Leticia Castillo Brache
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leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Leticia Castillo Brache
@leticiacastillo.bsky.social
290 followers 140 following 10 posts
Floating through space. Residing in Boston. PhD in Philosophy of science. She/her 🇩🇴
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leticiacastillo.bsky.social
This entire thread‼️
#IrritatorBelongstoBR
alinemghilardi.bsky.social Aline Ghilardi @alinemghilardi.bsky.social · Apr 7
Some people are trying to paint us as the villains in the Irritator case — simply because we’re demanding justice.
This is a familiar tactic: blaming the victims to protect the system.
April 8, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
Congratulations to Dr. Castillo Brache @leticiacastillo.bsky.social on successfully defending her PhD dissertation this morning!!! Woo-hoo!!! 🙌🎓🌟 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you to Profs. Samia Hesni, @rachelankeny.bsky.social, & @miguelohn.bsky.social for serving on her committee 🙏
#philsci #phigeo
Leticia smiling & giving brief overview of dissertation. Slide says Boston University | April 2025 HIDDEN NARRATIVES IN GEOSCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: TOWARD DEVELOPING MORE ETHICAL SCIENTIFIC PRACTICES Leticia A. Castillo Brache Dissertation Defense Alisa & Leticia smiling at successful conclusion of defense with a vase flowers & zoom screen with some remote audience & committee members.
April 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Very much looking forward to this!
alisabokulich.bsky.social Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · Mar 31
This Friday Phi-Geo grad @leticiacastillo.bsky.social will be giving an invited lecture at Tufts University on "Hidden Narratives in Paleontology: Toward Ethical & Inclusive Practices". #philsci #STS #PhiGeo #philsky ⚒️
Leticia smiling in front of a museum didplay STS LUNCH SEMINAR Spring 2025, Fridays 12-1:15pm EST Science, Technology, and Society - Lunch Seminar Spring 2025 Schedule
March 31, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
A nice Phi-Geo group trip to @harvardmuseums.bsky.social to see exhibit Measuring Difference & hear a wonderful presentation by @chattyprofessor.bsky.social, artist Nancy Friedemann-Sánchez & #histmed Pablo Gómez, who spoke about roots of medical data about bodies in Atlantic slave trade. #philsci
Alisa, Leticia, Matilde & Matt standing in front of Mexico's standard of length the Castilian vara brass bar. Sign says Measuring Difference. This vara was seized during the 1847 U.S. invasion of Mexico City by an army engineer. Gabriela Soto Laveaga | Nancy Friedemann-Sánchez | Pablo Gómez sitting on stage in conversation Three grad students next to display with Humboldt's famous Mount Chimborazo elevation diagram.
February 28, 2025 at 2:19 AM
leticiacastillo.bsky.social
So many geoethical issues in this ongoing case in my homeland. Barrick Gold must do better!
#geoethics #mining #extraction #gold
The Canadian Mining Company Dominicans Call “Worse Than Columbus”
We traveled to the Dominican Republic to talk to rural farmers and workers battling a Canadian mining company. “We had no concept of what the devil was until Barrick Gold came to our lands,” one perso...
jacobin.com
January 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
aljazeera.com
Identity politics has become a defining buzzword in US politics. But how does the far-right employ identity politics? We discuss on #TheTake podcast with @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social.
January 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
windjunky.bsky.social
Prepare the letter! (written by a different Andy, but i'm happy with the co-incidence)
December 9, 2024 at 4:33 AM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
rpocisv.bsky.social
'Apex' the Stegosaur, the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold, will be on display and available to research at the AMNH. My latest for @science.org.
Apex the Stegosaur, the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold, heads to a museum
The American Museum of Natural History will host one of the most complete Stegosaurus specimens for the next 4 years
www.science.org
December 5, 2024 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
It was great having some of the Phi-Geo grads give short presentations of some relevant material from their research to my "Gender, Race, & Science" class today (Thank you @mattbrewer.bsky.social @matildecarrera.bsky.social & @leticiacastillo.bsky.social!!!)
Leticia in front of screen "incorering Hidden Narratives in the Use of Unethical Geoscientific Research Practices" Matt in front os screen text ""Women's Work" in Science Two Cases: The "Hobbyist" and the "Computer" Matt Brewer brewer@bu.edu PH 436/636 December 3 BOSTON UNIVERSITY BU PHILOSOPHY OF THE GEOSCIENCES Matilde in front of chalkboard. & screen "Debunking Racial Thoughts in Population Genetics"
December 3, 2024 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
Thank you for your awesome work on CARE data principles, which my PhD student @leticiacastillo.bsky.social & I have cited in this handbook chapter on philosophical issues in data ⤵️
www.taylorfrancis.com/reader/downl...
⚒️ #philsci
1nativesoilnerd.bsky.social Lydia Jennings, PhD @1nativesoilnerd.bsky.social · Dec 2
For anyone attending #AGU2024, consider coming to our town hall on Wednesday the 11th 12:30-1:30 where we will be presenting about “A Community Effort: Publishing Guidelines for Indigenous Data Sovereignty and the CARE Principles.”
December 2, 2024 at 2:51 PM
leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Great talk by my advisor @alisabokulich.bsky.social on “Pierce, Abduction, & Inverse Problems in the Geosciences” at #PSA24
November 17, 2024 at 4:30 PM
leticiacastillo.bsky.social
So glad to have had the opportunity to highlight a widespread harmful practice in paleontology and share potential solutions to such a receptive audience 🙌🏼 Thank you #PSA24
alisabokulich.bsky.social Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · Nov 16
A brilliant talk this afternoon by @leticiacastillo.bsky.social to a packed room on "Parachute Science in Paleontology as Distributive Epistemic Injustice" #PSA24 #philsci #philsky #paleosky
A woman giving a talk with slides to audience
November 16, 2024 at 3:55 AM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
Some of the Boston University #PSA24 group out on Bourbon St.
6 people standing on Bourbon St. from left: Matt, Federica, Kailyn, Alisa, Leticia, Matilde
November 16, 2024 at 2:52 AM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
A lovely Phi-Geo & friends dinner @ #PSA24: @rachellaudan.bsky.social Aja W, @miguelohn.bsky.social @terumiyake.bsky.social @mattbrewer.bsky.social AndrewZ @leticiacastillo.bsky.social Kailyn S @federicabocchi.bsky.social @matildecarrera.bsky.social Carlos S, Katherine V @cristianlarph.bsky.social
14 people sitting around a table in restaurant
November 16, 2024 at 3:08 AM
leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Catch me at the PSA presenting one of my dissertation chapters! Looking forward to a great discussion 🥳
alisabokulich.bsky.social Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · Nov 8
November 15, 2024
3:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Values in Science I

"Parachute Science in Paleontology as Distributive Epistemic Injustice"
Leticia Castillo Brache
@leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Studio 2 November 15, 2024 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM Values in Science I claims can and should be tested impartially. Parachute Science in Paleontology as Distributive Epistemic Injustice Leticia Castillo Brache Paleontology is facing an ethical crisis related to its long history of extractive practices, including a practice now
November 13, 2024 at 4:33 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
The Philosophy of Geosciences Research Group at BU, Φ-Geo, is dedicated to exploring topics in the philosophy of the geosciences (historical & current Earth sciences), broadly understood. We have a big group heading to #PSA24 ⚒️ next week--check out our upcoming talks
bokulich.org/%cf%86-geo-g...
🧵 ⬇️
BU Phi Geo logo designed as ellipsoid Earth stylized as Greek letter Phi. Text "PHILOSOPHY OF THE GEOSCIENCES RESEARCH GROUP"
November 8, 2024 at 5:29 PM
leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Thank you, Alisa! I’m very honored to receive the award 🥳
alisabokulich.bsky.social Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · Oct 3
Congratulations to Phi-Geo grad @leticiacastillo.bsky.social who has been awarded the BU Institute for Global Sustainability 2024 Peter Fox-Penner Graduate Student Award (given for significant contributions to research or practice in sustainability & climate change &/or equity & justice)! 🎉 #philsci
October 3, 2024 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
I've worked on many of the topics in this volume, but the one invited to write is "Models, Data Models, & Big Data", which was co-authored with my fabulous PhD student Leticia Castillo Brache @leticiacastillo.bsky.social #philsci #metasci 🧪
This chapter discusses the complex and subtle relations between models and data in the production of data models. It highlights key data processing techniques, such as data correction and data conversion, which illustrate what is known as model–data symbiosis. Projects related to data rescue and other model–data practices, such as the reuse and repurposing of data, are examined. Some of the philosophical issues concerning big data are reviewed. The chapter concludes by examining current challenges in data ethics, including the risks associated with open data movements, privacy, and what is known as “dirty data.”
September 18, 2024 at 2:06 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
Congrats to Phi-Geo grad @leticiacastillo.bsky.social on also having her contributed paper "Parachute Science in Paleontology as Distributive Epistemic Injustice" accepted for #PSA24! 🎉 Excited the entire Phi-Geo group will be presenting at the upcoming @philsci.bsky.social mtg! 🎉
#philsci #philsky
Parachute Science in Paleontology as Distributive Epistemic Injustice by Leticia Castillo Brache Abstract: Paleontology is facing an ethical crisis related to its long history of extractive practices, including a practice now referred to as ‘parachute science.’ In this paper, I provide diagnostic criteria for identifying parachute science and illustrate them using the high-profile example of a Brazilian dinosaur fossil, Irritator challengeri, acquired by a German museum under dubious conditions. I use this case study to identify three types of harm resulting from parachute science, showing how they can be understood as a case of distributive epistemic injustice. I conclude by using this framework to point toward more ethical paleontological practices.
May 28, 2024 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
Sorry to be missing the Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (#SPSP2024) conference this year, but happy to get a few highlights about the great presentations from grad members of our Phi-Geo group: 🙌 @matildecarrera.bsky.social @mattbrewer.bsky.social & @leticiacastillo.bsky.social
Matilde Carrera giving talk in front of screen on data as record of process of inquiry in archaeological contexts. Matt Brewer presenting his poster on the positive roll absence of evidence can play in generating evidence of absence in context of history onset plate tectonics. Leticia Castillo Brache giving talk on legacy of colonialism in geosciences.
May 18, 2024 at 2:10 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
I am so proud of awesome projects the grads in our Phi-Geo group have been working on:
@leticiacastillo.bsky.social
"Parachute Science in Paleontology as Distributive Epistemic Injustice" on Brazilian dino fossil Irritator challengeri & shows how parachute harms are distributive epistemic injustice
Φ-Geo Group
Φ-Geo is a research group dedicated to exploring topics in the philosophy of the geosciences (historical and current Earth sciences), broadly understood.  Areas of research pursued by Phi-Geo members ...
bokulich.org
March 16, 2024 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
alisabokulich.bsky.social
My wonderful PhD student @leticiacastillo.bsky.social is giving a (in person) talk on this important theme Friday.
Parachute Science & the Legacy of Scientific Colonialism Today: Exploring Harmful Hidden Narratives by Leticia Castillo Brache Poster announcement.
October 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Leticia Castillo Brache
seismatters.bsky.social
Fascinating read in AGU EOS about scientific colonialism and the specific case of the fossil, Irritator challengeri 🧪 🦕 ⚒️

Again, I’m buoyed by the energy and bravery of the scientists taking on this fight, many of whom are early career and/or from the global south.

eos.org/articles/ill...
Illegal Fossil Export Is More Than an Irritator to the Global South - Eos
More than 2,000 researchers have signed an open letter requesting the repatriation of a dinosaur fossil to Brazil. Some say the case highlights a pattern of scientific colonialism in paleontology.
eos.org
September 22, 2023 at 10:31 AM