Becky Smith
@rlsdvm.bsky.social
Epidemiologist at UIUC, working in One Health
Pinned
Becky Smith
@rlsdvm.bsky.social
· Sep 10
K-12 Schools and Public Health Partnerships: Strategies for Navigating a Crisis with Trust, Equity, and Communication
Amazon.com: K-12 Schools and Public Health Partnerships: Strategies for Navigating a Crisis with Trust, Equity, and Communication: 9781041002406: Perkinson, Leah, Barrios, Lisa C., Smith, Rebecca Lee, Roegman, Rachel: Books
www.amazon.com
Our book is up and available for preorder!
We spoke with K-12 and public health administrators from around the US about how they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic together. The biggest lesson was to build the partnerships before you need them, so start now! Ships in time for Christmas!
We spoke with K-12 and public health administrators from around the US about how they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic together. The biggest lesson was to build the partnerships before you need them, so start now! Ships in time for Christmas!
Another new paper, a little different for me - can we use differential privacy to conduct epi research on EMR? Yes, but . . . we lose a lot of power, but it works fairly well for more aggregated counts
A quantitative and qualitative assessment of differential privacy’s ability to support collaborative research using a real-world data analysis
AbstractObjective. Sharing clinical data for research that is both collaborative and privacy-preserving remains a challenge. Differential privacy (DP) offe
doi.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Another new paper, a little different for me - can we use differential privacy to conduct epi research on EMR? Yes, but . . . we lose a lot of power, but it works fairly well for more aggregated counts
I'm declaring the bloom census over for the year, thanks to last night's lake effect snow. Time to play with the data!
November 10, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I'm declaring the bloom census over for the year, thanks to last night's lake effect snow. Time to play with the data!
I do this for grad student inquiries and it saves me so much time while still letting me respond
As semesters start and you find yourself repeatedly answering emails with the same questions from students, this is my annual reminder that you can make all your frequent responses email signatures and just select them from your signature list to respond. You're welcome. #academicsky
November 9, 2025 at 1:49 PM
I do this for grad student inquiries and it saves me so much time while still letting me respond
Here's this cool science my lab did! <crickets>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
New paper from the lab - what is the experience of researchers in trying to do on-farm AMR research?
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Frontiers | Unlocking farm-level antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study of researchers’ experiences and challenges
Despite the strong advocacy for innovation in livestock antimicrobial resistance research, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the social components...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Here's this cool science my lab did! <crickets>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
Here's a picture of my cats! <wild applause>
New paper from the lab - what is the experience of researchers in trying to do on-farm AMR research?
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Frontiers | Unlocking farm-level antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study of researchers’ experiences and challenges
Despite the strong advocacy for innovation in livestock antimicrobial resistance research, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the social components...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
New paper from the lab - what is the experience of researchers in trying to do on-farm AMR research?
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Themes: Navigating access is hard, but important - on-farm data has crucial metadata. Data sharing requires privacy protections to maintain farm access. Researchers are driven by impact
Reposted by Becky Smith
Wow it defaults to hiding quite a few things. Many probably for the best, but for now I'm switching most to warn (and I remain willing to see rude posts - I follow @dimsie.bsky.social after all)
If you aren't seeing skeets from some of your fave people, they might have been labeled "Rude" by bsky mods. Idk what they are thinking, I don't need a mommy to tell me who to be buddies with. Anyway, go into Settings > moderation > bluesky moderation (advanced) and turn Rude off.
November 6, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Wow it defaults to hiding quite a few things. Many probably for the best, but for now I'm switching most to warn (and I remain willing to see rude posts - I follow @dimsie.bsky.social after all)
I've gotten into the bad habit of reading the comments on local stories of interest on FB. Today, there was a repost by a local news organization of a story about alpha-gal
Umm
Are people okay?
Umm
Are people okay?
a man with a beard is sitting in front of a bookshelf and says are you okay .
Alt: Paul Rudd with a beard is sitting in front of a bookshelf and says are you okay?
media.tenor.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I've gotten into the bad habit of reading the comments on local stories of interest on FB. Today, there was a repost by a local news organization of a story about alpha-gal
Umm
Are people okay?
Umm
Are people okay?
This week's bloom census, mostly stray blossoms:
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
November 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
This week's bloom census, mostly stray blossoms:
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
Violet, catmint, tomato, rose, lavender, hydrangea, hydrangea tree, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sky blue aster, calico aster
The remains of 4 large bowls of candy and a small bowl of bouncy balls. We had a big group of undergrads in the neighborhood, and good for them!
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
November 1, 2025 at 1:56 AM
The remains of 4 large bowls of candy and a small bowl of bouncy balls. We had a big group of undergrads in the neighborhood, and good for them!
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
Now I have to raid 8's stash for my Reece's
BTW, the new Florence + the Machine album dropped today, and it's fabulously seasonal. Also timeless, in that it is full of female rage . . .
Florence + The Machine - Everybody Scream (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by FlorenceMachineVEVO
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 5:51 PM
BTW, the new Florence + the Machine album dropped today, and it's fabulously seasonal. Also timeless, in that it is full of female rage . . .
Reposted by Becky Smith
The amount of AI generated art in slides at this conference, primarily used by older scientists, is killing me. Scientists please. Don’t use these ai platforms to make your figures or slides. They look bad and I have yet to see them meaningfully improve the message of talks.
October 31, 2025 at 3:09 AM
The amount of AI generated art in slides at this conference, primarily used by older scientists, is killing me. Scientists please. Don’t use these ai platforms to make your figures or slides. They look bad and I have yet to see them meaningfully improve the message of talks.
These are great shirts! 12 likes to wear hers tucked in so it just reads "Biology is Bigger" and I'm not mad about that
You have until Sunday SUNDAY Sunday to order a Biology is Bigger than Binaries shirt. I don't have room in my house for piles of shirts so our shirts are always time-limited.
Designed by @franzanth.bsky.social, supports @skypeascientist.bsky.social, looks cool as hell.
Get one: SquidFacts.net
Designed by @franzanth.bsky.social, supports @skypeascientist.bsky.social, looks cool as hell.
Get one: SquidFacts.net
I'm doing another print run of these "Biology is Bigger than Binaries" shirts!
Back, quite literally, by popular demand. Bullying works, sure, but so does a bunch of nice cutie patooties politely asking!
Order 'em now, I'll mail 'em in early November.
SquidFacts.net
Back, quite literally, by popular demand. Bullying works, sure, but so does a bunch of nice cutie patooties politely asking!
Order 'em now, I'll mail 'em in early November.
SquidFacts.net
October 30, 2025 at 1:52 AM
These are great shirts! 12 likes to wear hers tucked in so it just reads "Biology is Bigger" and I'm not mad about that
I used to think journals were bad, with long waits for reviews but wanting proofs turned around in 24 hours.
I didn't realize publishers were just as bad! 24 hours to review an index, with no warning?!?!
I didn't realize publishers were just as bad! 24 hours to review an index, with no warning?!?!
October 29, 2025 at 1:16 PM
I used to think journals were bad, with long waits for reviews but wanting proofs turned around in 24 hours.
I didn't realize publishers were just as bad! 24 hours to review an index, with no warning?!?!
I didn't realize publishers were just as bad! 24 hours to review an index, with no warning?!?!
Amazing story!
Gonna talk in entomology class today about how Jewish scientists forced to work in Nazi concentration camps secretly sent fake vaccines to the eastern front and managed to kill 4,000 Nazis with typhus.
Vaccine subterfuge: How vaccine-makers fooled the Nazis from inside a concentration camp lab
Confined first at Auschwitz then Buchenwald, a Jewish microbiologist conspired with a ragtag team of scientists and rebels to send dud typhus vaccines to the German soldiers on the eastern front.
www.gavi.org
October 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Amazing story!
This week's bloom census, a few still hanging on:
Violet, tomato, rose, rosy sedge, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, brown-eyed Susan, tomatillo, hydrangea tree, swithchgrass, goldenrod, white snakeroot, sky blue aster, calico aster
Violet, tomato, rose, rosy sedge, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, brown-eyed Susan, tomatillo, hydrangea tree, swithchgrass, goldenrod, white snakeroot, sky blue aster, calico aster
October 27, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This week's bloom census, a few still hanging on:
Violet, tomato, rose, rosy sedge, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, brown-eyed Susan, tomatillo, hydrangea tree, swithchgrass, goldenrod, white snakeroot, sky blue aster, calico aster
Violet, tomato, rose, rosy sedge, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, brown-eyed Susan, tomatillo, hydrangea tree, swithchgrass, goldenrod, white snakeroot, sky blue aster, calico aster
Reposted by Becky Smith
With a few notable exceptions among you, I suspect you (yes! you!!) simply do not know enough about eels.
Not because there is a great eel quiz at the end of it all, no no.
But because eel facts, that you can scratch to reveal, bring joy. We need more joy. Badly.
Get eel facts.
eelfacts.net
Not because there is a great eel quiz at the end of it all, no no.
But because eel facts, that you can scratch to reveal, bring joy. We need more joy. Badly.
Get eel facts.
eelfacts.net
October 26, 2025 at 4:02 PM
With a few notable exceptions among you, I suspect you (yes! you!!) simply do not know enough about eels.
Not because there is a great eel quiz at the end of it all, no no.
But because eel facts, that you can scratch to reveal, bring joy. We need more joy. Badly.
Get eel facts.
eelfacts.net
Not because there is a great eel quiz at the end of it all, no no.
But because eel facts, that you can scratch to reveal, bring joy. We need more joy. Badly.
Get eel facts.
eelfacts.net
Anyone got suggestions for getting an Electrify America station to work. After 20 minutes and 8 tries on 2 chargers, still nothing...
October 25, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Anyone got suggestions for getting an Electrify America station to work. After 20 minutes and 8 tries on 2 chargers, still nothing...
Amazing! Culex pipiens f. molestus emerged with irrigation and water storage?!?!
October 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Amazing! Culex pipiens f. molestus emerged with irrigation and water storage?!?!
I just took a look at the data this week for another reason, and there is a clear pattern with the fall and spring migrations in the Midwest. This was predictable and something probably could have been done, if not for USDA being tied down
Bird flu is back, big time
Remember, back in March, 2025, RFK Jr unveiled his "unorthodox idea for tackling the bird flu bedeviling U.S. poultry farms. Let the virus rip." (www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/h...)
Remember, back in March, 2025, RFK Jr unveiled his "unorthodox idea for tackling the bird flu bedeviling U.S. poultry farms. Let the virus rip." (www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/h...)
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks human cases, and the Department of Agriculture, which monitors animal outbreaks, have both suspended routine communication with states, leaving many officials without up-to-date guidance on how to detect and contain the disease”
October 22, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I just took a look at the data this week for another reason, and there is a clear pattern with the fall and spring migrations in the Midwest. This was predictable and something probably could have been done, if not for USDA being tied down
Just had a great chat with my NP about MMR booster eligibility, how many doses at what interval, colon cancer screening, pap frequency... feeling very preventive. Also, waiting for that first MMR boost.
October 20, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Just had a great chat with my NP about MMR booster eligibility, how many doses at what interval, colon cancer screening, pap frequency... feeling very preventive. Also, waiting for that first MMR boost.
For your Monday. You can't hear the purr, but it was loud and happy
October 20, 2025 at 1:56 PM
For your Monday. You can't hear the purr, but it was loud and happy
This week's bloom census, all continuing:
Violet, rose, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, plantain, white clover, brown-eyed Susan, whorled mountain mint, hydrangea tree, Joe Pye weed, swithchgrass, Drummond's aster, goldenrod, white snakeroot, calico aster, sky blue aster
Violet, rose, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, plantain, white clover, brown-eyed Susan, whorled mountain mint, hydrangea tree, Joe Pye weed, swithchgrass, Drummond's aster, goldenrod, white snakeroot, calico aster, sky blue aster
October 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
This week's bloom census, all continuing:
Violet, rose, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, plantain, white clover, brown-eyed Susan, whorled mountain mint, hydrangea tree, Joe Pye weed, swithchgrass, Drummond's aster, goldenrod, white snakeroot, calico aster, sky blue aster
Violet, rose, hydrangea, coneflower, lady's thumb, plantain, white clover, brown-eyed Susan, whorled mountain mint, hydrangea tree, Joe Pye weed, swithchgrass, Drummond's aster, goldenrod, white snakeroot, calico aster, sky blue aster
My parents are evangelical Reagan republicans in a small town in a deep red area. They voted against this 3 times and they're at a protest today
Take note of all these people turning out for protests in small towns in red states.
Remember them the next time you’re inclined to write an area off because “they voted for this.”
Remember them the next time you’re inclined to write an area off because “they voted for this.”
October 18, 2025 at 4:50 PM
My parents are evangelical Reagan republicans in a small town in a deep red area. They voted against this 3 times and they're at a protest today
90% of my scary biking moments are right turn on red crossing a bike path
Why tf does North America allow right turns on red? Was this ever a good idea? So proud of @ardenenglish.bsky.social for his first collaboration with the CBC!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqDV...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqDV...
Right Turn of Death | Creator Network | A Film by The Greater Discussions
YouTube video by CBC British Columbia
www.youtube.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM
90% of my scary biking moments are right turn on red crossing a bike path