Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
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umpamdk.bsky.social
Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
@umpamdk.bsky.social
8.2K followers 1.2K following 1.2K posts
Director of the Survey Research Center ‪@um-src.bsky.social Univ. of Michigan Dev/Quant. Prof. of Psychology. Longitudinal researcher studying SES, parenting, math dev, achievement, and data science. Open science supporter.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
czedwards.bsky.social
I see there’s a post about microplastics going around with a photo of drinking straws, so here is my semi-regular reminder that the 3 biggest sources of microplastics are tires (45%), synthetic clothing particles (35%) and paint (~10%).
Lay article attached:
One of the biggest microplastic pollution sources isn’t straws or grocery bags – it’s your tires
Every few years, the tires on your car wear thin and need to be replaced. But where does that lost tire material go? The answer, unfortunately, is often waterways, where the tiny microplastic particle...
www.pbs.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:49 AM
umpamdk.bsky.social
John was an amazing colleague and he will be greatly missed 😔
jasonfurman.bsky.social Jason Furman @jasonfurman.bsky.social · 4d
Tragic death of John Leahy. An amazing economist, wonderful adviser, consistently modest and kind, he will be greatly missed.

May his memory be a blessing.
December 23, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
sbagen.bsky.social
So you’re telling me that when your country welcomes talented people from around the globe, and brings them together in world-class universities, they make discoveries that save lives? Interesting.

UM researchers make breakthrough to treat form of leukemia

www.detroitnews.com/story/news/l...
UM researchers make breakthrough to treat form of leukemia
In part due to research by two University of Michigan researchers, a form of leukemia can be treated more easily through an FDA-approved drug.
www.detroitnews.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
karenguzzo.bsky.social
McGill is hiring scholars from outside Canada! The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Impact+) Program is designed to attract world-leading researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. Review of applications begins 1/16/26. www.mcgill.ca/research/res...
Only candidates who are internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) at the time of the time of the first Impact+ Program intake application deadline are eligible to apply. Impact+ candidates must have a recent track record of research accomplishments and significant interest in making new contributions to Canada in the strategic research priority areas. Successful Impact+ candidates will be appointed to a tenure-track position at the rank of Full Professor, or as an Associate Professor with a promotion to Full Professor within two years of starting their appointment in the academic unit(s) that best fits their area of academic interest and expertise. Impact+ chairholders are expected to drive the translation of discoveries into applications, commercialization and social and economic benefits for Canada and the world, while also developing the next generation of highly qualified personnel in the following priority areas: Advanced digital technologies (AI, quantum, cybersecurity) Health, including biotechnology Clean technology and resource value chains Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic Food and water security Democratic and community resilience Manufacturing and advanced materials Defence and dual-use technologies
December 22, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
scientificruvvy.bsky.social
This quote from Megan Gunnar as highlighted in her retirement tribute at @isdp.org has been really speaking to me lately: “If you’re never wrong, then you’ve never learned anything”. I think it speaks volumes to how we consider null findings or those opposing our hypotheses.
December 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
jeremymberg.bsky.social
From @science.org Breakthrough of the Year: Solar Energy
A graph showing the amount of energy generated by different means from 2000 to 2025 with solar energy surpassing coal and natural gas in 2023-2024.
December 21, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
wsj.com
Anthropic’s Claude AI model ran a vending machine in the WSJ newsroom. It lost hundreds of dollars, gave away a PlayStation and bought a live fish. 🔗: on.wsj.com/4pMPX13
December 21, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
ricksteves.bsky.social
It’s the “season of love and giving”…but this year, doesn’t it seem more like a “season of fear and taking”? Like many of you, I’ve been saddened by the human impact of draconian government budget cuts and how angry many housed Americans are at unhoused Americans.

🧵 1 of 9
December 21, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
afhayes.bsky.social
Associate or Full professor not working in Canada? Canada (McGill) wants you.
mcgill.ca McGill University @mcgill.ca · 8d
McGill is recruiting top-tier researchers working abroad through the federally funded Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program, addressing global and national challenges. The first round is due in early 2026.

Learn more and submit your candidacy: https://mcgill.ca/x/5Zh
McGill’s Arts Building on campus, featuring its stone façade and green dome, with the McGill flag raised and autumn foliage surrounding the building.
December 18, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
mcxfrank.bsky.social
Very excited to share the first empirical paper from LEVANTE: we describe the LEVANTE core tasks, a set of nine open source tasks for measuring learning and development in kids ages 5-12 years.

osf.io/preprints/ps...

🧵
title line screenshots from the nine tasks
December 18, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
jessicahullman.bsky.social
Many think LLM-simulated participants can transform behavioral science. But there's been a lack of accessible discussion of what it means to validate LLMs for behavioral scientists. Under what conditions can we trust LLMs to learn about human parameters? Our paper maps the validation landscape.
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December 18, 2025 at 5:53 PM
umpamdk.bsky.social
I will be stepping down soon as the Deputy Editor of the @psychscience.bsky.social methods and practice journal AMPPS. Thanks to @dsbarra.bsky.social this was an amazing service experience, and a good example of how using open science practices and focusing on rigor moves us forward
December 18, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
psychscience.bsky.social
Show the real-world impact of your research and participate in our #WhyPsychScience video competition #PsychSciSky #AcademicSky #Psychology

Learn more & submit your entry by January 12 for a chance to win! Prizes include #APS26BCN registration
www.psychologicalscience.org/2025-why-psy...
Share your story and your science. APS invites psychological scientists to participate in a video competition designed to bring the importance of psychological science to the public. Entries due January 12.
December 9, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
rogierk.bsky.social
I've used Lavaan almost every (work)day for 15 years, but this open source labour of love has never received proper institutional support. I'm delighted to be a small part of an 1.5M OpenScienceNL award, led by Jorgensen, to completely revamp and futureproof Lavaan www.openscience.nl/en/news/45-p...
December 18, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
gordpennycook.bsky.social
🚨 Now out in Psych Science 🚨

We report an adversarial collaboration (with @donandrewmoore.bsky.social) testing whether overconfidence is genuinely a trait

The paper was led by Jabin Binnendyk & Sophia Li (who is fantastic and on the job market!) Free copy here: journals.sagepub.com/eprint/7JIYS...
December 17, 2025 at 5:17 PM
umpamdk.bsky.social
On the positive side, hiring new Directors is s signal that the Centers won't be merging which is good to know. www.reuters.com/business/hea...
US NIH races to fill nearly half its top roles after wave of departures
The U.S. National Institutes of Health is seeking to fill nearly half of its top roles at breakneck speed following a wave of departures since President Donald Trump's return to office in January, acc...
www.reuters.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
rmcelreath.bsky.social
The Max Planck Society has begun an exploratory round table for open science. We are drafting some recommendations to leadership. Still a long way to go! But here are my notes on the most recent draft, just so you all know how I am trying to steer things.
Richard McElreath: It must not be overlooked that junior researchers DO NOT TRUST US. We, the directors, are a big part of the problem. We made this system, we remake it every year, and we benefit from it. What can we do to credibly signal our commitment to reform a corrupt research culture? My conversations with junior scientists in the society has taught me that directors are too often either indifferent or hostile to science reform. We cannot hope to convince our prize winning colleagues. Their egos are immune. But we can replace retirements with researchers who care more about integrity than their own prestige. This is important both for earning the trust of the junior researchers who really do the research in the MPG and for attracting excellent future directors and starting to earn the trust of the public. So I suggest two strong signals to our junior researchers (and the public): (1) we will reform recruitment and promotion at all levels to eliminate proxies like citation counts and journal brands in favor of reliability and sustainability; (2) we will make open science skills a core part of scientific training, through the graduate schools at a minimum, as conditions for the central funding. The most ambitious thing we could do, as hinted at in item 5 above, is to meaningfully invest in metascientific research. As the largest basic research organization in the world, the MPG is uniquely suited to studying research and its products from a broad perspective that includes the humanities, the sciences, and policy. Governments are already involved in science reform. Someone should study it in an organized and sustained way.
December 17, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
saa2026.bsky.social
Society for Ambulatory Assessment (@ambulatory-assessment.org) Conferences offer value to both senior academics and early career researchers. We asked two ECRs why SAA events matter to them, and why they’re attending #SAA2026 @univie.ac.at @alearuf.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 AM
umpamdk.bsky.social
What is the University of Michigan Survey Research Center, and what types of research do we do? Also, do you know what I like to do when I'm not being the Director of the amazing faculty and staff at SRC--click the video to find out 😉
um-src.bsky.social UM SRC @um-src.bsky.social · 10d
December's Coffee and Donuts with the SRC Director was hosted by the Survey Research Center. Pamela Davis-Kean, SRC director, and Mary Mangum, SRC assistant director, discuss the wide breadth of the research SRC does and the work SRC staff do to support that research
Coffee with SRC DO
December's Coffee and Donuts with the SRC Director was hosted by the Survey Research Center. Pamela Davis-Kean, SRC director, and Mary Mangum, SRC assistant director, discuss the wide breadth of the…
www.youtube.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:42 PM
umpamdk.bsky.social
This is a cool new activity from @psychscience.bsky.social Please consider submitting your videos on advocacy on how you communicate your research for real-world impact.
December 15, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
umpamdk.bsky.social
Hanging out with William James at the @psychscience.bsky.social office. Lots of discussion of new ways forward for APS. Let me know in comments what would keep or make you a member in the future.
December 14, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
nytimes.com
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com

“I’m tired of looking for the silver lining after such tragedies.” writes Rabbi Sharon Brous. "But as a spiritual matter, I urgently need the silver lining. I need the hints of humanity that remind us that what is is not what must be."
Opinion | The Humanity Amid the Horror at Bondi Beach
We must not succumb to the darkness of hate and fear.
nyti.ms
December 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
um-psc.bsky.social
Researchers often look at averages, missing nuances of how health interventions work for some but backfire for others. With visualizations inspired by the "Statistical Physics for Babies" board book, Neil Christy and Amanda Kowalski are advancing health econometrics.
arxiv.org/abs/2412.16352
The visual design shows how potential outcomes among participants in intervention and control groups might be distributed.
December 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
umpamdk.bsky.social
Some days I just can’t read the news. What a tragic weekend we have had across the world. Take care, everyone 🕊️
December 15, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Reposted by Pam Davis-Kean, PhD
dingdingpeng.the100.ci
The "smartphones/social media" discourse suffers from some amazing historical amnesia. There was no 2008 financial crisis and no global pandemic starting in 2020, it's all SCREENS SCREENS SCREENS. Major world events? Just the backdrop against which SCREENS happened.
December 15, 2025 at 7:05 AM