Noam Ross
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noamross.net
Noam Ross
@noamross.net
7.7K followers 1K following 4.8K posts
Computational disease ecologist. Executive Director of @ropensci.org. Co-founder of https://grant-witness.us/. Brooklynite. One Health, open science, #RStats, cities, civics, bikes, fun, love, progress + justice. he/him
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noamross.net
I can't emphasize how much this whole shakedown would make me feel less safe at Cornell as a Jew, puts Jews in danger as pawns in the authoritarian program of this administration, and is profoundly antithetical the humanist ethical and moral beliefs that are core to my Jewish identity.
Quote from the linked document in the quoted post: "15. To ensure its ongoing compliance with Title VI and Section 1557, Cornell will continue to conduct annual surveys to evaluate the campus climate for Cornell students, including the climate for students with shared Jewish ancestry. The surveys shall, among other questions deemed appropriate by Cornell, ask students whether they feel welcome al Cornell; whether they feel safe reporting antisemitism at Cornell; and whether they believe the changes Cornell has made since October of 2023, including changes to policies and standard operating procedures, changes to nondiscrimination training, and previous climate surveys, have benefited the Cornell community."
November 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
noamross.net
Photo of a sticker on my chest reading "Brooklyn votes early," with a drawing of the Brooklyn Bridge on it.
October 29, 2025 at 4:55 PM
noamross.net
Perfect
October 16, 2025 at 2:44 PM
noamross.net
Judge Illson's order: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

RIF's begun Oct 10 or after must be halted and all notice periods paused.
Defendants are hereby enjoined and/or stayed, until further order of the Court, from: 1) taking any action to issue any Reduction in Force ("RIF") notices to federal employees in any PPA (program, project, or activity) that includes any bargaining unit or member represented by any Plaintiff during or because of the federal government shutdown, including but not limited to by taking any action to implement or enforce the OMB Lapse Memorandum (dated September 24, 2025), the portions of the related OPM Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs (as revised September 28, 2025), the related OPM "Special Instructions for Agencies Affected by a Possible Lapse in Appropriations Starting on October 1, 2025" (dated September 28, 2025), or any other decision or directive that purports to authorize or require issuance of RIF notices during a shutdown; 2) taking any further action to administer or implement any RIF notices already issued beginning on October 10, 2025 to federal employees in any PPA (program, project, or activity) that includes any bargaining unit or member represented by any Plaintiff, including but not limited to by requiring federal employees to perform work to further administer or implement RIF notices and by enforcing or counting any days towards any period of notice with respect to those notices (i.e., the effective date of the RIF shall be stayed and Defendants shall therefore toll the running of all RIF notice periods).
October 16, 2025 at 12:05 AM
noamross.net
Decided to donate to the CDC mutual aid network to support laid-off and furloughed employees. They also have some *excellent* merch: www.cdcresourceportal.org
A candle with the words "Smells like Data Chaos" with a picture of a burning file cabinet. A postcard with a "Fuck RFK" sign put up to cover a broken window, evoking the bullet-ridden windows from the CDC attack A mug with the text "FAFO is not a good public health strategy."
October 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
noamross.net
Amelia Knopf, @karmacap.bsky.social and @knelphd.bsky.social write in Pediatrics about how the terminations of clinical trials of children and adolescents represent cracks in the foundation of ethical research, and the moral responsibility to repair them: doi.org/10.1542/peds...
ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF STUDY TERMINATIONS As of July 2025, the National Institutes of Health has terminated approx- imately 4700 of the grants it awarded for scientific research, training, and infrastructure.1 Very little of the public discourse regarding the grant ter- minations has focused on their implications for research participants who were or would have been enrolled in the trials the grants supported. The terminated awards are linked to 200 active registered clinical trials, which had a total planned enrollment of more than 689 000 human subjects, approximately 20% of whom are infants, children, and adolescents.1 Nearly all the affected trials that included children and adolescents focused on stigmatized health issues (eg, HIV, substance use, depression), and/or persons with marginalized identities (eg, sexual and gender minor- ity; Black or African American and Latiné). Individuals with marginalized identities are underrepresented in clinical research,2 even when they are at greater risk for the illness under study. The issue of underrepresenta- tion in research is especially relevant for minor adolescents (those youn- ger than 18 years old) because of ethical and legal barriers to their participation. Barriers include concerns about minors’ capacity to consent, confidentiality of sensitive information (sexual behavior, substance use) when parental consent is required, and researcher and institutional con- cerns about liability when waivers of parental consent are granted for minors’ enrollment.3 As adolescent health researchers, we have each invested over a decade of work to address the complex ethical and legal issues that prevent ado- lescents from participating in research, especially on sensitive or stigma- tized health issues. Through meticulous efforts to engage and build trust with adolescents, parents or guardians, and regulatory personnel, we have enrolled thousands of adolescents in our studies...
October 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
noamross.net
This is just a clunky scribble but has no dependencies and copy-pastable.

Not very secure but maybe a handful of these tricks could go into

```
# Check for a clean environment before running anything!
source("https://my.verysafe.co.site/check_clean_env.R")
```
loaded <- setdiff(search(), c(".GlobalEnv", "tools:rstudio", "tools:positron", "package:stats", "package:graphics", "package:grDevices", "package:utils", "package:datasets", "package:methods", "Autoloads", "package:base")) if (length(loaded)) { stop(paste("Not a clean environment! The following packages are loaded:", paste(loaded, collapse = ", ")), call. = FALSE) }
September 26, 2025 at 12:38 PM
noamross.net
Got humans on the line in 2/3 offices today.
September 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM
noamross.net
RVF epi has mostly focused on large outbreaks in a few areas, driven by flood-induced mosquito population spikes, with long interepidemic periods. But more evidence is showing hyperendemic, unreported circulation in many other parts of the continent. The disease's dynamics exist on a spectrum.
Figure: A spectrum of RVFV dynamics. The left side represents epidemic dynamics (red) and right side represents hyperendemic dynamics (blue). The central boxes represent the proposed spectrum of RVFV transmission dynamics, from an epidemic system (left) with large outbreaks and intervening interepidemic periods during which the susceptibility of the host population increases, to a hyperendemic system (right) in which RVFV infections occur frequently, maintaining constant levels of infected, recovered, and susceptible hosts, and outbreaks are smaller or absent. All systems along this spectrum are considered endemic, except for those on the extreme epidemic (left) end of the spectrum, in which conditions do not permit long-term persistence of RVFV. Below the boxes are shown the hypothesised environmental factors that together drive RVFV dynamics and identify the point along the spectrum at which the system will be. These factors include well known ones related to vector communities, climate and rainfall patterns, in addition to others that are most likely to influence RVFV dynamics and whose effects are less well known or predictable. Outbreaks in livestock and people could result in systems anywhere along the spectrum, although the size of the outbreaks are larger on the epidemic side; above the boxes are summarised the factors that modify the risk and extent of such outbreaks. In large epidemics, people are infected after RVFV is amplified through livestock outbreaks. Under hyperendemic dynamics, people could be infected either following small livestock outbreaks or directly by infected mosquitoes in the absence of an outbreak. At the top, plots of RVFV dynamics in individual ruminant hosts over time in years have been shown. On the left, we simulate the epidemic system with large outbreaks and low-level transmission during the interepidemic period. On the right, we hypothesise hyperendemic dynamics. 
September 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
noamross.net
Oh hey it's Friday let's be excited about SCIENCE still happening!

Super pleased to be part of this new synthesis on Rift Valley Fever epidemiology, by a global team led by Melinda Rostal, describing an emerging understanding of the disease's varied regimes across Africa. doi.org/10.1016/j.la...
Rift Valley fever epidemiology: shifting the paradigm and rethinking research priorities Rift Valley fever (RVF), a zoonotic mosquito-borne viral disease with erratic occurrence and complex epidemiology, results in substantial costs to veterinary and public health and national economies. Since 1985, RVF virus (RVFV) epidemiology has focused on epidemics triggered by flood-induced emergence of transovarially infected mosquitoes, following an interepidemic period during which RVFV persists primarily in floodwater Aedes spp mosquito eggs, with potential for low-level interepidemic circulation. In this Personal View, we challenge this classic framework of RVFV epidemiology, presenting instead a spectrum of RVFV dynamics ranging from epidemic to hyperendemic. We present the case for RVFV being maintained in a variable reservoir system of livestock, wildlife, and mosquitoes, with or without transovarial transmission. We highlight that sufficient evidence supports a shift in the paradigm of RVF epidemiology to embrace a more nuanced understanding of the spectrum of RVFV dynamics and call for more research into understanding the drivers of RVFV dynamics in hyperendemic areas.
September 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
noamross.net
I'm a little sad about Calvinball becoming derogatory shorthand for the breakdown of rule-of-law. I get it, but Calvinball is also great and joyful.
A 4-panel comic strip featuring Calvin and Hobbes playing Calvinball. Panel 1: Calvin, a young boy with spiky blonde hair, runs forward, shouting, "I'M FREE! I GET FREE PASSAGE TO WICKET FIVE!" Hobbes, a tiger, holds up a hand to stop him, saying, "NO, THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST TIME, REMEMBER?" Panel 2: Calvin looks thoughtful and says, "OH YEAH. HMM." Hobbes, now wearing a black mask over his eyes, stands with a hand on his hip, also thinking. Panel 3: Calvin, now also wearing a black mask, points a finger in the air with a new idea. He exclaims, "OK, THE NEW RULE IS WE HAVE TO JUMP EVERYWHERE UNTIL SOMEONE FINDS THE BONUS BOX!" Hobbes smiles and says, "THAT'S GOOD!" Panel 4: Calvin and Hobbes are joyfully jumping through the air. A caption reads: "THE ONLY PERMANENT RULE IN CALVINBALL IS THAT YOU CAN'T PLAY IT THE SAME WAY TWICE!" Hobbes adds, "THE SCORE IS STILL Q TO 12!"
September 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
noamross.net
You can do this today!

Need contact info or talking points? Go to 5calls.org/issue/rfk-hh...
A screenshot of a phone app showing recent outgoing calls to the offices of Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and representative Goldman of NY
September 4, 2025 at 11:44 AM
noamross.net
Good morning!
September 4, 2025 at 11:40 AM
noamross.net
September 3, 2025 at 1:07 PM
noamross.net
Gotta keep this going, everyone!
September 3, 2025 at 11:56 AM
noamross.net
Apply to join us at the 2026 Environmental Data Summit, an unconference for environmental data practitioners and researchers in Santa Barbara, CA, Jan 27-29. This year's theme: "Turning Data into Action." Travel and lodging fully funded for 60+ participants! www.nceas.ucsb.edu/environmenta...
An illustration showing a variety of scientists of different backgrounds and ages, overlain on a stylized background showing a variety of environmental data.
August 8, 2025 at 3:54 PM
noamross.net
They always make me think of Coney Island signs and this homage to them that once showed at the Brooklyn Museum: www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/...
Two pillars in a museum covered with bright, blocky, had-painted signs in the style of carnival signs.
June 25, 2025 at 11:18 PM
noamross.net
With news of court-ordered #NIH grant reinstatements, and rumors of changes to termination policy, we're trying to get a handle on what is actually happening to PIs. Your reports are the best info we have!

Please submit reports of *reinstatements* to grant-watch.us as well as terminations.
Screen shot of question grom Grant Watch's submittal form, showing text: Submission Type Use "Grant Termination" for stop-work orders, unexpected non-renewals, or effective termination through updated notice of award. And options:, Grant termination, Grant application that was pulled in the review process / prior to funding, and Grant reinstatement. The toggle by "Grant reinstatement" is checked. Clear Selection
June 25, 2025 at 5:26 PM
noamross.net
So glad to have @emitanaka.org and @nimahejazi.org join our editorial board for @ropensci.org's software peer review!

They’ll help ensure rigorous, friendly, open peer review for software in statistics and data science.

ropensci.org/blog/2025/06... #rstats
Photo of Emi Tanaka. A smiling woman with dark hair and glasses looks directly at the camera. She has a smile strong enough to make her squint. She is wearing a light-colored sweater over a dark top, with pearl earrings visible. Photo of Nima Hejazi: A man with curly dark hair and a light beard smiles subtly at the camera. He is wearing a light blue collared shirt under a textured brown jacket. Cherry blossoms are visible and slightly out of focus in the background.
June 25, 2025 at 12:53 PM
noamross.net
I've spoken to and provided a lot of data to @nytimes.com reporters in the past weeks and months so it would be nice if someone from support would at least reply and explain why they keep blocking my IP. Kinda rude.
Query successful A screenshot from The New York Times website showing a message that reads "You have been blocked from The New York Times because we suspect that you're a robot." Below this, there's a section titled "Why am I seeing this? There are a few possibilities:" with bullet points: "You are Browse and clicking much faster than is typical of a human being," "Something is preventing Javascript from working on your computer," and "There is a bot with the same IP address as you." At the bottom, there's a line "Having trouble? Contact support." with "Contact support" as a clickable link, followed by an ID number and the text "Your message has been sent."
June 18, 2025 at 8:43 PM
noamross.net
The latest update to the "Updates on #NSF Priorities" webpage is not exactly encouraging. www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
Highlighted text from screenshot of linked page: " Are the funding programs listed on NSF's website still accepting proposals? Is it worth spending time to write a new proposal? We recognize the significant time and effort that is required to submit a quality proposal. NSF continues to accept proposals to all open funding opportunities. Decisions regarding funding opportunities and the number and amount of awards are always subject to appropriations."
June 17, 2025 at 11:23 PM
noamross.net
I'm glad not just of this result, and of the hard work of the lawyers and bravery of the plantiffs, but that Judge Young called out this lawless, racist, and homophobic administration out for what it is. Those facts are plain - the law can clarify, rather than obscure them.

Now, more fights ahead.
Text from screenshot of linked article. The last quote is highlighted: “This court finds and rules that the explanations [from the Trump administration for the grant terminations] are bereft of reasoning virtually in their entirety,” Young said. “These edicts are nothing more than conclusory, unsupported by factual development.” Young also took issue with Trump administration statements asserting that funding of DEI-related research projects support “unlawful discrimination.” “Where’s the support for that? Any support? Any rational explanation?” Young asked the attorney for the Department of Justice. “I see no evidence of that. Point me to ... any particular grant or group of grants being used to support unlawful discrimination on the basis of race. From what I can see, it’s the reverse.” The plaintiffs did not accuse the NIH of racial discrimination in their lawsuits, but Young repeatedly raised the issue during Monday’s two-hour hearing. “I am hesitant to draw this conclusion — but I have an unflinching obligation to draw it — that this represents racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community,” Young said. “That’s what this is. I would be blind not to call it out. My duty is to call it out.“
June 16, 2025 at 10:12 PM
noamross.net
#NIH took down this notice. It wasn't even up long enough to get into the Wayback machine. You can still, for the moment, see it listed in the notices search page. grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

grants.nih.gov/funding/nih-...
Screenshot of a browser showing the link in the post. It reads "404" - file or directory not found. Screen shot of the NIH Funding Opportunities and Other Notices page. At the top of the grid of notice is NOT-OD-25-124: "Notice of Rescission of Civill Rights Term and Condition of Award."
June 9, 2025 at 11:31 PM
noamross.net
NEW at grant-watch.us: Emma Mairson and Marian Jarlenski report on funding freezes at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, and Northwestern, that have received zero payments for #NIH grants since the start of April: grant-watch.us/posts/trends...
Two line graphs show NIH Outlays for Grants at Brown University. The left graph, "Outlay per month (USD)," shows monthly outlays from October (P01-P02) to June (P09) for fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2025 line (black) shows outlays around $15,000,000 from October 2024 to March 2025, then drops sharply to $0 in April 2025 and remains at $0 for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years remain above $10,000,000 throughout the period. The right graph, "Percent of grants without an outlay," shows the percentage of grants without monthly outlays over the same period. The 2025 line (black) shows percentages below 10% until March 2025, then spikes to 100% in April 2025 and remains at 100% for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years remain below 20%. Two line graphs show NIH Outlays for Grants at Columbia University. The left graph, "Outlay per month (USD)," shows monthly outlays from October (P01-P02) to June (P09) for fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2025 line (black) shows outlays between $40,000,000 and $60,000,000 from October 2024 to March 2025, then drops sharply to approximately $20,000,000 in April 2025 and to $0 in May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years fluctuate but remain generally above $25,000,000. The right graph, "Percent of grants without an outlay," shows the percentage of grants without monthly outlays over the same period. The 2025 line (black) shows percentages below 20% until March 2025, then spikes to 100% in April 2025 and remains at 100% for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years remain mostly below 20%. Two line graphs show NIH Outlays for Grants at Cornell University. The left graph, "Outlay per month (USD)," shows monthly outlays from October (P01-P02) to June (P09) for fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2025 line (black) shows outlays between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000 from October 2024 to March 2025, then drops to $0 in April 2025 and remains at $0 for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years show some variability but generally stay above $0, with some dips. The right graph, "Percent of grants without an outlay," shows the percentage of grants without monthly outlays over the same period. The 2025 line (black) shows percentages below 20% until March 2025, then spikes to 100% in April 2025 and remains at 100% for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years show more variability than Harvard and Northwestern, with some spikes, as well, but returning to normal levels after. Two line graphs show NIH Outlays for Grants at Northwestern University. The left graph, "Outlay per month (USD)," shows monthly outlays from October (P01-P02) to June (P09) for fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2025 line (black) shows outlays around $30,000,000 from October 2024 to March 2025, then drops sharply to $0 in April 2025 and remains at $0 for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years remain above $25,000,000 throughout the period. The right graph, "Percent of grants without an outlay," shows the percentage of grants without monthly outlays over the same period. The 2025 line (black) shows percentages below 15% until March 2025, then spikes to 100% in April 2025 and remains at 100% for May and June. Lines for previous fiscal years remain below 20%.
June 8, 2025 at 1:33 PM
noamross.net
Everything this administration does to in attacking "elite" institutions makes American science and education more elite and less accessible.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Text from screenshot: Any revocation of the school’s accreditation could have significant implications for students. Some 21% of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering undergraduates receive the Pell Grant, a type of federal aid for high-need students, according to figures on the university’s website. Removing access to federal student loans would also increase borrowing costs for many students financing their education, while federally-backed work-study programs could also be under threat.
June 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM