Jason Munshi-South
@urbanevol.bsky.social
Betz Chair of Ecology at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Urban ecology & evolution, landscape genetics, native plants, rats, lichens. Problematic political opinions all my own!
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Yesterday I was fired by Columbia University after eight months as executive editor of the Columbia Journalism Review. This was the first time in a 25-year career that I've ever been subjected to discipline in a job — much less terminated from one.
April 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Yesterday I was fired by Columbia University after eight months as executive editor of the Columbia Journalism Review. This was the first time in a 25-year career that I've ever been subjected to discipline in a job — much less terminated from one.
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
De-extinction is Mars colonization for biology nerds. Sorry but it is.
April 9, 2025 at 12:48 PM
De-extinction is Mars colonization for biology nerds. Sorry but it is.
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Promoting urban biodiversity for the benefit of people and nature
Kowarik+
doi.org/10.1038/s443...
"urban biodiversity is people’s primary contact with nature"
"Biodiversity-sensitive and socially inclusive urban governance and urban planning are key to developing biodiverse, green cities"
Kowarik+
doi.org/10.1038/s443...
"urban biodiversity is people’s primary contact with nature"
"Biodiversity-sensitive and socially inclusive urban governance and urban planning are key to developing biodiverse, green cities"
Promoting urban biodiversity for the benefit of people and nature - Nature Reviews Biodiversity
Urban biodiversity underpins ecosystem services in cities, but faces multiple pressures from human activities, declining engagement of urban residents with nature, and inadequate governance systems. T...
doi.org
March 27, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Promoting urban biodiversity for the benefit of people and nature
Kowarik+
doi.org/10.1038/s443...
"urban biodiversity is people’s primary contact with nature"
"Biodiversity-sensitive and socially inclusive urban governance and urban planning are key to developing biodiverse, green cities"
Kowarik+
doi.org/10.1038/s443...
"urban biodiversity is people’s primary contact with nature"
"Biodiversity-sensitive and socially inclusive urban governance and urban planning are key to developing biodiverse, green cities"
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Because Republicans are so evil, it's easy to lose sight of how bad Democrats are on public higher education. They tend to have a deeply condescending, classist view of public education as job training. Intellectual curiosity is to be reserved for those who get into private institutions.
March 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Because Republicans are so evil, it's easy to lose sight of how bad Democrats are on public higher education. They tend to have a deeply condescending, classist view of public education as job training. Intellectual curiosity is to be reserved for those who get into private institutions.
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
I think some in the Senate have convinced themselves that the backlash to folding will be limited to “the left” and therefore ignorable.
Those people are deeply and profoundly misreading the moment and the stakes.
Virtually every swing district House Dem walked the plank to vote NO for a reason.
Those people are deeply and profoundly misreading the moment and the stakes.
Virtually every swing district House Dem walked the plank to vote NO for a reason.
March 14, 2025 at 2:46 AM
I think some in the Senate have convinced themselves that the backlash to folding will be limited to “the left” and therefore ignorable.
Those people are deeply and profoundly misreading the moment and the stakes.
Virtually every swing district House Dem walked the plank to vote NO for a reason.
Those people are deeply and profoundly misreading the moment and the stakes.
Virtually every swing district House Dem walked the plank to vote NO for a reason.
Anybody else annoyed at how universities act like their endowments are fake money? Even if only 15-20% of the funds are unrestricted, that is a lot of $$ for wealthy universities. They need to stop acting like they are Berkshire-Hathaway and protect their people and academic mission.
March 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Anybody else annoyed at how universities act like their endowments are fake money? Even if only 15-20% of the funds are unrestricted, that is a lot of $$ for wealthy universities. They need to stop acting like they are Berkshire-Hathaway and protect their people and academic mission.
Columbia U. has an endowment of $14 billion. They should be fighting with all they have rather than capitulating to a dictatorial regime. The federal government is trying to set up an exception to the First Amendment to benefit a single foreign country, Israel. It won't stop there.
Columbia: it's not his fault, I just make him really angry sometimes, but he loves me
March 11, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Columbia U. has an endowment of $14 billion. They should be fighting with all they have rather than capitulating to a dictatorial regime. The federal government is trying to set up an exception to the First Amendment to benefit a single foreign country, Israel. It won't stop there.
Spring peepers but only a few-not the entire chorus yet and no wood frogs
March 6, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Spring peepers but only a few-not the entire chorus yet and no wood frogs
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Favorite part of Star Wars was when Luke Skywalker took off his jacket and defeated Palpatine with his T-Shirt that said “Resist”
March 5, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Favorite part of Star Wars was when Luke Skywalker took off his jacket and defeated Palpatine with his T-Shirt that said “Resist”
It often starts with criminalizing the speech of dissidents, journalists, and academics. Recently, professors in Turkey have been jailed for not being sufficiently pro-dictatorship. We're on a speedrun to a general crisis (economic, social, etc)
This is an attempt to criminalize free speech and suppress dissent. If we don’t take a strong stand against this, it’s the end of our democracy, and not just higher education. Universities are the trial balloon, but it doesn’t end here. Next, it will be employers, cities and towns, and individuals.
March 4, 2025 at 8:04 PM
It often starts with criminalizing the speech of dissidents, journalists, and academics. Recently, professors in Turkey have been jailed for not being sufficiently pro-dictatorship. We're on a speedrun to a general crisis (economic, social, etc)
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Sensible Op-Ed about safety issues involved in pathogen research. The public needs to have faith that scientific institutions are not putting them at unnecessary risk: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/o...
Opinion | Recent Virus Research Should Raise Alarm
Research with pandemic potential needs the utmost precautions.
www.nytimes.com
March 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Sensible Op-Ed about safety issues involved in pathogen research. The public needs to have faith that scientific institutions are not putting them at unnecessary risk: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/o...
Is this true? Do it anyway. Academic freedom exists for this reason. As long as you aren't claiming to be a spokesperson for the university then it is fine.
I know many universities are asking folks not to speak to reporters on the record.
If you have need for someone who will be effing glad to speak on the record, DM me!
🙏
If you have need for someone who will be effing glad to speak on the record, DM me!
🙏
March 1, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Is this true? Do it anyway. Academic freedom exists for this reason. As long as you aren't claiming to be a spokesperson for the university then it is fine.
If you have ever dealt with a narcissistic sociopath then you understand Trump's and Vance's hysterical reactions to moderate pushback from Velensky. I still wonder a bit if Vance is acting to keep his benefactor happy but now kind of doubt it.
February 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
If you have ever dealt with a narcissistic sociopath then you understand Trump's and Vance's hysterical reactions to moderate pushback from Velensky. I still wonder a bit if Vance is acting to keep his benefactor happy but now kind of doubt it.
My state legislators are Republicans because we're in a gerrymandered district that lumps us with ultra-wealthy towns on either side. Last night they had a town hall and a bunch of Democrats came to yell at them about everything. The Repubs acted like they didn't know what is happening at fed level!
February 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
My state legislators are Republicans because we're in a gerrymandered district that lumps us with ultra-wealthy towns on either side. Last night they had a town hall and a bunch of Democrats came to yell at them about everything. The Repubs acted like they didn't know what is happening at fed level!
Red-winged blackbird males are back today! Over the last 7 years this about the latest they have arrived. Chipmunks are already active and have had a robin already. Usually robins show up in larger numbers later. Wood frogs and spring peepers calling should not be far behind.
February 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Red-winged blackbird males are back today! Over the last 7 years this about the latest they have arrived. Chipmunks are already active and have had a robin already. Usually robins show up in larger numbers later. Wood frogs and spring peepers calling should not be far behind.
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Come work with us! The New York Botanical Garden is hiring a Curator at the Assist. or Associate level. Profile: a productive and FUN Mycologist or Cryptogamic Botanist. Happy to talk to candidates about how wonderful one of the best botanical research centers is, easy.
www.nybg.org/about/work-w...
www.nybg.org/about/work-w...
Employment | New York Botanical Garden
Find out what employment opportunities are available at The New York Botanical Garden.
www.nybg.org
February 26, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Come work with us! The New York Botanical Garden is hiring a Curator at the Assist. or Associate level. Profile: a productive and FUN Mycologist or Cryptogamic Botanist. Happy to talk to candidates about how wonderful one of the best botanical research centers is, easy.
www.nybg.org/about/work-w...
www.nybg.org/about/work-w...
Open to idea of taxing huge university endowments. Non-profit universities should not be hedge funds, health care systems, and real estate portfolios that run an education side hustle. But make it productive! Taxes go down as you serve more students, cut administrative bloat, and rein in tuition
February 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Open to idea of taxing huge university endowments. Non-profit universities should not be hedge funds, health care systems, and real estate portfolios that run an education side hustle. But make it productive! Taxes go down as you serve more students, cut administrative bloat, and rein in tuition
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
We finally have some well-powered whole-genome heritability estimates, including a quasi-behavioral trait (BMI). For height, ~89% of the heritability estimated to reside in common variants. For BMI and WHR, ~100% estimated in common variants.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
February 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
We finally have some well-powered whole-genome heritability estimates, including a quasi-behavioral trait (BMI). For height, ~89% of the heritability estimated to reside in common variants. For BMI and WHR, ~100% estimated in common variants.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Baby boomers on local Nextdoor are arguing they shouldn't have to pay property taxes after age 65. The main argument is that more than half of the city budget is for the school system. They didn't like it when I pointed out younger people are already paying for their medicare and social security
February 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Baby boomers on local Nextdoor are arguing they shouldn't have to pay property taxes after age 65. The main argument is that more than half of the city budget is for the school system. They didn't like it when I pointed out younger people are already paying for their medicare and social security
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Interesting comment in here about converting to a "direct admit" strategy for those Profs with the funds to bring in graduate students. I think we will be seeing a lot more of this, albeit not necessarily publicly announced or revealed.
I created a brief spreadsheet of reductions I've heard of so far. Any additions you know of (especially if you have the links/receipts) would be great: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Graduate Reductions Across Biomedical Sciences (2025)
docs.google.com
February 24, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Interesting comment in here about converting to a "direct admit" strategy for those Profs with the funds to bring in graduate students. I think we will be seeing a lot more of this, albeit not necessarily publicly announced or revealed.
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
Nothing better today than a message from our colleague Sergey Gaschack on FB about the recovery of several of his camera traps that were left in #Chornobyl for years, inaccessible due to war.
Incredible #ChornobylWildlife footage amid the sound of war.
Have a look:
www.facebook.com/gaschak/vide...
Incredible #ChornobylWildlife footage amid the sound of war.
Have a look:
www.facebook.com/gaschak/vide...
February 24, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Nothing better today than a message from our colleague Sergey Gaschack on FB about the recovery of several of his camera traps that were left in #Chornobyl for years, inaccessible due to war.
Incredible #ChornobylWildlife footage amid the sound of war.
Have a look:
www.facebook.com/gaschak/vide...
Incredible #ChornobylWildlife footage amid the sound of war.
Have a look:
www.facebook.com/gaschak/vide...
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
It may not be cool or hip in some circles, but we legitimately do need a massive amount of people to run for office.
Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.
Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.
Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.
Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.
February 22, 2025 at 8:07 PM
It may not be cool or hip in some circles, but we legitimately do need a massive amount of people to run for office.
Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.
Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.
Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.
Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.
Reposted by Jason Munshi-South
🚨PA colleagues:
"Senator Fetterman wants to hear from you about how the federal funding freeze is affecting Pennsylvania."
"If your project has been impacted, please fill out our constituent impact form:" forms.office.com/g/mFv2JAPxpC
Get out your Other Support and share that info!
"Senator Fetterman wants to hear from you about how the federal funding freeze is affecting Pennsylvania."
"If your project has been impacted, please fill out our constituent impact form:" forms.office.com/g/mFv2JAPxpC
Get out your Other Support and share that info!
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
February 22, 2025 at 8:12 PM
🚨PA colleagues:
"Senator Fetterman wants to hear from you about how the federal funding freeze is affecting Pennsylvania."
"If your project has been impacted, please fill out our constituent impact form:" forms.office.com/g/mFv2JAPxpC
Get out your Other Support and share that info!
"Senator Fetterman wants to hear from you about how the federal funding freeze is affecting Pennsylvania."
"If your project has been impacted, please fill out our constituent impact form:" forms.office.com/g/mFv2JAPxpC
Get out your Other Support and share that info!