Rachel O'Brien
@reobrien.bsky.social
Environmental Engineer, Atmospheric Chemist, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan. they/she. opinions are my own.🌈
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
This superthread 🧑🍳🤌
Well, I mean... I still served the ham.
November 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
This superthread 🧑🍳🤌
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
*sigh*
Where is NAS? Where are the civil society leaders in science?
There is an active campaign to destroy American science and it's getting coverage like this.
Where are the counters to this?
Where is NAS? Where are the civil society leaders in science?
There is an active campaign to destroy American science and it's getting coverage like this.
Where are the counters to this?
Over many interviews, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Michael Scherer about how he plans to remake America’s public-health system. Can he lead the scientific establishment he’s spent much of his life crusading against?
Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
November 24, 2025 at 4:26 PM
*sigh*
Where is NAS? Where are the civil society leaders in science?
There is an active campaign to destroy American science and it's getting coverage like this.
Where are the counters to this?
Where is NAS? Where are the civil society leaders in science?
There is an active campaign to destroy American science and it's getting coverage like this.
Where are the counters to this?
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 PM
There is something so cute about how round and fluffy sparrows are.
November 23, 2025 at 11:02 PM
There is something so cute about how round and fluffy sparrows are.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
I did do this, yes
in my defense, it was incredibly funny
I was directing a production of Much Ado in college where the costume director and I gave everyone goofy costumes for the masquerade scene. she was still in the wrath stage of the breakup, and I support women, so rip Josh’s dignity
in my defense, it was incredibly funny
I was directing a production of Much Ado in college where the costume director and I gave everyone goofy costumes for the masquerade scene. she was still in the wrath stage of the breakup, and I support women, so rip Josh’s dignity
FYI: your lore extends into the Woodinville area each time I explain to my student how you shouldn’t let your director hire your ex as costume designer on a show that includes a costume party. Unless you want to end up in a Speedo and water wings in front of the majority of the incoming class. Epic
November 23, 2025 at 10:11 AM
I did do this, yes
in my defense, it was incredibly funny
I was directing a production of Much Ado in college where the costume director and I gave everyone goofy costumes for the masquerade scene. she was still in the wrath stage of the breakup, and I support women, so rip Josh’s dignity
in my defense, it was incredibly funny
I was directing a production of Much Ado in college where the costume director and I gave everyone goofy costumes for the masquerade scene. she was still in the wrath stage of the breakup, and I support women, so rip Josh’s dignity
It's not a big eruption, but there's something so cool about watching molten rock flow.
Kilauea lava flow from the USGS live feed: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqmp...
Kilauea lava flow from the USGS live feed: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqmp...
November 22, 2025 at 5:34 PM
It's not a big eruption, but there's something so cool about watching molten rock flow.
Kilauea lava flow from the USGS live feed: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqmp...
Kilauea lava flow from the USGS live feed: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqmp...
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
The US government has reopened, but funding for this year is still in limbo. Tell Congress to support federal research and public health funding in FY26. @asm.org has made it easy for you: www.votervoice.net/Shares/BAAAA...
Action Alerts
ASM is a nonprofit professional society that publishes scientific journals and advances microbiology through advocacy, global health and diversity in STEM programs.
www.votervoice.net
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
The US government has reopened, but funding for this year is still in limbo. Tell Congress to support federal research and public health funding in FY26. @asm.org has made it easy for you: www.votervoice.net/Shares/BAAAA...
Our milk was bad this morning, with a best by date November 30th. I know accidents happen, but I bet this will be happening more and more under the current administration.
November 20, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Our milk was bad this morning, with a best by date November 30th. I know accidents happen, but I bet this will be happening more and more under the current administration.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Postdoc opening: airborne NH3 measurements
Join our team! The UMN atmospheric chemistry group is recruiting a postdoc to collect and analyze airborne NH3 measurements as part of NASA FarmFlux.
See z.umn.edu/aw67 for details, & contact Julieta ([email protected]) and I ([email protected]) with questions!
Join our team! The UMN atmospheric chemistry group is recruiting a postdoc to collect and analyze airborne NH3 measurements as part of NASA FarmFlux.
See z.umn.edu/aw67 for details, & contact Julieta ([email protected]) and I ([email protected]) with questions!
PostdocAd-FarmFlux
Postdoctoral Associate: aircraft-based measurements of atmospheric ammonia Join our team! The atmospheric chemistry group at the University of Minnesota (UMN) seeks applications for a Postdoctoral A...
z.umn.edu
November 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Postdoc opening: airborne NH3 measurements
Join our team! The UMN atmospheric chemistry group is recruiting a postdoc to collect and analyze airborne NH3 measurements as part of NASA FarmFlux.
See z.umn.edu/aw67 for details, & contact Julieta ([email protected]) and I ([email protected]) with questions!
Join our team! The UMN atmospheric chemistry group is recruiting a postdoc to collect and analyze airborne NH3 measurements as part of NASA FarmFlux.
See z.umn.edu/aw67 for details, & contact Julieta ([email protected]) and I ([email protected]) with questions!
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Free access to the final version of "Ten questions concerning indoor dust" for the next 50 days at authors.elsevier.com/c/1m7oK1HudN...
@ericamhartmann.bsky.social
@ericamhartmann.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Free access to the final version of "Ten questions concerning indoor dust" for the next 50 days at authors.elsevier.com/c/1m7oK1HudN...
@ericamhartmann.bsky.social
@ericamhartmann.bsky.social
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
If you work on sources and impacts of VOCs (biogenic or anthropogenic) from measurement to modeling perspectives please submit an abstract to our atmospheric organics session at #EGU26! Our invited speakers are @dbm.bsky.social and @jacquirickard.bsky.social See you in Vienna! tinyurl.com/55vda8u7
Session AS3.2
meetingorganizer.copernicus.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:11 AM
If you work on sources and impacts of VOCs (biogenic or anthropogenic) from measurement to modeling perspectives please submit an abstract to our atmospheric organics session at #EGU26! Our invited speakers are @dbm.bsky.social and @jacquirickard.bsky.social See you in Vienna! tinyurl.com/55vda8u7
There is something so great about silly, soft, orange kitties!
November 19, 2025 at 12:47 AM
There is something so great about silly, soft, orange kitties!
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
It’s LGBTQIA+ STEM Day!
Just a quick post to point out that today is LGBTQIA+ STEM Day, which aims to celebrate to celebrate the work of LGBTQIA+ people in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), but also to highlight the barriers still facing us. For more information see here. This…
Just a quick post to point out that today is LGBTQIA+ STEM Day, which aims to celebrate to celebrate the work of LGBTQIA+ people in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), but also to highlight the barriers still facing us. For more information see here. This…
It’s LGBTQIA+ STEM Day!
Just a quick post to point out that today is LGBTQIA+ STEM Day, which aims to celebrate to celebrate the work of LGBTQIA+ people in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), but also to highlight the barriers still facing us. For more information see here. This also provides an opportunity for me to send my best wishes to all LGBTQIA+ staff and students at Maynooth and around the world!
telescoper.blog
November 18, 2025 at 10:25 AM
It’s LGBTQIA+ STEM Day!
Just a quick post to point out that today is LGBTQIA+ STEM Day, which aims to celebrate to celebrate the work of LGBTQIA+ people in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), but also to highlight the barriers still facing us. For more information see here. This…
Just a quick post to point out that today is LGBTQIA+ STEM Day, which aims to celebrate to celebrate the work of LGBTQIA+ people in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), but also to highlight the barriers still facing us. For more information see here. This…
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
![Comic. [Person with ponytail pointing at diagram while speaking to three other people] PERSON: If the emergency stop is activated, any riders on the waterslide will be diverted into the beam dump, a large graphite block which will safely absorb their momentum. [caption] We regretted hiring an accelerator physicist to design our water park.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreicnzdnpjdz4clfa2uhx6isbdwgu72oku5pee4av7paavbjmqpyoiu@jpeg)
November 18, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Stay in Place
Billie Rae Busby
2022
Billie Rae Busby
2022
November 16, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Stay in Place
Billie Rae Busby
2022
Billie Rae Busby
2022
This really highlights why solid government support for academic research is so important. We need to decide as a community what should be funded based on merit.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jeff...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jeff...
Jeffrey Epstein E-mails Reveal Depth of Ties to High-Profile Scientists
A trove of e-mails from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was released by a congressional committee on Wednesday
www.scientificamerican.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:54 AM
This really highlights why solid government support for academic research is so important. We need to decide as a community what should be funded based on merit.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jeff...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jeff...
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
"Historically, [ponderosa pine] trees have been able to defend themselves by turning rain into resin that pushes out bark beetles. But because of prolonged drought exacerbated by climate change, beetles have been able to move thru trees at a rapid pace." 🌎 kiowacountypress.net/content/dead...
Deadly beetles now infesting lower-elevation ponderosa pines | KiowaCountyPress.net
Most of Colorado’s trees lost to mountain pine beetle infestations were lodgepole pines at higher elevations until 2023.
kiowacountypress.net
November 15, 2025 at 4:10 PM
"Historically, [ponderosa pine] trees have been able to defend themselves by turning rain into resin that pushes out bark beetles. But because of prolonged drought exacerbated by climate change, beetles have been able to move thru trees at a rapid pace." 🌎 kiowacountypress.net/content/dead...
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
"LLMs can't be uninvented."
I have lived through too many data storage devices to believe that.
I have lived through too many data storage devices to believe that.
November 14, 2025 at 11:48 PM
"LLMs can't be uninvented."
I have lived through too many data storage devices to believe that.
I have lived through too many data storage devices to believe that.
I made a list of atmospheric and aerosol folks and at this point that's most of what I'm looking at here. The news is pretty nuts right now. Thanks to everyone posting paper/job/funding updates! It's nice to have some normal good news in the feed. 😊
November 13, 2025 at 8:52 PM
I made a list of atmospheric and aerosol folks and at this point that's most of what I'm looking at here. The news is pretty nuts right now. Thanks to everyone posting paper/job/funding updates! It's nice to have some normal good news in the feed. 😊
Our kitty is parked in front of of a heater vent on a heated pad in our guest bedroom. I think we need to make him a sweater.
November 10, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Our kitty is parked in front of of a heater vent on a heated pad in our guest bedroom. I think we need to make him a sweater.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Working with this awesome group to think deeply about dust has been a tremendous source of joy. So glad to see this paper out!
Thanks to Erica Hartmann for leading a newly published paper, "Ten questions concerning indoor dust."
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How does it mediate environmental exposures?
How does it affect chemicals indoors?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How does it mediate environmental exposures?
How does it affect chemicals indoors?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 10, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Working with this awesome group to think deeply about dust has been a tremendous source of joy. So glad to see this paper out!
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Thanks to Erica Hartmann for leading a newly published paper, "Ten questions concerning indoor dust."
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How does it mediate environmental exposures?
How does it affect chemicals indoors?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How does it mediate environmental exposures?
How does it affect chemicals indoors?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 10, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Thanks to Erica Hartmann for leading a newly published paper, "Ten questions concerning indoor dust."
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How does it mediate environmental exposures?
How does it affect chemicals indoors?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How does it mediate environmental exposures?
How does it affect chemicals indoors?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
First snow of the season! I like how you get little bursts of color from the red leaves that haven't fallen yet.
November 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
First snow of the season! I like how you get little bursts of color from the red leaves that haven't fallen yet.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
And I just keep thinking of our government officials on VACATION while their constituents' stomachs burn.
November 8, 2025 at 3:49 AM
And I just keep thinking of our government officials on VACATION while their constituents' stomachs burn.
Reposted by Rachel O'Brien
Congratulations to John Mak and all of GOTHAAM. The NSF-NCAR video summary really captures the magic of atmospheric chemistry
GOTHAAM: Air Quality Research in New York City
YouTube video by NSF NCAR & UCAR
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Congratulations to John Mak and all of GOTHAAM. The NSF-NCAR video summary really captures the magic of atmospheric chemistry