Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
@napaaqtuk.bsky.social
Inupiaq, scientist of host-microbe interactions, mom, runner, news junkie, not necessarily in that order. I speak for myself. She/her. Only reskeets posts with alt text. Unapologetically typo prone.
Pinned
Hi folks! I am an assistant professor in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. In this thread for #YoungScientistNetworking (invited by @quantumtessera.bsky.social ), I will tell you a little bit about my career path.
But first, my Inupiaq introduction: 1/n
But first, my Inupiaq introduction: 1/n
Good way to start Veterans Day: The Moth podcast episode with stories from the son a Vietnam soldier and a story and an interview with WWII vet. The end of WII details are especially important today :)
themoth.org/podcast/vete...
themoth.org/podcast/vete...
The Moth (en-US) | Podcast | Veterans Day: The Moth Podcast
This episode originally aired on November 12, 2021.
If you've been moved by a story this year, text 'GIVE25' to 78679 to make a donation to The Moth today.
This week, two stories honoring Veterans, an...
themoth.org
November 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Good way to start Veterans Day: The Moth podcast episode with stories from the son a Vietnam soldier and a story and an interview with WWII vet. The end of WII details are especially important today :)
themoth.org/podcast/vete...
themoth.org/podcast/vete...
This story highlights how important it is to have journalists who have expertise in specific areas. In this case, a journalist embedded in war becomes a specialist in veterans, enabling him to cover these stories more in depth than someone who is new to this area. Thank you @quillawrence.bsky.social
Holy crap, this 2 part story is so important. The first part is of the Carlson's early life, how he ended up in the National Guard, serving in Iraq, post war life. The second part is about his time in jail as a vet with PTSD. TW: violence, suicide, sounds of war
www.npr.org/2025/11/09/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/09/n...
Carlson’s War: Part 1 : Up First from NPR
What does it mean to live through war? And can someone who’s experienced
war ever get over it? These are questions NPR’s Quil Lawrence has been
asking himself for years. A decade ago, Lawrence did a...
www.npr.org
November 9, 2025 at 2:21 PM
This story highlights how important it is to have journalists who have expertise in specific areas. In this case, a journalist embedded in war becomes a specialist in veterans, enabling him to cover these stories more in depth than someone who is new to this area. Thank you @quillawrence.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
we're snailposting, post your snails
Here’s a fella I met in Puerto Rico a couple years ago
Here’s a fella I met in Puerto Rico a couple years ago
November 9, 2025 at 1:51 PM
we're snailposting, post your snails
Here’s a fella I met in Puerto Rico a couple years ago
Here’s a fella I met in Puerto Rico a couple years ago
Holy crap, this 2 part story is so important. The first part is of the Carlson's early life, how he ended up in the National Guard, serving in Iraq, post war life. The second part is about his time in jail as a vet with PTSD. TW: violence, suicide, sounds of war
www.npr.org/2025/11/09/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/09/n...
Carlson’s War: Part 1 : Up First from NPR
What does it mean to live through war? And can someone who’s experienced
war ever get over it? These are questions NPR’s Quil Lawrence has been
asking himself for years. A decade ago, Lawrence did a...
www.npr.org
November 9, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Holy crap, this 2 part story is so important. The first part is of the Carlson's early life, how he ended up in the National Guard, serving in Iraq, post war life. The second part is about his time in jail as a vet with PTSD. TW: violence, suicide, sounds of war
www.npr.org/2025/11/09/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/09/n...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Time to focus on the littles! On our eighth day of #AlaskaNativeHeritageMonth, we’re highlighting the board #book “Button Up!: Fall in Alaska” by Koyukon Athabascan writer Angela Y. Gonzalez
#nativeamericanheritagemonth #books #childrensbooks #alaskanative #alaska
verastarbard.com/2025/11/08/t...
#nativeamericanheritagemonth #books #childrensbooks #alaskanative #alaska
verastarbard.com/2025/11/08/t...
Thirty Days of Alaska Native Books: Day 8
Infant and toddler age is so incredibly important to a person’s formative reading time, and so for the eighth day of Alaska Native Heritage Month we’re highlighting the “Button Up!: Fall in Alaska”…
verastarbard.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Time to focus on the littles! On our eighth day of #AlaskaNativeHeritageMonth, we’re highlighting the board #book “Button Up!: Fall in Alaska” by Koyukon Athabascan writer Angela Y. Gonzalez
#nativeamericanheritagemonth #books #childrensbooks #alaskanative #alaska
verastarbard.com/2025/11/08/t...
#nativeamericanheritagemonth #books #childrensbooks #alaskanative #alaska
verastarbard.com/2025/11/08/t...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Happy Inuit day!
November 9, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Happy Inuit day!
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Still thinking about Lambor who caused me to panic for about 2 seconds this morning when I saw what looked like a tiger running towards me in the park.
Turns out Lambor (owner told me that is short for "Lamborghini lol) is an absolutely beautiful doggo and is full of beans and character.
Turns out Lambor (owner told me that is short for "Lamborghini lol) is an absolutely beautiful doggo and is full of beans and character.
EVERYONE.
THERE’S A TIGER IN MY SUBURB 🐯
Just spent 30 mins playing with this guy and it was extremely rewarding.
Such a great character and instantly cheered up everyone at the dog park this morning! 💙
THERE’S A TIGER IN MY SUBURB 🐯
Just spent 30 mins playing with this guy and it was extremely rewarding.
Such a great character and instantly cheered up everyone at the dog park this morning! 💙
November 9, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Still thinking about Lambor who caused me to panic for about 2 seconds this morning when I saw what looked like a tiger running towards me in the park.
Turns out Lambor (owner told me that is short for "Lamborghini lol) is an absolutely beautiful doggo and is full of beans and character.
Turns out Lambor (owner told me that is short for "Lamborghini lol) is an absolutely beautiful doggo and is full of beans and character.
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Not all heroes wear capes. What a brave and compassionate human being. The war in Sudan has killed 150,000 people and displaced 12 million. This orthopedic surgeon has not fled but continued to provide medical assistance under impossible conditions.
www.npr.org/sections/goa...
www.npr.org/sections/goa...
Doctor in Sudan wins $1 million prize for his extraordinary courage: 'It is my duty'
Dr. Jamal Eltaeb of Sudan has been awarded the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. He says, "Every day we work in the impossible conditions with barely enough to keep people alive."
www.npr.org
November 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Not all heroes wear capes. What a brave and compassionate human being. The war in Sudan has killed 150,000 people and displaced 12 million. This orthopedic surgeon has not fled but continued to provide medical assistance under impossible conditions.
www.npr.org/sections/goa...
www.npr.org/sections/goa...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Hate against Indigenous people is on the rise in Canada.
It often masquerades as convenience-conditional allyship, which is really only cosplay allyship.
This piece written by âpihtawikosisân in 2020 is as relevant as ever.
It often masquerades as convenience-conditional allyship, which is really only cosplay allyship.
This piece written by âpihtawikosisân in 2020 is as relevant as ever.
apihtawikosisan.com/2020/02/an-o...
Posted a wrong link to this yesterday. Was just pointing out that things remain the same - it's far too easy to get mad at Indigenous Peoples or newcomers than face the fact that this system is trying to kill us all.
Posted a wrong link to this yesterday. Was just pointing out that things remain the same - it's far too easy to get mad at Indigenous Peoples or newcomers than face the fact that this system is trying to kill us all.
apihtawikosisan.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Hate against Indigenous people is on the rise in Canada.
It often masquerades as convenience-conditional allyship, which is really only cosplay allyship.
This piece written by âpihtawikosisân in 2020 is as relevant as ever.
It often masquerades as convenience-conditional allyship, which is really only cosplay allyship.
This piece written by âpihtawikosisân in 2020 is as relevant as ever.
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
The man who ended USAID is the world's first trillionaire
November 7, 2025 at 2:14 AM
The man who ended USAID is the world's first trillionaire
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Update on our Food Distribution work with Avalon & Food Gatherers! I'm still raising funds for the creating.care effort - I'm a little over halfway to the ambitious $1,000 goal I set, and would love to see us hit it by the time these distributions go live give.foodgatherers.org/campaigns/41...
November 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Update on our Food Distribution work with Avalon & Food Gatherers! I'm still raising funds for the creating.care effort - I'm a little over halfway to the ambitious $1,000 goal I set, and would love to see us hit it by the time these distributions go live give.foodgatherers.org/campaigns/41...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
I can't believe I just finished #TheDoubleTax WORLD TOUR. Two continents. Three countries. Twenty stops. 🤯
It was the joy of MY LIFE to meet many you in person especially my #bluesky fam. I loved my time in Europe and plan to be back reaaaaal soon! Like REAL soon.
#blacksky #booksky
It was the joy of MY LIFE to meet many you in person especially my #bluesky fam. I loved my time in Europe and plan to be back reaaaaal soon! Like REAL soon.
#blacksky #booksky
November 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM
I can't believe I just finished #TheDoubleTax WORLD TOUR. Two continents. Three countries. Twenty stops. 🤯
It was the joy of MY LIFE to meet many you in person especially my #bluesky fam. I loved my time in Europe and plan to be back reaaaaal soon! Like REAL soon.
#blacksky #booksky
It was the joy of MY LIFE to meet many you in person especially my #bluesky fam. I loved my time in Europe and plan to be back reaaaaal soon! Like REAL soon.
#blacksky #booksky
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
The administration has repeatedly evoked the threat of future disasters as a justification for not funding SNAP. This is obviously BS but also I think the parts of the country that have recently experienced disasters and not received adequate help from this administration would like a word.
Trump on SNAP: "Our country has to remain very liquid because problems, catastrophes, wars -- it could be anything. We have to remain liquid. We can't give everything away."
November 7, 2025 at 1:46 PM
The administration has repeatedly evoked the threat of future disasters as a justification for not funding SNAP. This is obviously BS but also I think the parts of the country that have recently experienced disasters and not received adequate help from this administration would like a word.
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Read 🧵…all of it, because it’s what I’m seeing at my institution too, and I’m sure everyone else is as well. Indigenous mentors are so important right now.
I had student meetings yesterday for my class. It was a writing class so most meetings started with my comments on their papers, but I told them they could ask about anything. Some asked for advice for gap years, how to choose the next career step, even audio books :) my favorite question was...🧵
November 7, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Read 🧵…all of it, because it’s what I’m seeing at my institution too, and I’m sure everyone else is as well. Indigenous mentors are so important right now.
Good Science Vs. episode on seed oils vs other oils. Wild how people will overlook solid research to focus on what they think is right.
www.iheart.com/podcast/309-...
www.iheart.com/podcast/309-...
Seed Oils: Should You Switch to Butter? - Science Vs | iHeart
We’ve been told that foods like butter and bacon are bad for us — because they're packed with saturated fats. And top dogs in nutrition say that a better option is vegetable oil, like canola oil. But ...
www.iheart.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Good Science Vs. episode on seed oils vs other oils. Wild how people will overlook solid research to focus on what they think is right.
www.iheart.com/podcast/309-...
www.iheart.com/podcast/309-...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Women, we need to work harder to get noticed for ruining science.
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Women, we need to work harder to get noticed for ruining science.
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
I hadnt seen this particular take on this story till now. A minimalist apology. Not impressed.
nationalnews.co.uk/news/shamed-...
nationalnews.co.uk/news/shamed-...
Shamed Scientist Apologises For The First Time About The Academic Scandal That Destroyed His Career And Shocked The World
An ecologist who shot to fame after discovering that spiders have human-like personalities has made an emotional apology after being
nationalnews.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
I hadnt seen this particular take on this story till now. A minimalist apology. Not impressed.
nationalnews.co.uk/news/shamed-...
nationalnews.co.uk/news/shamed-...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
So how did it go?
NIH made 43 DP2 awards, the lowest number in a decade.
I really wish Director Bhattacharya would spend doing his actual job rather than badmouthing the agency he is charged to lead and spouting platitudes on podcasts and elsewhere.
6/7
NIH made 43 DP2 awards, the lowest number in a decade.
I really wish Director Bhattacharya would spend doing his actual job rather than badmouthing the agency he is charged to lead and spouting platitudes on podcasts and elsewhere.
6/7
November 6, 2025 at 4:09 PM
So how did it go?
NIH made 43 DP2 awards, the lowest number in a decade.
I really wish Director Bhattacharya would spend doing his actual job rather than badmouthing the agency he is charged to lead and spouting platitudes on podcasts and elsewhere.
6/7
NIH made 43 DP2 awards, the lowest number in a decade.
I really wish Director Bhattacharya would spend doing his actual job rather than badmouthing the agency he is charged to lead and spouting platitudes on podcasts and elsewhere.
6/7
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
We have reached a verdict: Not guilty.
November 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
We have reached a verdict: Not guilty.
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
My congressional representative is THE BEST!
Rep. Yassamin Ansari has set up a table and this sign outside Speaker Johnson’s office.
November 6, 2025 at 6:53 PM
My congressional representative is THE BEST!
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
Make sure you check out Michele's @artologica.net beautiful work at the Society for Neuroscience Annual meeting #SFN25 next week in San Diego!
November 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Make sure you check out Michele's @artologica.net beautiful work at the Society for Neuroscience Annual meeting #SFN25 next week in San Diego!
Every few months outlook loses all my email templates and to that I'd just like to say *REDACTED REDACTED screams REDACTED, throws a pillow, screams again REDACTED*
Thanks for listening. I feel better
Thanks for listening. I feel better
November 6, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Every few months outlook loses all my email templates and to that I'd just like to say *REDACTED REDACTED screams REDACTED, throws a pillow, screams again REDACTED*
Thanks for listening. I feel better
Thanks for listening. I feel better
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
The thing about being a woman and navigating the world, is that you are never safe from being sexually harassed by strangers even if you are a freaking head of state.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Mexico president to seek charges after being groped on street
Claudia Sheinbaum says she is pressing charges because "a line must be drawn" against the harassment of Mexican women.
www.bbc.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
The thing about being a woman and navigating the world, is that you are never safe from being sexually harassed by strangers even if you are a freaking head of state.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️
i friggin love biology
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 12:48 PM
i friggin love biology