Kate Wassel, PhD
@drkwassel.bsky.social
Asst. Teaching Prof at UMassD Public Policy ||Research: subnational environmental policies, resilience, and local food systems || Current grant focusing on LIDAC and workforce analyses for EPA CPRG || Implementation and governance nerd
Pinned
Kate Wassel, PhD
@drkwassel.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Look! Its me! (Including a goant picture of my face! www.umassd.edu/news/2024/ka...
Kathryn Wassel receives $270,000 grant for climate pollution reduction planning
Grant aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in RI and the MA SouthCoast
www.umassd.edu
Probably a good time to re-share my work on the CPRG planning grant, complete with typo and the giant picture of my face.
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
NSF to lay off nearly half of its staff in the next two months. www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
Science funding agency threatened with mass layoffs
National Science Foundation staff heard the plans at a meeting Tuesday.
www.politico.com
February 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
NSF to lay off nearly half of its staff in the next two months. www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
USAID’s website has been deleted, all that is left is a note saying all personnel are now on administrative leave and personnel outside the US are to be brought home. Completely illegal, no act of congress or even executive order was signed to dismantle the agency
February 5, 2025 at 2:29 AM
USAID’s website has been deleted, all that is left is a note saying all personnel are now on administrative leave and personnel outside the US are to be brought home. Completely illegal, no act of congress or even executive order was signed to dismantle the agency
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Some federal employees are quietly changing the language of job descriptions and performance reviews in an effort to protect roles and critical government functions in the face of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
Federal employees quietly edit job descriptions to protect roles from DOGE scrutiny | CNN Politics
Some federal employees are quietly changing the language of job descriptions and performance reviews in an effort to protect roles and critical government functions in the face of the so-called Depart...
www.cnn.com
January 17, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Some federal employees are quietly changing the language of job descriptions and performance reviews in an effort to protect roles and critical government functions in the face of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Nearly 70% of rural Illinois residents live in a child care desert.
One parent drove 100 miles a day to drop her son at child care, head to her classes in the opposite direction, then do it again in reverse. She spent $600 a month on gas alone.
w/ Capitol News Illinois
One parent drove 100 miles a day to drop her son at child care, head to her classes in the opposite direction, then do it again in reverse. She spent $600 a month on gas alone.
w/ Capitol News Illinois
“All Our Future Money Is Gone”: The Impossible Task of Providing Child Care in Rural Illinois
Though the governor promised to make Illinois “the best state” to raise young children, child care continues to disappear. And, as one couple learned, there’s almost no help for those building a…
propub.li
January 12, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Nearly 70% of rural Illinois residents live in a child care desert.
One parent drove 100 miles a day to drop her son at child care, head to her classes in the opposite direction, then do it again in reverse. She spent $600 a month on gas alone.
w/ Capitol News Illinois
One parent drove 100 miles a day to drop her son at child care, head to her classes in the opposite direction, then do it again in reverse. She spent $600 a month on gas alone.
w/ Capitol News Illinois
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
More than 60 German universities and research outfits are announcing that they will end their activities on twitter.
Including my alma mater, the University of Münster.
HT @thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social nachrichten.idw-online.de/2025/01/10/h...
Including my alma mater, the University of Münster.
HT @thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social nachrichten.idw-online.de/2025/01/10/h...
Hochschulen und Forschungsinstitutionen verlassen Plattform X - Gemeinsam für Vielfalt, Freiheit und Wissenschaft
nachrichten.idw-online.de
January 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
More than 60 German universities and research outfits are announcing that they will end their activities on twitter.
Including my alma mater, the University of Münster.
HT @thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social nachrichten.idw-online.de/2025/01/10/h...
Including my alma mater, the University of Münster.
HT @thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social nachrichten.idw-online.de/2025/01/10/h...
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
NEW: Given Musk’s role advising President-elect Donald Trump on ways to slash regulations and government oversight, Boring and the Vegas Loop project might be a harbinger for the country.
w/ City Cast Last Vegas
w/ City Cast Last Vegas
Elon Musk’s Boring Company Is Tunneling Beneath Las Vegas With Little Oversight
Given Musk’s role advising President-elect Donald Trump on ways to slash regulations and government oversight, Boring and the Vegas Loop project might be a harbinger for the country.
propub.li
January 8, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW: Given Musk’s role advising President-elect Donald Trump on ways to slash regulations and government oversight, Boring and the Vegas Loop project might be a harbinger for the country.
w/ City Cast Last Vegas
w/ City Cast Last Vegas
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
“Will pay any amount.”
Feels like one of those futile pleas we’re going to hear from wealthy people more and more in the era of climate change.
Feels like one of those futile pleas we’re going to hear from wealthy people more and more in the era of climate change.
January 8, 2025 at 6:16 AM
“Will pay any amount.”
Feels like one of those futile pleas we’re going to hear from wealthy people more and more in the era of climate change.
Feels like one of those futile pleas we’re going to hear from wealthy people more and more in the era of climate change.
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
This is very essence of Trumpism/MAGA: destroying their own in their furious eagerness to attack the enemy (cops, who are purportedly also their own).
I want to share this clip that I couldn't work into the episode from The New York Times's essential Day of Rage. It's about how the attackers were so consumed with beating cops that they trampled one of their own.
Rosanne Boyland should be the name every Democratic lawmaker can't stop saying.
Rosanne Boyland should be the name every Democratic lawmaker can't stop saying.
January 8, 2025 at 12:05 PM
This is very essence of Trumpism/MAGA: destroying their own in their furious eagerness to attack the enemy (cops, who are purportedly also their own).
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Profiting as the world burns: JP Morgan was the last of the Big-6 U.S. banks left promising Net Zero www.reuters.com/business/env...
JPMorgan becomes latest U.S. lender to quit Net-Zero Banking Alliance
JPMorgan said on Tuesday it was leaving the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, the latest U.S. lender to quit the sector's biggest climate coalition amid rising U.S. political pressure.
www.reuters.com
January 8, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Profiting as the world burns: JP Morgan was the last of the Big-6 U.S. banks left promising Net Zero www.reuters.com/business/env...
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Ultimately, the reason Donald Trump never faced any consequences for January 6th wasn’t incompetence. It was inconvenience.
Everyone in Congress knew what happened that day. But no one with authority was willing to bear the costs of confronting it.
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
Everyone in Congress knew what happened that day. But no one with authority was willing to bear the costs of confronting it.
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
Someone Else's Problem
Ultimately, it just would have been too inconvenient to deal with the January 6th attack.
open.substack.com
January 6, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Ultimately, the reason Donald Trump never faced any consequences for January 6th wasn’t incompetence. It was inconvenience.
Everyone in Congress knew what happened that day. But no one with authority was willing to bear the costs of confronting it.
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
Everyone in Congress knew what happened that day. But no one with authority was willing to bear the costs of confronting it.
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
America's solar manufacturing supply chain is springing back to life, and it's big. Made in America solar: thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. seia.org/blog/america...
American Solar Manufacturing Is Back, and It's Big
The success taking place in America is stunning. Companies are investing billions of dollars to produce American-made solar panels in states like Georgia, Ohio, Texas, Washington, South Carolina, and ...
seia.org
January 6, 2025 at 10:35 PM
America's solar manufacturing supply chain is springing back to life, and it's big. Made in America solar: thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. seia.org/blog/america...
Absolutely disgusting behavior
The husband of Republican senator Deb Fischer just refused to shake hands or make eye contact with Vice President Harris.
The level of class you can expect from MAGA.
The level of class you can expect from MAGA.
January 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Absolutely disgusting behavior
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Congress has formally certified Donald Trump's 2024 election win — with Kamala Harris presiding — four years to the day of the US Capitol insurrection.
Follow live updates: cnn.it/4a7DTAr
Follow live updates: cnn.it/4a7DTAr
January 6, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Congress has formally certified Donald Trump's 2024 election win — with Kamala Harris presiding — four years to the day of the US Capitol insurrection.
Follow live updates: cnn.it/4a7DTAr
Follow live updates: cnn.it/4a7DTAr
“But it’s a dry heat, Frodo.”
January 6, 2025 at 1:16 AM
“But it’s a dry heat, Frodo.”
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
"But the brightness of love seems to come from the fact that love is visible life and action." #CarlJung #SharedFacts #BrainFunction
January 5, 2025 at 3:30 AM
"But the brightness of love seems to come from the fact that love is visible life and action." #CarlJung #SharedFacts #BrainFunction
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
The US used to export democratic ideals to the rest of the world. Now we export democratic backsliding:
"Yoon's team claims immunity from insurrection charges, citing Trump ruling"
Yoon's team claims immunity from insurrection charges, citing Trump ruling | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- The legal team of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol claimed Frid...
m-en.yna.co.kr
January 3, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The US used to export democratic ideals to the rest of the world. Now we export democratic backsliding:
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
America 101.
An Alabama mom hit by the Bourbon Street attacker's truck then shot in the attack, who still has a bullet lodged in her foot, told a @nolanews.bsky.social reporter that the Amazon warehouse where she works denied her request for a leave of absence.
Alabama mom hit by truck, then shot in Bourbon Street attack: 'It's just so disturbing'
A night of revelry was coming to a close for Alexis Scott-Windham and her friends in the early hours of New Year's Eve after they came from Mobile, Alabama to
www.nola.com
January 3, 2025 at 3:48 PM
America 101.
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Let’s hear more from Jack Goldsmith about the greatness of John Roberts
"Yoon's team claims immunity from insurrection charges, citing Trump ruling"
Yoon's team claims immunity from insurrection charges, citing Trump ruling | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- The legal team of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol claimed Frid...
m-en.yna.co.kr
January 3, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Let’s hear more from Jack Goldsmith about the greatness of John Roberts
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
New, from me: Muskawamy's plans for federal government employees, sorting out fact from fiction.
Bottom-line: mass firings are unlikely, some proposals are real, but likely to worsen state capacity.
Making the government a toxic employer is bad for the rest of us.
🧵
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Bottom-line: mass firings are unlikely, some proposals are real, but likely to worsen state capacity.
Making the government a toxic employer is bad for the rest of us.
🧵
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Will the federal government become a toxic employer?
Sorting fact from fiction on mass firings, relocations, and return-to-work policies
open.substack.com
January 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
New, from me: Muskawamy's plans for federal government employees, sorting out fact from fiction.
Bottom-line: mass firings are unlikely, some proposals are real, but likely to worsen state capacity.
Making the government a toxic employer is bad for the rest of us.
🧵
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Bottom-line: mass firings are unlikely, some proposals are real, but likely to worsen state capacity.
Making the government a toxic employer is bad for the rest of us.
🧵
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Biden Admin has approved a record number of offshore wind projects, but Massachusetts, and other coastal states, are banking on continued offshore wind approvals during the Trump administration to meet their climate targets:
www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/18/s...
www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/18/s...
Could Trump’s return derail the US offshore wind boom? - The Boston Globe
Massachusetts climate goals bank on more offshore wind projects getting approved. But the industry is bracing for an uncertain future.
www.bostonglobe.com
January 3, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Biden Admin has approved a record number of offshore wind projects, but Massachusetts, and other coastal states, are banking on continued offshore wind approvals during the Trump administration to meet their climate targets:
www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/18/s...
www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/18/s...
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
Bumping this back up -- deadline is about 24 hours from now. The application is short. Please consider applying!
This Friday (Jan 3rd) is the deadline to apply to be in the 2nd cohort of @goodauth.bsky.social fellows: goodauthority.org/news/goodaut...
Please share with scholars who want to bring insights from political science to a broader audience.
Please share with scholars who want to bring insights from political science to a broader audience.
Good Authority fellows program now open for applications!
Join the team at Good Authority! Our 2025-2026 fellow program is now accepting applications.
goodauthority.org
January 3, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Bumping this back up -- deadline is about 24 hours from now. The application is short. Please consider applying!
Reposted by Kate Wassel, PhD
My work follows me everywhere!
January 3, 2025 at 12:52 AM
My work follows me everywhere!