Steve Ryan
@stevejohnryan.bsky.social
Importantly, they don't even *understand* what you do. And even more wild, a lot of other scholars and scientists also seem to not understand what we do?
I just spent six years writing a book. I learned how to use archives, how to handle secondary sources, how to structure a 140k-word argument. I fell so hard in love I went back to school for a PhD. Now people ask how I use LLMs to write or summarize and I can only think “You don’t value what I do.”
December 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Importantly, they don't even *understand* what you do. And even more wild, a lot of other scholars and scientists also seem to not understand what we do?
Reposted by Steve Ryan
One of the biggest moments of my career:
USCIS canceled my client’s naturalization oath ceremony. We filed a lawsuit, went to trial, and the judge swore him in right there in the courtroom!
USCIS canceled my client’s naturalization oath ceremony. We filed a lawsuit, went to trial, and the judge swore him in right there in the courtroom!
December 16, 2025 at 3:21 PM
One of the biggest moments of my career:
USCIS canceled my client’s naturalization oath ceremony. We filed a lawsuit, went to trial, and the judge swore him in right there in the courtroom!
USCIS canceled my client’s naturalization oath ceremony. We filed a lawsuit, went to trial, and the judge swore him in right there in the courtroom!
Reposted by Steve Ryan
sometimes at night when I’m trying to sleep, I’ll close my human eyes & look through bird eyes
birds can see the electromagnetic field of the earth
so as wind hits my feathers in shivers, ribbons explode from the east, from the west, one way to food, another to water, another to my wife, to home
birds can see the electromagnetic field of the earth
so as wind hits my feathers in shivers, ribbons explode from the east, from the west, one way to food, another to water, another to my wife, to home
December 7, 2025 at 8:48 AM
sometimes at night when I’m trying to sleep, I’ll close my human eyes & look through bird eyes
birds can see the electromagnetic field of the earth
so as wind hits my feathers in shivers, ribbons explode from the east, from the west, one way to food, another to water, another to my wife, to home
birds can see the electromagnetic field of the earth
so as wind hits my feathers in shivers, ribbons explode from the east, from the west, one way to food, another to water, another to my wife, to home
This is such a key point that I don't see made often enough. If you use an LLM to write an important message or document for you, you may have the document (or you may not, who knows if it's correct), but you've derived none of the value.
This is a good summary of many of my concerns about LLMs invading the education space. Chief among my concerns - cognitive engagement is critical for learning, but LLMs take that away, just leaving the generated product, which avoids the whole purpose of our course material and assignments
If you have only one thing to read today...
"Universities are being retrofitted as fulfillment centers of cognitive convenience."
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
"Universities are being retrofitted as fulfillment centers of cognitive convenience."
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
December 6, 2025 at 1:36 AM
This is such a key point that I don't see made often enough. If you use an LLM to write an important message or document for you, you may have the document (or you may not, who knows if it's correct), but you've derived none of the value.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
RFK Jr. and Elon are in a battle to rack up the greatest kill count of any American in decades, and the next democratic president should promise to vigorously prosecute both for their crimes against humanity
Breaking: After contentious debates and three failed attempts at a vote, a federal vaccine committee decided on Friday to end the decades-long recommendation that all newborns be immunized at birth against hepatitis B.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/h...
An End to Hepatitis B Shots for All Newborns
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
RFK Jr. and Elon are in a battle to rack up the greatest kill count of any American in decades, and the next democratic president should promise to vigorously prosecute both for their crimes against humanity
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Every prompt to chatbot software is “generate me some text.” If it generated you some text, it performed its function correctly. It never lies, it never wants anything, it’s text generating software that generates text.
Not wanting to disappoint you so much that it lies is the last quality I want in a computer.
November 28, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Every prompt to chatbot software is “generate me some text.” If it generated you some text, it performed its function correctly. It never lies, it never wants anything, it’s text generating software that generates text.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Thanks to @nature.com for featuring our work in this piece on genetically-encoded sensors.
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
How genetically encoded sensors have lit up neuroscience
Tools that track specific molecules in neurons have enabled researchers to probe previously unexplored aspects of neurobiology — although important caveats remain.
www.nature.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Thanks to @nature.com for featuring our work in this piece on genetically-encoded sensors.
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Steve Ryan
No health care, no deal.
November 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
No health care, no deal.
More of this!
Getting nervous for the talk I'm about to give at a workshop about "using AI to drive impact" which features slides such as these.
November 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
More of this!
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Democrats should just start rolling out ad after ad of Reagan voiceovers.
October 25, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Democrats should just start rolling out ad after ad of Reagan voiceovers.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Here is what hasn’t been a problem: My students. I worried they would be resistant. They haven’t been. They have been game since day one, all in on the project. If I had to guess, I think they like how serious it feels. Like they are being taken seriously as scholars
October 25, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Here is what hasn’t been a problem: My students. I worried they would be resistant. They haven’t been. They have been game since day one, all in on the project. If I had to guess, I think they like how serious it feels. Like they are being taken seriously as scholars
Reposted by Steve Ryan
This is actually the thing that worries me most about AI. It's "there is no such thing as society" implemented as software solution. Needing to ask people for help, advice, or information is part of how we build and maintain social and professional bonds.
Preliminary results show that the current framework of "AI" makes ppl less likely to help or seek help from other humans, or to seek to soothe conflict, and that people actively prefer that framework to any others, literally serving to make them more dependent on it.
Sycophantic AI Decreases Prosocial Intentions and Promotes Dependence
Both the general public and academic communities have raised concerns about sycophancy, the phenomenon of artificial intelligence (AI) excessively agreeing with or flattering users. Yet, beyond isolat...
arxiv.org
October 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This is actually the thing that worries me most about AI. It's "there is no such thing as society" implemented as software solution. Needing to ask people for help, advice, or information is part of how we build and maintain social and professional bonds.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
"We're going to create superintelligence" How about making outlook search work first. How about that
October 3, 2025 at 5:18 PM
"We're going to create superintelligence" How about making outlook search work first. How about that
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Attention Transit Warriors
October 1st has brought the Amtrak holiday sweater
www.store.amtrak.com/1864814/1864...
October 1st has brought the Amtrak holiday sweater
www.store.amtrak.com/1864814/1864...
October 1, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Attention Transit Warriors
October 1st has brought the Amtrak holiday sweater
www.store.amtrak.com/1864814/1864...
October 1st has brought the Amtrak holiday sweater
www.store.amtrak.com/1864814/1864...
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Worth a watch:
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
June 26, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Worth a watch:
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Is there good scholarship on the cultural/social/political history of disease communities? Most immediately, I am thinking AIDS/HIV, but also things like neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.
June 25, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Is there good scholarship on the cultural/social/political history of disease communities? Most immediately, I am thinking AIDS/HIV, but also things like neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Hello, followers feed!
Anyone here who does logo design or can vouch someone who does? This will be paid work.
Anyone here who does logo design or can vouch someone who does? This will be paid work.
June 25, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Hello, followers feed!
Anyone here who does logo design or can vouch someone who does? This will be paid work.
Anyone here who does logo design or can vouch someone who does? This will be paid work.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
if you are curious about
- Computational neuroscience
- Neurotechnology
- Neuro-inspired AI
consider attending our 7-day ISRC CN3 summer school @ulsteruni.bsky.social in the great city of Derry, Northern Ireland, UK from 25th Aug-1st Sep 2025. In-person or online.
www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/i...
- Computational neuroscience
- Neurotechnology
- Neuro-inspired AI
consider attending our 7-day ISRC CN3 summer school @ulsteruni.bsky.social in the great city of Derry, Northern Ireland, UK from 25th Aug-1st Sep 2025. In-person or online.
www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/i...
June 10, 2025 at 9:22 AM
if you are curious about
- Computational neuroscience
- Neurotechnology
- Neuro-inspired AI
consider attending our 7-day ISRC CN3 summer school @ulsteruni.bsky.social in the great city of Derry, Northern Ireland, UK from 25th Aug-1st Sep 2025. In-person or online.
www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/i...
- Computational neuroscience
- Neurotechnology
- Neuro-inspired AI
consider attending our 7-day ISRC CN3 summer school @ulsteruni.bsky.social in the great city of Derry, Northern Ireland, UK from 25th Aug-1st Sep 2025. In-person or online.
www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/i...
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Black smoke -- no rate hike
May 7, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Black smoke -- no rate hike
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Blue sky needs a poll function
Will Hegseth finally be fired now?
Like for yes
RT for Kai, just stop
Will Hegseth finally be fired now?
Like for yes
RT for Kai, just stop
April 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Blue sky needs a poll function
Will Hegseth finally be fired now?
Like for yes
RT for Kai, just stop
Will Hegseth finally be fired now?
Like for yes
RT for Kai, just stop
Reposted by Steve Ryan
New open PhD position in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience in my lab.
We want to discover the basis of natural intelligence.
Please, spread the word, and apply if interested.
See more details below.
We want to discover the basis of natural intelligence.
Please, spread the word, and apply if interested.
See more details below.
March 5, 2025 at 1:45 PM
New open PhD position in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience in my lab.
We want to discover the basis of natural intelligence.
Please, spread the word, and apply if interested.
See more details below.
We want to discover the basis of natural intelligence.
Please, spread the word, and apply if interested.
See more details below.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
Writing is thinking.
March 5, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Writing is thinking.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
I expect to have an opening later in the year in my lab for a postdoctoral fellow to work on our projects on dopamine neurotransmission and Parkinson models. Please share.
February 26, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I expect to have an opening later in the year in my lab for a postdoctoral fellow to work on our projects on dopamine neurotransmission and Parkinson models. Please share.
Reposted by Steve Ryan
OK WELL SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EMRYOS
Here's a story about my children who, in spite of the fact they were born two years apart, are CONVINCED they're twins
They came to me, with their evidence & I, thinking scientists would laugh with me, tweeted about it
It did not go how I thought it would
Here's a story about my children who, in spite of the fact they were born two years apart, are CONVINCED they're twins
They came to me, with their evidence & I, thinking scientists would laugh with me, tweeted about it
It did not go how I thought it would
January 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM
OK WELL SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EMRYOS
Here's a story about my children who, in spite of the fact they were born two years apart, are CONVINCED they're twins
They came to me, with their evidence & I, thinking scientists would laugh with me, tweeted about it
It did not go how I thought it would
Here's a story about my children who, in spite of the fact they were born two years apart, are CONVINCED they're twins
They came to me, with their evidence & I, thinking scientists would laugh with me, tweeted about it
It did not go how I thought it would