Joni Lakin
LightNews LightNews
jlakin.bsky.social
Joni Lakin
@jlakin.bsky.social
300 followers 180 following 67 posts
Professor, crafter, world-class worrier.

Educational research at The University of Alabama
Posts Replies Media Videos
jlakin.bsky.social
A short piece on the value of identifying academic talent. Great timing after @nagcgifted.bsky.social 2025 in Pittsburgh! @riversideinsights.bsky.social www.smartbrief.com/original/how... #nagc2025
How to see every student clearly in gifted education - SmartBrief
The debate over gifted and talented programs misses a larger point: Schools can’t deliver the right challenge until they can see every learner’s potential with clarity and precision, writes Joni Lakin...
www.smartbrief.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:32 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
Day 1 of #nagc25 Please support our organization by participating in our raffles! givebutter.com/DgTin8
November 13, 2025 at 10:37 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
Creativity night at #AAGC25 #alabamagifted is always a blast. I'm bringing squishy circuits!!! #alabamaachieves
Presentation on creativity night: STEAM fun with squishy circuits
September 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
standupforscience.bsky.social
🚨 It’s the 20th anniversary of Katrina + FEMA workers are warning us: cuts + censorship are gutting the agency meant to keep us safe. Delayed disaster response = lives at risk. Sign the Katrina Declaration + demand Congress protect FEMA. 👉 www.standupforscience.net/fema-katrina-declaration
Newspaper image with a FEMA Worker fighting a wildfire : The Science times VOL. 11, NO.5 SPECIAL EDITION 25 AUGIST 2025 BREAKING NEWS FEMA ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE KATRINA, FEMA WORKERS FIGHT TO PROTECT OUR NATION FROM ANOTHER DISASTER. WILL YOU JOIN THEM? * FEMA WORKERS SOUND THE ALARM* FEMA is in chaos. Unqualified leaders, funding cuts and censorship of climate science are putting lives at risk. The agency is being gutted from within, and the American people will pay the price. Image of FEMA workers cleaning up after hurricane WHAT THESE CUTS WILL DO: Delayed disaster responses, a reduced capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters, censorship of critical climate science information and detrimental losses of experienced staff and institutional knowledge. All completely preventable and terrifying outcomes that will directly impact the American People. The Trump administration is putting you and your family in danger. Image of fema worker holding a dog saved from a flood TAKE ACTION JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO PROTECT FEMA AND SUPPORT THE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO KEEP US SAFE. TOGETHER, WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE LESSONS OF HURRICANE KATRINA ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. SIGN THE KATRINA DECLARATION AND PETITION TO CONGRESS. YOUR VOICE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! www.standupforscience.net/fema-katrina-declaration
August 25, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
standupforscience.bsky.social
This August, we’re turning concern into collective action and you’re invited.

Our founder & executive director @cdelawalla.bsky.social breaks it down here 👇

youtu.be/AaYs9Il9Hy0?...

We’ve got the tools, training, & community to make it easy. Links in thread to get involved!
August 1, 2025 at 8:43 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
Compliance training is a fun annual tradition. This year is especially interesting as the *federal government is now requiring me to learn about the importance of *international research collaboration and working with international students.
Screenshot of training website
June 4, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
nytimes.com
President Trump has slashed funding for medical research, threatening a longstanding alliance between the federal government and universities that helped make the U.S. the world leader in medical science. Here are the nearly 2,500 grants that have been canceled or delayed. https://trib.al/iBstU2B
June 4, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
standupforscience.bsky.social
🔔Trump’s Fool’s Gold EO is facing MAJOR backlash.

THOUSANDS of scientists, academics, & physicians - including us - are speaking out against this political assault on science.

Our Open Letter is featured here:
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/c...
The White House Gutted Science Funding. Now It Wants to ‘Correct’ Research.
www.nytimes.com
June 3, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
standupforscience.bsky.social
Thank you to @policyhound.bsky.social for covering this EO and our open letter. We have over 5k signatures now!

You can sign here: www.standupforscience.net/open-letter-...
May 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
UAlabama researchers not only conduct basic science but also lead applied research that translates to better medical and accessibility (along many things!
news.ua.edu/2025/05/igni...
Motorized robotic walker that senses its surroundings Lead Inventor: Xiangrong Shen
May 28, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
cdelawalla.bsky.social
If you are in any of these cities or states and want to do SUFS things, we have people needing assistance in:

Tuscaloosa
Salt Lake City
Denver or Boulder
Ohio
Indiana
Iowa
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Michigan

SO, GO SIGN UP!

#StandUpForScience
#SummerFightForScience
May 19, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
standupforscience.bsky.social
Tax Day next up: NSF!
🛰️ $40 a year. That’s what the average U.S. taxpayer pays annually to fund the National Science Foundation.

💡 Science isn’t luxury - it’s infrastructure.
From disaster prediction to cybersecurity to the tech in your phone, NSF powers the systems that keep society running.
April 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
April 14, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
aceducation.bsky.social
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funds education research, evaluates federal education programs, and collects and reports info about education in America to inform the public. Cutting nearly the entire staff at IES will keep us in the dark about student learning.
March 13, 2025 at 3:22 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
We had a fantastic turn out and participation. Most important thing was the sound system. A representative of Birmingham Alliance for Safer space hooked us up and took care of AV for the whole event. linktr.ee/bhambass #standupforscience2025
bhambass | Instagram | Linktree
B.A.S.S. - Birmingham Alliance for Safer Spaces
linktr.ee
March 7, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
jaapderoode.bsky.social
Standing up for science here at the Georgia State Capitol. @standupforscience.bsky.social
March 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
Everyone of starting to arrive at Railroad park to #standupforscience
Group gathering for rally
March 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
A small action you can take from anywhere for @standupforscience.bsky.social Please subscribe to the Birmingham event YT so they can livestream the rally today
youtube.com/@standupfors...
Stand Up for Science Alabama
youtube.com
March 7, 2025 at 4:00 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
The Birmingham site for @standupforscience.bsky.social has a great line up planned with representatives from the medical field as well as researchers in immunology, neurology, and epidemiology. We will also feature community members who have directly benefited from NIH research discoveries.
Stand Up for Science March 7 Railroad park 12-3pm Standupforscience2025.org
March 6, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
marisakabas.bsky.social
SCOOP: Now that Linda McMahon is confirmed/sworn in as secretary, Trump will be imminently issuing an executive order eliminating the Department of Education.

I’ve obtained a draft of an email that McMahon will be sending to staff re: the EO and the department’s “final mission”.

Here is a portion:
After President Trump's inauguration last month, he has steadily signed a slate of executive orders to keep these education promises: combatting critical race theory, DEl, gender ideology extremism, and discrimination in admissions. President Trump has also been focused on eliminating wasteful bureaucracy and harmful programs in the federal government. To that end, today he signed [Executive Order XYZ, entitled "Eliminating the Department of Education,] which has given us a clear and final mission. We are to identify which of the Department's functions, programs, and offices are not mandated by statute, and eliminate them. This reorganization will impact staff, budgets, reporting, and more —and in coming months, we will determine how it can be accomplished with minimal delay and disruption. The President further tasked us with creating a plan to reallocate and reassign functions of the Department of Education that would be more effectively managed by other agencies. This plan will offer Congress a road map toward fulfilling the expectations of the President and the American people. The new vision—which I hope each of you will embrace going forward—can be expressed as four main convictions: Parents are the primary decision makers in their children's education. Students deserve to be protected from physical violence, racial discrimination, medical tyranny, and gender extremism ideology on campus. Postsecondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce needs. Taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning: proficiency in math, reading, and core subjects, and patriotism in American history and civics. As we move to reduce the Department's middleman role in education, these four convictions must guide us toward conscientious and pragmatic action. The elimination of bureaucracy should free us, not limit us, in our pursuit of these goals Removing red tape and bureaucratic barriers will empower parents to make th
March 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
erictopol.bsky.social
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
March 1, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
leslie-bern.bsky.social
I’m just a girl, speaking in her personal capacity, standing in front of all of you making your little protest signs

And I am ABSOLUTELY BEGGING you not to make some kind of “joke” that involves some play on the phrase “Make America Great Again”

Please, please do not do that.
March 2, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Joni Lakin
mattwilkins.galacticpolymath.com
So excited to see how quickly #StandUpForScience has grown from a single rally to rallies in 32 cities in 27 states and counting! Let's go! Thank you for your leadership @standupforscience.bsky.social!
They also opened up a donation page 🧪
standupforscience2025.org/local-event-...
Local Event Information
Below are the state capitals and major cities (alphabetized by state) hosting official Stand Up for Science events. If your city is listed, a confirmed site leader—backed by our core team—is active…
standupforscience2025.org
February 26, 2025 at 2:53 PM
jlakin.bsky.social
Stand Up for Science is a nationwide protest to promote awareness of the federal cuts to research. Our event is at railroad park in Birmingham, AL, 12-3 on March 7th. standupforscience2025.org
Flyer for Birmingham, al, March 7 12-3pm at railroad park. More info https://standupforscience2025.org/
February 26, 2025 at 12:52 AM