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anigwe.bsky.social
allie igwe
@anigwe.bsky.social
1K followers 200 following 54 posts
exploring links between worlds seen and unseen | she/her • microbial ecology • local adaptation • serpentine soil |🍿🎟 tv & movie enjoyer | personal account + views my own

www.igwelab.com
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anigwe.bsky.social
Check out this Harvest & Learn workshop hosted at the University of the District of Columbia through October!

Learn about hibiscus varieties and how they’re being cultivated at UDC.

Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/harvest-an...
UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES HARVEST AND LEARN WORKSHOP 2025 AGRICULTURE TALK & HIBISCUS MULTIPLE SESSIONS AVAILABLE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4 MONDAY, OCTOBER 6 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8 FIREBIRD RESEARCH FARM 12001 OLD BALTIMORE PIKE, BELTSVILLE, MD 20705 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT RESEARCH ASSOCIATE CAITLIN ARLOTTA AT CAITLIN.ARLOTTA @UDC.EDU VISIT https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harvest-and-learn-workshop-connect-with-agriculture-tickets-1661301279849?aff=oddtdtcreator TO REGISTER!
September 20, 2025 at 2:17 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
Review just dropped with me, Karlisa Callwood, and @schoolingadream.bsky.social titled, “Restoring Landscapes and Communities:
Insights from Critical, Urban, and Plant Ecology”

We discuss historical impacts on current landscapes and how plant-based technologies can help.

doi.org/10.1016/j.es...
Figure from article, “Restoring Landscapes and Communities: Insights from Critical, Urban, and Plant Ecology” depicting the relationship between socio-political determinants (in a box labeled determinants), HOLC graded neighborhood disparities (in a box), and plant-based remediation (in a box). All boxes are on a blue circle with an arrow pointing from determinants to disparities and an arrow pointing from disparities to remediation.
July 17, 2025 at 2:38 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
New review paper just published!

"A roadmap to understanding and anticipating microbial gene transfer in soil communities" details the various factors and considerations relevant to horizontal gene transfer between microbes in soil environment including strategies for biocontainment.
Figure 4 from "A roadmap to understanding and anticipating microbial gene transfer in soil communities"The caption reads: Fig 4 Mechanisms by which soil physical properties are expected to affect gene transfer. (A) Soil particle size and hydration, which dynamically vary, are expected to be major controls on gene transfer in situ. (B) At micron length scales (left), particle size distribution controls the connectivity of hydrated pockets containing microbes, eDNA, and phage. At longer length scales (right), fungal hyphal networks (yellow), soil fauna (pink), and plants (green) connect different microenvironments. These organisms can increase the mixing of microbes, DNA, and phage found in distal microenvironments.
April 8, 2025 at 3:50 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics Workshop 2025 June 9 - June 13 We are pleased to announce the 2025 Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics Workshop (EQG25) at the scenic Mountain Lake Biological Station in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains! Instructors: Josef Uyeda (Virginia Tech), Fabio Machado (Oklahoma State University), Joe Felsenstein (Virtual) (University of Washington), Pat Carter (Washington State University), Jacqueline Stepanacz (University of Toronto), Laura Alencar (Yale University), and Joel McGlothlin (Virginia Tech). Application Deadline: April 4, 2025, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time More info: https://eqgw.github.io/
March 19, 2025 at 6:42 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
Alden Law Group and Democracy Forward filed a petition to stop the firings of probationary employees.

They’re still adding complaints to the petition. Reaching out to them may be an option for some.

Link to the complaint here:
democracyforward.org/wp-content/u...
Re: Summary Termination of Federal Employees Request to Stay Probationary Terminations Dear Mr. Dellinger: Complainants with and through counsel, Alden Law Group, PLLC and Democracy Forward Foundation, hereby petition the Office of Special Counsel ("OSC") for an immediate stay of the summary terminations of probationary employees. We request that the OSC immediately file a petition with the Board pursuant to 5 C.F.R. § 1201.134 to stay the terminations. Beginning on or about February 12-14, 2025, multiple federal agencies-at the direction of the Trump White House and the Department of Government Efficiency-began mass terminations of thousands of probationary employees. The Office of Special Counsel is uniquely and statutorily situated to defend executive branch employees from these illegal actions by Agency heads. In the present case, a vast and swiftly growing number of federal employees across multiple agencies have been summarily terminated during their probationary period. Employees terminated without notice and without any bona fide consideration of their individual performance face immediate and significant harm if the terminations are permitted to stand. As explained in detail in the attached complaint and Form 11, these mass terminations, which were indisputably conducted with no regard for the performance or conduct of individual probationary employees, are plainly unlawful, violate foundational merit system principles, and constitute multiple prohibited personnel practices (PPPs) under 5 U.S.C.§ 2302. Under separate cover, we have identified individual employees by Agency seeking relief, and will continue to supplement with additional complainants as information becomes available. The named complainants herein serve as representatives of terminated probationers at each of their Agencies. We respectfully request that the Office of Special Counsel intercede on behalf and grant a stay of the summary probationary terminations of complaints, pending an investigation into multiple agencies' blatantly prohibited conduct. We offer whatever help and assistance that may expedite the filing of a petition. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Very truly yours, Miculle ferovici Michelle F. Bercovici mbercovici@aldenlg.com Victoria Nugent Michael C. Martinez Skye L. Perryman DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION vnugent@democracyforward.org mmartinez@democracyforward.org sperryman@democracyforward.org
February 16, 2025 at 1:28 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
Checked on the article I wrote about Juneteenth in 2023…
”under review”
Screenshot of the webpage that formerly hosted an article about Juneteenth. Page now reads, “Under Review The page you have tried to access is currently under review as we evaluate the new Executive Order”
February 3, 2025 at 2:31 AM
anigwe.bsky.social
They saying the kids can’t read because literacy companies are grifting school districts
For example, in 2023, the lawsuit states, fewer than half of all Massachusetts third graders satisfied the Commonwealth's expectations for performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System English Language Arts exam, with students from minority groups and those with learning disabilities faring even worse. In addition to the direct harm caused to children, families in Massachusetts have had to obtain remedial literacy instruction, "the cost of which is out of reach for many," the case emphasizes.
December 7, 2024 at 7:20 AM
anigwe.bsky.social
Aye mane…I was in the right place, at the right time and that place happened to be the Black Microbiologist Starter Pack…lol
December 3, 2024 at 6:18 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
Excited to be named a 2025 SciComm Identities Project Fellow!! My favorite part of my job is getting to imagine futures and share knowledge; so this opportunity to develop my communication skills is perfect for me. Naturally, I'm looking forward to learning and sharing insights with my growing lab.
Photo of Dr. Allie Igwe in a black top and clear-framed glasses on a light green SciComm Identities Project flyer with “2025 Fellow Dr. Allie Igwe Virginia Tech” written on it.
November 21, 2024 at 5:10 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
I hosted Dr. Eric LoPresti for the Virginia Tech Life Sciences Seminar last week and had a blast learning about “sticky” plants!

We know a bit about how stickiness impacts insect ecology, but we’re ready to explore how the property influences microbial interactions.
#PlantagoMaritima #Plantago
November 13, 2024 at 2:06 PM
anigwe.bsky.social
Currently recruiting graduate students!

Visit www.igwelab.com to learn more
August 15, 2024 at 4:33 PM