Melissa Sands
@msands.bsky.social
Social scientist and Assistant Professor of Politics & Data Science at the London School of Economics.
🇺🇸 in 🇬🇧
🇺🇸 in 🇬🇧
Certainly comports w/ my personal experience
Focusing on Sweden, this study finds that PhD students begin their programs with similar psychiatric medication use as other master’s graduates, but usage rises sharply to about 40 percent higher by the fifth year before declining after graduation.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Certainly comports w/ my personal experience
Reposted by Melissa Sands
Biased as I am, this is a great paper on the limits of current generative AI models for learning about fundamentally subjective assessments (in this case, evaluating features of neighborhoods from photographs).
Nationally Representative, Locally Misaligned: The Biases of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Neighborhood Perception | Political Analysis | Cambridge Core
Nationally Representative, Locally Misaligned: The Biases of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Neighborhood Perception
www.cambridge.org
October 6, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Biased as I am, this is a great paper on the limits of current generative AI models for learning about fundamentally subjective assessments (in this case, evaluating features of neighborhoods from photographs).
Reposted by Melissa Sands
#OpenAccess from @polanalysis.bsky.social -
Nationally Representative, Locally Misaligned: The Biases of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Neighborhood Perception - https://cup.org/3Kw6VkD
- Paige Bollen, @joehigton.bsky.social & @msands.bsky.social
#FirstView
Nationally Representative, Locally Misaligned: The Biases of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Neighborhood Perception - https://cup.org/3Kw6VkD
- Paige Bollen, @joehigton.bsky.social & @msands.bsky.social
#FirstView
October 7, 2025 at 7:20 PM
#OpenAccess from @polanalysis.bsky.social -
Nationally Representative, Locally Misaligned: The Biases of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Neighborhood Perception - https://cup.org/3Kw6VkD
- Paige Bollen, @joehigton.bsky.social & @msands.bsky.social
#FirstView
Nationally Representative, Locally Misaligned: The Biases of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Neighborhood Perception - https://cup.org/3Kw6VkD
- Paige Bollen, @joehigton.bsky.social & @msands.bsky.social
#FirstView
Reposted by Melissa Sands
New working paper! - zikai.li and I look at the problem of assessing pre-trends using one of the "new" DiD methods - fixed effects regression imputation. tl;dr - don't use the same regression you used to impute post-treatment to also impute pre-treatment. osf.io/preprints/so... (1/14)
July 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
New working paper! - zikai.li and I look at the problem of assessing pre-trends using one of the "new" DiD methods - fixed effects regression imputation. tl;dr - don't use the same regression you used to impute post-treatment to also impute pre-treatment. osf.io/preprints/so... (1/14)
Best consumed in it’s entirety in one sitting… like their 1998 album
They finally made the milk from that hotel
July 6, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Best consumed in it’s entirety in one sitting… like their 1998 album
Excited to share this new project, coauthored w/ @brycejdietrich.bsky.social , a VR extension of our field experiment on racial avoidance on NYC sidewalks.
🌐 Final CIPB talk of the year!
We’re excited to host @msands.bsky.social (LSE) at Durham for her talk:
“Racial Avoidance on Virtual Streets”
🗓️ Thurs 26 June | 🕚 11:00–12:30
📍 M102, SGIA, Al-Qasimi Building, Elvet Hill Rd
All welcome!
#CIPB #DurhamUniversity #PoliticalScience #SpeakerSeries
We’re excited to host @msands.bsky.social (LSE) at Durham for her talk:
“Racial Avoidance on Virtual Streets”
🗓️ Thurs 26 June | 🕚 11:00–12:30
📍 M102, SGIA, Al-Qasimi Building, Elvet Hill Rd
All welcome!
#CIPB #DurhamUniversity #PoliticalScience #SpeakerSeries
June 18, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Excited to share this new project, coauthored w/ @brycejdietrich.bsky.social , a VR extension of our field experiment on racial avoidance on NYC sidewalks.
PSA: stay👏🏼 home👏🏼when👏🏼you’re👏🏼sick
If you can’t stay home, wear a mask. Lots of sickness, including covid, going around. Chances are you have a vulnerable friend, colleague, etc and may not even know it. Do it for them, if not for everyone around who doesn’t want your germs.
If you can’t stay home, wear a mask. Lots of sickness, including covid, going around. Chances are you have a vulnerable friend, colleague, etc and may not even know it. Do it for them, if not for everyone around who doesn’t want your germs.
June 18, 2025 at 10:17 AM
PSA: stay👏🏼 home👏🏼when👏🏼you’re👏🏼sick
If you can’t stay home, wear a mask. Lots of sickness, including covid, going around. Chances are you have a vulnerable friend, colleague, etc and may not even know it. Do it for them, if not for everyone around who doesn’t want your germs.
If you can’t stay home, wear a mask. Lots of sickness, including covid, going around. Chances are you have a vulnerable friend, colleague, etc and may not even know it. Do it for them, if not for everyone around who doesn’t want your germs.
Reposted by Melissa Sands
RFK Jr’s ACIP pick, Martin Kulldorff, said one of the most disturbing images from the pandemic was a toddler crying about having to wear a mask. I see toddlers cry about everything all the time, and I found it far more disturbing to see refrigerator trucks full of body bags outside of the hospitals…
June 12, 2025 at 12:15 AM
RFK Jr’s ACIP pick, Martin Kulldorff, said one of the most disturbing images from the pandemic was a toddler crying about having to wear a mask. I see toddlers cry about everything all the time, and I found it far more disturbing to see refrigerator trucks full of body bags outside of the hospitals…
Reposted by Melissa Sands
June 9, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Melissa Sands
A close friend of mine sits on the board of Bophelo Daycare in Johannesburg, a place for children with severe disabilities. They're extremely well run & high impact, but have financial difficulties due to low enrolment. We've just sponsored a child from 6 months. If you want to match, please DM.
June 7, 2025 at 4:01 PM
A close friend of mine sits on the board of Bophelo Daycare in Johannesburg, a place for children with severe disabilities. They're extremely well run & high impact, but have financial difficulties due to low enrolment. We've just sponsored a child from 6 months. If you want to match, please DM.
…Except for the UK, where Labour wants to discourage international students from coming here www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/b...
The World Is Wooing U.S. Researchers Shunned by Trump
www.nytimes.com
May 14, 2025 at 10:44 AM
…Except for the UK, where Labour wants to discourage international students from coming here www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/b...
Reposted by Melissa Sands
📢FUND DON’T FREEZE!📢
Join researchers and academics in DC on February 19th at 12 PM to stand up for research, education, and jobs! Federal attacks on science and academia put all of our futures at risk - let’s show them we won’t back down!
RSVP Here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Join researchers and academics in DC on February 19th at 12 PM to stand up for research, education, and jobs! Federal attacks on science and academia put all of our futures at risk - let’s show them we won’t back down!
RSVP Here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
February 10, 2025 at 6:08 PM
📢FUND DON’T FREEZE!📢
Join researchers and academics in DC on February 19th at 12 PM to stand up for research, education, and jobs! Federal attacks on science and academia put all of our futures at risk - let’s show them we won’t back down!
RSVP Here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Join researchers and academics in DC on February 19th at 12 PM to stand up for research, education, and jobs! Federal attacks on science and academia put all of our futures at risk - let’s show them we won’t back down!
RSVP Here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Melissa Sands
These are great roles -- postdoctoral positions with reasonable teaching load and an excellent research community (seminars every day, pretty much).
In general, people in these positions tend to go on to secure good permanent roles afterward.
In general, people in these positions tend to go on to secure good permanent roles afterward.
We're hiring ❗️
📝Post: LSE Fellow in Political Behaviour
🗓️Deadline: Friday 7 March 2025
👇🏽 More information and how to apply
jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/...
📝Post: LSE Fellow in Political Behaviour
🗓️Deadline: Friday 7 March 2025
👇🏽 More information and how to apply
jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/...
LSE Fellow in Political Behaviour
LSE Fellow in Political Behaviour,
,
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span>LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: cen...
jobs.lse.ac.uk
February 10, 2025 at 9:05 AM
These are great roles -- postdoctoral positions with reasonable teaching load and an excellent research community (seminars every day, pretty much).
In general, people in these positions tend to go on to secure good permanent roles afterward.
In general, people in these positions tend to go on to secure good permanent roles afterward.
Reposted by Melissa Sands
Well, it may be our last Super Bowl under the Philadelphia-founded constitutional order, so let’s do this #FlyEaglesFly 🦅
February 9, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Well, it may be our last Super Bowl under the Philadelphia-founded constitutional order, so let’s do this #FlyEaglesFly 🦅
Reposted by Melissa Sands
This year, 10 U.S. billionaires gained $787B in wealth.
That's nearly 4X more than the $214B earned annually by all 3.2M U.S. public school teachers combined.
In fact, more wealth went to a *single person* than to all teachers combined. Is that fair?
This is what extreme wealth costs society.
That's nearly 4X more than the $214B earned annually by all 3.2M U.S. public school teachers combined.
In fact, more wealth went to a *single person* than to all teachers combined. Is that fair?
This is what extreme wealth costs society.
December 17, 2024 at 3:34 AM
This year, 10 U.S. billionaires gained $787B in wealth.
That's nearly 4X more than the $214B earned annually by all 3.2M U.S. public school teachers combined.
In fact, more wealth went to a *single person* than to all teachers combined. Is that fair?
This is what extreme wealth costs society.
That's nearly 4X more than the $214B earned annually by all 3.2M U.S. public school teachers combined.
In fact, more wealth went to a *single person* than to all teachers combined. Is that fair?
This is what extreme wealth costs society.
Celebrate the holiday by roasting this bird (delete your Twitter account; it feels good 🎉):
a twitter logo on a blue background with lines
ALT: a twitter logo on a blue background with lines
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2024 at 10:01 AM
Celebrate the holiday by roasting this bird (delete your Twitter account; it feels good 🎉):
Reposted by Melissa Sands
Here’s a starter pack of people doing amazing experimental work on political issues —- please send on names of people here to add
go.bsky.app/VgKGKz2
go.bsky.app/VgKGKz2
November 20, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Here’s a starter pack of people doing amazing experimental work on political issues —- please send on names of people here to add
go.bsky.app/VgKGKz2
go.bsky.app/VgKGKz2
Reposted by Melissa Sands
🎇 PhD student internships in Computational Social Science at Microsoft Research NYC 🎇
These are 12 week, in person internships with some combo of Dan Goldstein, Jake Hofman, & David Rothschild
Early (January - April) start dates somewhat preferred
jobs.careers.microsoft.com/global/en/jo...
These are 12 week, in person internships with some combo of Dan Goldstein, Jake Hofman, & David Rothschild
Early (January - April) start dates somewhat preferred
jobs.careers.microsoft.com/global/en/jo...
Search Jobs | Microsoft Careers
jobs.careers.microsoft.com
November 8, 2024 at 5:01 PM
🎇 PhD student internships in Computational Social Science at Microsoft Research NYC 🎇
These are 12 week, in person internships with some combo of Dan Goldstein, Jake Hofman, & David Rothschild
Early (January - April) start dates somewhat preferred
jobs.careers.microsoft.com/global/en/jo...
These are 12 week, in person internships with some combo of Dan Goldstein, Jake Hofman, & David Rothschild
Early (January - April) start dates somewhat preferred
jobs.careers.microsoft.com/global/en/jo...
Reposted by Melissa Sands
going to create a starter pack for researchers studying in-group/out-group dynamics and leave about half the relevant people out of it
November 16, 2024 at 9:41 PM
going to create a starter pack for researchers studying in-group/out-group dynamics and leave about half the relevant people out of it
Reposted by Melissa Sands
If you need some help on writing your job market materials, check out this resource below!
Here's what @cruzita.bsky.social, @msands.bsky.social, Kelly Bauer and I wrote up just a few years ago:
apsanet.org/wp-content/u...
apsanet.org/wp-content/u...
September 27, 2024 at 3:30 PM
If you need some help on writing your job market materials, check out this resource below!
Reposted by Melissa Sands
APSA is next week. Political scientists, go get your flu shot and COVID booster BEFORE traveling to Philly. Pack some N95 masks and hand sanitizer. Let's be responsible together!
August 30, 2024 at 2:22 PM
APSA is next week. Political scientists, go get your flu shot and COVID booster BEFORE traveling to Philly. Pack some N95 masks and hand sanitizer. Let's be responsible together!
Reposted by Melissa Sands
An analysis by University of Michigan researchers of more than 30 million grading records from U-M finds students with alphabetically lower-ranked names receive lower grades. This is due to sequential grading biases and the default order of students' submissions in Canvas. #AcademicSky #EduSky #Bias
Researchers find lower grades given to students with surnames that come later in alphabetical order
Knowing your ABCs is essential to academic success, but having a last name starting with A, B or C might also help make the grade.
phys.org
April 17, 2024 at 8:55 PM
An analysis by University of Michigan researchers of more than 30 million grading records from U-M finds students with alphabetically lower-ranked names receive lower grades. This is due to sequential grading biases and the default order of students' submissions in Canvas. #AcademicSky #EduSky #Bias
Reposted by Melissa Sands
We're hiring for a post-doctoral fellow in political science. A core part of the role is teaching on a core comparative politics course with amazing folk like @msands.bsky.social
@pavisuri.bsky.social (and me!). tinyurl.com/5n743sma #psjobs
@pavisuri.bsky.social (and me!). tinyurl.com/5n743sma #psjobs
March 25, 2024 at 2:03 PM
We're hiring for a post-doctoral fellow in political science. A core part of the role is teaching on a core comparative politics course with amazing folk like @msands.bsky.social
@pavisuri.bsky.social (and me!). tinyurl.com/5n743sma #psjobs
@pavisuri.bsky.social (and me!). tinyurl.com/5n743sma #psjobs