Hannah Merseal
@hannahmerseal.bsky.social
postdoctoral researcher @Penn. chaotic good. creativity, art, jazz, brains, networks.
Excited to co-chair SfNC 2026: Liberty to Create and welcome our creativity neuroscience community to Philly! Next year we’re bringing the arts back to center stage at FringeArts. If you work in creativity, neuroscience, or the arts, hope to see you there! 🎨🧠✨
We’re thrilled to announce SfNC2026: Liberty to Create
The 11th annual meeting of the Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity (SfNC) will take place June 1–3, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This year, we're letting the arts take center stage.
Learn more here: www.tsfnc.org/sfnc2026-lib...
The 11th annual meeting of the Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity (SfNC) will take place June 1–3, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This year, we're letting the arts take center stage.
Learn more here: www.tsfnc.org/sfnc2026-lib...
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Excited to co-chair SfNC 2026: Liberty to Create and welcome our creativity neuroscience community to Philly! Next year we’re bringing the arts back to center stage at FringeArts. If you work in creativity, neuroscience, or the arts, hope to see you there! 🎨🧠✨
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
Are You Moved by Beauty?
Beauty is in the hand more than in the eye of the beholder.
www.psychologytoday.com
October 9, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
"Ideally, it will not only inspire neuroscientists to make their studies more 'natural' but also encourage behavioral ecologists to tackle the neural basis of fascinating behaviors."
@science.org reviews "Natural Neuroscience" by Nachum Ulanovsky: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@science.org reviews "Natural Neuroscience" by Nachum Ulanovsky: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
July 14, 2025 at 1:16 PM
"Ideally, it will not only inspire neuroscientists to make their studies more 'natural' but also encourage behavioral ecologists to tackle the neural basis of fascinating behaviors."
@science.org reviews "Natural Neuroscience" by Nachum Ulanovsky: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@science.org reviews "Natural Neuroscience" by Nachum Ulanovsky: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
TIL (on mastodon) that the US National Park Service has crochet patterns!
www.nps.gov/articles/000...
www.nps.gov/articles/000...
Halibut Crochet Pattern (U.S. National Park Service)
www.nps.gov
July 11, 2025 at 8:22 PM
TIL (on mastodon) that the US National Park Service has crochet patterns!
www.nps.gov/articles/000...
www.nps.gov/articles/000...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
How does the human brain coordinate hierarchical cortical development? Our work in Nature Neuroscience identifies a role for thalamocortical structural connectivity in the expression of hierarchical periods of cortical plasticity & environmental receptivity in youth 🧵 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 8, 2025 at 12:00 AM
How does the human brain coordinate hierarchical cortical development? Our work in Nature Neuroscience identifies a role for thalamocortical structural connectivity in the expression of hierarchical periods of cortical plasticity & environmental receptivity in youth 🧵 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
Why is it an exciting time to be a creativity researcher?
We’re asking our editorial board, starting with Creativity Research Journal editor-in-chief Adam Green.
See his thoughts below, and stay tuned for more insights and featured research: www.tandfonline.com/journals/hcr...
We’re asking our editorial board, starting with Creativity Research Journal editor-in-chief Adam Green.
See his thoughts below, and stay tuned for more insights and featured research: www.tandfonline.com/journals/hcr...
July 9, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Why is it an exciting time to be a creativity researcher?
We’re asking our editorial board, starting with Creativity Research Journal editor-in-chief Adam Green.
See his thoughts below, and stay tuned for more insights and featured research: www.tandfonline.com/journals/hcr...
We’re asking our editorial board, starting with Creativity Research Journal editor-in-chief Adam Green.
See his thoughts below, and stay tuned for more insights and featured research: www.tandfonline.com/journals/hcr...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
We're catching up with Mariola as she wraps up her postdoc with us, looking at bright spots in the last 2 years and exciting future directions!
Mariola, how did it all begin?
Mariola, how did it all begin?
June 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
We're catching up with Mariola as she wraps up her postdoc with us, looking at bright spots in the last 2 years and exciting future directions!
Mariola, how did it all begin?
Mariola, how did it all begin?
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
The results seem to strengthen the case that these systems rely on elaborate pattern-matching rather than the kind of systematic reasoning their marketing might suggest.
New Apple study challenges whether AI models truly “reason” through problems
Puzzle-based experiments reveal limitations of simulated reasoning, but others dispute findings.
arstechnica.com
June 13, 2025 at 5:02 PM
The results seem to strengthen the case that these systems rely on elaborate pattern-matching rather than the kind of systematic reasoning their marketing might suggest.
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
Our paper "A fragmented field" has just been accepted at AMPPS. We find it's not just you, psychology is really getting more confusing (construct and measure fragmentation is rising).
We updated the preprint with the (substantial) revision, please check it out.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
We updated the preprint with the (substantial) revision, please check it out.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
June 13, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Our paper "A fragmented field" has just been accepted at AMPPS. We find it's not just you, psychology is really getting more confusing (construct and measure fragmentation is rising).
We updated the preprint with the (substantial) revision, please check it out.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
We updated the preprint with the (substantial) revision, please check it out.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
The science events summit is here in Philly this week!
We’re at the Main Branch of the Philly library connecting and talking about the wild times we’re living through as science communicators.
The session starting now is about how us adults perceive science in this moment.
We’re at the Main Branch of the Philly library connecting and talking about the wild times we’re living through as science communicators.
The session starting now is about how us adults perceive science in this moment.
June 9, 2025 at 5:47 PM
The science events summit is here in Philly this week!
We’re at the Main Branch of the Philly library connecting and talking about the wild times we’re living through as science communicators.
The session starting now is about how us adults perceive science in this moment.
We’re at the Main Branch of the Philly library connecting and talking about the wild times we’re living through as science communicators.
The session starting now is about how us adults perceive science in this moment.
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
My new piece in Nature Human Behavior: "We need to fight for the next generation of US researchers"
All trainees need 3 things to thrive. In the US, those things have been ripped away. Let's brainstorm and fight to get them back.
(share link):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
All trainees need 3 things to thrive. In the US, those things have been ripped away. Let's brainstorm and fight to get them back.
(share link):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We need to fight for the next generation of US researchers
Nature Human Behaviour - Federal funding of science has been cut, and trainee scientists in the USA face an unstable and uncertain future. Nicole Rust explains how and why we should act to support...
www.nature.com
June 9, 2025 at 11:06 AM
My new piece in Nature Human Behavior: "We need to fight for the next generation of US researchers"
All trainees need 3 things to thrive. In the US, those things have been ripped away. Let's brainstorm and fight to get them back.
(share link):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
All trainees need 3 things to thrive. In the US, those things have been ripped away. Let's brainstorm and fight to get them back.
(share link):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
We spy some familiar faces to the SfNC community in this week's New York Times Creativity Challenge! Check out these short daily creativity exercises to flex those divergent thinking muscles @jamesckaufman.bsky.social @z-i-pringle.bsky.social @roger-beaty.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Welcome to the 5-Day Creativity Challenge
Today, a fun way to feel less stuck.
www.nytimes.com
June 5, 2025 at 7:03 PM
We spy some familiar faces to the SfNC community in this week's New York Times Creativity Challenge! Check out these short daily creativity exercises to flex those divergent thinking muscles @jamesckaufman.bsky.social @z-i-pringle.bsky.social @roger-beaty.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
"We cannot build bananas in America"
DEAN: What's the tariff on bananas?
LUTNICK: Generally 10%
DEAN: Walmart has already increased the cost of bananas by 8%
LUTNICK: If you build in America, there is no tariff
DEAN: We cannot build bananas in America
LUTNICK: Generally 10%
DEAN: Walmart has already increased the cost of bananas by 8%
LUTNICK: If you build in America, there is no tariff
DEAN: We cannot build bananas in America
June 5, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"We cannot build bananas in America"
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
New powerful article up in the New York Times on cancelled and delayed grants
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Here Are the Nearly 2,500 Medical Research Grants Canceled or Delayed by Trump (Gift Article)
Some cuts have been starkly visible, but the country’s medical grant-making machinery has also radically transformed outside the public eye.
www.nytimes.com
June 4, 2025 at 3:01 PM
New powerful article up in the New York Times on cancelled and delayed grants
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
President Trump’s FY26 budget for #NSF will slash funding for the agency by 56.9% and funding for Social, Behavioral, and Economic sciences by 67.6%
These cuts will end US STEM leadership, weaken national security, and set-back individual prosperity and well-being.
These cuts will end US STEM leadership, weaken national security, and set-back individual prosperity and well-being.
June 4, 2025 at 12:19 AM
President Trump’s FY26 budget for #NSF will slash funding for the agency by 56.9% and funding for Social, Behavioral, and Economic sciences by 67.6%
These cuts will end US STEM leadership, weaken national security, and set-back individual prosperity and well-being.
These cuts will end US STEM leadership, weaken national security, and set-back individual prosperity and well-being.
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
🎯 Want to add eye tracking to your #PsychoPy experiment with zero coding?
👁️ This beginner-friendly tutorial uses MouseGaze to simulate tracking + covers ROIs, calibration, plugins & more!
📺 Watch now: youtu.be/f6uNKBFN82o
#OpenScience #EyeTracking
👁️ This beginner-friendly tutorial uses MouseGaze to simulate tracking + covers ROIs, calibration, plugins & more!
📺 Watch now: youtu.be/f6uNKBFN82o
#OpenScience #EyeTracking
May 30, 2025 at 11:02 AM
🎯 Want to add eye tracking to your #PsychoPy experiment with zero coding?
👁️ This beginner-friendly tutorial uses MouseGaze to simulate tracking + covers ROIs, calibration, plugins & more!
📺 Watch now: youtu.be/f6uNKBFN82o
#OpenScience #EyeTracking
👁️ This beginner-friendly tutorial uses MouseGaze to simulate tracking + covers ROIs, calibration, plugins & more!
📺 Watch now: youtu.be/f6uNKBFN82o
#OpenScience #EyeTracking
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
Did you ever wanted to see a visualisation how two common brain 🧠 network parcellations (Yeo 7 vs. CAB NP) differ?
Here is a small something I quickly cooked up because I was curious myself.
#neurosky #neuro #brain #brainsky #neuroimaging
Code: github.com/JAQuent/netw...
Here is a small something I quickly cooked up because I was curious myself.
#neurosky #neuro #brain #brainsky #neuroimaging
Code: github.com/JAQuent/netw...
May 28, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Did you ever wanted to see a visualisation how two common brain 🧠 network parcellations (Yeo 7 vs. CAB NP) differ?
Here is a small something I quickly cooked up because I was curious myself.
#neurosky #neuro #brain #brainsky #neuroimaging
Code: github.com/JAQuent/netw...
Here is a small something I quickly cooked up because I was curious myself.
#neurosky #neuro #brain #brainsky #neuroimaging
Code: github.com/JAQuent/netw...
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
Going to #NetSci2025 next week? Check out the satellite on "Software and Data for Supporting Network Science"
Hear some great short talks & get involved:
▪️ Discussion on sharing data
▪️ Discussion on standards for describing data
▪️ Interactive software fair
Complete details at netsci.nascol.net
Hear some great short talks & get involved:
▪️ Discussion on sharing data
▪️ Discussion on standards for describing data
▪️ Interactive software fair
Complete details at netsci.nascol.net
May 28, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Going to #NetSci2025 next week? Check out the satellite on "Software and Data for Supporting Network Science"
Hear some great short talks & get involved:
▪️ Discussion on sharing data
▪️ Discussion on standards for describing data
▪️ Interactive software fair
Complete details at netsci.nascol.net
Hear some great short talks & get involved:
▪️ Discussion on sharing data
▪️ Discussion on standards for describing data
▪️ Interactive software fair
Complete details at netsci.nascol.net
So grateful to @tsfnc.bsky.social for the dissertation award (handed to me by my forever mentor and pal @roger-beaty.bsky.social), for the vibrant community, and for picking me to co-chair next year's meeting in Philly! I can't wait to welcome my favorite society to celebrate all things creativity ❤️
May 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM
So grateful to @tsfnc.bsky.social for the dissertation award (handed to me by my forever mentor and pal @roger-beaty.bsky.social), for the vibrant community, and for picking me to co-chair next year's meeting in Philly! I can't wait to welcome my favorite society to celebrate all things creativity ❤️
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
ICYMI: SfNC. 2026. Philly. See you there 😎
May 23, 2025 at 5:48 PM
ICYMI: SfNC. 2026. Philly. See you there 😎
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
We have been enjoying this morning's sessions so much!!! Stay tuned for more this afternoon.
May 22, 2025 at 9:45 AM
We have been enjoying this morning's sessions so much!!! Stay tuned for more this afternoon.
Reposted by Hannah Merseal
See you soon 👀
May 22, 2025 at 6:09 AM
See you soon 👀
