Dr Lucy Stewart
@lcsnz.bsky.social
Fan of weird microbes, Pākehā nō Pōneke, dilettante crafter, co-President @nzscientists.bsky.social. All opinions my own etcetera.
ORCID: 0000-0001-7352-3329
ORCID: 0000-0001-7352-3329
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
Want to work with a dynamic team helping connect scientists with the media? Applications close at 5pm tomorrow (12 Feb).
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2026/01/27/w...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2026/01/27/w...
We're hiring: Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor role
The Science Media Centre (SMC) is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
February 10, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Want to work with a dynamic team helping connect scientists with the media? Applications close at 5pm tomorrow (12 Feb).
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2026/01/27/w...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2026/01/27/w...
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
Righto. I've read the papers released by MBIE on the LNG analysis. This will be a longish thread on my thoughts, which I'll add to progressively. Docs are here. 🧵 1/-
Document library | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
A filtered search to all the documents stored on the MBIE website.
www.mbie.govt.nz
February 10, 2026 at 10:28 AM
Righto. I've read the papers released by MBIE on the LNG analysis. This will be a longish thread on my thoughts, which I'll add to progressively. Docs are here. 🧵 1/-
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
Yes, I did mean domestic solar rather than farms.
February 9, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Yes, I did mean domestic solar rather than farms.
You could increase our national research spend by ~25% for an entire government term for this much money
Given all the really important shit that this government says we "can't afford" it's amazing what they manage to find money for.
'Strategic energy security asset': Govt reveals plans for $1b LNG import facility
Luxon warned New Zealand is experiencing swiftly declining gas supply.
www.nzherald.co.nz
February 9, 2026 at 7:51 AM
You could increase our national research spend by ~25% for an entire government term for this much money
We definitely need some calculations about how many solar panels + batteries the same amount could pay for
February 9, 2026 at 3:27 AM
We definitely need some calculations about how many solar panels + batteries the same amount could pay for
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
Moa Point wastewater plant shuts down – Expert Reaction
Moa Point wastewater plant shuts down - Expert Reaction - Science Media Centre
An equipment failure at the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant last Wednesday sent raw sewage into the sea directly off Wellington's south coast. Since Thursday night, the untreated wastewater has...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
February 8, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Moa Point wastewater plant shuts down – Expert Reaction
Poe's law in full action
February 8, 2026 at 9:34 PM
Poe's law in full action
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
You can't beat Wellington on a bike day. Let's celebrate. Join us at Queen's Wharf for Go By Bike Day tomorrow 7.30-9am. www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/go-by-b... @cyclewgtn.bsky.social @cyclingactionnz.bsky.social
February 8, 2026 at 7:34 PM
You can't beat Wellington on a bike day. Let's celebrate. Join us at Queen's Wharf for Go By Bike Day tomorrow 7.30-9am. www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/go-by-b... @cyclewgtn.bsky.social @cyclingactionnz.bsky.social
1) everybody having human rights means *everybody*, even this guy 2) colour me exceptionally skeptical that he has been treated in such a way as to genuinely render his conviction unlawful, but that's what we have the Court of Appeal for I guess 3) who's funding the appeal?
February 8, 2026 at 7:36 PM
1) everybody having human rights means *everybody*, even this guy 2) colour me exceptionally skeptical that he has been treated in such a way as to genuinely render his conviction unlawful, but that's what we have the Court of Appeal for I guess 3) who's funding the appeal?
Mmm I’m not sure but hebes are definitely enthusiastic self-seeders all over our property
February 6, 2026 at 7:29 AM
Mmm I’m not sure but hebes are definitely enthusiastic self-seeders all over our property
Quite probably! That's why you can't be asking for heads to roll in the middle of the crisis.
February 4, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Quite probably! That's why you can't be asking for heads to roll in the middle of the crisis.
Rags, sheets I also re-use to test clothing patterns
February 4, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Rags, sheets I also re-use to test clothing patterns
This is genuinely the kind of thing where you need a no-blame investigation in order to really understand what happened and why and make sure it can never happen again. If at the end of that it turns out that specific people Absolutely Fucked Up, the question is still why that was *possible*.
February 4, 2026 at 10:22 PM
This is genuinely the kind of thing where you need a no-blame investigation in order to really understand what happened and why and make sure it can never happen again. If at the end of that it turns out that specific people Absolutely Fucked Up, the question is still why that was *possible*.
Dr Michael Cullen's PhD was in social and economic history, with a MA thesis on poverty in 19thC London, but otherwise the misogyny here is very real and drives me bonkers (and his arguably relevant qualification is rarely or ever discussed - only his actions.)
The “Nicola Willis only has a BA in English lit“ crowd are feeding the same misogyny as “Nicky No Boats”. Cullen had an MA, Bill English an Honours degree in English lit, Robertson a BA and Joyce a BSc in zoology. These dudes educational background is same or even less suited but barely mentioned.
February 4, 2026 at 9:20 PM
Dr Michael Cullen's PhD was in social and economic history, with a MA thesis on poverty in 19thC London, but otherwise the misogyny here is very real and drives me bonkers (and his arguably relevant qualification is rarely or ever discussed - only his actions.)
locally there is SUCH a waiting list for sperm donors, if you just want to Spread Your Genes then go for it my dudes
February 4, 2026 at 7:53 AM
locally there is SUCH a waiting list for sperm donors, if you just want to Spread Your Genes then go for it my dudes
easy solution: we ONLY elect female prime ministers for another century until we achieve statistical significance
February 4, 2026 at 7:02 AM
easy solution: we ONLY elect female prime ministers for another century until we achieve statistical significance
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
This works pretty well in academia too:
"I had a hungry ghost in a jar write this code" > sure, as long as u checked it works 🤷♀️
"I don't remember that paper, I fed it to a hungry ghost in a jar" > why?
"a hungry ghost in a jar did that calculus course for me" > you're paying to educate a ghost?
"I had a hungry ghost in a jar write this code" > sure, as long as u checked it works 🤷♀️
"I don't remember that paper, I fed it to a hungry ghost in a jar" > why?
"a hungry ghost in a jar did that calculus course for me" > you're paying to educate a ghost?
If you can substitute "hungry ghost trapped in a jar" for "AI" in a sentence it's probably a valid use case for LLMs. Take "I have a bunch of hungry ghosts in jars, they mainly write SQL queries for me". Sure. Reasonable use case.
"My girlfriend is a hungry ghost I trapped in a jar"? No. Deranged.
"My girlfriend is a hungry ghost I trapped in a jar"? No. Deranged.
February 4, 2026 at 5:53 AM
This works pretty well in academia too:
"I had a hungry ghost in a jar write this code" > sure, as long as u checked it works 🤷♀️
"I don't remember that paper, I fed it to a hungry ghost in a jar" > why?
"a hungry ghost in a jar did that calculus course for me" > you're paying to educate a ghost?
"I had a hungry ghost in a jar write this code" > sure, as long as u checked it works 🤷♀️
"I don't remember that paper, I fed it to a hungry ghost in a jar" > why?
"a hungry ghost in a jar did that calculus course for me" > you're paying to educate a ghost?
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
February 4, 2026 at 3:31 AM
My younger brother didn't reliably gender people until he was like...eight or ten? Gender as the key factor in third-person pronouns is not an inherently obvious choice!
February 3, 2026 at 6:51 AM
My younger brother didn't reliably gender people until he was like...eight or ten? Gender as the key factor in third-person pronouns is not an inherently obvious choice!
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
The current reforms of the research system are now on track for another failure. They double down on mistakes that undermine long-term growth, well being & safety. We must ask for accountability and transparency about three key issues as we go into the election year.
scientists.org.nz/news/13593197
scientists.org.nz/news/13593197
February 2, 2026 at 8:31 PM
The current reforms of the research system are now on track for another failure. They double down on mistakes that undermine long-term growth, well being & safety. We must ask for accountability and transparency about three key issues as we go into the election year.
scientists.org.nz/news/13593197
scientists.org.nz/news/13593197
Reposted by Dr Lucy Stewart
My wife and I were on a beach in the Wellington area and found this at a car park, in the grass.
It is approximately the size of a person's hand,made of bone, and intricately carved.
I've masked the lower half,as only the legitimate owner will be able to fully describe it.
Please share this...(1)
It is approximately the size of a person's hand,made of bone, and intricately carved.
I've masked the lower half,as only the legitimate owner will be able to fully describe it.
Please share this...(1)
February 2, 2026 at 4:39 AM
My wife and I were on a beach in the Wellington area and found this at a car park, in the grass.
It is approximately the size of a person's hand,made of bone, and intricately carved.
I've masked the lower half,as only the legitimate owner will be able to fully describe it.
Please share this...(1)
It is approximately the size of a person's hand,made of bone, and intricately carved.
I've masked the lower half,as only the legitimate owner will be able to fully describe it.
Please share this...(1)
At the first session of our antenatal class I announced to everyone (when we were introducing ourselves) that we would not be entertaining questions about how I had got pregnant, and it was SUPER AWKWARD in the moment but…it worked.
but.it
February 2, 2026 at 4:48 AM
At the first session of our antenatal class I announced to everyone (when we were introducing ourselves) that we would not be entertaining questions about how I had got pregnant, and it was SUPER AWKWARD in the moment but…it worked.
reckon your mum and my mum must know each other (my mum just retired from there after nearly forty years)
February 2, 2026 at 3:14 AM
reckon your mum and my mum must know each other (my mum just retired from there after nearly forty years)