Vikram Baliga, PhD
@theplantprof.bsky.social
Husband & Father
Horticulture PhD & Prof
Author of Plants to the Rescue!
Endorsed by Several Moms
Funnier than Anticipated
Host of the Planthropology podcast
Linktr.ee/theplantprof
Horticulture PhD & Prof
Author of Plants to the Rescue!
Endorsed by Several Moms
Funnier than Anticipated
Host of the Planthropology podcast
Linktr.ee/theplantprof
Look, I understand why we can't, and I'm not even really saying we *should*, but thesis and dissertation defenses would probably be a lot less stressful if we could bring wine.
October 23, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Look, I understand why we can't, and I'm not even really saying we *should*, but thesis and dissertation defenses would probably be a lot less stressful if we could bring wine.
I dropped queso on my phone screen and have confirmed that you can, in fact, accidentally like an Instagram post with your tongue. These kinds of important data and discovery are the reason I became a scientist.
September 6, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I dropped queso on my phone screen and have confirmed that you can, in fact, accidentally like an Instagram post with your tongue. These kinds of important data and discovery are the reason I became a scientist.
Clothing company: Our shirts look great on guys of all shapes and sizes! *Models are 6'3" with 6-packs and the ability to speak to animals*
Me: ...It'll probably be fine, I'll just find it in my size... *Looks like a manatee draped in a tarp, unable to talk to the other manatees about it*
Me: ...It'll probably be fine, I'll just find it in my size... *Looks like a manatee draped in a tarp, unable to talk to the other manatees about it*
September 2, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Clothing company: Our shirts look great on guys of all shapes and sizes! *Models are 6'3" with 6-packs and the ability to speak to animals*
Me: ...It'll probably be fine, I'll just find it in my size... *Looks like a manatee draped in a tarp, unable to talk to the other manatees about it*
Me: ...It'll probably be fine, I'll just find it in my size... *Looks like a manatee draped in a tarp, unable to talk to the other manatees about it*
This whole CEO concert affair thing is just a ploy by Big Coldplay to get you to buy more clocks.
July 19, 2025 at 3:43 AM
This whole CEO concert affair thing is just a ploy by Big Coldplay to get you to buy more clocks.
I'm in charge of starting a podcast for my College about the work we do and how it impacts the community. I have a colleague doing fascinating work on bats and ecology. It'll be great, but I already know I can't title it, "It's Frickin' Bats," and I'm terribly sad in advance, deep in my soul.
July 17, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I'm in charge of starting a podcast for my College about the work we do and how it impacts the community. I have a colleague doing fascinating work on bats and ecology. It'll be great, but I already know I can't title it, "It's Frickin' Bats," and I'm terribly sad in advance, deep in my soul.
Reposted by Vikram Baliga, PhD
The Tree of Life by Nalini Nadkarni is out in the USA today! 🎉
July 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
The Tree of Life by Nalini Nadkarni is out in the USA today! 🎉
I couldn't think of the word "hip" just now and went with "leg shoulder." Things are clearly going well.
July 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM
I couldn't think of the word "hip" just now and went with "leg shoulder." Things are clearly going well.
"Fire ze missiles" is like a Millennial dog whistle. Also, it still holds up 22 years later. I checked.
June 22, 2025 at 7:25 PM
"Fire ze missiles" is like a Millennial dog whistle. Also, it still holds up 22 years later. I checked.
I went out with friends tonight *starting* at 7:30. What am l, a 30 year old? Absurd. Wonderful.
June 20, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I went out with friends tonight *starting* at 7:30. What am l, a 30 year old? Absurd. Wonderful.
Every now and then, I'll go back and watch clips from the Mexican Food episode of Great British Bake Off, just to feel something*
*The something is a weird combination of horror, rage, and disappointment
*The something is a weird combination of horror, rage, and disappointment
June 18, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Every now and then, I'll go back and watch clips from the Mexican Food episode of Great British Bake Off, just to feel something*
*The something is a weird combination of horror, rage, and disappointment
*The something is a weird combination of horror, rage, and disappointment
Plants are political. Nature is political. Food is political. The struggle for our planet is the struggle for liberation and equity.
June 15, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Plants are political. Nature is political. Food is political. The struggle for our planet is the struggle for liberation and equity.
After running non-stop for the past month on primarily caffeine, adrenaline, and spite, I'm finally getting to decompress for a few hours today. Fam, I should have just kept moving so the consequences of pushing too hard couldn't catch me.
a woman in a suit says everything hurts and i 'm dying .
Alt: a woman in a suit says everything hurts and i 'm dying .
media.tenor.com
June 7, 2025 at 5:43 PM
After running non-stop for the past month on primarily caffeine, adrenaline, and spite, I'm finally getting to decompress for a few hours today. Fam, I should have just kept moving so the consequences of pushing too hard couldn't catch me.
Airports are their own weird little urban ecosystems that aren't bound by normal conventions. Want to get a martini and Panda Express orange chicken at 7:02 am? Sure thing. Need a laptop and an entire Lord of the Rings box set? You bet. Wanna pay less than $46 for a cup of coffee? Lol cute, bestie.
May 23, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Airports are their own weird little urban ecosystems that aren't bound by normal conventions. Want to get a martini and Panda Express orange chicken at 7:02 am? Sure thing. Need a laptop and an entire Lord of the Rings box set? You bet. Wanna pay less than $46 for a cup of coffee? Lol cute, bestie.
We share an atrium with another department, and a high pitched alarm keeps going off somewhere in their offices. That feels like more than enough reason for me to just work from home all summer.
May 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
We share an atrium with another department, and a high pitched alarm keeps going off somewhere in their offices. That feels like more than enough reason for me to just work from home all summer.
Reposted by Vikram Baliga, PhD
If you’re looking for an encouragement and meaning in life, I really appreciated the thoughts of my colleague @theplantprof.bsky.social here.
As I often say, they won’t put your academic CV on your tombstone. So what really matters in life?
As I often say, they won’t put your academic CV on your tombstone. So what really matters in life?
What's Your Value?
The intersection of accomplishments and values
open.substack.com
May 20, 2025 at 9:02 PM
If you’re looking for an encouragement and meaning in life, I really appreciated the thoughts of my colleague @theplantprof.bsky.social here.
As I often say, they won’t put your academic CV on your tombstone. So what really matters in life?
As I often say, they won’t put your academic CV on your tombstone. So what really matters in life?
I'm out of writing practice, and thought finally starting a Substack would be a good way to get back into working out those muscles again. You'll get a deeper look inside my brain (I'm so sorry) and more detailed answers to your plant and academic questions! Welcome to Office Hours!
bit.ly/3ZnvYL2
bit.ly/3ZnvYL2
Welcome to Office Hours!
Questions, answer, and photosynthetic chaos
bit.ly
May 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
I'm out of writing practice, and thought finally starting a Substack would be a good way to get back into working out those muscles again. You'll get a deeper look inside my brain (I'm so sorry) and more detailed answers to your plant and academic questions! Welcome to Office Hours!
bit.ly/3ZnvYL2
bit.ly/3ZnvYL2
I couldn't remember the word bacon just now, so I ordered "maple donuts with meat sprinkles." They looked at me weird, but I got the right thing so 🤷🏽♂️
I need more coffee.
I need more coffee.
April 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
I couldn't remember the word bacon just now, so I ordered "maple donuts with meat sprinkles." They looked at me weird, but I got the right thing so 🤷🏽♂️
I need more coffee.
I need more coffee.
I just watched a grad student (in my department, but not my student) respond to a not-question with, "ah, I understand, that's more of a suggestion than a question. I think the suggestion is debatable, but I appreciate the thought." Then he moved on. It was awesome, I'm very impressed.
April 25, 2025 at 5:25 PM
I just watched a grad student (in my department, but not my student) respond to a not-question with, "ah, I understand, that's more of a suggestion than a question. I think the suggestion is debatable, but I appreciate the thought." Then he moved on. It was awesome, I'm very impressed.
I get to interview so many amazing people for Planthropology that remind me how much I still have to learn about being a scientist, educator, and human. It's genuinely one of the greatest joys in my life to talk with a community of folks who always inspire me to be better!
April 25, 2025 at 12:07 AM
I get to interview so many amazing people for Planthropology that remind me how much I still have to learn about being a scientist, educator, and human. It's genuinely one of the greatest joys in my life to talk with a community of folks who always inspire me to be better!
Checking out at the grocery store:
Me: Geez, $300?! I just bought essentials!
Also me: ...bro, you bought 4 bottles of wine and enough oreos to kill a rhino.
Me again: *checks news notification* I said what I said.
Me: Geez, $300?! I just bought essentials!
Also me: ...bro, you bought 4 bottles of wine and enough oreos to kill a rhino.
Me again: *checks news notification* I said what I said.
March 10, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Checking out at the grocery store:
Me: Geez, $300?! I just bought essentials!
Also me: ...bro, you bought 4 bottles of wine and enough oreos to kill a rhino.
Me again: *checks news notification* I said what I said.
Me: Geez, $300?! I just bought essentials!
Also me: ...bro, you bought 4 bottles of wine and enough oreos to kill a rhino.
Me again: *checks news notification* I said what I said.
Reposted by Vikram Baliga, PhD
you’re fired. wait you’re rehired. email us a list of things you’ve done today wait forget it you’re fired again. come back your job was important. you’re fired. or hired. come in to the office. wait the office has no computers go home. we are the department of government efficiency.
March 5, 2025 at 10:34 PM
you’re fired. wait you’re rehired. email us a list of things you’ve done today wait forget it you’re fired again. come back your job was important. you’re fired. or hired. come in to the office. wait the office has no computers go home. we are the department of government efficiency.
Reposted by Vikram Baliga, PhD
We are experiencing an assault on science unparalleled by anything I’ve seen in my life. It’s not one issue or another anymore, the entire institution is under attack by the most powerful individuals in the country.
This Friday, where will you be?
standupforscience2025.org
This Friday, where will you be?
standupforscience2025.org
March 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM
We are experiencing an assault on science unparalleled by anything I’ve seen in my life. It’s not one issue or another anymore, the entire institution is under attack by the most powerful individuals in the country.
This Friday, where will you be?
standupforscience2025.org
This Friday, where will you be?
standupforscience2025.org
Reposted by Vikram Baliga, PhD
TWiV 1195 is a tribute to our late co-host Dickson Despimmier 🤍 youtu.be/2PRYLYwgCmo?...
TWiV 1195: Dickson Despommier, parasitologist without borders
YouTube video by MicrobeTV
youtu.be
February 23, 2025 at 2:49 PM
TWiV 1195 is a tribute to our late co-host Dickson Despimmier 🤍 youtu.be/2PRYLYwgCmo?...
This is a little niche, but I've been an avid listener of a podcast called This Week in Virology since Covid hit in early 2020. It's a great listen and I've learned a ton. One of the rotating hosts, Dr. Dickson Despommier, passed away a couple of weeks ago. 1/3
February 23, 2025 at 10:47 PM
This is a little niche, but I've been an avid listener of a podcast called This Week in Virology since Covid hit in early 2020. It's a great listen and I've learned a ton. One of the rotating hosts, Dr. Dickson Despommier, passed away a couple of weeks ago. 1/3
It's good for them. It builds character.
February 21, 2025 at 7:21 PM
It's good for them. It builds character.