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Reposted by Joe Thornton

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 27d

Reporting live from Chicago, there’s no “hellscape” I’d rather be in.

Reposted by Joe Thornton

georghochberg.bsky.social @georghochberg.bsky.social · Jun 11

New paper from the lab from Sriram Garg in my group. We introduce a general substitution matrix for structural phylogenetics. I think this is a big deal, so read on below if you think deep history is important. academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...

A general substitution matrix for structural phylogenetics.

Abstract. Sequence-based maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetics is a widely used method for inferring evolutionary relationships, which has illuminated the

academic.oup.com

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Anna Vlasits @annaintegrated.bsky.social · Jun 11

Hey #Chicago science folks. It's time to get out there with everyone else fighting. @standupforscience.bsky.social stands together with @indivisiblechicago.bsky.social for No Kings Day this Saturday June 14.
Find your rally at
www.nokings.org #nokings 👑❌

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AAUP @aaup.org · Apr 14

Harvard will not comply.

“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
— Harvard President Alan M. Garber

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Harvard Will Fight Trump’s Demands | News | The Harvard Crimson

Harvard will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands to dismantle its diversity programming and limit student protests in exchange for its federal funding, University President Alan M. Garb...

www.thecrimson.com

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Apr 14

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/o...

Opinion | This Is How Universities Can Escape Trump’s Trap, If They Dare (Gift Article)

It’s been tried in other countries facing authoritarian crackdowns. It works.

www.nytimes.com

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Vaughn Cooper @vscooper.micropopbio.org · Mar 25

My OpEd in @elife.bsky.social

“It feels as if we are trying to fight a series of attacks on science with one arm tied behind our back and our lips half sewn shut.”

“Yet we are not beaten, and some of us are downright energized.”

elifesciences.org/articles/106...

Science Under Threat in the United States: Feeling abandoned but energized

Many individual researchers are frustrated by the response - or the lack of a response - from universities to a growing crisis.

elifesciences.org

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Mar 8

Adapted from @lizneeley

Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Mar 8

The government’s attack on Columbia University has nothing to do with addressing antisemitism. The goal is to force universities to police and punish students and faculty to Trump’s liking — to use our universities against us to obliterate political protest and chill discourse.

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Mar 8

This attack on Columbia University is patently illegal, but the bully could still succeed by making other universities cower and pre-submit to the White House's climate of fear. Solidarity!

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · Mar 7

DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million (government press release) www.gsa.gov/about-us/new...

DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that through their coordinated efforts they would i...

www.gsa.gov

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Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution @official-smbe.bsky.social · Mar 6

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Feb 27

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Gina Baucom @gbaucom.bsky.social · Feb 7

Letter from the SSE/SSB/ASN councils on the scientific understanding of sex and gender, pls RT

Letter to the US President and Congress on the Scientific Understanding of Sex and Gender

President Donald J Trump Washington, DC Members of the US Congress Washington, DC February 5, 2025 RE: Scientific Understanding of Sex and Gender Dear President Trump and Members of the US Congr...

www.evolutionsociety.org

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Daniel Bolnick @danielbolnick.bsky.social · Feb 6

I usually reserve this account for my personal views; but today I want to represent my position as President of @asn-amnat.bsky.social to post a message that will shortly go out to the membership of the American Society of Naturalists from the ASN Executive Council

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Jan 28

I see no other institution that has taken a position as unnecessarily restrictive of research, and as submissively precompliant, as that taken by the University of Chicago. bsky.app/profile/jere...

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jan 28

Academic Skyers: I am compiling a list of policies and statements from various universities about how they are handling the "pause" in terms of stopping expenditures (or not).

Please respond to this post with your institution and materials.

THANK YOU!

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Reposted by Joe Thornton

Neale Mahoney @nealemahoney.bsky.social · Jan 28

Guidance from Stanford leadership on the OMB memo.

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Jan 28

The sword has now been brandished over civil society, including scientists, universities, and other NGOs. Who, including university presidents, will have any backbone in defending their jnstitutions’ missions? Or will they take on the Zuckerberg/ Bezos pose? www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01...

Trump Administration Live Updates: White House Orders Federal Grants Pause (Gift Article)

www.nytimes.com

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Feb 27

If a university increases the stipend by 15k per year with no compensation to labs, it also gives itself a big raise in overhead costs (~10k per year per student), which it takes from our grants, too. Does it really cost the university more to administer a higher stipend?

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Feb 27

I have been told that Caltech reduced the tuition they charge to lab budgets to compensate for increased stipends. (But this has not been independently verified.) See link: lh3.googleusercontent.com/u/2/drive-vi...

lh3.googleusercontent.com

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Feb 27

Have they reduced the graduate tuition they take from your grant budgets? Reduced the overhead charges (typically 55-80%) that they impose on student stipends? Reduced the overhead they take on your salary as PI? Other ideas?

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Feb 27

Scientists at universities that have raised graduate student stipends: What have your administrations done to mitigate the costs to lab budgets so that the science itself doesn’t have to be curtailed? Examples of best practices would be appreciated.

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Nov 22

Dan, I’m so sorry about the loss of your dad. What a rich and inspiring life he led. May his memory be a blessing.

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Oct 23

Midwest seasonal update

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Jaeda Patton @jaedapatton.bsky.social · Oct 16

The Human Genetics and Genetics, Genomics & Systems Biology PhD programs at UChicago are hosting our second annual info session for prospective applicants.

Sign up at bit.ly/GeneticsInfo20… for application tips from a diverse panel of current PhD students and faculty!

And please repost! 🧪🧬🖥️

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Joe Thornton @joethorntonlab.bsky.social · Oct 6

Here’s a powerful and insightful critique of “protecting science from woke-ism” rhetoric and policy. Written for a UK context, it’s very relevant in the US and elsewhere. Please read and consider signing.

Prof Chris Jackson @seismatters.bsky.social · Oct 6

✉️ Some science 🧪 buddies and I have written an open letter to the UK government, strongly opposing their “kicking woke ideology out of science” sentiments, which stand to damage the UK’s scientific standing and ability to deliver for public good.

Please read and consider signing ✍🏻

t.co/H7rNzb0wGh

Letter to Secretary of State re EDI in science

Online survey BOS

t.co

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