Joe Pater
@joe-pater.bsky.social
“Imagine if we were pursing the documentation of linguistic and cultural diversity, seeing it as a value rather than a vulnerability, with the ferocity in which AI companies are building data centers and purchasing GPUs.”
ethanzuckerman.com/2025/12/05/g...
ethanzuckerman.com/2025/12/05/g...
Gramsci's Nightmare: AI, Platform Power and the Automation of Cultural Hegemony - Ethan Zuckerman
Large language models lock values into place, making it hard to challenge the cultural hegemony of a particular form of western culture
ethanzuckerman.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:32 PM
“Imagine if we were pursing the documentation of linguistic and cultural diversity, seeing it as a value rather than a vulnerability, with the ferocity in which AI companies are building data centers and purchasing GPUs.”
ethanzuckerman.com/2025/12/05/g...
ethanzuckerman.com/2025/12/05/g...
Reposted by Joe Pater
JUST ANNOUNCED: Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11M to 23 teams globally for our Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI).
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
December 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
JUST ANNOUNCED: Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11M to 23 teams globally for our Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI).
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
Our country. How can we make this stop?
MINNEAPOLIS: “All I did was step outside as a Somali American citizen, and I got chased by a masked person, assaulted, kidnapped. It was inhumane. If this is what’s happening to a 🇺🇸 citizen on camera, imagine what could happen to your loved ones.”
December 11, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Our country. How can we make this stop?
Both NWAV and LabPhon are in Montreal in 2026!
Genuinely sad about not seeing American friends and colleagues though, please bring your conferences to Montreal!!
December 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Both NWAV and LabPhon are in Montreal in 2026!
Just logged into X for the first time in ages to give Sabrina Carpenter one more like.
December 4, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Just logged into X for the first time in ages to give Sabrina Carpenter one more like.
ILL absolutely rocks! Your library doesn’t subscribe to some overpriced online publisher? Just ask your ILL for it and you’ll have it likely in hours.
Requested a book through ILL over break. It arrived today. Libraries man.
December 3, 2025 at 12:01 AM
ILL absolutely rocks! Your library doesn’t subscribe to some overpriced online publisher? Just ask your ILL for it and you’ll have it likely in hours.
It’s looking to be a snow day for the kids and not for me. Thankfully one of the kids is a teenager…
December 2, 2025 at 11:58 AM
It’s looking to be a snow day for the kids and not for me. Thankfully one of the kids is a teenager…
Reposted by Joe Pater
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Joe Pater
The DC shooting story is really getting to me because we literally trained this man as a child soldier for a death squad in a forever war and Stephen Miller et al want to blame it on other cultures? It's our culture, American culture, that killed that woman.
November 28, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The DC shooting story is really getting to me because we literally trained this man as a child soldier for a death squad in a forever war and Stephen Miller et al want to blame it on other cultures? It's our culture, American culture, that killed that woman.
Does anyone have experience using Apertus in teaching, or just testing out its capabilities? It would be so great to be able to offer our students an alternative, more ethical platform.
www.swiss.tech/news/switzer...
www.swiss.tech/news/switzer...
Switzerland launches its first open and transparent AI model | swisstech
Apertus is the country's first large-scale language model, trained exclusively on publicly available data.
www.swiss.tech
November 26, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Does anyone have experience using Apertus in teaching, or just testing out its capabilities? It would be so great to be able to offer our students an alternative, more ethical platform.
www.swiss.tech/news/switzer...
www.swiss.tech/news/switzer...
Great connections between our linguistics department and the CICS NLP program (including Katrin Erk now in a joint appointment). Also happy to communicate with prospective applicants.
Here at UMass Amherst CICS, we’re searching for TT faculty in NLP – see the link from
www.cics.umass.edu/about/employ...
I’m happy to answer questions of course, too!
www.cics.umass.edu/about/employ...
I’m happy to answer questions of course, too!
Faculty Positions
Open tenure-track and teaching faculty positions in computer science and informatics at the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences
www.cics.umass.edu
November 26, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Great connections between our linguistics department and the CICS NLP program (including Katrin Erk now in a joint appointment). Also happy to communicate with prospective applicants.
Reposted by Joe Pater
Struck this morning by how the win wasn’t from the UC system itself pushing back—it was its worker power through *unions* and aligned groups like @aaup.org defending UC interests, even though admin itself wasn’t.
There’s some kind of lesson here
There’s some kind of lesson here
One reason why elite schools (Columbia, Brown, Cornell) caving to Trump’s illegal impoundment and extortion is so galling — a betrayal, really — is that they would have won had they fought. By giving up, they guaranteed every other school will have to fight harder.
Judge bars Trump from immediately cutting funding to the University of California | CNN Politics
The Trump administration cannot immediately cut federal funding to the University of California or issue fines against the school system over claims it allows antisemitism or other forms of discrimina...
www.cnn.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Struck this morning by how the win wasn’t from the UC system itself pushing back—it was its worker power through *unions* and aligned groups like @aaup.org defending UC interests, even though admin itself wasn’t.
There’s some kind of lesson here
There’s some kind of lesson here
Makes a great case that the filibuster is “actively destroying our system of government” by shifting power to the executive and judicial branches.
new video up at my youtube page on the history of the filibuster and why it’s Bad. watch/share/subscribe/etc!
youtu.be/a30e7lw6KL4
youtu.be/a30e7lw6KL4
What's the deal with the filibuster?
YouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Makes a great case that the filibuster is “actively destroying our system of government” by shifting power to the executive and judicial branches.
Reposted by Joe Pater
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Joe Pater
Like others last night, I initially jumped to the conclusion that SCOTUS was once again merely siding with the Trump administration and allowing them to stop food AID.
But this interevenyion is more complicated.
Justice Jackson took the lead, in order to prevent worse outcomes.
But this interevenyion is more complicated.
Justice Jackson took the lead, in order to prevent worse outcomes.
November 8, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Like others last night, I initially jumped to the conclusion that SCOTUS was once again merely siding with the Trump administration and allowing them to stop food AID.
But this interevenyion is more complicated.
Justice Jackson took the lead, in order to prevent worse outcomes.
But this interevenyion is more complicated.
Justice Jackson took the lead, in order to prevent worse outcomes.
Can I just say how impressive Paul Kiparsky is? Had the great pleasure of hearing him give a great talk at AMP, and just came across this cool new paper on Stratal OT and vowel harmony that I'm looking forward to digging into with my grad phonology class.
web.stanford.edu/~kiparsky/Pa...
web.stanford.edu/~kiparsky/Pa...
web.stanford.edu
November 5, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Can I just say how impressive Paul Kiparsky is? Had the great pleasure of hearing him give a great talk at AMP, and just came across this cool new paper on Stratal OT and vowel harmony that I'm looking forward to digging into with my grad phonology class.
web.stanford.edu/~kiparsky/Pa...
web.stanford.edu/~kiparsky/Pa...
Reposted by Joe Pater
For the fellas playing along at home, unofficial election results will be updated live here:
Northampton UNOFFICIAL November 4, 2025 Election Results
docs.google.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:20 PM
For the fellas playing along at home, unofficial election results will be updated live here:
Reposted by Joe Pater
The Python Software Foundation won a $1.5m grant from the US government National Science Foundation.
Turned it down because required to affirm that we "will not... operate any programs that advance or promote DEI"
simonwillison.net/2025/Oct/27/...
Turned it down because required to affirm that we "will not... operate any programs that advance or promote DEI"
simonwillison.net/2025/Oct/27/...
The PSF has withdrawn a $1.5 million proposal to US government grant program
The Python Software Foundation was recently "recommended for funding" (NSF terminology) for a $1.5m grant from the US government National Science Foundation to help improve the security of the Python ...
simonwillison.net
October 29, 2025 at 7:21 PM
The Python Software Foundation won a $1.5m grant from the US government National Science Foundation.
Turned it down because required to affirm that we "will not... operate any programs that advance or promote DEI"
simonwillison.net/2025/Oct/27/...
Turned it down because required to affirm that we "will not... operate any programs that advance or promote DEI"
simonwillison.net/2025/Oct/27/...
I’m not sure whether coffee before class resulted in it being more confusing or more exciting. Probably a combination of both.
October 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I’m not sure whether coffee before class resulted in it being more confusing or more exciting. Probably a combination of both.
This deep dive into Bowie's Blackstar is so, so good. Over 45 minutes, just for one song. I'm only 20 minutes in, but have learned a lot already, and have been throughly entertained.
@bowiesongs.bsky.social @davidbowienews.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zGY...
@bowiesongs.bsky.social @davidbowienews.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zGY...
Black holes, black music, black arts, black hearts & button eyes
YouTube video by Leah Kardos
www.youtube.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:49 PM
This deep dive into Bowie's Blackstar is so, so good. Over 45 minutes, just for one song. I'm only 20 minutes in, but have learned a lot already, and have been throughly entertained.
@bowiesongs.bsky.social @davidbowienews.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zGY...
@bowiesongs.bsky.social @davidbowienews.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zGY...
Great to hear Marty Meehan on the radio this morning saying UMass would not sign the compact (probably easier to say when you haven't been asked to, but still). H/t to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for this link.
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
A Compact for Control (opinion)
No self-respecting institution of higher education should accept the Trump administration’s unconstitutional terms, Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg write.
www.insidehighered.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Great to hear Marty Meehan on the radio this morning saying UMass would not sign the compact (probably easier to say when you haven't been asked to, but still). H/t to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for this link.
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
Reposted by Joe Pater
News coverage of the Trump administration's proposed "compact" with universities has been, so far, shockingly bad.
I hate to pick on NPR reporter Elissa Nadworny, who's usually a solid reporter, but almost every important thing I heard her say this morning about the proposed "compact" was false.
I hate to pick on NPR reporter Elissa Nadworny, who's usually a solid reporter, but almost every important thing I heard her say this morning about the proposed "compact" was false.
October 3, 2025 at 8:20 PM
News coverage of the Trump administration's proposed "compact" with universities has been, so far, shockingly bad.
I hate to pick on NPR reporter Elissa Nadworny, who's usually a solid reporter, but almost every important thing I heard her say this morning about the proposed "compact" was false.
I hate to pick on NPR reporter Elissa Nadworny, who's usually a solid reporter, but almost every important thing I heard her say this morning about the proposed "compact" was false.
We just presented our work on automated IPA transcription at AMP 2025 in Berkeley. We fine-tuned Wav2Vec on the Buckeye corpus. Slides and links, including to a web-based interface with text grid support, can be found here:
websites.umass.edu/pater/handou...
Phone alignment output coming soon!
websites.umass.edu/pater/handou...
Phone alignment output coming soon!
Handouts/slides – Joe Pater
websites.umass.edu
October 4, 2025 at 12:27 PM
We just presented our work on automated IPA transcription at AMP 2025 in Berkeley. We fine-tuned Wav2Vec on the Buckeye corpus. Slides and links, including to a web-based interface with text grid support, can be found here:
websites.umass.edu/pater/handou...
Phone alignment output coming soon!
websites.umass.edu/pater/handou...
Phone alignment output coming soon!
Reposted by Joe Pater
Cornell is cancelling a distinguished professor's classes on Gaza and suspending him because of the complaints of a student who previously served in Israel's military surveillance agency and was literally recording the comments of other students in class and deliberately derailing discussion.
September 29, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Cornell is cancelling a distinguished professor's classes on Gaza and suspending him because of the complaints of a student who previously served in Israel's military surveillance agency and was literally recording the comments of other students in class and deliberately derailing discussion.
So much gratitude to the @aaup.org for their work on this (and for sharing the ruling - so great to read). The NY Times reporting doesn't even cite the AAUP by name - this Guradian article is much better. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
September 30, 2025 at 10:42 PM
So much gratitude to the @aaup.org for their work on this (and for sharing the ruling - so great to read). The NY Times reporting doesn't even cite the AAUP by name - this Guradian article is much better. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...