vehicle that contained a hospital bed, a generator, an X-ray machine and photographic darkroom equipment. These “petite Curies" (below) could be driven right up to the Front. Curie also helped train 150 women as radiology technicians.
During WWI, Curie created a vehicle that contained a hospital bed, a generator, an X-ray machine and photographic darkroom equipment. These “petite Curies" (below) could be driven right up to the Front. Curie also helped train 150 women as radiology technicians.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
Woaw, big news. Good news.
Thanks @sthilaire.bsky.social for the Intel
@wesa.fm
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...
Thanks @sthilaire.bsky.social for the Intel
@wesa.fm
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...
NIH under Trump wanted to slash indirect research costs to 15%. Pitt just signed an agreement at 59%
Pitt and the Department of Health and Human Services have agreed to maintain the school’s current 59% reimbursement rate for ancillary research costs through 2029.
www.wesa.fm
November 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Woaw, big news. Good news.
Thanks @sthilaire.bsky.social for the Intel
@wesa.fm
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...
Thanks @sthilaire.bsky.social for the Intel
@wesa.fm
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
This has mostly been reported like "Tesla will make Elon Musk the first trillionaire" but a more accurate summary might be "Tesla will give Elon Musk a lot of money that doesn't really exist if he delivers on long-term promises he is absolutely incapable of fulfilling"
Tesla shareholders have approved a pay package that could make CEO Elon Musk, already the world’s richest person, the world’s first trillionaire. https://cnn.it/43KZnkA
November 7, 2025 at 6:18 PM
This has mostly been reported like "Tesla will make Elon Musk the first trillionaire" but a more accurate summary might be "Tesla will give Elon Musk a lot of money that doesn't really exist if he delivers on long-term promises he is absolutely incapable of fulfilling"
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
No, it can't. We cleared this up a few years ago: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
November 7, 2025 at 1:26 AM
No, it can't. We cleared this up a few years ago: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
Warning. ⚠️ If you are writing an NSF GRFP, new this year, you need official transcripts to apply. Beware. They will not review applications without official transcripts. ‼️
November 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Warning. ⚠️ If you are writing an NSF GRFP, new this year, you need official transcripts to apply. Beware. They will not review applications without official transcripts. ‼️
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
Before I was a novelist I was a newspaper columnist and while I loved that gig, I have this fear that over the course of time my whole shtick would have become a series of unpleasant "just asking questions" columns that would make people want to avoid me socially, I mention this for no reason
November 6, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Before I was a novelist I was a newspaper columnist and while I loved that gig, I have this fear that over the course of time my whole shtick would have become a series of unpleasant "just asking questions" columns that would make people want to avoid me socially, I mention this for no reason
Him: Come up and see the moonrise.
Me: *grumble* /hyperfocusgrantediting/
Also me: Oh yeah 🌕
Me: *grumble* /hyperfocusgrantediting/
Also me: Oh yeah 🌕
November 5, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Him: Come up and see the moonrise.
Me: *grumble* /hyperfocusgrantediting/
Also me: Oh yeah 🌕
Me: *grumble* /hyperfocusgrantediting/
Also me: Oh yeah 🌕
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
New data showing massive increase in forward funding obligations to R01s as of this summer
More context about the why & disastrous implications here:
www.forbes.com/sites/brucel...
bsky.app/profile/drug...
More context about the why & disastrous implications here:
www.forbes.com/sites/brucel...
bsky.app/profile/drug...
November 5, 2025 at 6:35 PM
New data showing massive increase in forward funding obligations to R01s as of this summer
More context about the why & disastrous implications here:
www.forbes.com/sites/brucel...
bsky.app/profile/drug...
More context about the why & disastrous implications here:
www.forbes.com/sites/brucel...
bsky.app/profile/drug...
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
“Large Language Models (LLMs) cannot do anything else but create plausibly sounding text with no concern for truth”
Print and hang on your bed and on your desk 🧐
Print and hang on your bed and on your desk 🧐
AI slop and the destruction of knowledge irisvanrooijcogsci.com/2025/08/12/a...
AI slop and the destruction of knowledge
This week I was looking for info on what cognitive scientists mean when they speak of ‘domain-general’ cognition. I was curious, because the nuances are relevant for something I am researching at t…
irisvanrooijcogsci.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:44 PM
“Large Language Models (LLMs) cannot do anything else but create plausibly sounding text with no concern for truth”
Print and hang on your bed and on your desk 🧐
Print and hang on your bed and on your desk 🧐
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
Absolutely awful news. Lex and the other writers at Teen Vogue have been doing incredible and courageous work.
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Absolutely awful news. Lex and the other writers at Teen Vogue have been doing incredible and courageous work.
In completely different news, I am reviewing your proposal in foul weather gear using my bunk as a standing desk.
November 3, 2025 at 7:46 PM
In completely different news, I am reviewing your proposal in foul weather gear using my bunk as a standing desk.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
I’ll be posting a Fishmas video (hopefully) every single day u til Christmas Day! Follow along with me! If you’ve got a fish you’d like to hear about, let me know and I’ll try my best to include it :)
November 1, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I’ll be posting a Fishmas video (hopefully) every single day u til Christmas Day! Follow along with me! If you’ve got a fish you’d like to hear about, let me know and I’ll try my best to include it :)
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
My quote of the day
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
October 30, 2025 at 11:10 AM
My quote of the day
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
Derek Guy out here setting records straight.
JD Vance claims that diversity weakens unions, as people end up distrusting each other and not organizing.
Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵
Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵
October 30, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Derek Guy out here setting records straight.
Reposted by M. S. AtKisson
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"
October 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"