Loren Albert
@albert-loren.bsky.social
Plant physiological ecologist, tropical forest sleuth, and data wrangler; These are my personal views. Pronouns: she/her/hers.
Reposted by Loren Albert
Here we go again with another list of forbidden terms from the self-described "most transparent administration" in history... 🤦🏻♀️ climate.law.columbia.edu/content/doe-...
DOE Staff Given List of Banned Terms | Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
climate.law.columbia.edu
October 27, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Here we go again with another list of forbidden terms from the self-described "most transparent administration" in history... 🤦🏻♀️ climate.law.columbia.edu/content/doe-...
Reposted by Loren Albert
PLEASE AMPLIFY 🔈
I hear that some staffers at Interior Department and NOAA are being called back to the office from furlough for "administration priorities." I'm on Signal if this includes you or you have more information: @clare.14
I hear that some staffers at Interior Department and NOAA are being called back to the office from furlough for "administration priorities." I'm on Signal if this includes you or you have more information: @clare.14
October 27, 2025 at 7:12 PM
PLEASE AMPLIFY 🔈
I hear that some staffers at Interior Department and NOAA are being called back to the office from furlough for "administration priorities." I'm on Signal if this includes you or you have more information: @clare.14
I hear that some staffers at Interior Department and NOAA are being called back to the office from furlough for "administration priorities." I'm on Signal if this includes you or you have more information: @clare.14
Please help circulate this postdoc fellowship opportunity! (And shameless plug that here at OSU there would be opportunities to build intersections between forest biology, remote sensing, modeling, or creative uses of the impressive new OSU supercomputer.) www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...
Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology
Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology on Simons Foundation
www.simonsfoundation.org
October 28, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Please help circulate this postdoc fellowship opportunity! (And shameless plug that here at OSU there would be opportunities to build intersections between forest biology, remote sensing, modeling, or creative uses of the impressive new OSU supercomputer.) www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...
I'm excited to share this work led by Lynn Riley investigating albedo impacts from afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation projects. We hope the findings will guide future projects in the fight against climate change. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Accounting for albedo in carbon market protocols - Nature Communications
The paper analyzes the impact of omitting biophysical effects from carbon credits on climate mitigation. It shows that some Voluntary Carbon Market projects may result in net warming due to albedo while others enhance cooling.
www.nature.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I'm excited to share this work led by Lynn Riley investigating albedo impacts from afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation projects. We hope the findings will guide future projects in the fight against climate change. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Loren Albert
This week, we lost one of the world’s greatest advocates for people and nature. Even in her final days, Dr. Jane Goodall was urging us not to give up, and now her legacy lives on through the countless voices she inspired.
Read on Mailchimp: shorturl.at/lDxXk
Read on LinkedIn: shorturl.at/VOiPa
Read on Mailchimp: shorturl.at/lDxXk
Read on LinkedIn: shorturl.at/VOiPa
Jane Goodall's final lesson
Honoring Jane Goodall's life, Pope Leo's first climate address, and finding hope in action
www.talkingclimate.ca
October 6, 2025 at 11:10 PM
This week, we lost one of the world’s greatest advocates for people and nature. Even in her final days, Dr. Jane Goodall was urging us not to give up, and now her legacy lives on through the countless voices she inspired.
Read on Mailchimp: shorturl.at/lDxXk
Read on LinkedIn: shorturl.at/VOiPa
Read on Mailchimp: shorturl.at/lDxXk
Read on LinkedIn: shorturl.at/VOiPa
Reposted by Loren Albert
I am fairly skeptical of many ways people use LLMs, but drafting a refutation of misleading statements that have regurgitated in variants many times over the last couple decades and therefore are well-represented, alongside refutations, in training data is not an obviously terrible application.
That new usual suspects (Curry, Spencer, Christy, McKitrick, Koonin) Trump EPA climate denier report? (www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...)?
I asked chatGPT to evaluate it. It had no trouble producing a succinct and convincing refutation:
I asked chatGPT to evaluate it. It had no trouble producing a succinct and convincing refutation:
July 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I am fairly skeptical of many ways people use LLMs, but drafting a refutation of misleading statements that have regurgitated in variants many times over the last couple decades and therefore are well-represented, alongside refutations, in training data is not an obviously terrible application.
Reposted by Loren Albert
This past week brought a landmark legal opinion for climate and set another series of staggering heat records: a powerful reminder of why we all have a role in accelerating climate solutions.
Read the full edition of the newsletter here:
Read the full edition of the newsletter here:
The world's top court makes a climate decision
Big global win for climate, heatwave disaster in Kashmir, and supporting innovation for lasting change
www.talkingclimate.ca
July 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
This past week brought a landmark legal opinion for climate and set another series of staggering heat records: a powerful reminder of why we all have a role in accelerating climate solutions.
Read the full edition of the newsletter here:
Read the full edition of the newsletter here:
Reposted by Loren Albert
So what makes a climate assessment? In short: not this new Energy Dept report, which rehashes contrarian greatest hits with areas of known uncertainty -- that climate scientists talk about all the time.
It's all a little grim. Who needs 721 authors when you have 5?
It's all a little grim. Who needs 721 authors when you have 5?
Contrarian climate assessment from U.S. government draws swift pushback
Researchers say DOE report cherry picks data to downplay threat of greenhouse gases
www.science.org
July 30, 2025 at 9:52 PM
So what makes a climate assessment? In short: not this new Energy Dept report, which rehashes contrarian greatest hits with areas of known uncertainty -- that climate scientists talk about all the time.
It's all a little grim. Who needs 721 authors when you have 5?
It's all a little grim. Who needs 721 authors when you have 5?
Reposted by Loren Albert
The EPA has eliminated its research division, which for decades has provided the science behind regulations on clean air, clean water, and toxic chemicals.
The US can afford to monitor, research, and regulate the impacts of industries on human and environmental health. We are just choosing not to.
The US can afford to monitor, research, and regulate the impacts of industries on human and environmental health. We are just choosing not to.
EPA eliminates research and development office, begins layoffs
The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is eliminating its research and development arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees.
apnews.com
July 19, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The EPA has eliminated its research division, which for decades has provided the science behind regulations on clean air, clean water, and toxic chemicals.
The US can afford to monitor, research, and regulate the impacts of industries on human and environmental health. We are just choosing not to.
The US can afford to monitor, research, and regulate the impacts of industries on human and environmental health. We are just choosing not to.
Advocating for science
www.agu.org/events/webin...
www.agu.org/events/webin...
| AGU
<p>Join AGU for an impactful session on how scientists can advocate for science at the national level. Learn <strong>why your voice matters</strong>, how to <strong>communicate science effectively</st...
www.agu.org
April 2, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Advocating for science
www.agu.org/events/webin...
www.agu.org/events/webin...
Standards and measurements sound boring, but they are absolutely essential to science. Trump cuts threaten a measurement lab critical for advanced chips and medical devices
www.npr.org/2025/03/26/n...
www.npr.org/2025/03/26/n...
Trump cuts threaten a measurement lab critical for advanced chips and medical devices
The Atomic Spectroscopy Group provides standardized measurements used across wide swaths of science and industry. The Trump administration plans to cut it.
www.npr.org
March 28, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Standards and measurements sound boring, but they are absolutely essential to science. Trump cuts threaten a measurement lab critical for advanced chips and medical devices
www.npr.org/2025/03/26/n...
www.npr.org/2025/03/26/n...
Reposted by Loren Albert
The FAQ on the COA form is a little vague on the criteria to use, but it is generally accepted that, if there was no communication among a subset of co-authors on a particular paper, then it doesn't rise to the level of a collaboration to list. (Streamlined COA forms help program officers.) (19)
February 20, 2025 at 3:02 AM
The FAQ on the COA form is a little vague on the criteria to use, but it is generally accepted that, if there was no communication among a subset of co-authors on a particular paper, then it doesn't rise to the level of a collaboration to list. (Streamlined COA forms help program officers.) (19)
Reposted by Loren Albert
Also, NSF takes conflicts of interest seriously. That said, when you're filling out your COA form, listing every single co-author might not be necessary. When papers have many co-authors (e.g., genetics papers), not everyone rises to the level of a collaborator. (18)
www.nsf.gov/funding/seni...
www.nsf.gov/funding/seni...
Frequently Asked Questions: Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Information Template
Do you have questions about the Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Information Template? You can get them answered here.
www.nsf.gov
February 20, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Also, NSF takes conflicts of interest seriously. That said, when you're filling out your COA form, listing every single co-author might not be necessary. When papers have many co-authors (e.g., genetics papers), not everyone rises to the level of a collaborator. (18)
www.nsf.gov/funding/seni...
www.nsf.gov/funding/seni...
Reposted by Loren Albert
Oh, one more thing. This website is probably the best resource for NSF's response to the executive orders: www.nsf.gov/executive-or...
Please check there first before emailing the program officers (who have been coached to email you this link as a first response). (17)
Please check there first before emailing the program officers (who have been coached to email you this link as a first response). (17)
NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders
Information for the NSF community regarding executive orders.
www.nsf.gov
February 20, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Oh, one more thing. This website is probably the best resource for NSF's response to the executive orders: www.nsf.gov/executive-or...
Please check there first before emailing the program officers (who have been coached to email you this link as a first response). (17)
Please check there first before emailing the program officers (who have been coached to email you this link as a first response). (17)
Reposted by Loren Albert
Finally, have confidence that the program officers and staff members working in NSF’s directorates are among the most committed and thoughtful people that you could ever hope to meet, doing their absolute best to uphold the agency’s mission as long as the time allows. (16)
February 19, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Finally, have confidence that the program officers and staff members working in NSF’s directorates are among the most committed and thoughtful people that you could ever hope to meet, doing their absolute best to uphold the agency’s mission as long as the time allows. (16)
Reposted by Loren Albert
Perhaps now more than ever, cultivate curiosity in your students and reassure them that there are paths toward becoming a scientist in the future. Education and training remain a huge part of the NSF mission. (15)
February 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Perhaps now more than ever, cultivate curiosity in your students and reassure them that there are paths toward becoming a scientist in the future. Education and training remain a huge part of the NSF mission. (15)
Reposted by Loren Albert
Great ideas can come from anywhere, and congressional legislation (e.g., CHIPS and Science Act) has directed the NSF toward the goal of broadening participation in science. Researchers can organize and approach the legal counsel at their universities for clarifications on their activities. (14)
February 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Great ideas can come from anywhere, and congressional legislation (e.g., CHIPS and Science Act) has directed the NSF toward the goal of broadening participation in science. Researchers can organize and approach the legal counsel at their universities for clarifications on their activities. (14)
Reposted by Loren Albert
If you are invited to submit a draft of an abstract, recognize that abstracts are written for public audiences (i.e., taxpayers), not your academic peers. Make it clear why this study is worth doing. Avoid jargon. Think big picture. Minimize potential for misinterpretations. (9)
February 19, 2025 at 7:11 PM
If you are invited to submit a draft of an abstract, recognize that abstracts are written for public audiences (i.e., taxpayers), not your academic peers. Make it clear why this study is worth doing. Avoid jargon. Think big picture. Minimize potential for misinterpretations. (9)
Reposted by Loren Albert
Upon learning that yesterday would be my last day as a program officer at the National Science Foundation, I shared this parting message with my colleagues. The next few months will be frenetic and stressful for them. Here are some things that you can do to help them with the mission ahead. (1)
February 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Upon learning that yesterday would be my last day as a program officer at the National Science Foundation, I shared this parting message with my colleagues. The next few months will be frenetic and stressful for them. Here are some things that you can do to help them with the mission ahead. (1)
Reposted by Loren Albert
February 15, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by Loren Albert
Tesla Owner Running Out of Room For Bumper Stickers Explaining Tesla Ownership: bit.ly/3X1tdOs
February 14, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Tesla Owner Running Out of Room For Bumper Stickers Explaining Tesla Ownership: bit.ly/3X1tdOs
Reposted by Loren Albert
Some people asked if I could list real impacts from some of the recent federal decisions. Here are SOME real impacts our team has faced already in 3 weeks:
1. Im quite certain 1 project (likely 2) I have that support low income high school students across the country, will be canceled. 🧪
1. Im quite certain 1 project (likely 2) I have that support low income high school students across the country, will be canceled. 🧪
February 10, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Some people asked if I could list real impacts from some of the recent federal decisions. Here are SOME real impacts our team has faced already in 3 weeks:
1. Im quite certain 1 project (likely 2) I have that support low income high school students across the country, will be canceled. 🧪
1. Im quite certain 1 project (likely 2) I have that support low income high school students across the country, will be canceled. 🧪
Just found Alt NIH on Bluesky. Hoping to find a good Alt NSF, Alt NASA, Alt USDA.... heck, how about an Alt universe I can join for at least 4 years...
February 10, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Just found Alt NIH on Bluesky. Hoping to find a good Alt NSF, Alt NASA, Alt USDA.... heck, how about an Alt universe I can join for at least 4 years...
Reposted by Loren Albert
FAI is closely tied up with Koch-world. A majority of its employees and board members have Koch ties.
FAI’s goal is as said here, to privatize government including NIH and NSF.
FAI’s goal is as said here, to privatize government including NIH and NSF.
Call me old fashioned, but I think decisions on what are the best prospects for science should be made by scientists, rather than by machines, or by non-scientists working for ideological think tanks whose job is to redirect money to private companies.
February 10, 2025 at 5:26 AM
FAI is closely tied up with Koch-world. A majority of its employees and board members have Koch ties.
FAI’s goal is as said here, to privatize government including NIH and NSF.
FAI’s goal is as said here, to privatize government including NIH and NSF.