Jon Petters
@jonpetters.bsky.social
I advocate for and improve research data management where I am (which is Virginia Tech). And I run in big circles a lot.
Reposted by Jon Petters
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
December 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
Reposted by Jon Petters
If you still think ICE is only after illegal immigrants, I present to you this story about a middle-aged American-born white woman who was tackled, cuffed, arrested, and had her wedding band cut off. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
Federal agents arrest citizen observer watching ICE detain neighbors on her north Minneapolis block
Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old American citizen, appears to be the first observer arrested by federal immigration enforcement officers since the agency launched an immigration surge in the Twin Cities l...
www.mprnews.org
December 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM
If you still think ICE is only after illegal immigrants, I present to you this story about a middle-aged American-born white woman who was tackled, cuffed, arrested, and had her wedding band cut off. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
Reposted by Jon Petters
#Zenodo now offers greater control over deposited records, with the option to modify or delete them yourself within 30 days. After that, requests are reviewed to protect citations and research reuse.
🔗 See what's new and how to use the new process: tinyurl.com/5x3c5dxd
🔗 See what's new and how to use the new process: tinyurl.com/5x3c5dxd
December 10, 2025 at 10:06 AM
#Zenodo now offers greater control over deposited records, with the option to modify or delete them yourself within 30 days. After that, requests are reviewed to protect citations and research reuse.
🔗 See what's new and how to use the new process: tinyurl.com/5x3c5dxd
🔗 See what's new and how to use the new process: tinyurl.com/5x3c5dxd
Reposted by Jon Petters
Folks might not know a lot of people are getting *very* upset that the materials they request are not available in the libraries/archives they're requesting from.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
I wish a notice like this wasn't necessary.
www.icrc.org/en/article/i...
www.icrc.org/en/article/i...
Important notice: AI-generated archival references
www.icrc.org
December 8, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Folks might not know a lot of people are getting *very* upset that the materials they request are not available in the libraries/archives they're requesting from.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
Reposted by Jon Petters
“The Daily Nebraskan found in the leaked spreadsheet that every program eliminated appeared to be profitable…every program that the chancellor proposed eliminating generated more money from tuition dollars than the department costs to run”
December 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
“The Daily Nebraskan found in the leaked spreadsheet that every program eliminated appeared to be profitable…every program that the chancellor proposed eliminating generated more money from tuition dollars than the department costs to run”
Reposted by Jon Petters
Since search is dead, how soon do you think Google Scholar is headed for the Google Graveyard? I'm betting it's soon, and academia is NOT prepared
Google Scholar Is Doomed
Academia built entire careers on a free Google service with zero guarantees. What could go wrong?
hannahshelley.neocities.org
August 13, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Since search is dead, how soon do you think Google Scholar is headed for the Google Graveyard? I'm betting it's soon, and academia is NOT prepared
Reposted by Jon Petters
The agonizing long tail of disaster recovery is underexplored. I think a lot about this 2024 study finding that when a hurricane hits somewhere in the U.S., the people there are more likely to die *for the next 15 years*. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
December 3, 2025 at 5:56 PM
The agonizing long tail of disaster recovery is underexplored. I think a lot about this 2024 study finding that when a hurricane hits somewhere in the U.S., the people there are more likely to die *for the next 15 years*. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Jon Petters
🏆 November Top Viewed Article 5️⃣ Why Can’t I Just Use Dropbox? A Comparison of Cloud File Storage Platforms Used for Research by @tobinmagle.bsky.social & Deb McCafferey #DataLibs #DataStorage #CloudFileStorage doi.org/10.7191/jesl...
Why Can’t I Just Use Dropbox? A Comparison of Cloud File Storage Platforms Used for Research
Objective: Many researchers use cloud file storage platforms such as Box and Google Drive as the sole data management platform for all of their research data throughout the course of their projects. R...
doi.org
December 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
🏆 November Top Viewed Article 5️⃣ Why Can’t I Just Use Dropbox? A Comparison of Cloud File Storage Platforms Used for Research by @tobinmagle.bsky.social & Deb McCafferey #DataLibs #DataStorage #CloudFileStorage doi.org/10.7191/jesl...
Reposted by Jon Petters
We are hiring at the University of Arizona libraries for a Data Science Specialist/Librarian. Expertise/experience in Python is a must. Not on the search committee, will be your colleague. arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Data Science Specialist/Librarian (Assistant or Associate)
CHARACTERISTIC DUTIESData
Science Outreach and ServicesDevelop and lead training opportunities in tools and
resources such as data visualization, data...
arizona.csod.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Jon Petters
Really important to stress that the Crown Jewels of the US higher education system were never the Ivies or elite SLACs (other countries have equivalents of these) but the well-funded, large, cheap, and excellently staffed public state university systems bringing high quality education to the masses.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Really important to stress that the Crown Jewels of the US higher education system were never the Ivies or elite SLACs (other countries have equivalents of these) but the well-funded, large, cheap, and excellently staffed public state university systems bringing high quality education to the masses.
In a sophomore meteo class the prof made clear our weather forecasts would be much more accurate with more upper-air observations, but we aren't willing to spend the $$$ to launch more weather balloons to do so. Many competing priorities in a government budget...
I appreciate that the main takeaway from this lesson is that science can't ever really be "apolitical."
11-year-old: Our new science project is so frustrating!
Me: How so?
11: We're designing an earthquake warning system, and we could only get it to 59 minutes and 2 false alarms, and it still cost $123M, which means cutting road and school budgets. It's impossible!
Me: Sounds like that's the point.
Me: How so?
11: We're designing an earthquake warning system, and we could only get it to 59 minutes and 2 false alarms, and it still cost $123M, which means cutting road and school budgets. It's impossible!
Me: Sounds like that's the point.
November 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
In a sophomore meteo class the prof made clear our weather forecasts would be much more accurate with more upper-air observations, but we aren't willing to spend the $$$ to launch more weather balloons to do so. Many competing priorities in a government budget...
Nice to be noticed, though it was just a small part to play!
New post on our efforts to back up the NCES Datalabs tables. Big thanks to all of the volunteers involved in backing these up! #DataRescue
www.datarescueproject.org/nces-datalab...
www.datarescueproject.org/nces-datalab...
NCES Datalabs Tables: Rescue Complete!
If you have been following along with the Data Rescue Project newsletter, you have been receiving occasional updates on our struggle to find and download all of the summary tables that were created by...
www.datarescueproject.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Nice to be noticed, though it was just a small part to play!
Reposted by Jon Petters
Play a little game and choose the right icon for each role in science.
Play our CRediT Roles icon game/survey, and help make scientific authorship clearer and more accessible!
creditsurvey.sciux.org
#OpenScience #ScienceUX
Play our CRediT Roles icon game/survey, and help make scientific authorship clearer and more accessible!
creditsurvey.sciux.org
#OpenScience #ScienceUX
November 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Play a little game and choose the right icon for each role in science.
Play our CRediT Roles icon game/survey, and help make scientific authorship clearer and more accessible!
creditsurvey.sciux.org
#OpenScience #ScienceUX
Play our CRediT Roles icon game/survey, and help make scientific authorship clearer and more accessible!
creditsurvey.sciux.org
#OpenScience #ScienceUX
Reposted by Jon Petters
No no no begs every archivist. You are never going to be able to find anything. Please don’t start using emojis in file names. Who asked for this? What fresh hell is next?
November 12, 2025 at 10:38 AM
No no no begs every archivist. You are never going to be able to find anything. Please don’t start using emojis in file names. Who asked for this? What fresh hell is next?
Reposted by Jon Petters
A recent redesign of OSF by @cos.io led to widespread access failures. What began as a few broken download links became for me a total disappearance of eight years of DOI-registered work. What happened, how was it resolved, and what it reveals about trust and infrastructure in open science
Open Science needs reliable infrastructure – Ven Popov
After OSF’s October 2025 redesign, I discovered that eight years of DOI-linked preprints and materials were silently hidden by an automated spam flag. What happened, how it was resolved, and what it r...
venpopov.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:13 PM
A recent redesign of OSF by @cos.io led to widespread access failures. What began as a few broken download links became for me a total disappearance of eight years of DOI-registered work. What happened, how was it resolved, and what it reveals about trust and infrastructure in open science
I mean, this seems bad
NEW: Billions of pounds of food are imported to the U.S. each year.
The FDA inspects foreign producers to ensure what we're eating is safe from pathogens and dangerous manufacturing practices.
But now, after Trump's drastic staff cuts, these inspections have plummeted to a historic low.
🧵/
The FDA inspects foreign producers to ensure what we're eating is safe from pathogens and dangerous manufacturing practices.
But now, after Trump's drastic staff cuts, these inspections have plummeted to a historic low.
🧵/
Foreign Food Safety Inspections Hit Historic Low After Trump Cuts
The dramatic shift in oversight comes at a time when the U.S. has never been more reliant on foreign food, which accounts for the vast majority of the nation’s seafood and more than half its fresh fru...
www.propublica.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:12 PM
I mean, this seems bad
Reposted by Jon Petters
They literally ruin everything they touch
October 31, 2025 at 3:44 AM
They literally ruin everything they touch
Just answered a survey about the use of agentic AIs in research, and can boil down my responses to three bullet points:
1.) I'm interested where it relieves me of the burden of meeting formats/guidelines, but not at all when it would supplant me thinking (e.g. writing)
(1/2)
1.) I'm interested where it relieves me of the burden of meeting formats/guidelines, but not at all when it would supplant me thinking (e.g. writing)
(1/2)
October 29, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Just answered a survey about the use of agentic AIs in research, and can boil down my responses to three bullet points:
1.) I'm interested where it relieves me of the burden of meeting formats/guidelines, but not at all when it would supplant me thinking (e.g. writing)
(1/2)
1.) I'm interested where it relieves me of the burden of meeting formats/guidelines, but not at all when it would supplant me thinking (e.g. writing)
(1/2)
Reposted by Jon Petters
Make America Great Again was always a lie. This is what our government is doing to children.
apnews.com/article/chic...
apnews.com/article/chic...
October 29, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Make America Great Again was always a lie. This is what our government is doing to children.
apnews.com/article/chic...
apnews.com/article/chic...
Reposted by Jon Petters
6 AM Tuesday morning #HurricaneMelissa approaches Jamaica. Horrifying next 24 hours
says Dr. Shepherd. Pray. Been at this a long-time one of the most horrific, well-formed hurricanes I have ever seen. 175 mph winds and a direct landfall looming
says Dr. Shepherd. Pray. Been at this a long-time one of the most horrific, well-formed hurricanes I have ever seen. 175 mph winds and a direct landfall looming
October 28, 2025 at 10:09 AM
6 AM Tuesday morning #HurricaneMelissa approaches Jamaica. Horrifying next 24 hours
says Dr. Shepherd. Pray. Been at this a long-time one of the most horrific, well-formed hurricanes I have ever seen. 175 mph winds and a direct landfall looming
says Dr. Shepherd. Pray. Been at this a long-time one of the most horrific, well-formed hurricanes I have ever seen. 175 mph winds and a direct landfall looming
Reposted by Jon Petters
worth updating immediately to speed up Google Drive performance. "use as default" was checked for me too
friend shared this, immediately updated my settings
October 27, 2025 at 5:50 PM
worth updating immediately to speed up Google Drive performance. "use as default" was checked for me too
Reposted by Jon Petters
the democratic party’s basic problem is it has almost no control over how its message reaches the ears of voters, especially outside of presidential election years. but rather than devote serious time, attention and cash to that problem its consultants and pundits want to fight factional battles
October 27, 2025 at 6:29 PM
the democratic party’s basic problem is it has almost no control over how its message reaches the ears of voters, especially outside of presidential election years. but rather than devote serious time, attention and cash to that problem its consultants and pundits want to fight factional battles
"Data available upon request"
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
"The bathroom. It's... bad."
"The bathroom. It's... bad."
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
Mandatory mid-semester LMS migration.
Mandatory mid-semester LMS migration.
October 13, 2025 at 1:48 PM
"Data available upon request"
Reposted by Jon Petters
When you could code silly quizzes on Facebook, it was FULL of "what would you be in medieval times?!" etc.
I made one that nearly always answered "died as a child", "died in childbirth", "lived and died as a servant"
People got SUPER mad with it.
Everyone assumes they'll be at the top of the tree
I made one that nearly always answered "died as a child", "died in childbirth", "lived and died as a servant"
People got SUPER mad with it.
Everyone assumes they'll be at the top of the tree
The subtext of ‘we should be more like Dubai’, beyond the obvious racism, is ‘I should have a servant’.
October 8, 2025 at 12:08 PM
When you could code silly quizzes on Facebook, it was FULL of "what would you be in medieval times?!" etc.
I made one that nearly always answered "died as a child", "died in childbirth", "lived and died as a servant"
People got SUPER mad with it.
Everyone assumes they'll be at the top of the tree
I made one that nearly always answered "died as a child", "died in childbirth", "lived and died as a servant"
People got SUPER mad with it.
Everyone assumes they'll be at the top of the tree