Jeff Alexander
LightNews LightNews
banner
techiewonk.bsky.social
Jeff Alexander
@techiewonk.bsky.social
710 followers 460 following 120 posts
Director, Innovation Policy @rti.bsky.social (the Research Triangle Institute). Unapologetic wonk at the intersection of #sciencepolicy, #innovation, and strategy. Ask me about R&D evaluation, innovation metrics, horizon scanning, & cocktails.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Trying to crowd source crowd estimates with help from @thexylom.com
Instructions are on the document for estimating crowds, and adding proof or a snapshot of those crowds.
gelliottmorris.com G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · Oct 18
Based on early numbers, there are easily more people participating in the second No Kings Day than in the first. Trump's strategy of constantly talking about this on TV and GOP govs sending in the national guard obviously energized the left. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
20251018_No Kings Day 2 Protests Unofficial Attendance Crowdsourcing
docs.google.com
October 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
jbyoder.org
New today: We're petitioning NSF to revert GRFP eligibility criteria to last year's terms, to avoid pulling the rug out from under the earliest of early-career scientists who had every reason to think they'd be able to apply this year. Sign and spread the word!

laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
September 29, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
michaelemann.bsky.social
Please come out (or participate via livestream) for our #ScienceUnderSiege event at the storied DC bookstore @politicsprose.bsky.social, featuring my co-author @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social & yours truly,
Thursday Oct 2: politics-prose.com/mann-hotez
advertisement for event
September 18, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
aau.edu
On September 15th, Business for Federal Research Funding, a coalition of chambers of commerce representing employers in 35 states, expressed their support for robust R&D funding for FY26. Read the letter:
researchfunding.org
September 16, 2025 at 7:00 PM
techiewonk.bsky.social
STARTS THURSDAY: Our course on “An Introduction to Technology Transfer and Commercialization” at Montgomery College, Rockville, MD with the option to attend remotely via Zoom. Thursdays from 6:30pm to 9pm Eastern through December 18. See www.montgomerycollege.edu/workforce-de...
Small Business and Entrepreneurship | Montgomery College, Maryland
www.montgomerycollege.edu
September 23, 2025 at 10:35 PM
techiewonk.bsky.social
I’ll be speaking tomorrow (9/23) at 9am EST at the DC campus of Arizona State U on a project by @rti.bsky.social to calculate the long-term impacts of technologies invented at NIH labs. See cspo.org/event/ntfa09... Register to attend in-person or online. #techtransfer #sciencepolicy
Rethinking the Outcomes of Biomedical Research - CSPO
cspo.org
September 23, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
stienid2025.bsky.social
The 29th Annual #STI2025 isn’t just great talks — it’s about community + fun too!

📍 Bristol, Sept 3–5:
🏃‍♀️ Morning harbour run
🎨 Banksy treasure hunt
🎲 ‘Publish & Perish’ game
🖼️ Poster bingo

Come for the research, stay for the people. Join us!
👉 stienid2025.org/registration-1
Registration | STI-ENID2025
stienid2025.org
July 10, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
neuromatch.bsky.social
We're gathering insights on how basic scientists think about public engagement, what barriers they face, & what kind of support would make it easier.

👉 Take a few minutes to share your thoughts before 3 Aug: airtable.com/appIOiMGYFhF...

#BasicScience #OpenScience #LabLife #AcademicChatter
July 17, 2025 at 7:09 AM
techiewonk.bsky.social
National Academy of Science President Marcia McNutt giving her 2nd annual address on the state of US science (probably not good)
Photo by of Dr Marcia McNutt addressing the National Academy of Sciences
June 3, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
abankston.bsky.social
The NSF GRFP was cut in half #nationwide and cancelled to @harvard.edu students, as the #agency seeks outside #funding and #program rebranding. This will severely harm the #STEM #workforce and their #science careers.

www.science.org/content/arti...

@researchamerica.bsky.social @fabbs.org
Will NSF’s flagship training program survive under Trump?
Despite 50 Nobelists and 75,000 alumni, NSF’s graduate research fellows could be a vanishing breed
www.science.org
May 29, 2025 at 10:55 PM
techiewonk.bsky.social
Important upcoming event on the real impacts of NSF funding cuts on the US workforce in strategic industries. #scipol #econdev
May 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
techiewonk.bsky.social
Worth a read (gift link). wapo.st/44x0Ig6
How a little-known Japanese American battalion freed Jews from a Nazi death march
They were Japanese American soldiers, part of a storied military unit that faced down prejudice and suspicion to fight Adolf Hitler’s armies in Europe.
wapo.st
May 10, 2025 at 3:57 AM
techiewonk.bsky.social
OK, in an effort to divert myself, this article got me wondering…how well does AI model what Herbert Simon called “satisficing”—how humans will compromise to get part of what they want when they can’t get all of what they want? www.science.org/content/arti...
AI predicted the next pope. Did it get it right?
Researchers use algorithms to study political factions within the Catholic Church
www.science.org
May 9, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
davidimiller.bsky.social
🧪 Ranking member Lofgren and 11 other House dems sent a fiery 7-page letter to acting NSF director today

"The cancelation of these awards suggests instead that NSF is willing to apply political censorship of awards under direction from President Trump and the DOGE teenagers"

Share widely #SaveNSF
democrats-science.house.gov
May 9, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
stanfordaaup.bsky.social
Another example of how federal-funded research is fundamental for innovation

publicusaresearchbenefits.com/examples/202...
GPS (Global Positioning System)
Department of Defense-funded research led to the Global Positioning System that powers how we map where we are on our phones
publicusaresearchbenefits.com
May 6, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
aaas.org
POTUS released a skinny FY 2026 budget, proposing to drastically cut funding for federal R&D across several agencies.

AAAS urges Congress to reject the budget and to reaffirm their long-standing bipartisan support for S&T investments. Read the full statement: www.aaas.org/news/preside...
A graphic with the AAAS logo and a quote from the AAAS CEO reading, "Make no mistake, if Congress enacts the President’s skinny budget, the consequences for the future of our nation will be catastrophic. The United States will no longer be in the global race for R&D leadership—we will have lost it...It is up to our federal lawmakers to reaffirm their long-standing bipartisan support for science and technology investment by rejecting this budget."
May 2, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
paleophile.bsky.social
Please share these NSF talking points! All are welcome to them!
May 3, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
jeanieeous.bsky.social
www.savensf.com
Website is now live! Please share!#SupportNSF #SaveNSF #ISupportNSF #ISupportScience
May 3, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
davidimiller.bsky.social
🚨🚨🚨🚨 NOT A FUCKING DRILL!!!

NSF just announced slashing its indirect rate down to 15%, using the same previous fuckery at NIH.

Applies to new awards made to institutions of higher education on or after May 5 or after.

Demand to talk with your rep about reversing these cuts!!
Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate
www.nsf.gov
May 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
ach.bsky.social
Join us Tomorrow, 4/30 at 11am est for an Information Exchange about the NEH Appeal Process. This event is hosted by the Association for Computers and the Humanities, the American Historical Association, & the Modern Language Association. Register and find more info at: buff.ly/bfVNUhR
Event: Information Exchange about the NEH Appeal Process
{metaDescription}
ach.org
April 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
jeremymberg.bsky.social
ATTENTION: NSF GRANT RECIPIENTS

We received a heads up from a trusted source that you should proactively download/print/screen shot any documentation on research.gov pertaining to your NSF awards, both those that are current and any that have closed in the last 5-6 years.

1/n
a cartoon of a man holding a frying pan and a spoon with red alert written above him
ALT: a cartoon of a man holding a frying pan and a spoon with red alert written above him
media.tenor.com
April 24, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
joshtpm.bsky.social
DOGE appears to have ordered a 50% cut in the budget of the National Science Foundation, leading its director, appointed by Trump in his first term, to resign. www.science.org/content/arti...
Exclusive: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
“I have done all I can,” says Sethuraman Panchanathan, a Trump appointee who has led agency since 2020
www.science.org
April 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
techiewonk.bsky.social
This will be a really interesting discussion and worth checking out! #scipol
issuesinst.bsky.social Issues in Science and Technology @issuesinst.bsky.social · Apr 22
Tomorrow: What IS Going On in Science Policy?

Join us online at 3 PM ET to discuss this era of destabilization—with @dkaushik.bsky.social, Jason Rittenberg, Caroline Wagner, Carrie Wolinetz, and moderator @mitchambrose.bsky.social. Register here: asu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
What IS Going On in Science Policy? An ISSUES event at 3 PM ET on Wednesday, April 23.
April 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
science-irl.bsky.social
I've been making a series of videos called "What the FUNDING" that highlight all the incredible science that federal funding supports. If DOGE just fcked up your NSF grant and you wanna collaborate on a video, lmk? I'm @science_irl on insta & TT

#scicomm 🧪 #nsf
April 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Reposted by Jeff Alexander
noamross.net
🚨Report your NSF grant terminations! 🚨

We are starting to collect information on NSF grant terminations to create a shared resource as we have for NIH. The more information we collect, the more we can organize, advocate, and fight back! Please share widely!

airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...
NSF Grant Termination Information Collection Form Please use this form to submit information identifying specific NSF grants that have been cancelled for any reason after January 20, 2025. We are tracking these grants to increase transparency, organize affected PIs, and facilitate responses, including via litigation. Please share the form as widely as possible with your networks. We are actively building a pipeline to organize these terminations and will soon have a tracker akin to our NIH grant tracker at https://airtable.com/appjhyo9NTvJLocRy/shrNto1NNp9eJlgpA WE WILL NOT DISCLOSE THE IDENTITY OF ANYONE WHO USES THIS FORM TO PROVIDE INFORMATION. We will keep your identity confidential. These resources are maintained by Noam Ross of rOpenSci and Scott Delaney of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with input and support from additional volunteers. For any questions, please contact Scott Delaney on Signal (sdelaney.84). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!
April 19, 2025 at 12:11 AM