Roman Feiman
@romanfeiman.bsky.social
Language, development, and language development. Assistant Prof at Brown. PI of the Brown Language and Thought (BLT) Lab.
Reposted by Roman Feiman
It’s grad school application season, and I wanted to give some public advice.
Caveats:
-*-*-*-*
> These are my opinions, based on my experiences, they are not secret tricks or guarantees
> They are general guidelines, not meant to cover a host of idiosyncrasies and special cases
Caveats:
-*-*-*-*
> These are my opinions, based on my experiences, they are not secret tricks or guarantees
> They are general guidelines, not meant to cover a host of idiosyncrasies and special cases
November 6, 2025 at 2:55 PM
It’s grad school application season, and I wanted to give some public advice.
Caveats:
-*-*-*-*
> These are my opinions, based on my experiences, they are not secret tricks or guarantees
> They are general guidelines, not meant to cover a host of idiosyncrasies and special cases
Caveats:
-*-*-*-*
> These are my opinions, based on my experiences, they are not secret tricks or guarantees
> They are general guidelines, not meant to cover a host of idiosyncrasies and special cases
Reposted by Roman Feiman
I really am just working from the basic premise of political science that public opinion isn’t just measurable — you can and should CREATE it.
This never stops being true, but I’m not sure Ds have ever, at least in my lifetime, learned to apply it for good. *Creating* public opinion either never occurs to them, or if it does, offends their sensibilities? It’s exasperating
November 3, 2025 at 3:04 AM
I really am just working from the basic premise of political science that public opinion isn’t just measurable — you can and should CREATE it.
Reposted by Roman Feiman
My biggest beef with all of it is the insistence on treating public opinion as something that is stable and designed to be mined for strategy/platform rather than something that is malleable and can be shaped when you are value driven.
November 2, 2025 at 2:24 PM
My biggest beef with all of it is the insistence on treating public opinion as something that is stable and designed to be mined for strategy/platform rather than something that is malleable and can be shaped when you are value driven.
Reposted by Roman Feiman
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.
November 2, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.
Reposted by Roman Feiman
New paper with @romanfeiman.bsky.social's lab, special to me given the inspiration from a parenting observation, when my then-2yo would regularly (and sensibly) confuse "anything" with "nothing"; turns out she was not alone and we can learn something about negative concord and semantic variation too
When some kids say "any", they seem to mean no. Huh?
We show they really do, and why. The key idea: kids figure out what "any" means from the sentences it's in. But a concord negator in the same spots can look the same ("I don't want anything" vs. "I don't want nothing") doi.org/10.16995/glo...
We show they really do, and why. The key idea: kids figure out what "any" means from the sentences it's in. But a concord negator in the same spots can look the same ("I don't want anything" vs. "I don't want nothing") doi.org/10.16995/glo...
When the syntactic bootstrap breaks: Some children think <em>any</em> means <em>no</em>
Children can use distributional information about where words occur to figure out their meanings. But what happens when two very different words not only have most of their distribution in common, but...
doi.org
September 30, 2025 at 8:11 PM
New paper with @romanfeiman.bsky.social's lab, special to me given the inspiration from a parenting observation, when my then-2yo would regularly (and sensibly) confuse "anything" with "nothing"; turns out she was not alone and we can learn something about negative concord and semantic variation too
When some kids say "any", they seem to mean no. Huh?
We show they really do, and why. The key idea: kids figure out what "any" means from the sentences it's in. But a concord negator in the same spots can look the same ("I don't want anything" vs. "I don't want nothing") doi.org/10.16995/glo...
We show they really do, and why. The key idea: kids figure out what "any" means from the sentences it's in. But a concord negator in the same spots can look the same ("I don't want anything" vs. "I don't want nothing") doi.org/10.16995/glo...
When the syntactic bootstrap breaks: Some children think <em>any</em> means <em>no</em>
Children can use distributional information about where words occur to figure out their meanings. But what happens when two very different words not only have most of their distribution in common, but...
doi.org
September 30, 2025 at 5:06 PM
When some kids say "any", they seem to mean no. Huh?
We show they really do, and why. The key idea: kids figure out what "any" means from the sentences it's in. But a concord negator in the same spots can look the same ("I don't want anything" vs. "I don't want nothing") doi.org/10.16995/glo...
We show they really do, and why. The key idea: kids figure out what "any" means from the sentences it's in. But a concord negator in the same spots can look the same ("I don't want anything" vs. "I don't want nothing") doi.org/10.16995/glo...
Reposted by Roman Feiman
Brown’s Department of Cognitive & Psychological Sciences is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor, working in the area of AI and the Mind (start July 1, 2026). Apply by Nov 8, 2025 👉 apply.interfolio.com/173939
#AI #CognitiveScience #AcademicJobs #BrownUniversity
#AI #CognitiveScience #AcademicJobs #BrownUniversity
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Brown’s Department of Cognitive & Psychological Sciences is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor, working in the area of AI and the Mind (start July 1, 2026). Apply by Nov 8, 2025 👉 apply.interfolio.com/173939
#AI #CognitiveScience #AcademicJobs #BrownUniversity
#AI #CognitiveScience #AcademicJobs #BrownUniversity
Reposted by Roman Feiman
Nice piece by @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social where he implies that the only interdisciplinary conversations worth having are those at SPP (@socphilpsych.bsky.social). I agree!
A big shoutout to @levelsof.bsky.social & @oldjerryfodor.bsky.social for putting together a conversation-inspiring SPP 2025!
A big shoutout to @levelsof.bsky.social & @oldjerryfodor.bsky.social for putting together a conversation-inspiring SPP 2025!
September 8, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Nice piece by @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social where he implies that the only interdisciplinary conversations worth having are those at SPP (@socphilpsych.bsky.social). I agree!
A big shoutout to @levelsof.bsky.social & @oldjerryfodor.bsky.social for putting together a conversation-inspiring SPP 2025!
A big shoutout to @levelsof.bsky.social & @oldjerryfodor.bsky.social for putting together a conversation-inspiring SPP 2025!
Reposted by Roman Feiman
BREAKING: ICE is sending Russian dissidents back to Russia. When the dissidents arrived in Russia, the Russian authorities were given documents relating to their asylum applications in the US which under US law are confidential. This seems to be part of a secret agreement between Trump and Putin.
‘I escaped a Russian prison — only to end up in an American jail’
Dozens of Russian dissidents have been expelled from the US and forcibly returned to Russia with the co-operation of immigration authorities
www.thetimes.com
September 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
BREAKING: ICE is sending Russian dissidents back to Russia. When the dissidents arrived in Russia, the Russian authorities were given documents relating to their asylum applications in the US which under US law are confidential. This seems to be part of a secret agreement between Trump and Putin.
Reposted by Roman Feiman
"Delays in interview appointments, increased documentation checks, and a sharp rise in rejection rates have created a cloud of uncertainty over the entire higher education system."
www.m9.news/usa-news/us-...
www.m9.news/usa-news/us-...
US Colleges in Crisis: 150K Students in Visa Mess
150K students face US visa delays after admission. Colleges lose revenue, diversity, and global trust amid immigration hurdles.
www.m9.news
August 10, 2025 at 6:58 PM
"Delays in interview appointments, increased documentation checks, and a sharp rise in rejection rates have created a cloud of uncertainty over the entire higher education system."
www.m9.news/usa-news/us-...
www.m9.news/usa-news/us-...
Reposted by Roman Feiman
NSF makes you say who you got conflicts (coauthored) with. We (really just Jordan Matelsky) just built you a tool for that. Literally one click: bib.experiments.kordinglab.com/nsf-coa
NSF COA | Jordan Matelsky
bib.experiments.kordinglab.com
November 11, 2024 at 8:11 PM
NSF makes you say who you got conflicts (coauthored) with. We (really just Jordan Matelsky) just built you a tool for that. Literally one click: bib.experiments.kordinglab.com/nsf-coa
Reposted by Roman Feiman
few outcomes, except for 99% of FDA-approved drugs, 174 recipients of 104 Nobel Prizes, training ~30K MDs and ~10K PhDs per year to enter the workforce, and a 34% reduction in age-adjusted cancer deaths since 1990 -- the largest decrease in history
Now do the Department of Defense budget, Andrew.
“Washington has thrown billions at NIH for decades with little accountability and few measurable outcomes,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement to Future Pulse.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
“Washington has thrown billions at NIH for decades with little accountability and few measurable outcomes,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement to Future Pulse.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
NIH spending battle’s ripple effect
www.politico.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:26 AM
few outcomes, except for 99% of FDA-approved drugs, 174 recipients of 104 Nobel Prizes, training ~30K MDs and ~10K PhDs per year to enter the workforce, and a 34% reduction in age-adjusted cancer deaths since 1990 -- the largest decrease in history
Reposted by Roman Feiman
The NIH’s 2024 budget of just under $37B generated $95B in economic activity in 2024 alone. 99.4% of new pharmaceuticals approved from 2010-2019 came from NIH-funded research. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that generates as much direct economic benefit as our NIH did before they destroyed it
TAPPER: 14 Republicans say you're risking undermining critical research by holding up NIH funding
VOUGHT: If they were a company, their stock price would in shambles. They in some respects caused the pandemic. You have an entire institute that does nothing more than DEI research at the NIH.
VOUGHT: If they were a company, their stock price would in shambles. They in some respects caused the pandemic. You have an entire institute that does nothing more than DEI research at the NIH.
July 27, 2025 at 10:49 PM
The NIH’s 2024 budget of just under $37B generated $95B in economic activity in 2024 alone. 99.4% of new pharmaceuticals approved from 2010-2019 came from NIH-funded research. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that generates as much direct economic benefit as our NIH did before they destroyed it
Reposted by Roman Feiman
NIH advisory councils are being gutted - reviewers were ousted before starting.
NIH staff were told to nominate Trump-loyal scientists, and warned that even those could be replaced by handpicked cronies.
What’s happening at Trump’s NIH is a hostile takeover of science.
zurl.co/WQS6B
NIH staff were told to nominate Trump-loyal scientists, and warned that even those could be replaced by handpicked cronies.
What’s happening at Trump’s NIH is a hostile takeover of science.
zurl.co/WQS6B
Exclusive: NIH to dismiss dozens of grant reviewers to align with Trump priorities
The move would undo years of work, leaving advisory councils understaffed, and without the full expertise needed for reviews. The move would undo years of work, leaving advisory councils understaffed, and without the full expertise needed for reviews.
www.nature.com
July 16, 2025 at 11:33 AM
NIH advisory councils are being gutted - reviewers were ousted before starting.
NIH staff were told to nominate Trump-loyal scientists, and warned that even those could be replaced by handpicked cronies.
What’s happening at Trump’s NIH is a hostile takeover of science.
zurl.co/WQS6B
NIH staff were told to nominate Trump-loyal scientists, and warned that even those could be replaced by handpicked cronies.
What’s happening at Trump’s NIH is a hostile takeover of science.
zurl.co/WQS6B
Reposted by Roman Feiman
To me, one of the hardest parts is that there has long been bipartisan support for research—who wants deaf children suffer?? Science cannot be a partisan issue. I met with folks on both sides of the aisle on the Hill, and am grateful to see that there continues to be support for this work. (15/16)
July 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
To me, one of the hardest parts is that there has long been bipartisan support for research—who wants deaf children suffer?? Science cannot be a partisan issue. I met with folks on both sides of the aisle on the Hill, and am grateful to see that there continues to be support for this work. (15/16)
Reposted by Roman Feiman
Okay y’all, gather round for a chat. It’s been a roller coaster, and I thought I’d share what we’ve learned. 🧵 (1/16)
bsky.app/profile/luck...
bsky.app/profile/luck...
BREAKING: Scientists are staging a “science fair” in the lobby of a Congressional building to tell elected officials about the critical knowledge the US will lose because their research grants have been canceled.
July 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Okay y’all, gather round for a chat. It’s been a roller coaster, and I thought I’d share what we’ve learned. 🧵 (1/16)
bsky.app/profile/luck...
bsky.app/profile/luck...
Reposted by Roman Feiman
Just sent this as an email to my department but figured I'd share more broadly in case it is useful. This describes the procedure happening now for science funding in Congress (@davidimiller.bsky.social can correct me if I got this wrong). Importantly, there are still actions that can be taken.
Science Funding Process
=====Written July 11 2025====== Hi all, Just wanted to share some information that is likely relevant to a lot of us, but not always easy to understand, about federal science budget procedure (feel f...
docs.google.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Just sent this as an email to my department but figured I'd share more broadly in case it is useful. This describes the procedure happening now for science funding in Congress (@davidimiller.bsky.social can correct me if I got this wrong). Importantly, there are still actions that can be taken.
Reposted by Roman Feiman
The Senate appropriations committee has voiced its intent to ignore the request by President Donald Trump to slash the budgets of the National Science Foundation and NASA science programs. scim.ag/4nW7XWi
Senate spending panel would rescue NSF and NASA science funding
Its support for a flat budget is a sign of congressional resistance to drastic cuts Trump has proposed
scim.ag
July 10, 2025 at 8:41 PM
The Senate appropriations committee has voiced its intent to ignore the request by President Donald Trump to slash the budgets of the National Science Foundation and NASA science programs. scim.ag/4nW7XWi
Reposted by Roman Feiman
🚨 BREAKING 🚨 The National Science Foundation has sent an email out to its members to collect signatures for a dissent declaration similar to the NIH’s Bethesda Declaration and the EPA’s Declaration of Dissent.
This comes on the heels of Lee Zeldin putting 139 EPA declaration signers on admin leave
This comes on the heels of Lee Zeldin putting 139 EPA declaration signers on admin leave
July 10, 2025 at 1:21 AM
🚨 BREAKING 🚨 The National Science Foundation has sent an email out to its members to collect signatures for a dissent declaration similar to the NIH’s Bethesda Declaration and the EPA’s Declaration of Dissent.
This comes on the heels of Lee Zeldin putting 139 EPA declaration signers on admin leave
This comes on the heels of Lee Zeldin putting 139 EPA declaration signers on admin leave
Reposted by Roman Feiman
🧪 BREAKING (good news): Senate subcommittee says NO! to Trump's proposed slashes to NASA & NSF funding.
Today, the subcommittee said to keep NASA + NSF funding at $33.9 billion, the same as in FY24.
See 7:15 below. Full Senate appropriations committee meets tomorrow about it.
🧵 1/3
Today, the subcommittee said to keep NASA + NSF funding at $33.9 billion, the same as in FY24.
See 7:15 below. Full Senate appropriations committee meets tomorrow about it.
🧵 1/3
Subcommittee Markup of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
www.appropriations.senate.gov
July 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
🧪 BREAKING (good news): Senate subcommittee says NO! to Trump's proposed slashes to NASA & NSF funding.
Today, the subcommittee said to keep NASA + NSF funding at $33.9 billion, the same as in FY24.
See 7:15 below. Full Senate appropriations committee meets tomorrow about it.
🧵 1/3
Today, the subcommittee said to keep NASA + NSF funding at $33.9 billion, the same as in FY24.
See 7:15 below. Full Senate appropriations committee meets tomorrow about it.
🧵 1/3
Whenever I read "big beautiful bill" I just hear the Wait Wait intro in my head and it turns into
"I'm the big beautiful Bill Kurtis! And here is your host..."
You're welcome
"I'm the big beautiful Bill Kurtis! And here is your host..."
You're welcome
July 8, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Whenever I read "big beautiful bill" I just hear the Wait Wait intro in my head and it turns into
"I'm the big beautiful Bill Kurtis! And here is your host..."
You're welcome
"I'm the big beautiful Bill Kurtis! And here is your host..."
You're welcome
Reposted by Roman Feiman
I hope everyone is having a good Fourth of July break. Here is how I ended up spending some of mine...
1/n
1/n
July 4, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I hope everyone is having a good Fourth of July break. Here is how I ended up spending some of mine...
1/n
1/n
Reposted by Roman Feiman
"A generation of scientific talent at the brink of being lost to overseas competitors by dismantling of NSF" www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Scientists warn US will lose a generation of talent because of Trump cuts
Political interference and chaotic cuts to staff, programs and grants at the National Science Foundation are producing ‘devastating consequences’
www.theguardian.com
July 4, 2025 at 3:15 AM
"A generation of scientific talent at the brink of being lost to overseas competitors by dismantling of NSF" www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Roman Feiman
"Columbia University, Baker said, had bent over backwards and still not gotten its grants back. Instead, it’s been reported to its accreditor."
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
UVa Became an Unexpected Trump Target. Now What?
In Charlottesville and across higher ed, people are wondering what’s in store if strong-arming presidential resignations is in the cards.
www.chronicle.com
July 2, 2025 at 1:43 PM
"Columbia University, Baker said, had bent over backwards and still not gotten its grants back. Instead, it’s been reported to its accreditor."
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...