Dr Nicola Sugden
@nicolasugden.bsky.social
Edinburgh-based researcher looking at data and healthcare.
Formerly history of genetics; genomics; evolution; children; animals; race; minds; brains; psychology /iatry /oanalysis; madness; neurodiversity; disability; bioethics; reproductive technology.
Formerly history of genetics; genomics; evolution; children; animals; race; minds; brains; psychology /iatry /oanalysis; madness; neurodiversity; disability; bioethics; reproductive technology.
Pinned
I don't get sick, I *stay* sick 💅💃
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Autism ableism seen through research abstract contents: A mixed-methods analysis of language in NIH-funded genetic and genomic autism research
Autism ableism seen through research abstract contents: A mixed-methods analysis of language in NIH-funded genetic and genomic autism research - Nicola Sugden, Lily S Barna, Kaylee Foor, John Kee, Chris Gunter, 2025
In recent years, genetic and genomic autism research has come under increasing scrutiny, moving to the center of debates about ableism, neurodiversity, autism acceptance, and the future of research...
journals.sagepub.com
September 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Autism ableism seen through research abstract contents: A mixed-methods analysis of language in NIH-funded genetic and genomic autism research
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/09/26/t... great overview of the history and evidence on ID cards by Wendy
The absurdity card
Fifteen years ago, a new incoming government swept away a policy its immediate predecessors had been pushing since shortly after the 2001 9/11 attacks: identity
netwars.pelicancrossing.net
September 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/09/26/t... great overview of the history and evidence on ID cards by Wendy
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
2/ In 2001, Borsook said tech "libertarianism" reflected an adolescent mindset, with a craving for unchecked independence & resistance to constraint.
She warned that tech libertarians wanted an anti-human world that worked more like a computer. From "Cyberselfish," a book based on her 90s writing:
She warned that tech libertarians wanted an anti-human world that worked more like a computer. From "Cyberselfish," a book based on her 90s writing:
September 24, 2025 at 6:36 PM
2/ In 2001, Borsook said tech "libertarianism" reflected an adolescent mindset, with a craving for unchecked independence & resistance to constraint.
She warned that tech libertarians wanted an anti-human world that worked more like a computer. From "Cyberselfish," a book based on her 90s writing:
She warned that tech libertarians wanted an anti-human world that worked more like a computer. From "Cyberselfish," a book based on her 90s writing:
In case you were wondering, two of the thirteen projects funded by the NIH's $50m Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI) talk about prevention in their project abstracts: dpcpsi.nih.gov/autism-data-...
September 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
In case you were wondering, two of the thirteen projects funded by the NIH's $50m Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI) talk about prevention in their project abstracts: dpcpsi.nih.gov/autism-data-...
How do genetics and genomics researchers write about autism? Well... When we looked at abstracts for NIH-funded research and we found potentially ableist discourse and language to be ubiquitous: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Autism ableism seen through research abstract contents: A mixed-methods analysis of language in NIH-funded genetic and genomic autism research - Nicola Sugden, Lily S Barna, Kaylee Foor, John Kee, Chr...
In recent years, genetic and genomic autism research has come under increasing scrutiny, moving to the center of debates about ableism, neurodiversity, autism a...
journals.sagepub.com
September 16, 2025 at 1:22 PM
How do genetics and genomics researchers write about autism? Well... When we looked at abstracts for NIH-funded research and we found potentially ableist discourse and language to be ubiquitous: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
“Universities are in crisis and this inquiry couldn’t come soon enough.” @drjogrady.bsky.social
After sustained pressure from UCU, The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into university finances.
We’ll be submitting evidence. Full statement here: www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...
After sustained pressure from UCU, The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into university finances.
We’ll be submitting evidence. Full statement here: www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...
June 12, 2025 at 1:58 PM
“Universities are in crisis and this inquiry couldn’t come soon enough.” @drjogrady.bsky.social
After sustained pressure from UCU, The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into university finances.
We’ll be submitting evidence. Full statement here: www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...
After sustained pressure from UCU, The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into university finances.
We’ll be submitting evidence. Full statement here: www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Our branch stands firmly for trans inclusion and trans equality, and will not cease in protesting against discriminatory and inflammatory claims about trans people!
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1404...
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1404...
Employment Tribunal rejects claims University and College Union discriminated against members on grounds of their gender critical beliefs
The University and College Union has successfully defended claims against it in an Employment Tribunal from two UCU members who claim they had been discriminated against and harassed by the union beca...
www.ucu.org.uk
June 9, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Our branch stands firmly for trans inclusion and trans equality, and will not cease in protesting against discriminatory and inflammatory claims about trans people!
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1404...
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1404...
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out plans to cut billions from health and disability benefits.
Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty.
Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)
Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty.
Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)
Pathways to Poverty: How planned cuts to disability benefits will impact the people we support
Pathways to Poverty: How planned cuts to disability benefits will impact the people we support
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
May 28, 2025 at 8:50 AM
The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out plans to cut billions from health and disability benefits.
Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty.
Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)
Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty.
Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Excited to see the EMU’s work published yesterday in @jscicom.bsky.social! We studied the science communication (scicomm) landscape at NIH (obviously pre-2025). jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi... Congrats to AJ Hilliard, @nicolasugden.bsky.social, and Kristin Bass for their work on this.
Survey-based analysis of a science of science communication scientific interest group: member feedback and perspectives on science communication
Coordinated attempts to promote systematic approaches to the design and evaluation of science communication efforts have generally lagged behind the proliferation and diversification of those efforts....
jcom.sissa.it
May 27, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Excited to see the EMU’s work published yesterday in @jscicom.bsky.social! We studied the science communication (scicomm) landscape at NIH (obviously pre-2025). jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi... Congrats to AJ Hilliard, @nicolasugden.bsky.social, and Kristin Bass for their work on this.
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Honestly, this book broke my brain a little and my heart big time. physicsworld.com/a/so-you-thi...
So you think you know Roger Penrose? Be prepared to be shocked – Physics World
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein reviews The Impossible Man: Roger Penrose and the Cost of Genius by Patchen Barss
physicsworld.com
April 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Honestly, this book broke my brain a little and my heart big time. physicsworld.com/a/so-you-thi...
#DataStudies and #HistTech folks! Check out @0404am.bsky.social's forthcoming workshop 'A Social Science of Databases: Building Metaphysical Machines' dare.ed.ac.uk/events/2025/...
OPEN CALL: A SOCIAL SCIENCE OF DATABASES: BUILDING METAPHYSICAL MACHINES | Dare | Data and the Healthcare ‘Revolution’ – DARE for short – explores the intersection of data, care and learning in the er...
dare.ed.ac.uk
April 2, 2025 at 1:54 PM
#DataStudies and #HistTech folks! Check out @0404am.bsky.social's forthcoming workshop 'A Social Science of Databases: Building Metaphysical Machines' dare.ed.ac.uk/events/2025/...
Most of the people I worked with in my 1st postdoc just got fired. They worked to promote public understanding of genetics and genomics and to make research and its benefits more relevant and equitable. For reasons why that work is important, see: modern history. www.genomeweb.com/policy-legis...
NHGRI Fires Dozens of Employees, Puts Acting Director Vence Bonham on Administrative Leave
Employees of at least four branches of the National Human Genome Research Institute received layoff notices on Tuesday morning.
www.genomeweb.com
April 2, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Most of the people I worked with in my 1st postdoc just got fired. They worked to promote public understanding of genetics and genomics and to make research and its benefits more relevant and equitable. For reasons why that work is important, see: modern history. www.genomeweb.com/policy-legis...
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Some longer thoughts on the Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender 📝 kevinguyan.com/2025/03/19/a...
A Trumpian approach to sex and gender data
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has published a Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender, a hangover from the former Tory government’s mission to add…
kevinguyan.com
March 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Some longer thoughts on the Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender 📝 kevinguyan.com/2025/03/19/a...
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
I quit my job at the NIH last month, in large part because it seemed like I could no longer honestly write about topics like health equity. so I wrote about it for Slate instead 🧪 slate.com/technology/2...
I Just Quit My Job at the NIH. Slashing DEI Is Going to Haunt the Future of Medicine.
We’d only started to correct a major gap in understanding.
slate.com
March 4, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I quit my job at the NIH last month, in large part because it seemed like I could no longer honestly write about topics like health equity. so I wrote about it for Slate instead 🧪 slate.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
🌍💡Join us for our first annual multi-stakeholder town hall meeting, "Shaping the Future of Data Ethics"!
📆 March 31, 2025
Keynote speakers:
- RDA SecGen Hilary Hanahoe
- The Harvard Data Review's Xiao-Li Meng
Don't miss out! Find out more and register: ethicaldatainitiative.org/2024/12/20/e...
📆 March 31, 2025
Keynote speakers:
- RDA SecGen Hilary Hanahoe
- The Harvard Data Review's Xiao-Li Meng
Don't miss out! Find out more and register: ethicaldatainitiative.org/2024/12/20/e...
Ethical Data Initiative Annual Townhall Event - The Ethical Data Initiative
Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the Ethical Data Initiative (EDI) at the TUM Think Tank and the University of Exeter, we would like to invite you to participate in our first annual multi-stakeholder tow...
ethicaldatainitiative.org
December 20, 2024 at 4:10 PM
🌍💡Join us for our first annual multi-stakeholder town hall meeting, "Shaping the Future of Data Ethics"!
📆 March 31, 2025
Keynote speakers:
- RDA SecGen Hilary Hanahoe
- The Harvard Data Review's Xiao-Li Meng
Don't miss out! Find out more and register: ethicaldatainitiative.org/2024/12/20/e...
📆 March 31, 2025
Keynote speakers:
- RDA SecGen Hilary Hanahoe
- The Harvard Data Review's Xiao-Li Meng
Don't miss out! Find out more and register: ethicaldatainitiative.org/2024/12/20/e...
Since Married at First Sight Australia S12 premiered in the UK last night its important to note how MAFS helps us understand the important difference between data and information.
March 4, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Since Married at First Sight Australia S12 premiered in the UK last night its important to note how MAFS helps us understand the important difference between data and information.
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Edinburgh is hosting a QUEER DATA SHOWCASE! ✨
We’re inviting artists, academics, activists and anyone who works with – or is interested in – queer data to share their ideas.
📢 The Call for Presenters is live!
www.ai-ethics.org/queer-data-s... #data #AI #tech #LGBTQ #queer #edinburgh
We’re inviting artists, academics, activists and anyone who works with – or is interested in – queer data to share their ideas.
📢 The Call for Presenters is live!
www.ai-ethics.org/queer-data-s... #data #AI #tech #LGBTQ #queer #edinburgh
February 21, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Edinburgh is hosting a QUEER DATA SHOWCASE! ✨
We’re inviting artists, academics, activists and anyone who works with – or is interested in – queer data to share their ideas.
📢 The Call for Presenters is live!
www.ai-ethics.org/queer-data-s... #data #AI #tech #LGBTQ #queer #edinburgh
We’re inviting artists, academics, activists and anyone who works with – or is interested in – queer data to share their ideas.
📢 The Call for Presenters is live!
www.ai-ethics.org/queer-data-s... #data #AI #tech #LGBTQ #queer #edinburgh
I don't get sick, I *stay* sick 💅💃
February 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I don't get sick, I *stay* sick 💅💃
Reposted by Dr Nicola Sugden
Absolutely fantastic discussion of the case against polygenic embryo editing from @wiringthebrain.bsky.social
A few related thoughts…
A few related thoughts…
Eugenics, statistical hubris, and unknowable unknowns in human genetics www.wiringthebrain.com/2025/01/euge...
Eugenics, statistical hubris, and unknowable unknowns in human genetics
A new paper just out in Nature , by Peter Visscher and colleagues (including bio-ethicist Julian Salvulescu) explores the idea of polygenic...
www.wiringthebrain.com
January 13, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Absolutely fantastic discussion of the case against polygenic embryo editing from @wiringthebrain.bsky.social
A few related thoughts…
A few related thoughts…
2024 in fiction. An unusual year in that I read two entire books set in the present real world with no spaceships or magic. I track my reading on Bookworm, the only book app that lets you clothe a silly worm avatar: www.bookwormreads.co/home
January 8, 2025 at 1:52 PM
2024 in fiction. An unusual year in that I read two entire books set in the present real world with no spaceships or magic. I track my reading on Bookworm, the only book app that lets you clothe a silly worm avatar: www.bookwormreads.co/home
Call for Abstracts! Join @abbyrking.bsky.social and I in Seattle to talk about "Data, Care and Learning in Datafied Worlds" at 4S 2025. Deadline 31st January. dare.ed.ac.uk/events/2025/...
Call for Abstracts: Open Panel at 4S 2025 Seattle | Dare | Data and the Healthcare ‘Revolution’ – DARE for short – explores the intersection of data, care and learning in the era of data-driven transf...
dare.ed.ac.uk
January 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Call for Abstracts! Join @abbyrking.bsky.social and I in Seattle to talk about "Data, Care and Learning in Datafied Worlds" at 4S 2025. Deadline 31st January. dare.ed.ac.uk/events/2025/...
I saw the 'Fantasy Diabetes Card Fighting Game' Dia Fight on Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com/projects/rya...) and then I found out there are in fact numerous diabetes-themed games including Diabetor & The Sugar Monsters! and Battlebetes. MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS ASSEMBLE
Dia Fight
The Fantasy Diabetes Card Fighting Game.
www.kickstarter.com
December 14, 2024 at 7:33 PM
I saw the 'Fantasy Diabetes Card Fighting Game' Dia Fight on Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com/projects/rya...) and then I found out there are in fact numerous diabetes-themed games including Diabetor & The Sugar Monsters! and Battlebetes. MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS ASSEMBLE
tfw you're writing about the history of the relationship between mental illness and rheumatic conditions whilst yourself experiencing mental illness and rheumatic conditions
December 13, 2024 at 8:12 PM
tfw you're writing about the history of the relationship between mental illness and rheumatic conditions whilst yourself experiencing mental illness and rheumatic conditions
I'm back. Apologies in advance to all my new followers.
December 13, 2024 at 6:22 PM
I'm back. Apologies in advance to all my new followers.
Logging in for the first time in a while to update my bio now that I'm in Edinburgh 😎
July 18, 2024 at 10:35 AM
Logging in for the first time in a while to update my bio now that I'm in Edinburgh 😎