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mellamosummer.bsky.social
Summer Blanco is looking for a postdoc position!
@mellamosummer.bsky.social
440 followers 580 following 57 posts
She/they. Plant Biology & Bio Ed PhD Student at UGA. Personal account — opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect my employer.
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mellamosummer.bsky.social
Hey Athens! Come out to Little Kings Shuffle Club for a workshop on how to effectively contact your legislators with Science for Georgia tonight at 7pm! Free and open to all.
September 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
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Happy 75th. I want to express gratitude and appreciation for all the work done by those at the NSF. As a researcher, while I am not funded by the NSF I have had the privilege to mentor several students as part of REU programs the the Rocky Mountain Biological laboratory. Without those opportunities for students my science and excitement for research would be worse off and I know my students feel the same. Thank you for you work, your attention to detail, your patience and your sacrifice. We see you. Sincerely, an Athens Scientist. Happy Birthday NSF! I am a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia. Without the NSF I would not be pursuing a grad degree or even a career in STEM. In undergrad, I was an LSAMP scholar where I first learned about grad school and how to apply and be a competitive applicant. When it came time to apply I was accepted to every program I applied to! And I prepared a GRFP application that was awarded! I am now in my 4th year on track to graduate in a year or so. It wouldn't have been possible without the NSF. Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication. I am so grateful that you all are holding down the fort -- for us -- despite the threat of being dismantled. It is a true testament to your dedication and does not go unnoticed. Thank you! Happy 75th anniversary NSF! The work y'all do is incredibly important and appreciated. As a scientist I have directly benefitted from NSF grants, but also many ways as a citizen of Earth. Keep up the great work and stay strong! From: the union of athens scientists
May 13, 2025 at 6:39 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
Here's the zine I made from the collection of letters written by science folks in Athens to celebrate the NSF's 75th anniversary. Social media has been a really stressful place for folks, so I wanted to bring some joy and gratitude to the timeline. ❤️ (1/2)
Collage of cards with ripped paper and text on top of it that says Happy Birthday, NSF! Dear NSF Program officers & Staff, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for your unwavering support and guidance throughout the proposal preparation process (as well as the review panel process). Your thoughtful feedback, patience, and commitment to advancing science and student success have made a meaningful difference in shaping research and innovation across STEM disciplines. Thank you for all you have done to support the research community and US scientific enterprise. Thank you AND happy 75th birthday. I appreciate all the hard work and dedication you all are showing. It truly is incredible the amount of determination you have shown int he face of such adversity. You all are such bad asses and absolute rock stars! Keep it up!! card 1: thank you so much for all you do! I hope you know how much we appreciate the work you do and your dedication to advancing our society through scientific discovery. As a future veterinarian, I'm so grateful for medical breakthroughs you've made that not only help humans but animals too! card 2: Happy birtday NSF, as a PhD student, NSF has funded both labs I'm in (I'm coadvised) so I know the enormous impact you have had on science and scientific advancement. I imagine it's a hard time to be working at the NSF because of funding instability, but know that there are lots of scientists who appreciate all the hard work you do. I hope this can be a morale boost!
May 13, 2025 at 6:39 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
As a grad student whose work is supported by the National Science Foundation, I wanted to take a moment on the agency's 75th anniversary to say thank you...
May 11, 2025 at 3:04 AM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
It's time for some community care. Athens -- come swing by and pen a letter of appreciation to NSF employees to celebrate the NSF's 75th anniversary. And spread the word! 📣📣
May 7, 2025 at 1:29 AM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
Join the Union of Athens Scientists for a working meeting where we’ll take simple, concrete steps to advocate for science together. Next Tuesday at the ACC library.
May 5, 2025 at 12:30 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
Athens Folks — come be in community with us as we tune into our Senator’s townhall!
May 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
Union of Athens Scientists meeting THIS THURSDAY! RT 🗣️🗣️🗣️
April 16, 2025 at 2:20 AM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
We’re back. 🔥🔥 Come join us on the @aaup.bsky.social’s National Day of Action at Little Kings from 6-8pm. Let’s get in good trouble.

If you're in Athens, please boost🗣️🗣️🗣️
Union of athens scientists community meeting. April 17 6pm at little kings Calling all scientists, researchers, and STEM advocates! Are you ready to step beyond the lab and engage with the political and social issues that affect our work and world? This National Day of Action, the Union of Athens Scientists is hosting a community gathering aimed at building bridges between scientific fields and empowering us to take collective political action. Let’s unite, strategize, and act! Come Share Your Story Whether it’s climate change, public health, technology, or social justice. Bring your personal journey & experiences to the table Build community Meet fellow scientists and STEM advocates who are passionate about driving political change Engage in Collective action Together, we will explore how we can leverage our expertise to strengthen our collective impact to influence policy and foster change. Have questions/comments? Contact us at unionofathensscientists@gmail.com Want to join our listserv? Dm us with your name, affiliation, and gmail. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or just beginning to consider the intersection of science and politics, this is the place to make your voice heard and contribute to meaningful change.
April 2, 2025 at 7:53 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
me in between calls to my reps
a screaming opossum with text that says [screaming begins again]
January 28, 2025 at 4:54 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
I am super excited to share that I am a 2025 K. Patricia Cross Future Leader Award recipient. I'm looking forward to attending the AAC&U conference in DC this January. If you're planning on attending, let's connect!
A screenshot from the AAC&U website listing the award winners. 5 award winners are listed, with their headshots and titles (from left to right: Summer Blanco, Red R. Douglas, Victoria Fields, Ava Polzin, Nishi Ravi)
December 16, 2024 at 3:38 PM
mellamosummer.bsky.social
Screenshots when searching the document for "diversity":
Text from UGA HR manual: highlight portion says “ (2) Job requirements such as minimum and preferred qualifications are considered selection tests and must be validated by human resources to ensure they are job- related and consistent with business necessity. Candidates shall not be required to submit any political litmus tests or ideological oaths, including personal statements related to diversity or supporting specific populations, as part of the employment process. Institutions may include appropriate scenario-based questions during the interview process to collect information related to specific experience supporting specific student populations when it is directly correlated and relevant to the duties associated with the role.” ext says: Institutions should provide training to employees responsible for recruiting and hiring faculty and staff to ensure that Institutional procedures are appropriately and consistently followed. All training performed by the Institution must be approved by Institution’s Chief Human Resources Officer (“CHRO”) and the Institution’s President. The use of affirmations, ideological tests, and oaths (including diversity statements) are expressly prohibited and should not be utilized for recruitment and selection purposes. Additionally, individual units and departments are not permitted to mandate recruitment training for search committee members or departmental employees beyond that which is approved by those with the above referenced Institutional oversight.
August 9, 2023 at 3:25 PM