Sheila Colla, Ph.D
@savewildbees.bsky.social
Associate Professor #YorkU, York Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Conservation Science, #GND, #MarginSci, #Mesothelioma Survivor,
#Ecology and conservation of wild #bumblebees www.savethebumblebees.ca
#Ecology and conservation of wild #bumblebees www.savethebumblebees.ca
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
(This thread is commentary, not criticism!)
The "anti-science" label is tricky, because the attacks on science are being framed in the rhetoric of good science: transparency, rigor, objectivity, open debate
How can promoting these values be *anti* science? 1/
The "anti-science" label is tricky, because the attacks on science are being framed in the rhetoric of good science: transparency, rigor, objectivity, open debate
How can promoting these values be *anti* science? 1/
Just released. My Nature piece:
"Never before has the USA seen such an anti-intellectual, anti-science assault...
History tells us that there are times when the dangers of inaction become sufficiently threatening to individuals or the planet that scientists...
rdcu.be/eo3Hb
"Never before has the USA seen such an anti-intellectual, anti-science assault...
History tells us that there are times when the dangers of inaction become sufficiently threatening to individuals or the planet that scientists...
rdcu.be/eo3Hb
More US scientists must speak out
Nature Human Behaviour - The Trump administration has launched an extraordinary and dangerous attack on US science. Climate and water scientist Peter Gleick calls on scientists who are able and...
rdcu.be
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
(This thread is commentary, not criticism!)
The "anti-science" label is tricky, because the attacks on science are being framed in the rhetoric of good science: transparency, rigor, objectivity, open debate
How can promoting these values be *anti* science? 1/
The "anti-science" label is tricky, because the attacks on science are being framed in the rhetoric of good science: transparency, rigor, objectivity, open debate
How can promoting these values be *anti* science? 1/
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
If science is understood narrowly as the pursuit of truth, it's hard to explain what's wrong with any of these things, because they self-evidently promote the pursuit of truth
In the jargon of #philsci, they're all clearly epistemic ("truth-promoting") values 2/
In the jargon of #philsci, they're all clearly epistemic ("truth-promoting") values 2/
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
If science is understood narrowly as the pursuit of truth, it's hard to explain what's wrong with any of these things, because they self-evidently promote the pursuit of truth
In the jargon of #philsci, they're all clearly epistemic ("truth-promoting") values 2/
In the jargon of #philsci, they're all clearly epistemic ("truth-promoting") values 2/
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
But notice that Gleick's science isn't aimed narrowly at the pursuit of truth. His aims are much broader, addressing important threats to human health and the environment. 3/
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
But notice that Gleick's science isn't aimed narrowly at the pursuit of truth. His aims are much broader, addressing important threats to human health and the environment. 3/
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
I've argued that this is true in general. Most scientific fields don't just have epistemic aims, like truth and understanding. They also have pragmatic or practical aims. 4/
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
Frontiers | Impacting Capabilities: A Conceptual Framework for the Social Value of Research
There is widespread interest in evaluating the social impacts of research and other scholarly activities. Conventional metrics for social impacts focus on ec...
www.frontiersin.org
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I've argued that this is true in general. Most scientific fields don't just have epistemic aims, like truth and understanding. They also have pragmatic or practical aims. 4/
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
And members of the general public think so too! In my survey work (still under review), we've found that even political conservatives tend agree that a primary aim of science — along with truth — is to improve our understanding of threats to human health and the environment. 5/
osf.io/ks2ta_v1/
osf.io/ks2ta_v1/
OSF
osf.io
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
And members of the general public think so too! In my survey work (still under review), we've found that even political conservatives tend agree that a primary aim of science — along with truth — is to improve our understanding of threats to human health and the environment. 5/
osf.io/ks2ta_v1/
osf.io/ks2ta_v1/
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Because science typically has practical aims, the standards of good science need to go *beyond* truth. Just exemplifying those epistemic values at the top of the thread isn't good enough. Science should be "fit-for-purpose." 6/
link.springer.com/10.1007/s131...
link.springer.com/10.1007/s131...
Non-epistemic values and scientific assessment: an adequacy-for-purpose view - European Journal for Philosophy of Science
The literature on values in science struggles with questions about how to describe and manage the role of values in scientific research. We argue that progress can be made by shifting this literature’...
link.springer.com
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Because science typically has practical aims, the standards of good science need to go *beyond* truth. Just exemplifying those epistemic values at the top of the thread isn't good enough. Science should be "fit-for-purpose." 6/
link.springer.com/10.1007/s131...
link.springer.com/10.1007/s131...
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Scientists have often been trained to adopt value-free, politically nonpartisan positions in social controversies. (See Marcia McNutt's comments this morning.) But this posture is itself anti-scientific, when it enables the weaponization of purported scientific values. 13/
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Scientists have often been trained to adopt value-free, politically nonpartisan positions in social controversies. (See Marcia McNutt's comments this morning.) But this posture is itself anti-scientific, when it enables the weaponization of purported scientific values. 13/
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Instead, I think scientists should be explicit about the values that motivate and influence their work. In my survey work on this — which has been published! — disclosing values like protecting human health seems to *increase* trust relative to value-freedom. 14/
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
Frontiers | Values disclosures and trust in science: A replication study
While philosophers of science generally agree that social, political, and ethical values can play legitimate roles in science, there is active debate over wh...
www.frontiersin.org
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Instead, I think scientists should be explicit about the values that motivate and influence their work. In my survey work on this — which has been published! — disclosing values like protecting human health seems to *increase* trust relative to value-freedom. 14/
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Take home message:
Science and advocacy aren't mutually exclusive, because most science are *already* advocates. They just don't present themselves as *partisans*. Scientists should be explicit that their work is about making a better world. 15/15
Science and advocacy aren't mutually exclusive, because most science are *already* advocates. They just don't present themselves as *partisans*. Scientists should be explicit that their work is about making a better world. 15/15
June 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Take home message:
Science and advocacy aren't mutually exclusive, because most science are *already* advocates. They just don't present themselves as *partisans*. Scientists should be explicit that their work is about making a better world. 15/15
Science and advocacy aren't mutually exclusive, because most science are *already* advocates. They just don't present themselves as *partisans*. Scientists should be explicit that their work is about making a better world. 15/15
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
YESS to everything you share in this amazing thread. It was @savewildbees.bsky.social who I first learned about this article from, and I find it resonates with students at my tech school since it's from a fellow scientist
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
Being a scientist means taking sides
Mary H. O'Brien; Being a scientist means taking sides, BioScience, Volume 43, Issue 10, 1 November 1993, Pages 706–708, https://doi.org/10.2307/1312342
academic.oup.com
June 4, 2025 at 10:39 PM
YESS to everything you share in this amazing thread. It was @savewildbees.bsky.social who I first learned about this article from, and I find it resonates with students at my tech school since it's from a fellow scientist
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
Happy #WorldWildlifeDay. A friendly reminder that livestock cannot replace native biodiversity, despite what you may have heard.
May 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
if you are feeling helpless, a simple but incredibly valuable thing that many of us can do after a catastrophe is sign up to donate blood and plasma. www.blood.ca/en
Canadian Blood Services | Canada's Lifeline
There are many ways to join Canada's Lifeline. Discover how you can make all the difference for someone in Canada today.
www.blood.ca
April 27, 2025 at 8:11 PM
if you are feeling helpless, a simple but incredibly valuable thing that many of us can do after a catastrophe is sign up to donate blood and plasma. www.blood.ca/en
April 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." - President Lyndon B. Johnson
April 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." - President Lyndon B. Johnson
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Euro HBs came here with colonists and continue to extract pollen and nectar from native pollinators. Canadian bees don't make honey. The HB industry is for sure capitalist. Worst analogy ever. Flies are critical pollinators, esp. in Northern Canada. Go to school.
April 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Euro HBs came here with colonists and continue to extract pollen and nectar from native pollinators. Canadian bees don't make honey. The HB industry is for sure capitalist. Worst analogy ever. Flies are critical pollinators, esp. in Northern Canada. Go to school.
Euro HBs came here with colonists and continue to extract pollen and nectar from native pollinators. Canadian bees don't make honey. The HB industry is for sure capitalist. Worst analogy ever. Flies are critical pollinators, esp. in Northern Canada. Go to school.
April 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Euro HBs came here with colonists and continue to extract pollen and nectar from native pollinators. Canadian bees don't make honey. The HB industry is for sure capitalist. Worst analogy ever. Flies are critical pollinators, esp. in Northern Canada. Go to school.
This guy needs a biology lesson but yes wild bees pollinate. Euro HBs make honey & pollinate at a smaller scale than wild bees would if we took care of ag-lands. Flies (depending on which) have their own benefits whether its pollinating, esp in the north, parasitism (keeping populations in check).
March 30, 2025 at 1:39 AM
This guy needs a biology lesson but yes wild bees pollinate. Euro HBs make honey & pollinate at a smaller scale than wild bees would if we took care of ag-lands. Flies (depending on which) have their own benefits whether its pollinating, esp in the north, parasitism (keeping populations in check).
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Congratulations to @savewildbees.bsky.social, a recipient of the NSERC Awards for Science Promotion. I’ve learned so much about pollinator conservation and ecology from Dr. Colla over the years @csee-scee.bsky.social 🧪🌎 #WomenInSTEM
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Prizes-Prix/...
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Prizes-Prix/...
Winners - NSERC Awards for Science Promotion - NSERC
NSERC - NSERC Awards for Science Promotion - Winners
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca
March 29, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Congratulations to @savewildbees.bsky.social, a recipient of the NSERC Awards for Science Promotion. I’ve learned so much about pollinator conservation and ecology from Dr. Colla over the years @csee-scee.bsky.social 🧪🌎 #WomenInSTEM
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Prizes-Prix/...
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Prizes-Prix/...
Meghan Markle's new @netflix show sure isn't going to help with this.
Happy #WorldWildlifeDay. A friendly reminder that livestock cannot replace native biodiversity, despite what you may have heard.
March 5, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Meghan Markle's new @netflix show sure isn't going to help with this.
Reposted by Sheila Colla, Ph.D
Alt text to describe the image:
Two children and an adult in a swimming pool. Above a child struggling to swim is the text “Native pollinators.” The adult has her back to him.
The adult (“General public”) is instead focused on a happy, safe child who is identified as “Honeybees” for this meme.
Two children and an adult in a swimming pool. Above a child struggling to swim is the text “Native pollinators.” The adult has her back to him.
The adult (“General public”) is instead focused on a happy, safe child who is identified as “Honeybees” for this meme.
Happy #WorldWildlifeDay. A friendly reminder that livestock cannot replace native biodiversity, despite what you may have heard.
March 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Alt text to describe the image:
Two children and an adult in a swimming pool. Above a child struggling to swim is the text “Native pollinators.” The adult has her back to him.
The adult (“General public”) is instead focused on a happy, safe child who is identified as “Honeybees” for this meme.
Two children and an adult in a swimming pool. Above a child struggling to swim is the text “Native pollinators.” The adult has her back to him.
The adult (“General public”) is instead focused on a happy, safe child who is identified as “Honeybees” for this meme.
Happy #WorldWildlifeDay. A friendly reminder that livestock cannot replace native biodiversity, despite what you may have heard.
March 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Happy #WorldWildlifeDay. A friendly reminder that livestock cannot replace native biodiversity, despite what you may have heard.
I can't @dhlovelife.bsky.social believe it's been 20 years since Kill Bill but it was nice to see you on the #oscars and your shout out to 🇺🇦. I appreciate how you use you platform whenever you can.
March 3, 2025 at 1:44 AM
I can't @dhlovelife.bsky.social believe it's been 20 years since Kill Bill but it was nice to see you on the #oscars and your shout out to 🇺🇦. I appreciate how you use you platform whenever you can.