Figure showing number of competitive grants mentioning women from 2015-2025. The number was rising until recently, with a precipitous drop in the last year.

At the end of 2024, the National Academies put out a report concluding the NIH has woefully underfunded women’s health research, and they suggested $15 B should be invested over the next 5 years.

Here’s what’s happened instead. Hard to study women’s health if you can’t say “women.”

wapo.st/4euUt1c

Washington Post article on STEM cuts at federal agencies. NSF tops it at -42%!

“Between January 2025 and February 2026, STEM and health employees at science-focused agencies saw nearly 15,000 jobs cut. The rate outpaced cuts among other federal workers.”

OPM data - Figure from Wash Post article 19 April. (Where US science has been hit hardest.)

NSF at -42%!

and, then:
- dinner conversation about the evolution of photosynthesis on earth, endosymbiosis which created eukaryotes, if oxygen is toxic, if oxygen was necessary for the evolution of eukaryotes, what is the bias in thinking that what is now common is what has always been 'normal' on Earth? Fun.

photo of Spirogyra green algae () - microscope photo of a filament of a green algae, each cell has a spirally shaped long chloroplast along its inner wall. [Photo L Struwe, no AI use allowed] [photo is for interest, not related directly to post, yet]

Today's got-it-done-list:
- Dug up lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) in the garden (only 8 spots; #invasive)
- Discussed Wonderful Life by Stephen Jay Gould and #evolutionary misconceptions in book club
- Introduced a graduating art student to #naturejournaling @johnmuirlaws.com
- sunset photo

I know, very impressive breadth in scientific knowledge.

Arrived here too, looking forward to read it.

Hmmm - monthly house cleaner, a gardener assistant, subscription to local flower bouquet service, and someone to carry in grocery bags from the car. And someone to fasten all loose ends in my knitting projects. A chef to make me steak au poivre sometimes. And a secretary/admin for work. Dreaming…

They ought to have included bald eagle and wild turkey on the list. Maybe loon and bluebirds too. Yes, birds are dinosaurs- so make it a teaching moment too :)

iNatting - going outdoors to report species you see on the iNaturalist app

iNatter - a user on iNaturalist

pencil miles - the practice of sketching and writing (etc.) in nature journaling, to improve your skills

100% handmade. I ate the fruit afterwards.

Nature journaling page with sketches, text and numbers describing the opening and eating of a passionfruit in Costa Rica. Lena Struwe 2026

A nature journaling page I made in Costa Rica - plant morphology, ethnobotany,, #SciArt, sketching and observation. #passiflora #eating #fruit

Yes, it is true.

To my non tech normies, PSA: when you share a link, everything after the ? is tracking. Those “query parameters” tell companies exactly how you arrived, what app you clicked, which ad or email sent you, sometimes a unique identifier tied to you. You can delete everything after the question mark.

Marginalized scholars often face more barriers to getting their work cited quickly. Prioritizing older, high-quality work helps ensure their contributions aren't buried by the sheer volume of high-velocity, high-click-rate publishing. Beat the algorithm, look for papers >5 yrs old. #academichatter

Then please provide a location and source. I agree that these species do not flower at the same time, not even in a garden setting.

My comments are largely about the title of the podcast: "‪How procrastination can rob you of career fulfilment in science
Putting off an important task in a long to-do list might be because you fear failure. Or maybe it is success that scares you?"
I think NEITHER - it isn't because we are afraid.

I mean, is it procrastination if you simply do not have time to do it? I do not know any active scientists right now in the US who is not stressed out to max, we are trying to do good science with less (or no) funding, and we are perpetually stressed from a multitude of reasons.

Maybe we are not so much procrastinating, but mostly incredibly tired from a never-ending to-do-list with tasks where we have to be IT, admin, teacher, scientist, handywoman, fundraiser, PR person, and homemade therapist all at once, every day? + the world news cause stress privately+professionally?

I wish science could explain what’s happening.

“Acts or threats of violence the primary purpose of which is to spread terror among the civilian population are prohibited.”

Geneva Convention Additional Protocol I
and
Department of Defense Law of War Manual, § 5.2.2

I did. It is easy and important. Do it, please.

I feel so similarly. Working on a research project on weeds this morning, the cherry trees are flowering gorgeously, calling congress to tell them to do something anything everything, reading news incessantly, and feelings of fears and joy all mixed together. Thank you for all you do.

This is really worth supporting! (I did, and so can you if you have some extra dollars, if not, that is fine). ‪@sarahmackattack.bsky.social is doing great work for biodiversity, education, and society...

But I see a yellow-rumped warbler in your list? I love Merlin as a discovery and learning tool too!

Lots and lots about great reading advice here...

Thank you!, I just downloaded it from JSTOR.

This is great reading and thinking, and valuable for both old and new people in any science field (and beyond)

Even transcription of printed data needs to have a human eye. Especially on labels with localities and names in non-English languages, so much may be lost in 'LLM-translation'. I tested several LLMS's on printed materials in Swedish with Swedish last names, oh boy. So AI help, but with oversight.

I see how LLMS/AI can help with sorting data, transcribing some information, but we are working with 3D organisms that have been dried and flattened/pickled/stuffed in various positions and situations, and the interpretation of them is always tricky. #museum #SPNHC #herbaria

And you describe it, and the world is a richer place when it comes to biological knowledge. I do not see how AI can replace that even if it is good at recognizing patterns that do not fit in. What isn't described as a new species might be included in the variation of the existing species. #species