Megan Barker
@meganbarkerase.bsky.social
Teaching faculty member @SFU Biology! Evidence-based teaching, maker projects, Jane Austen, boardgames, data, snacks! Formerly @meganbarkerase on Twitter.
Reposted by Megan Barker
Excited to launch the final draft of my Viral Persistence Timeline. Enjoy 😉
Taking requests for additions.
My next priorities:
- Adenovirus
- Enteroviruses
exercisetechlab.com/viral-persis...
Taking requests for additions.
My next priorities:
- Adenovirus
- Enteroviruses
exercisetechlab.com/viral-persis...
Viral Persistence Timeline — The Unseen Journey
exercisetechlab.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Excited to launch the final draft of my Viral Persistence Timeline. Enjoy 😉
Taking requests for additions.
My next priorities:
- Adenovirus
- Enteroviruses
exercisetechlab.com/viral-persis...
Taking requests for additions.
My next priorities:
- Adenovirus
- Enteroviruses
exercisetechlab.com/viral-persis...
@vancew.bsky.social I think you’d appreciate
🔥We released a new episode of the Night Science Podcast today, all about the power of improvisation in life, the arts and the sciences. We talked with Stephen Nachmanovitch who wrote the classic book "Free Play". Check it out and please me know what you think!
November 11, 2025 at 5:14 AM
@vancew.bsky.social I think you’d appreciate
Reposted by Megan Barker
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Reposted by Megan Barker
I miss the incredible science writer Sharon Begley every day. She‘s gifted us with this remembrance (written before her untimely passing) of Jim Watson + his “public and unrepentant racism and sexism that made him a pariah in life and poisoned his legacy in death.”
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I miss the incredible science writer Sharon Begley every day. She‘s gifted us with this remembrance (written before her untimely passing) of Jim Watson + his “public and unrepentant racism and sexism that made him a pariah in life and poisoned his legacy in death.”
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
Reposted by Megan Barker
PSA: Last week, Affinity Studio (major Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop alternative) went completely 'free forever'.
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
PSA: Last week, Affinity Studio (major Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop alternative) went completely 'free forever'.
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
Reposted by Megan Barker
When ChatGPT was asked to rate 40,000 résumés, it ranked the older male candidates as better quality than the younger female applicants.
Age and gender distortion in online media and large language models - Nature
Stereotypes of age-related gender bias are socially distorted, as evidenced by the age gap in the representations of women and men across various media and algorithms, despite no systematic age differ...
www.nature.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:47 PM
When ChatGPT was asked to rate 40,000 résumés, it ranked the older male candidates as better quality than the younger female applicants.
Reposted by Megan Barker
Time to introduce the more casual Jays fans to the words of former MLB commissioner Bartlett Giamatti:
November 2, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Time to introduce the more casual Jays fans to the words of former MLB commissioner Bartlett Giamatti:
Reposted by Megan Barker
microfabricated stamps, fresh off the printer :)
October 26, 2025 at 4:24 PM
microfabricated stamps, fresh off the printer :)
PSA: Many of you may have noticed a website floating around called formatmypaper(dot)com. People rightly noted something was fishy. I dig into what happened here:
open.substack.com/pub/ubadah/p...
open.substack.com/pub/ubadah/p...
Beware giving this site your unpublished data
Users noticed the website had fake testimonials and a domain name registered seemingly overnight.
open.substack.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Reposted by Megan Barker
We are recuiting two new Associate Professors here in Oxford Biochemistry. Come join us! Reach out to me if you have any questions. Please repost! tinyurl.com/mr3m7bd3
October 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
We are recuiting two new Associate Professors here in Oxford Biochemistry. Come join us! Reach out to me if you have any questions. Please repost! tinyurl.com/mr3m7bd3
Reposted by Megan Barker
Looking forward to seeing @marthawells.com tonight in Vancouver. #YVR 🤩
Book Launch: Queen Demon by Martha Wells | Iron Dog Books
Indigenous-owned bookshop serving metro Vancouver
irondogbooks.com
October 15, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Looking forward to seeing @marthawells.com tonight in Vancouver. #YVR 🤩
Reposted by Megan Barker
Friday Papers Club! 🍿In light of Pubmed going down, the collapse of social media, and my recent success at getting recommendations for interesting papers from those still around, I am starting a new tradition! - Recommend a good scientific manuscript! 👇
October 3, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Friday Papers Club! 🍿In light of Pubmed going down, the collapse of social media, and my recent success at getting recommendations for interesting papers from those still around, I am starting a new tradition! - Recommend a good scientific manuscript! 👇
@agberistain.bsky.social to think about for next sabbatical…!
Interested in a sabbatical in Lyon? The Collegium de Lyon provides accommodation and attractive interdisciplinary environment for 1 or 2 semesters. Open to all disciplines. You can be affiliated with any local department/lab. Apply now for 2026-27. collegium.universite-lyon.fr/2026-2027-un...
September 2, 2025 at 9:32 PM
@agberistain.bsky.social to think about for next sabbatical…!
Reposted by Megan Barker
Wikipedia editors trying to fend off the onslaught of AI crap have crowdsourced some telltale signs of LLM-generated writing; it might be handy for editors and proofreaders generally. Thanks to @ellenrykers.com for pointing me to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
Wikipedia:Signs of AI writing - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
August 31, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Wikipedia editors trying to fend off the onslaught of AI crap have crowdsourced some telltale signs of LLM-generated writing; it might be handy for editors and proofreaders generally. Thanks to @ellenrykers.com for pointing me to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
Reposted by Megan Barker
There are tons of graphic novels, academic papers, film and TV scripts, & prose novels/nonfiction on the LibGen list Anthropic used.
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
August 27, 2025 at 6:47 PM
There are tons of graphic novels, academic papers, film and TV scripts, & prose novels/nonfiction on the LibGen list Anthropic used.
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Reposted by Megan Barker
Please share far and wide.
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action
Advocates fear such settlements will “financially ruin” the AI industry.
arstechnica.com
August 27, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Please share far and wide.
Reposted by Megan Barker
🚨 END OF SUMMER EVENT 🚨
Thru Mon 1 Sep, all of our ABE Books stock (6100+ items!) priced $100 USD or less will be sold AT PAR if collected from Main Street & paid by cash, Interac, or etransfer.
Full list linked (including 100USD+ items not on sale):
Some items in storage; email to collect!
Thru Mon 1 Sep, all of our ABE Books stock (6100+ items!) priced $100 USD or less will be sold AT PAR if collected from Main Street & paid by cash, Interac, or etransfer.
Full list linked (including 100USD+ items not on sale):
Some items in storage; email to collect!
Pulpfiction Books - AbeBooks - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Pulpfiction Books:
www.abebooks.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:24 PM
🚨 END OF SUMMER EVENT 🚨
Thru Mon 1 Sep, all of our ABE Books stock (6100+ items!) priced $100 USD or less will be sold AT PAR if collected from Main Street & paid by cash, Interac, or etransfer.
Full list linked (including 100USD+ items not on sale):
Some items in storage; email to collect!
Thru Mon 1 Sep, all of our ABE Books stock (6100+ items!) priced $100 USD or less will be sold AT PAR if collected from Main Street & paid by cash, Interac, or etransfer.
Full list linked (including 100USD+ items not on sale):
Some items in storage; email to collect!
Reposted by Megan Barker
Huge variability documented in how publishers respond when informed about a problematic body of work by a research group. www.jclinepi.com/article/S089...
#publishers #retractions
#publishers #retractions
August 24, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Huge variability documented in how publishers respond when informed about a problematic body of work by a research group. www.jclinepi.com/article/S089...
#publishers #retractions
#publishers #retractions
Reposted by Megan Barker
this iconic advertising copywriter named Kathy Hepinstall Parks died over the weekend and I wanted to share something from her website I thought Bluesky would like
August 22, 2025 at 2:20 PM
this iconic advertising copywriter named Kathy Hepinstall Parks died over the weekend and I wanted to share something from her website I thought Bluesky would like
Interesting and useful, plus a dashboard! A banger combination.
Should I say “disabled people” or “people with disabilities”? Out of 519 disabled people from 23 countries: 49% preferred identity-first language (disabled people), 33% preferred person-first language (people with disabilities), and 18% had no preference. doi.org/10.1145/3517...
August 9, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Interesting and useful, plus a dashboard! A banger combination.
Reposted by Megan Barker
The important and nearly unanimous "let's stop discussing grants on Teams and resume in-person meetings in Ottawa" feedback is still being ignored. We complained about the CCV for an eternity, and now that everyone is comfortable with the brief easy-to-update version, they're reinventing the wheel.
July 4, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The important and nearly unanimous "let's stop discussing grants on Teams and resume in-person meetings in Ottawa" feedback is still being ignored. We complained about the CCV for an eternity, and now that everyone is comfortable with the brief easy-to-update version, they're reinventing the wheel.
Reposted by Megan Barker
B.C.’s first ‘flying ferry’ makes waves at the Squamish oceanfront
B.C.’s first ‘flying ferry’ makes waves at the Squamish oceanfront
In a demonstration that felt more like science fiction than public transit, an all-electric 'flying' ferry took to the waters of Howe Sound on June 23, showcasing its green technology.
dlvr.it
June 24, 2025 at 4:28 AM
B.C.’s first ‘flying ferry’ makes waves at the Squamish oceanfront
Reposted by Megan Barker
🚨 Job Alert! 🚨
We're hiring a Research Project Manager to join our #THRiVElab team at U. Manitoba.
📍 Winnipeg or Remote (in Canada)
💰 Up to $85k
🔗 Apply: www.umanitoba.ca/careers (#38881)
🌐 About us: www.thrivediscovery.ca/staff-positi...
Know someone perfect for this? Please boost or share! 🙏
We're hiring a Research Project Manager to join our #THRiVElab team at U. Manitoba.
📍 Winnipeg or Remote (in Canada)
💰 Up to $85k
🔗 Apply: www.umanitoba.ca/careers (#38881)
🌐 About us: www.thrivediscovery.ca/staff-positi...
Know someone perfect for this? Please boost or share! 🙏
June 20, 2025 at 10:29 PM
🚨 Job Alert! 🚨
We're hiring a Research Project Manager to join our #THRiVElab team at U. Manitoba.
📍 Winnipeg or Remote (in Canada)
💰 Up to $85k
🔗 Apply: www.umanitoba.ca/careers (#38881)
🌐 About us: www.thrivediscovery.ca/staff-positi...
Know someone perfect for this? Please boost or share! 🙏
We're hiring a Research Project Manager to join our #THRiVElab team at U. Manitoba.
📍 Winnipeg or Remote (in Canada)
💰 Up to $85k
🔗 Apply: www.umanitoba.ca/careers (#38881)
🌐 About us: www.thrivediscovery.ca/staff-positi...
Know someone perfect for this? Please boost or share! 🙏
Reposted by Megan Barker
The U.S. is cutting billions from science. Canadian researchers say it's time to step up | CBC Radio
#Science #Canada
www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks...
#Science #Canada
www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks...
The U.S. is cutting billions from science. Canadian researchers say it's time to step up | CBC Radio
Scientists in the U.S. are dealing with funding cuts left and right by the current government. But because Canada is so closely tied with its southern neighbours, those cuts are being felt here as wel...
www.cbc.ca
June 22, 2025 at 3:03 AM
The U.S. is cutting billions from science. Canadian researchers say it's time to step up | CBC Radio
#Science #Canada
www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks...
#Science #Canada
www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks...
Scientists looking to move to Canada 🇨🇦: @sfuscience.bsky.social has funding for some faculty positions for this. Deadline soon (june 30). www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/a...
Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) 2026 Competition
www.sfu.ca
June 16, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Scientists looking to move to Canada 🇨🇦: @sfuscience.bsky.social has funding for some faculty positions for this. Deadline soon (june 30). www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/a...