Linda Nordling
LightNews LightNews
lindanordling.bsky.social
Linda Nordling
@lindanordling.bsky.social
240 followers 500 following 51 posts
Journalist specialising in science and research. Based in Cape Town, South Africa. Wannabe potter and mother of horse, cat and hound. She/her.
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lindanordling.bsky.social
Momentum is building for a Brics bloc telescope network to track transient cosmic events.

@astrosibs.bsky.social has the story for Research Professional News

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
Brics network to track cosmic events in near real-time - Research Professional News
Bloc’s astronomy project enters second phase, aiming for global sky coverage
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Reposted by Linda Nordling
labwaggoner.bsky.social
@nature.com CAREER @lindanordling.bsky.social
How money, politics and technology are redefining the PhD experience in 2025
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
September 29, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Linda Nordling
kendallsciwrite.bsky.social
New or starting a #STEM #PhD soon? Soak up the hindsight from those who've gone before. The best pieces of advice from @nature.com 's 2025 global PhD student survey. Expertly curated by @lindanordling.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/d41...
27 things we wish we’d known when we started our PhDs
Nature’s survey of PhD candidates reveals hard-won wisdom on choosing supervisors, managing mental health and surviving academic culture.
www.nature.com
October 7, 2025 at 5:39 PM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Could an African ‘eBay for data’ that allows researchers to advertise their data and specimens to other users cut the continent's dependence on repositories in the Global North?

Read about ADBEx, the tool that aims to do just that. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
African ‘eBay for data’ challenges northern repositories - Research Professional News
New exchange keeps African samples and data local while opening access to global research collaborations
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
September 18, 2025 at 9:36 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
AI slashes African ethics review times from months to weeks

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
AI slashes African ethics review times from months to weeks - Research Professional News
Sarima 2025: Online platform RHInnO reports dramatic efficiency gains after artificial intelligence integration
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
September 4, 2025 at 11:22 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Some relief for medical researchers hit by US federal funding cuts in South Africa:

South Africa unveils funds for research hit by US cuts www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
South Africa unveils funds for research hit by US cuts - Research Professional News
Grants will help projects continue, wind down or stay afloat while seeking alternative funds
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
August 1, 2025 at 6:37 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
South Africa to tighten oversight of foreign university staff numbers amid concern that locals are losing out on academic jobs.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
South Africa to tighten oversight of foreign university staff - Research Professional News
Universities “may have been given too much latitude” in their internationalisation activities, DHET says
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
July 17, 2025 at 10:57 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
"Bioinformatics infrastructure is as essential as a lab. But it’s often invisible or taken for granted," Nicola Mulder told me this week, speaking about Africa's new bioinformatics institute, ABI.

Interview here: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
‘This is about long-term African data ownership’ - Research Professional News
Nicola Mulder explains how the new African Bioinformatics Institute will support African-led science
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
June 12, 2025 at 10:50 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Four entities reporting to South Africa’s science department pay their chief executives above Department of Public Service and Administration guidelines

Full story in link below

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
Four science agencies pay chiefs above government guidelines - Research Professional News
CSIR leads quartet of bodies paying executives in excess of Department of Public Service recommendations
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
June 5, 2025 at 10:56 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Just over a week left to participate in Nature magazine's survey of PhD students in STEM. Active doctoral students anywhere in the world can participate, and a lucky two will win cash money! You gotta be in it to win it. Link straight to the survey: survey.walr.com/R540ZC?sampl...
June 3, 2025 at 10:30 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
South Africa's HSRC offers 90% discount on selected stock to shift costly print runs in "unprecedented" sale

Free to read: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
Books turned spine to the wall on a shelf
May 15, 2025 at 10:43 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Heartbreaking story about Sudan's trashed scientific legacy.

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Gleaming labs turned to rubble: scientists mourn the loss of decades of medical progress in Sudan
Universities and laboratories in Khartoum are looted or in ruins, with vital research and medicines destroyed, including pioneering work on tropical diseases
www.theguardian.com
May 9, 2025 at 11:15 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
NIH foreign policy changes expected to cause ‘chaos’ www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
NIH foreign policy changes expected to cause ‘chaos’ - Research Professional News
Inorms 2025: National Institutes of Health changes are delaying grant awards, speaker says
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
May 8, 2025 at 11:24 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
This week, SAMRC president Ntobeko Ntusi told me international research funders have made substantial pledges to help South Africa plug gaps caused by US grant cuts. However, the support is conditional on government matching investments. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
May 8, 2025 at 9:04 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Pick a disease -- any disease...

Global aid cuts raise polio resurgence fears www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
Global aid cuts raise polio resurgence fears - Research Professional News
Worldwide eradication programme on tenterhooks amid US science turmoil
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
April 2, 2025 at 7:28 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
African science leaders unite to amplify continent's global voice www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
African science leaders unite to amplify global voice - Research Professional News
New “network of networks” aims to strengthen continent’s negotiating position and address funding challenges
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
March 27, 2025 at 8:32 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Unbelievable quote from USDHSS. But what's believable has shifted a lot in the last months.

“the COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago.”
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Exclusive: NIH to cut grants for COVID research, documents reveal
Studies on climate change and South Africa are also on the latest list of grants to be terminated, according to updated documents obtained by Nature.
www.nature.com
March 27, 2025 at 8:19 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
'They really should make a darkly satirical TV show about these absurd, degenerate, unpleasant people. Call it The White Potus.'

I love you Marina
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It’s war and peace with Donald and Pete – and the worst group chat the world has ever seen | Marina Hyde
We absolutely won’t tolerate leaks, they said before looping in a journalist to top secret war plans. Feel safe? Me neither, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
March 26, 2025 at 5:33 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Any AI-related recruitment horror stories from scientists on here? Especially interested if you feel your CV/cover letter/application was rejected by an AI "sorting hat".

DM me or email linda.nordling@gmail.com
March 17, 2025 at 1:22 PM
lindanordling.bsky.social
US aid cuts have stopped research projects in their tracks—here's what some global health funders are doing in response. #USAID #Wellcome #EDCTP3 #aidcuts

Global health research funders rally as Trump’s cuts bite www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
Global health research funders rally as Trump’s cuts bite - Research Professional News
Grantmakers are “exploring options” but stress they cannot replace withdrawn support from US government
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
March 7, 2025 at 1:50 PM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Super story by @sciwriabdul.bsky.social—as usual!

‘We have to become self-reliant’: African scientists respond to dramatic U.S. aid cuts | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
‘We have to become self-reliant’: African scientists respond to dramatic U.S. aid cuts
The “brutal” loss of billions of dollars shows Africa should no longer depend on foreign donors, researchers say
www.science.org
March 6, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Reposted by Linda Nordling
whysharksmatter.bsky.social
Science journalist friends, I am available for interviews, as are the leaders of several of these societies and the UCS leadership team. 🧪

DMs open, or whysharksmatter at gmail.
whysharksmatter.bsky.social David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Mar 3
Today, a broad coalition of scientific professional societies who represent over 92,000 scientists are speaking out against the politicization and demonization of Federally funded science and government scientist jobs.

It was an honor to help the Union of Concerned Scientists with this! 🧪🌎
48 Scientific Societies Representing Almost 100,000 Scientists Ask Congress to Protect the Future of Science
48 scientific societies representing almost 100,000 scientists signed on to a letter asking Congress to protect the future of science
www.ucsusa.org
March 3, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by Linda Nordling
pierredevos.bsky.social
USAID has axed funding for HIV/Aids organisations across South Africa — a decision that stands to have devastating consequences for medical research, disease prevention, support for key populations and community-based testing and tracing. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...
USAID issues funding termination notices to key SA health programmes
USAID has axed funding for HIV/Aids organisations across South Africa — a decision that stands to have devastating consequences for medical research, disease prevention, support for key populations an...
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 28, 2025 at 5:49 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
A non-final version of the African Innovation Outlook (the fourth of its kind) was published last week. It suggest some ways to fill the widening R&D data gathering gap in Africa.

"African R&D tracking falters as draft report calls for reform"

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-afri...
A magnifying glass over papers with charts on them
February 20, 2025 at 11:37 AM
lindanordling.bsky.social
Can someone in Kenya demystify this for me? How big is this problem of 'unlicensed/unauthorised' research and why aren't researchers getting the required licenses/authorisiations?

www.nacosti.go.ke/2025/02/17/n...
NACOSTI, SECURITY AGENCIES TO TIGHTEN RESEARCH OVERSIGHT
www.nacosti.go.ke
February 18, 2025 at 7:40 AM