Spencer LaVere Smith
@spencerlaveresmith.bsky.social
Prof. @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social - Runs a lab slslab.org - Works on computation, neuroscience, behavior, vision, optics, imaging, 2p / multiphoton, optical computing, machine learning / AI - Blogs at labrigger.com - Founded @pacificoptica.bsky.social
A US president used an Executive Order to put US-born US citizens in prison, and strip them of their assets. Courts didn't fix it. No one did. Today is the anniversary of FDR's Executive Order 9066. The fight is never over. labrigger.com/blog/2025/02...
Executive orders – Labrigger
labrigger.com
February 19, 2026 at 7:15 PM
A US president used an Executive Order to put US-born US citizens in prison, and strip them of their assets. Courts didn't fix it. No one did. Today is the anniversary of FDR's Executive Order 9066. The fight is never over. labrigger.com/blog/2025/02...
Venture capital hasn't even figured out venture capital yet.
There's definitely room for improvement of publicly funded scientific research. (Who disagrees with that?) But it merits deep and thoughtful changes, and accountable actors. Empower the scientists at the NIH to make improvements!
There's definitely room for improvement of publicly funded scientific research. (Who disagrees with that?) But it merits deep and thoughtful changes, and accountable actors. Empower the scientists at the NIH to make improvements!
5 days ago, Aishwarya Khanduja and Stuart Buck posted an article entitled
"Venture Capital Has Lessons for Government and Philanthropy: tackling structural and bureaucratic rot"
Needless to say, this got my attentions.
goodscience.substack.com/p/venture-ca...
1/5
"Venture Capital Has Lessons for Government and Philanthropy: tackling structural and bureaucratic rot"
Needless to say, this got my attentions.
goodscience.substack.com/p/venture-ca...
1/5
Venture Capital Has Lessons for Government and Philanthropy
tackling structural and bureaucratic rot
goodscience.substack.com
February 19, 2026 at 3:30 AM
Venture capital hasn't even figured out venture capital yet.
There's definitely room for improvement of publicly funded scientific research. (Who disagrees with that?) But it merits deep and thoughtful changes, and accountable actors. Empower the scientists at the NIH to make improvements!
There's definitely room for improvement of publicly funded scientific research. (Who disagrees with that?) But it merits deep and thoughtful changes, and accountable actors. Empower the scientists at the NIH to make improvements!
To my EE students today: You are accountable for truth. Your success will depend on your ability to discern truth. Podcasters don’t have to build things that work. You do. Hype and BS aren’t shippable. You will break problems down into simpler pieces— the fundamentals—and then build back up. 1/2
February 18, 2026 at 5:05 AM
To my EE students today: You are accountable for truth. Your success will depend on your ability to discern truth. Podcasters don’t have to build things that work. You do. Hype and BS aren’t shippable. You will break problems down into simpler pieces— the fundamentals—and then build back up. 1/2
February 16, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Los Angeles has a great bookstore named “The Last Bookstore”.
It has four branches. (??!?)
www.lastbookstorela.com
It has four branches. (??!?)
www.lastbookstorela.com
Home | The Last Bookstore | Best Bookstore Los Angeles
The Last Bookstore: California’s largest new & used book and record store in downtown LA. Explore rare books, vinyl, art, and events in a unique space.
www.lastbookstorela.com
February 15, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Los Angeles has a great bookstore named “The Last Bookstore”.
It has four branches. (??!?)
www.lastbookstorela.com
It has four branches. (??!?)
www.lastbookstorela.com
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
NEW: The Trump administration has dropped its appeal of a federal court order blocking its $1.2-billion settlement demand to UCLA over alleged campus civil rights violations: www.latimes.com/california/s...
Trump administration drops its appeal of court order blocking $1.2-billion UCLA settlement
The Trump administration dropped its appeal of a major higher education case in which a federal judge blocked its $1.2-billion settlement proposal to UCLA over alleged civil rights violations. But it ...
www.latimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:41 AM
NEW: The Trump administration has dropped its appeal of a federal court order blocking its $1.2-billion settlement demand to UCLA over alleged campus civil rights violations: www.latimes.com/california/s...
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
We are #hiring 2 PhD students at the University of Oslo! 🇳🇴
1️⃣ Systems Neuro: Spatial memory & addiction
2️⃣ Neuro/Cancer: Glioblastoma invasion.
Details: vervaeke-lab.org/Hiring
Please RT! 🔄 @UiO_LifeSci #Neuroscience #PhD #SystemsNeuro #Glioblastoma
1️⃣ Systems Neuro: Spatial memory & addiction
2️⃣ Neuro/Cancer: Glioblastoma invasion.
Details: vervaeke-lab.org/Hiring
Please RT! 🔄 @UiO_LifeSci #Neuroscience #PhD #SystemsNeuro #Glioblastoma
February 13, 2026 at 10:51 PM
We are #hiring 2 PhD students at the University of Oslo! 🇳🇴
1️⃣ Systems Neuro: Spatial memory & addiction
2️⃣ Neuro/Cancer: Glioblastoma invasion.
Details: vervaeke-lab.org/Hiring
Please RT! 🔄 @UiO_LifeSci #Neuroscience #PhD #SystemsNeuro #Glioblastoma
1️⃣ Systems Neuro: Spatial memory & addiction
2️⃣ Neuro/Cancer: Glioblastoma invasion.
Details: vervaeke-lab.org/Hiring
Please RT! 🔄 @UiO_LifeSci #Neuroscience #PhD #SystemsNeuro #Glioblastoma
Protip: UNC-CH students are encouraged to call up UNC admin and request recordings when they miss a class.
UNC Administrators Can Now Secretly Record Faculty
The new policy prohibits students from recording class without permission but explicitly allows administrators to surveil professors for any “lawful purpose.” https://bit.ly/3MyingR
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
The new policy prohibits students from recording class without permission but explicitly allows administrators to surveil professors for any “lawful purpose.” https://bit.ly/3MyingR
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
February 13, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Protip: UNC-CH students are encouraged to call up UNC admin and request recordings when they miss a class.
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
Build hands-on skills in optical & electrophysiological methods at the TENSS 2026 course & advance your skills in modern systems #neuroscience
🔗 Apply by 1 Mar: https://ibro.org/training-opportunity/perc4_romania/
#IBROinAsiaPacific #IBROinUSCanada #IBROinAfrica #IBROinLatAm #IBROinEurope #training
🔗 Apply by 1 Mar: https://ibro.org/training-opportunity/perc4_romania/
#IBROinAsiaPacific #IBROinUSCanada #IBROinAfrica #IBROinLatAm #IBROinEurope #training
January 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Build hands-on skills in optical & electrophysiological methods at the TENSS 2026 course & advance your skills in modern systems #neuroscience
🔗 Apply by 1 Mar: https://ibro.org/training-opportunity/perc4_romania/
#IBROinAsiaPacific #IBROinUSCanada #IBROinAfrica #IBROinLatAm #IBROinEurope #training
🔗 Apply by 1 Mar: https://ibro.org/training-opportunity/perc4_romania/
#IBROinAsiaPacific #IBROinUSCanada #IBROinAfrica #IBROinLatAm #IBROinEurope #training
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
🏆UCSB ranked #1 public university in the US for scientific impact, and 3rd in universities overall!🎓
Congratulations to all of our researchers who are leading the global conversation.🌐🧵
@ucsantabarbara.bsky.social @ucsbengineering.bsky.social @uofcalifornia.bsky.social
Congratulations to all of our researchers who are leading the global conversation.🌐🧵
@ucsantabarbara.bsky.social @ucsbengineering.bsky.social @uofcalifornia.bsky.social
February 10, 2026 at 4:54 PM
🏆UCSB ranked #1 public university in the US for scientific impact, and 3rd in universities overall!🎓
Congratulations to all of our researchers who are leading the global conversation.🌐🧵
@ucsantabarbara.bsky.social @ucsbengineering.bsky.social @uofcalifornia.bsky.social
Congratulations to all of our researchers who are leading the global conversation.🌐🧵
@ucsantabarbara.bsky.social @ucsbengineering.bsky.social @uofcalifornia.bsky.social
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
News from central Jersey: I'm running to represent New Jersey's 12th Congressional District.
By entering the fray, I hope to bring ideas of repairing our frayed republic. Not only to defend it in 2026, but to build something stronger, for generations to come!
samwang.substack.com/p/entering-t...
By entering the fray, I hope to bring ideas of repairing our frayed republic. Not only to defend it in 2026, but to build something stronger, for generations to come!
samwang.substack.com/p/entering-t...
February 4, 2026 at 3:00 AM
News from central Jersey: I'm running to represent New Jersey's 12th Congressional District.
By entering the fray, I hope to bring ideas of repairing our frayed republic. Not only to defend it in 2026, but to build something stronger, for generations to come!
samwang.substack.com/p/entering-t...
By entering the fray, I hope to bring ideas of repairing our frayed republic. Not only to defend it in 2026, but to build something stronger, for generations to come!
samwang.substack.com/p/entering-t...
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
Oh, one last thing: tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 10:00am Eastern, come over to Reddit. I'll be doing an AMA.
Ask Me Anything about fixing bugs in democracy, neuroscience, or whatever you want! www.reddit.com/r/politics/
Ask Me Anything about fixing bugs in democracy, neuroscience, or whatever you want! www.reddit.com/r/politics/
Politics
/r/Politics is for news and discussion about U.S. politics.
www.reddit.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:35 AM
Oh, one last thing: tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 10:00am Eastern, come over to Reddit. I'll be doing an AMA.
Ask Me Anything about fixing bugs in democracy, neuroscience, or whatever you want! www.reddit.com/r/politics/
Ask Me Anything about fixing bugs in democracy, neuroscience, or whatever you want! www.reddit.com/r/politics/
Nope. There is some strong private philanthropy. Especially for medical research.
But the US gov't spends on a huge scale: over $70 Billion (NIH, NSF, DOE) on research. There are only about 18 people in the US with that kind of net worth, and the US is spending this EVERY YEAR. (1/3)
But the US gov't spends on a huge scale: over $70 Billion (NIH, NSF, DOE) on research. There are only about 18 people in the US with that kind of net worth, and the US is spending this EVERY YEAR. (1/3)
Are there any hints that private philanthropy is stepping up to close the gap?
February 3, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Nope. There is some strong private philanthropy. Especially for medical research.
But the US gov't spends on a huge scale: over $70 Billion (NIH, NSF, DOE) on research. There are only about 18 people in the US with that kind of net worth, and the US is spending this EVERY YEAR. (1/3)
But the US gov't spends on a huge scale: over $70 Billion (NIH, NSF, DOE) on research. There are only about 18 people in the US with that kind of net worth, and the US is spending this EVERY YEAR. (1/3)
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
Exciting News! 🎓✨
Our new online professional master’s program—the Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL)—is launching in Fall 2026:
We Are Hiring its Executive Director!
Join us in building the future of engineering @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social: lnkd.in/gbe5fhHU
Our new online professional master’s program—the Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL)—is launching in Fall 2026:
We Are Hiring its Executive Director!
Join us in building the future of engineering @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social: lnkd.in/gbe5fhHU
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
January 27, 2026 at 1:43 AM
Exciting News! 🎓✨
Our new online professional master’s program—the Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL)—is launching in Fall 2026:
We Are Hiring its Executive Director!
Join us in building the future of engineering @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social: lnkd.in/gbe5fhHU
Our new online professional master’s program—the Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL)—is launching in Fall 2026:
We Are Hiring its Executive Director!
Join us in building the future of engineering @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social: lnkd.in/gbe5fhHU
"in all but a handful of cases, those judges have ruled that the Trump administration violated the law, sometimes flagrantly." @kyledcheney.bsky.social reporting www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
January 26, 2026 at 9:28 PM
"in all but a handful of cases, those judges have ruled that the Trump administration violated the law, sometimes flagrantly." @kyledcheney.bsky.social reporting www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
My sister-in-law's dad died last week, in hospice in the VA hospital in Minneapolis. I just learned Alex Pretti was part of his care team. They shot Alex less than 1/2 mile from my niece's house while doing the same observation work that my niece is doing. These are real people. Step up folks!
January 25, 2026 at 6:41 PM
My sister-in-law's dad died last week, in hospice in the VA hospital in Minneapolis. I just learned Alex Pretti was part of his care team. They shot Alex less than 1/2 mile from my niece's house while doing the same observation work that my niece is doing. These are real people. Step up folks!
About formatting with the new NIH biosketch system. The systems supports html codes.
If you need to force a new line or vertical space:
<br><br>
If you need bold:
<b>bold</b>
etc...
That formatting makes it to the PDF it renders.
(But also counts against the character count.)
If you need to force a new line or vertical space:
<br><br>
If you need bold:
<b>bold</b>
etc...
That formatting makes it to the PDF it renders.
(But also counts against the character count.)
If you are submitting an NIH grant in February, you will be required to use SciENcv to prepare you biosketch.
IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.
Set aside *at least* 4 hours just to transfer an existing an biosketch into SciENcv.
IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.
Set aside *at least* 4 hours just to transfer an existing an biosketch into SciENcv.
January 26, 2026 at 12:48 AM
About formatting with the new NIH biosketch system. The systems supports html codes.
If you need to force a new line or vertical space:
<br><br>
If you need bold:
<b>bold</b>
etc...
That formatting makes it to the PDF it renders.
(But also counts against the character count.)
If you need to force a new line or vertical space:
<br><br>
If you need bold:
<b>bold</b>
etc...
That formatting makes it to the PDF it renders.
(But also counts against the character count.)
All university rankings are all problematic, but some are useful.
For example, @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social is
(a) free from any medical stuff (like Caltech, UC Berkeley),
(b) a top tier research university -- with more "top 1%" publications per publication than many other places
(1/2)
For example, @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social is
(a) free from any medical stuff (like Caltech, UC Berkeley),
(b) a top tier research university -- with more "top 1%" publications per publication than many other places
(1/2)
January 23, 2026 at 8:25 PM
All university rankings are all problematic, but some are useful.
For example, @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social is
(a) free from any medical stuff (like Caltech, UC Berkeley),
(b) a top tier research university -- with more "top 1%" publications per publication than many other places
(1/2)
For example, @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social is
(a) free from any medical stuff (like Caltech, UC Berkeley),
(b) a top tier research university -- with more "top 1%" publications per publication than many other places
(1/2)
Cytoarchitecture matters. Brodmann was right.
I made a quick post about it: labrigger.com/blog/2026/01...
and here's a quick summary thread of the quick post. (1/4)
I made a quick post about it: labrigger.com/blog/2026/01...
and here's a quick summary thread of the quick post. (1/4)
January 23, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Cytoarchitecture matters. Brodmann was right.
I made a quick post about it: labrigger.com/blog/2026/01...
and here's a quick summary thread of the quick post. (1/4)
I made a quick post about it: labrigger.com/blog/2026/01...
and here's a quick summary thread of the quick post. (1/4)
“The challenge was filed by the American Federation of Teachers.”
aft.org
They stood on principle and won.
aft.org
They stood on principle and won.
January 23, 2026 at 2:23 PM
“The challenge was filed by the American Federation of Teachers.”
aft.org
They stood on principle and won.
aft.org
They stood on principle and won.
There is a ton of energy and mobilization out there in the US. Good discipline and communication too.
If some political leader took all of that and focused it on specific policy goals, stayed on message, and stayed on camera, something might actually happen.
If some political leader took all of that and focused it on specific policy goals, stayed on message, and stayed on camera, something might actually happen.
January 23, 2026 at 4:45 AM
There is a ton of energy and mobilization out there in the US. Good discipline and communication too.
If some political leader took all of that and focused it on specific policy goals, stayed on message, and stayed on camera, something might actually happen.
If some political leader took all of that and focused it on specific policy goals, stayed on message, and stayed on camera, something might actually happen.
Comparing multiphoton (2p/3p) imaging systems is often done poorly. labrigger.com/blog/2026/01... E.g., PSFs can be measured differently by different labs, staining quality is by far the biggest determinate on how multiphoton images will look at depth, and so forth. (1/3)
January 21, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Comparing multiphoton (2p/3p) imaging systems is often done poorly. labrigger.com/blog/2026/01... E.g., PSFs can be measured differently by different labs, staining quality is by far the biggest determinate on how multiphoton images will look at depth, and so forth. (1/3)
Reposted by Spencer LaVere Smith
Zucman thinks the root of the mad drive to steal Greenland arises from oligarchs. Therefore, he says, the remedy is to target those oligarchs.
An argument about how our second Gilded Age has produced a threat that very few Americans want:
An argument about how our second Gilded Age has produced a threat that very few Americans want:
Gabriel Zucman on the shocking concentration of extreme wealth in the United States….
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
January 19, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Zucman thinks the root of the mad drive to steal Greenland arises from oligarchs. Therefore, he says, the remedy is to target those oligarchs.
An argument about how our second Gilded Age has produced a threat that very few Americans want:
An argument about how our second Gilded Age has produced a threat that very few Americans want:
