Sheril Kirshenbaum
@sheril.bsky.social
Political scientist. Author. Host of PBS Serving Up Science. www.sherilkirshenbaum.com
“Fear not the those without papers, but those without conscience.”
- @amandagorman.bsky.social, For Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Murdered by I.C.E January 24, 2026
- @amandagorman.bsky.social, For Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Murdered by I.C.E January 24, 2026
January 25, 2026 at 8:03 PM
“Fear not the those without papers, but those without conscience.”
- @amandagorman.bsky.social, For Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Murdered by I.C.E January 24, 2026
- @amandagorman.bsky.social, For Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Murdered by I.C.E January 24, 2026
Most ppl know me for work in science & policy, but my other major was classical history.
I view the present through this lens, understanding the world map is always changing.
Only by studying the humanities - that so many dismiss today - can we learn from our past & chart a more hopeful future.
I view the present through this lens, understanding the world map is always changing.
Only by studying the humanities - that so many dismiss today - can we learn from our past & chart a more hopeful future.
January 23, 2026 at 1:15 AM
Most ppl know me for work in science & policy, but my other major was classical history.
I view the present through this lens, understanding the world map is always changing.
Only by studying the humanities - that so many dismiss today - can we learn from our past & chart a more hopeful future.
I view the present through this lens, understanding the world map is always changing.
Only by studying the humanities - that so many dismiss today - can we learn from our past & chart a more hopeful future.
This is the worst review for my book on Amazon. All things considered, it's not too terrible.
I do hope the reader eventually found my book. #books
I do hope the reader eventually found my book. #books
January 21, 2026 at 3:23 PM
This is the worst review for my book on Amazon. All things considered, it's not too terrible.
I do hope the reader eventually found my book. #books
I do hope the reader eventually found my book. #books
Today’s top NYT story highlights how U.S. universities are slipping as Chinese universities surge in global rankings.
This is expected and intentional. open.substack.com/pub/sheril/p...
This is expected and intentional. open.substack.com/pub/sheril/p...
The End of American Dominance
This Is How We Will Lose.
open.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:59 PM
Today’s top NYT story highlights how U.S. universities are slipping as Chinese universities surge in global rankings.
This is expected and intentional. open.substack.com/pub/sheril/p...
This is expected and intentional. open.substack.com/pub/sheril/p...
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has voted to dissolve after Republicans rescinded $1.1B at President Trump’s behest.
This ends the 58-year-old agency that distributed federal funds to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local public radio & television stations. apple.news/AXdo2-zPuRCi...
This ends the 58-year-old agency that distributed federal funds to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local public radio & television stations. apple.news/AXdo2-zPuRCi...
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, gutted of federal funds, votes to dissolve — The Washington Post
President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans succeeded this summer in stripping federal funds from public media. Now the 58-year-old organization is gone.
apple.news
January 6, 2026 at 11:37 AM
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has voted to dissolve after Republicans rescinded $1.1B at President Trump’s behest.
This ends the 58-year-old agency that distributed federal funds to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local public radio & television stations. apple.news/AXdo2-zPuRCi...
This ends the 58-year-old agency that distributed federal funds to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local public radio & television stations. apple.news/AXdo2-zPuRCi...
Surrounded by Waymos.
January 3, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Surrounded by Waymos.
“You're an interesting species, an interesting mix. You're capable of such beautiful dreams & such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you're not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we found that makes the emptiness bearable, each other.”
- Carl Sagan, Contact
- Carl Sagan, Contact
December 31, 2025 at 6:47 PM
“You're an interesting species, an interesting mix. You're capable of such beautiful dreams & such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you're not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we found that makes the emptiness bearable, each other.”
- Carl Sagan, Contact
- Carl Sagan, Contact
May we find peace, health, and change in 2026 ✨
December 30, 2025 at 9:06 PM
May we find peace, health, and change in 2026 ✨
Reposted by Sheril Kirshenbaum
There are some magic little lands out there in the world.
December 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM
There are some magic little lands out there in the world.
It didn’t have to be this way.
December 14, 2025 at 3:03 AM
It didn’t have to be this way.
Reposted by Sheril Kirshenbaum
Scientific information does not flow into policy the way most scientists think. Twenty years after her jarring first day as a fisheries-biologist-turned-Senate-staffer, @sheril.bsky.social lays out what every scientist hoping to influence policy on the Hill needs to know: issues.org/information-...
May 12, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Scientific information does not flow into policy the way most scientists think. Twenty years after her jarring first day as a fisheries-biologist-turned-Senate-staffer, @sheril.bsky.social lays out what every scientist hoping to influence policy on the Hill needs to know: issues.org/information-...
“There’s no wrong age to be powerful, compelling, or taken seriously, there’s only a wrong lens.”
Art by Erika Sjule
Art by Erika Sjule
November 25, 2025 at 3:05 PM
“There’s no wrong age to be powerful, compelling, or taken seriously, there’s only a wrong lens.”
Art by Erika Sjule
Art by Erika Sjule
Evolution doesn’t look how it’s depicted in pop culture. We often picture the famous “March of Progress” illustration where a series of apes stand in line leading to a modern human.
But evolution is not linear. It branches and divides and recombines.
Image: @tmkeesey.bsky.social
But evolution is not linear. It branches and divides and recombines.
Image: @tmkeesey.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Evolution doesn’t look how it’s depicted in pop culture. We often picture the famous “March of Progress” illustration where a series of apes stand in line leading to a modern human.
But evolution is not linear. It branches and divides and recombines.
Image: @tmkeesey.bsky.social
But evolution is not linear. It branches and divides and recombines.
Image: @tmkeesey.bsky.social
If it were up to me, we’d have better food distribution & more public libraries.
November 18, 2025 at 1:40 PM
If it were up to me, we’d have better food distribution & more public libraries.
The government shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history. sheril.substack.com/p/shutdown-b...
Shutdown Before the Fall?
Why this routine "crisis" should serve as a warning.
sheril.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:20 PM
The government shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history. sheril.substack.com/p/shutdown-b...
🔴 Funding opportunity! 🔴
science-foundation.org/what-ifs-2025/
What if… you had 10K in a gift fund at your institution for curiosity-driven #science?
Apply to “What Ifs…?” @sciencefoundation.bsky.social
Applications open 11/10, close 12/1
science-foundation.org/what-ifs-2025/
What if… you had 10K in a gift fund at your institution for curiosity-driven #science?
Apply to “What Ifs…?” @sciencefoundation.bsky.social
Applications open 11/10, close 12/1
What Ifs 2025 – Public Science, Public Good
science-foundation.org
November 3, 2025 at 9:58 PM
🔴 Funding opportunity! 🔴
science-foundation.org/what-ifs-2025/
What if… you had 10K in a gift fund at your institution for curiosity-driven #science?
Apply to “What Ifs…?” @sciencefoundation.bsky.social
Applications open 11/10, close 12/1
science-foundation.org/what-ifs-2025/
What if… you had 10K in a gift fund at your institution for curiosity-driven #science?
Apply to “What Ifs…?” @sciencefoundation.bsky.social
Applications open 11/10, close 12/1
Of all the Serving Up Science episodes, this is my favorite. wkar.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/can...
It’s also our least popular & least viewed. But for 7 mins, I got to talk about how amazing & essential soil really is @pbs.org. And that’s a win! 👩🏻🌾🪴
It’s also our least popular & least viewed. But for 7 mins, I got to talk about how amazing & essential soil really is @pbs.org. And that’s a win! 👩🏻🌾🪴
Can Soil Make or Break Our Food Future? | Serving Up Science | PBS LearningMedia
Unearth the world beneath our feet and soil's vital role in our food system, as host Sheril digs into the dirt on dirt. Discover the rich tapestry of soil types, the microorganisms that enable its vit...
wkar.pbslearningmedia.org
November 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Of all the Serving Up Science episodes, this is my favorite. wkar.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/can...
It’s also our least popular & least viewed. But for 7 mins, I got to talk about how amazing & essential soil really is @pbs.org. And that’s a win! 👩🏻🌾🪴
It’s also our least popular & least viewed. But for 7 mins, I got to talk about how amazing & essential soil really is @pbs.org. And that’s a win! 👩🏻🌾🪴
Delighted to be at @nationalacademies.org exploring the future of the U.S. research enterprise during this period of transition.
3 takeaways:
• Forge partnerships that blend public purpose & research w private innovation.
• Rebuild trust across sectors.
• Tell the story of science & innovation.
3 takeaways:
• Forge partnerships that blend public purpose & research w private innovation.
• Rebuild trust across sectors.
• Tell the story of science & innovation.
October 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Delighted to be at @nationalacademies.org exploring the future of the U.S. research enterprise during this period of transition.
3 takeaways:
• Forge partnerships that blend public purpose & research w private innovation.
• Rebuild trust across sectors.
• Tell the story of science & innovation.
3 takeaways:
• Forge partnerships that blend public purpose & research w private innovation.
• Rebuild trust across sectors.
• Tell the story of science & innovation.
My thoughts are with the people in Hurricane Melissa’s path.
Climate change makes the ocean warmer, fueling stronger, more intense storms.
It’s not about politics. I hope we can come together to help the communities impacted by this extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane.
Climate change makes the ocean warmer, fueling stronger, more intense storms.
It’s not about politics. I hope we can come together to help the communities impacted by this extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane.
October 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
My thoughts are with the people in Hurricane Melissa’s path.
Climate change makes the ocean warmer, fueling stronger, more intense storms.
It’s not about politics. I hope we can come together to help the communities impacted by this extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane.
Climate change makes the ocean warmer, fueling stronger, more intense storms.
It’s not about politics. I hope we can come together to help the communities impacted by this extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane.
Can We Rebuild Trust in Congress? sheril.substack.com/p/can-we-reb...
Can We Rebuild Trust in Congress?
How Congressional Dysfunction Paved the Road to Political Violence
sheril.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Can We Rebuild Trust in Congress? sheril.substack.com/p/can-we-reb...
As the #shutdown drags on & political violence ⬆️, the question isn’t whether we can return to some imagined golden age of bipartisanship.
It’s whether we can rebuild the relationships that make democratic governance possible.
My new op-ed in @thehill.com: thehill.com/opinion/cong... #uspol
It’s whether we can rebuild the relationships that make democratic governance possible.
My new op-ed in @thehill.com: thehill.com/opinion/cong... #uspol
thehill.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:16 PM
As the #shutdown drags on & political violence ⬆️, the question isn’t whether we can return to some imagined golden age of bipartisanship.
It’s whether we can rebuild the relationships that make democratic governance possible.
My new op-ed in @thehill.com: thehill.com/opinion/cong... #uspol
It’s whether we can rebuild the relationships that make democratic governance possible.
My new op-ed in @thehill.com: thehill.com/opinion/cong... #uspol
Jane Goodall, one of my greatest heroes, has passed away. How lucky we were to read her books and learn from her wisdom about our place on Earth. She was an inspiration to me and countless others. And her memory is a blessing.
October 1, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Jane Goodall, one of my greatest heroes, has passed away. How lucky we were to read her books and learn from her wisdom about our place on Earth. She was an inspiration to me and countless others. And her memory is a blessing.
The federal government has shut down. So why does the 21st disruption of federal funding since 1976 feel... normal?
We've spent decades dismantling the norms that made compromise possible in Congress.
This routine "crisis" should serve as a warning. sheril.substack.com/p/shutdown-b...
We've spent decades dismantling the norms that made compromise possible in Congress.
This routine "crisis" should serve as a warning. sheril.substack.com/p/shutdown-b...
Shutdown Before the Fall?
Why this routine "crisis" should serve as a warning.
sheril.substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:58 PM
The federal government has shut down. So why does the 21st disruption of federal funding since 1976 feel... normal?
We've spent decades dismantling the norms that made compromise possible in Congress.
This routine "crisis" should serve as a warning. sheril.substack.com/p/shutdown-b...
We've spent decades dismantling the norms that made compromise possible in Congress.
This routine "crisis" should serve as a warning. sheril.substack.com/p/shutdown-b...
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo rages, w 61% death rate & lack of $
“In the past, USAID provided critical support to respond to such outbreaks. But, w funding cuts & a dismantling of the agency the US is notably absent.. it will be difficult to compensate for the loss.” arstechnica.com/health/2025/...
“In the past, USAID provided critical support to respond to such outbreaks. But, w funding cuts & a dismantling of the agency the US is notably absent.. it will be difficult to compensate for the loss.” arstechnica.com/health/2025/...
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo rages, with 61% death rate and funding running dry
Responders ask for $25 million to contain the disease. They have $2.2 million.
arstechnica.com
September 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo rages, w 61% death rate & lack of $
“In the past, USAID provided critical support to respond to such outbreaks. But, w funding cuts & a dismantling of the agency the US is notably absent.. it will be difficult to compensate for the loss.” arstechnica.com/health/2025/...
“In the past, USAID provided critical support to respond to such outbreaks. But, w funding cuts & a dismantling of the agency the US is notably absent.. it will be difficult to compensate for the loss.” arstechnica.com/health/2025/...