Deadline to submit an abstract for the 3rd Biennial Conference of North American Forest Genetics Society (NAFGS) has been extended by one week! New deadline: March 9th
June 15th–19th, 2026 | Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
www.nafgs.org/conference2026
North American Forest Genetics Society #NAFGS26 🌲 🌳 🧬! Abstracts due Mar 1 | Travel Awards Mar 8 | Early Reg ends Mar 31 | Looking forward to welcoming you & our invited speakers in Québec City: @jillahamilton.bsky.social @cavenderg9.bsky.social @jeansebmoore.bsky.social @arthurouaknine.bsky.social
My grad student, who got RWR and appealed, got an email from GRFP program today that said "Your application was screened by NSF program officers with expertise in your proposed field of study and was determined to be ineligible according to the solicitation requirements."
No details were given. 😡
NSF GRFP applicants (and mentors): Was your application Returned Without Review and deemed ineligible despite fitting in the allowed topics?
1) Write NSF
2) Write your Congressperson
3) CC us at grfp@grant-witness.us so we can compile + follow up
Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter
Join us Feb 20–Apr 24 for a 10-week Introduction to R Workshop! 🔢 Learn data import, wrangling, visualization, functions, pipelines, and basic stats with R and the tidyverse. No prior experience needed.
🕐 Fridays, 1–2 PM EST
📍 UConn Storrs (room TBD)
💰 $600 ($500 UConn affiliates)
The American Naturalist classic cover
Special Feature: A new special issue explores genomic forecasting, a promising, but developing tool for conservation. The verdict: it's a useful approach, but its reliability often depends on the context.
Read now ahead of print!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
If you are a student whose NSF GRFP application was returned without review for vague 'eligibility' reasons:
1) Let your department chair & Graduate School know. Encourage them to contact NSF & congress
2) Write to your congressional reps.
3) Write to grfp@nsf.gov to request re-consideration;
Calling all @uconn.bsky.social undergrads! Integrated @uconnresearch.bsky.social training program for #biodiversity #genomics! Sum2026-Spr2027: Research how species respond to environmental change. Gain experience w/ #genetics & #bioinformatics: generate a reference genome for a threatened species
Biennial Conference of the North American Forest Genetics Society: Université Laval in Québec City, QC - June 15-19th!
Abstract submission & registration are open!
Deadline for abstract submission (posters & talks): March 1st
Early registration closes: March 31st
www.nafgs.org/conference2026
SCBNA strongly opposes the decision of the U.S. to withdraw from more than 60 international scientific, environmental, and cultural organizations.
Full statement: tinyurl.com/5n7s9wk8
Join us Sat night (Jan 10th) at #PAG33 for our #CartograPlant workshop: integration of genotype, phenotype, and environment for georeferenced plant populations @agbiodata.bsky.social @usdagov.bsky.social @uconnresearch.bsky.social Presentations by @meghanmyles.bsky.social & @brandonlind.bsky.social
Improve the accuracy and efficiency of the structural and functional #genome annotation! Learn more from lead developer, @cynthiawebster.bsky.social at the #EASEL and #EnTAP session at #PAG33 on Jan 11th! Demonstration + invited talks! @ebpgenome.bsky.social
Excited to host our @nanoporetech.com Org.one workshop: #Genomes for the #Conservation of Endangered Species at #PAG33 on Fri Jan 9th 10:30am! Join us for a set of biodiverse talks 🌳🦜 🐸 🧬 @uconnresearch.bsky.social @ebpgenome.bsky.social @vertebrategenomes.bsky.social
#PAG33 marathon! Trees 🌲🌳: MichelleNeitzey, @vuruputoor.bsky.social, EmilyLesinski, @cynthiawebster.bsky.social, KristianaStover
CartograPlant📍: @brandonlind.bsky.social @meghanmyles.bsky.social Pangenomes 🧬: @airianna-mcguire.bsky.social Deep-sea inverts: SamiraObbu
Birds & parasites: RuiwenLin
North American Forest Genetics Society (NAFGS) 2026 Conference | June 15–19, Quebec City 🇨🇦
Abstracts open now (deadline March 13) | Registration opens Jan 26th
Theme: Connecting Research Across Scales & Disciplines for Evolutionary Potential & Forest Resilience 🌳 🌲
www.nafgs.org/conference2026
Cancer research costs too much but we have the money to run Venezuela
DOGE did NOT yield savings, but DID harm vulnerable people around the world
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
a promo image showing various pages from the book, each page showcasing different animals like an opabinia, a leaf insect, close up of a starfish, and so on. the art featured shows a range of different medium, including digital, pixel art, ceramic, fursuit, post it, and so on.
We present: The Art of #InverteFest - December 2025 Edition
A digital art book showcasing the work of 100 artists from around the world, in celebration of overlooked invertebrate fauna.
Thank you to the artists who contributed to our book!
Download: drive.google.com/file/d/1JCXz...
#Art #SciArt
Virtual workshop on #genomics analysis for #RADSeq - spaces available Jan 13-16th! Live instruction by @noahreid.bsky.social Learn #NGS read QC, #variant detection, and data analysis via common #bioinformatic tools - #Stacks #Freebayes @uconnresearch.bsky.social @cbcuconn.bsky.social
Virtual workshop on #genomics analysis for #RadSeq - spaces available still for next week - Dec 16-18th! Live instruction by @noahreid.bsky.social Learn QC through data analysis using common #bioinformatic tools - #Stacks #Freebayes @uconnresearch.bsky.social @cbcuconn.bsky.social
Excellent news:
🦣🧬🦣🤯💥We are pleased to share our new paper about ancient RNA expression profiles from the Woolly Mammoth, now published in Cell @cellpress.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
If you want to know more, read the 🧵 below:
Developing #genomic resources for species of #conservation concern? Submit an abstract for the upcoming #PAG33 conference! @ebpgenome.bsky.social @sangerinstitute.bsky.social @vertebrategenomes.bsky.social @jgi.doe.gov @alliancegenome.bsky.social @genomecanada.ca @canadianbiogenome.bsky.social
Well done!!! Getting the attention it deserves (finally...)
No Kings protest at the State Capital, Hartford, CT
We are seeking speakers for #pag33 hosted in San Diego: Jan 9th at 10:30am. Talk to us about your current/planned efforts to develop genomic resources for threatened/endangered species! @ebpgenome.bsky.social - hosted by @uconneeb.bsky.social @nanoporetech.com Abstracts by Oct 27th! 🧬 🦜 🌱 🐛 🐢
Map: Governors Public Health Alliance * Guam is also a member of the alliance Updated October 15, 2025 Map: @luckytran • Created with Datawrapper
15 US states and territories have formed a new Public Health Alliance, which will counter the absence of federal leadership by tracking outbreaks, issuing guidance, buying vaccines and more.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
Explore more here!
🔗 cartograplant.org 9/9 @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social @meghanmyles.bsky.social
The GRFP lives!! (due end of October)
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
My new @science.org editorial on the role of scientists in defending democracy is out today. As authoritarianism takes hold in the US, we must fight for the democratic principles that enable a free society and scientists have a key role. I hope you'll join us.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
