Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
@siobhancully.bsky.social
Anthropologist at #Rutgers studying disability, health, gender, inequality, evolution. Former program officer at #NSF. Mom, #DisabledinSTEM, musician. Passionate about #STEM #equity and #inclusion. Repost != endorsement. Views mine.
Pinned
Many of you are aware that NSF has terminated DDRIs for anthropologists and archaeologists. This is obviously a blow to these fields. It means we need to be proactive in revising expectations and training programs. This sort of thing reminds us again how important it is to be able to pivot.
Science is beautiful. Academia is "just a job". Food for thought, in NatureHB:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Academia is just a job - Nature Human Behaviour
Working in academia can be stressful. Laurel Raffington suggests treating it as ‘just a job’ to reduce performance pressure and advocate for structural improvements.
www.nature.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Science is beautiful. Academia is "just a job". Food for thought, in NatureHB:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Dr. Ian Wallace will deliver a seminar at Rutgers University on 2/13 on the evolution of osteoarthritis. Please see the attached flyer and come if you can!
January 28, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Dr. Ian Wallace will deliver a seminar at Rutgers University on 2/13 on the evolution of osteoarthritis. Please see the attached flyer and come if you can!
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
There's been another murder by ICE in Minneapolis. There will be more general strikes and serious protest actions by the public. The academy, and the professoriate, should not just roll along as if "everything is normal" ..it's not. Semester's are starting for many of us, what are we doing to help?
January 24, 2026 at 4:44 PM
There's been another murder by ICE in Minneapolis. There will be more general strikes and serious protest actions by the public. The academy, and the professoriate, should not just roll along as if "everything is normal" ..it's not. Semester's are starting for many of us, what are we doing to help?
Our first article from several years of work in Vanuatu is now out! It describes links between leg length and fat oxidation, which may offer an early assessment for risk for subsequent metabolic dysfunction. Led by Khaled Bhuiyan and Ian Wallace.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reduced Fat Oxidation as a Potential Pathway Linking Early‐Life Adversity to Obesity Risk: Evidence From Vanuatu
Objectives Adverse environmental conditions during early life can increase the risk of obesity in adulthood, but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. Here, we test the hypothesis...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Our first article from several years of work in Vanuatu is now out! It describes links between leg length and fat oxidation, which may offer an early assessment for risk for subsequent metabolic dysfunction. Led by Khaled Bhuiyan and Ian Wallace.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
All,
We have sent a letter urging our personal Congressional Reps, the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, & the Assistant Director of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate to restore doctoral funding for social scientists (i.e., the DDRIG) at NSF.
We have sent a letter urging our personal Congressional Reps, the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, & the Assistant Director of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate to restore doctoral funding for social scientists (i.e., the DDRIG) at NSF.
AAA Urges Congress to Restore NSF Dissertation Research - American Anthropological Association
December 18, 2025 The Honorable Ted Cruz, Chairman The Honorable Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee 254 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC, ...
tinyurl.com
January 22, 2026 at 11:36 PM
All,
We have sent a letter urging our personal Congressional Reps, the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, & the Assistant Director of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate to restore doctoral funding for social scientists (i.e., the DDRIG) at NSF.
We have sent a letter urging our personal Congressional Reps, the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, & the Assistant Director of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate to restore doctoral funding for social scientists (i.e., the DDRIG) at NSF.
Academia has a salary (and, more generally, hairshirt) problem. "I remember attending seminars during which established professors would emphasize sacrifice constantly." In Nature.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
We need to talk about salaries in science
Academia too often has a ‘passion first, money second’ culture. Overcoming this mindset is crucial for building a happy career.
www.nature.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Academia has a salary (and, more generally, hairshirt) problem. "I remember attending seminars during which established professors would emphasize sacrifice constantly." In Nature.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Do I know anyone who is on committees for admissions to medical school that has 30 mins to chat?
January 16, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Do I know anyone who is on committees for admissions to medical school that has 30 mins to chat?
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
Excellent piece on Lynn’s “national IQ” dataset:
“If you can convince people that “scientific racism” is an oxymoron – that science deals only in truth, and truth cannot be racist – then you can launder a centuries-old ideology of racial hierarchy through the prestige of science itself”
“If you can convince people that “scientific racism” is an oxymoron – that science deals only in truth, and truth cannot be racist – then you can launder a centuries-old ideology of racial hierarchy through the prestige of science itself”
Bad Science, Good Politics
Richard Lynn and the rehabilitation of blood hierarchy for the internet age
shaemclaughlin.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Excellent piece on Lynn’s “national IQ” dataset:
“If you can convince people that “scientific racism” is an oxymoron – that science deals only in truth, and truth cannot be racist – then you can launder a centuries-old ideology of racial hierarchy through the prestige of science itself”
“If you can convince people that “scientific racism” is an oxymoron – that science deals only in truth, and truth cannot be racist – then you can launder a centuries-old ideology of racial hierarchy through the prestige of science itself”
I hate lots of stuff about #AI, but I just did an hour's worth of coding in ten minutes without having to review stuff I did like ten years ago. Holy smokes. Would not recommend for learning, but great if you know what you're doing already as a time-saver.
January 11, 2026 at 6:00 PM
I hate lots of stuff about #AI, but I just did an hour's worth of coding in ten minutes without having to review stuff I did like ten years ago. Holy smokes. Would not recommend for learning, but great if you know what you're doing already as a time-saver.
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:35 PM
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Favorite article on how evolution and culture (sociocultural, not CET) aren't at odds with each other. Go!
January 8, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Favorite article on how evolution and culture (sociocultural, not CET) aren't at odds with each other. Go!
My spouse said this about #AI and I can't disagree: "[AI] is like the new horoscope: [it] balances generalities with specifics so everyone believes it’s about them"
January 8, 2026 at 8:00 PM
My spouse said this about #AI and I can't disagree: "[AI] is like the new horoscope: [it] balances generalities with specifics so everyone believes it’s about them"
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
⏰ Friendly reminder!
The abstract submission deadline is January 16.
Looking forward to seeing your work at #HBES2026 in Rabat 🇲🇦
Don’t miss it!
The abstract submission deadline is January 16.
Looking forward to seeing your work at #HBES2026 in Rabat 🇲🇦
Don’t miss it!
Human Behavior and Evolution Society 2026 Conference | Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique - FGSES
13th to 16th May, 2026University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Rabat, Morocco
airess.fgses-um6p.ma
January 7, 2026 at 3:03 PM
⏰ Friendly reminder!
The abstract submission deadline is January 16.
Looking forward to seeing your work at #HBES2026 in Rabat 🇲🇦
Don’t miss it!
The abstract submission deadline is January 16.
Looking forward to seeing your work at #HBES2026 in Rabat 🇲🇦
Don’t miss it!
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
There are so many things wrong here, but I can't stop thinking about how generating new research project ideas is one of my favorite things I get to do for my job. Why would I want a machine to do that for me?
January 6, 2026 at 2:43 AM
There are so many things wrong here, but I can't stop thinking about how generating new research project ideas is one of my favorite things I get to do for my job. Why would I want a machine to do that for me?
Thanks to all who have signed so far. We have 73 signatories across a variety of disciplines. Let's see if we can break 200 before we send it off next week. Please re-post and send on to your colleagues. Thank you!
All, Agustin Fuentes and I, with the help of numerous others, have drafted a letter to Congress regarding the recent archiving of NSF/ SBE DDRI (doctoral dissertation research improvement) grants, which you can find here: docs.google.com/document/d/1....
DDRI Congress Letter
Dear [Senator/ Representative], Alternate CCs (SBE Assistant Director, etc.) We write to urge the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to reinstate its Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (...
docs.google.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Thanks to all who have signed so far. We have 73 signatories across a variety of disciplines. Let's see if we can break 200 before we send it off next week. Please re-post and send on to your colleagues. Thank you!
All, Agustin Fuentes and I, with the help of numerous others, have drafted a letter to Congress regarding the recent archiving of NSF/ SBE DDRI (doctoral dissertation research improvement) grants, which you can find here: docs.google.com/document/d/1....
DDRI Congress Letter
Dear [Senator/ Representative], Alternate CCs (SBE Assistant Director, etc.) We write to urge the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to reinstate its Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (...
docs.google.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:59 PM
All, Agustin Fuentes and I, with the help of numerous others, have drafted a letter to Congress regarding the recent archiving of NSF/ SBE DDRI (doctoral dissertation research improvement) grants, which you can find here: docs.google.com/document/d/1....
In 2019(ish), I was in an elevator on the way to lunch w/ a friend in NYC where I was interning. A shooter was in the foyer and tried to enter our elevator. We were told to go back up to our floor. The door closed just in time. How many non-USA people have had a similar experience?
December 16, 2025 at 11:38 PM
In 2019(ish), I was in an elevator on the way to lunch w/ a friend in NYC where I was interning. A shooter was in the foyer and tried to enter our elevator. We were told to go back up to our floor. The door closed just in time. How many non-USA people have had a similar experience?
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
As is typical with eugenicists, the founder of Herasight’s scholarship fails to meet reasonable standards of rigour for his discipline 👇 Academics REALLY should push back against eugenicists, not just ignore them, as philosopher Rob Wilson did in his responses to articles “defending eugenics” here
Like, “Defending eugenics” is an absolutely bonkers title for a paper and the author list is a mix of “people you’d totally expect to write this article” and “people who should know better”. Either way an actual scholar of eugenics took them to school philarchive.org/archive/WILE...
philarchive.org
December 14, 2025 at 12:11 PM
As is typical with eugenicists, the founder of Herasight’s scholarship fails to meet reasonable standards of rigour for his discipline 👇 Academics REALLY should push back against eugenicists, not just ignore them, as philosopher Rob Wilson did in his responses to articles “defending eugenics” here
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
The deadline for abstracts for the 2026 European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association has been extended to 9 January 👇
We have already received many wonderful abstracts, thank you all! 🌟
For those who need a little extra time, we have good news: the #EHBEA2026 deadline has been extended to 9 Jan. ✍️✨
Add the finishing touches, hit submit, and join an exciting, inspiring conference!
👉 www.ehbea2026.com
For those who need a little extra time, we have good news: the #EHBEA2026 deadline has been extended to 9 Jan. ✍️✨
Add the finishing touches, hit submit, and join an exciting, inspiring conference!
👉 www.ehbea2026.com
Overview | EHBEA2026
The upcoming conference of the European Human Behaviour & Evolution Association will take place in Leiden, The Netherlands, 14th-17th of April 2026.
EHBEA conferences bring together researchers applyi...
www.ehbea2026.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:58 PM
The deadline for abstracts for the 2026 European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association has been extended to 9 January 👇
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
In case anyone was thinking of flying home for Christmas…
WOW. @haleaziz.bsky.social with a new scoop: ICE now gets a running list of every person who is going to be taking a domestic flight inside the United States from the TSA and runs it through their database looking for targets. This explains the Babson College student's arrest.
Immigration Agents Are Using Air Passenger Data for Deportation Effort
www.nytimes.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:46 PM
In case anyone was thinking of flying home for Christmas…
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
A fascinating & damning exposé on Oliver Sacks, author of “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat”.
It turns out, by his own admission in his private journals, that much of his work was akin to “fairy tales” — based on “lies”, “falsifications”, & “fabrications”.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
It turns out, by his own admission in his private journals, that much of his work was akin to “fairy tales” — based on “lies”, “falsifications”, & “fabrications”.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Oliver Sacks Put Himself Into His Case Studies. What Was the Cost?
The scientist was famous for linking healing with storytelling. Sometimes that meant reshaping patients’ reality.
www.newyorker.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:48 PM
A fascinating & damning exposé on Oliver Sacks, author of “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat”.
It turns out, by his own admission in his private journals, that much of his work was akin to “fairy tales” — based on “lies”, “falsifications”, & “fabrications”.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
It turns out, by his own admission in his private journals, that much of his work was akin to “fairy tales” — based on “lies”, “falsifications”, & “fabrications”.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
I am burnt out today. Here is why.
December 12, 2025 at 3:26 PM
I am burnt out today. Here is why.
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
“Around 1 in 4 entries in the book indexes were women and around 4 in 10 contributors to edited volumes were women… These data can be a starting point for conversations on issues such as whether women are selecting themselves out of [evolutionary psychology]”
human-ethology.org/article/1472...
human-ethology.org/article/1472...
An Index of Her Own: An Investigation of the Proportion of Women Indexed in Evolutionary Psychology Textbooks | Published in Human Ethology
By Thomas V Pollet, Jeanne Bovet & 2 more. This study found that only a quarter of indexed entries and 40% of contributors in evolutionary psychology textbooks are women. We propose solutions to impro...
human-ethology.org
December 9, 2025 at 9:27 AM
“Around 1 in 4 entries in the book indexes were women and around 4 in 10 contributors to edited volumes were women… These data can be a starting point for conversations on issues such as whether women are selecting themselves out of [evolutionary psychology]”
human-ethology.org/article/1472...
human-ethology.org/article/1472...
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
Yep, still very much an accurate description of eugenics 👇
@rebeccasear.bsky.social gives a great quote from Alfred Russell Wallace: eugenics was “simply the meddlesome interference of an arrogant scientific priestcraft”.
Still very much spot on.
Still very much spot on.
December 8, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Yep, still very much an accurate description of eugenics 👇
Reposted by Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼
This dataset, which claims to provide a single IQ value for each country, is in the news again. Here's a thread on my dive into the data a couple of years ago. I didn't have to look far to find major problems. My #rstats code is linked at the end. 🧪
1. An overview of the Lynn-Becker National IQ data set (NIQD), beloved by race science, by an evolutionary anthropologist/psychologist (me, who knowns nothing about IQ research). This🧵also looks at two of its South African source studies. With R code. 🧪
December 7, 2025 at 11:36 PM
This dataset, which claims to provide a single IQ value for each country, is in the news again. Here's a thread on my dive into the data a couple of years ago. I didn't have to look far to find major problems. My #rstats code is linked at the end. 🧪