Are you an early career biologist seeking a position (Masters up to faculty)? I have talked to so many people who feel alone, like they don't have resources, or who are seeking community during this difficult time in the job market. I created a Discord community to help. discord.gg/nmktHJhUPH

Sof Fox standing in front of a poster titled “Quantifying genomic responses of Pacific oysters to a harmful algal bloom event”

#AMSS2026 Poster session ✅
I had a great time talking about my research last week at the 2026 Alaska Marine Science Symposium!

Sof Fox giving an oral presentation standing at a CERF 2025 podium Photo credit: Hilary Neckles

Group photo of the 2025 Rising TIDES scholars Photo credit: José R. Vázquez

Sof Fox standing in front of presentation title slide “Understanding Stress Responses in Cultivated Pacific Oysters in Alaska” Photo credit: Jennifer Zhu

Last month I attended the @cerfscience.bsky.social conference and gave my first oral presentation! I’m so grateful to be a 2025 Rising TIDES scholar and be part of such an amazing program and community. Many thanks to everyone who made my first CERF conference a great one!

I’m excited and very grateful to be in Richmond for #CERF2025 as a Riding TIDES scholar! I’ll be giving a talk Monday at 1:15pm in the Eco-evolutionary dynamics in coastal ecosystems under global change session. Feel free to reach out if you’re here, I’d love to connect!

Beakers inside water tables for a lab experiment

Sof smiling and giving a thumbs up with experimental set up

Oysters inside beakers showing experimental setup

Lab trials have been running for the last week! Excited to do my final sampling next week and then get to processing all of my samples 🦪

Protesters fill the plaza at Juneau’s Overstreet Park for the local edition of the No Kings rally.

Protesters fill the plaza at Juneau’s Overstreet Park for the local edition of the No Kings rally.

A protest sign, decorated with a fish, says “king salmon only … oops we defunded NOAA”

Protesters fill the plaza at Juneau’s Overstreet Park for the local edition of the No Kings rally.

Between 1,500 and 2,000 people attended Juneau, Alaska’s #NoKings rally today under clear skies. That’s based on a series of clickers used by organizers. There were 6-10 silent counterprotesters on the bridge above.

A powerful ocean scene shows waves crashing against a row of buildings under a dark, stormy sky. Overlaid in bold white text: “How much would you pay to protect your coast?”

A square graphic with an aerial view of swirling ocean currents in teal and blue. Bold white text reads: “Only $21/year from the average taxpayer helps fund NOAA.”

A square infographic with a dark stormy ocean background. The white header text reads: “Your $21 funds these essential services.” Below are six dark blue boxes, each with a white icon and label: 1. Coastal Mapping – Detailed charts of shorelines, navigation hazards, and more 2. Weather Monitoring – Vital data for tracking storms, extreme heat, and drought 3. Marine Resource Management – Conservation of ocean life and sustainable fisheries 4. Coastal Resilience – Infrastructure that withstands storms and rising seas 5. Storm Research – Studies of severe weather patterns and impacts The graphic uses clean lines, oceanic tones, and emphasizes the small taxpayer cost for these vital environmental services.

Last one for Tax Day – NOAA 🌊

The average U.S. taxpayer contributes $21/year to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

💡 NOAA turns science into safety — for coasts, communities, & the climate. It helps safeguard lives, property, and ecosystems from rising seas and extreme weather.

Sof standing in front of a research poster titled “Evolutionary Underpinnings of Stress Responses in Pacific Oysters”

Great first day at #AMSS2025 and first poster session of grad school!

It was so great to meet you, thank you for a wonderful workshop!

Thanks Kai for the feature! Make sure to check out the other cool trans scientists he’s featuring for #TransAwarenessWeek

Mine disappeared after a day! I think it’s just a glitch

Check out this post written by wonderful friend and fellow trans scientist and happy trans awareness week!

Sof giving two thumbs up, kneeling on a floating dock

Hi everyone! I’m Sof (they/them) and I’m a MS Fisheries student at UAF! My project uses transcriptomics to look at responses to environmental stressors in farmed Pacific oysters here in Alaska :)

I thought I’d reintroduce myself since I’ve gained some new followers and am trying to post more! 🦪🦑

Thank you for including me! So cool to see all these early career researchers

Many of the (great) starter packs focus on faculty in different fields. In an effort to help #EarlyCareerResearchers in #marine biology, ecology, evolution, & related fields (re-)connect, here is a list of ECRs. Please give them a follow (and reply to be added or suggest people). go.bsky.app/KhWvT4u

Football is an incredibly hard sport for most squid to play, owing to the size and buoyancy differential between the ball and the squid.

Thankfully, flying squid species are able to leave the water, making football a feasible activity.

‘They’re inherently charismatic’: the amateur sleuths hooked on sea slugs More and more enthusiasts have fallen in love with this relative of garden dwellers, and are helping ocean science while they’re at it

So excited to share my Guardian story about stunning sea slugs and the amazing people who find them.

Earlier this year I went diving in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland with Libby Keatley searching for nudibranchs and we found SO MANY!

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thanks!

It is not! Currently looking like at least 3 nudibranchs and 3 sponges

I’d love to be added :) Thanks!

Sof stands next to a research poster titled “One Nudibranch One Sponge? Using Genetic Barcoding to Analyze the Rostanga pulchra Species Complex and Prey Differentiation”

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to present my research at the State of the Coast conference in Newport, OR last week! My poster covered preliminary findings from my undergraduate thesis research under Dr. Richard Emlet at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.

Thank you!

Rostanga pulchra sea slug in a glass bowl, magnified under a microscope

Rostanga pulchra sea slug in a glass bowl

Happy sea slug day! Here are some of the little guys from my research to celebrate :)

Just arrived in Portland for SACNAS #2023NDiSTEM! I’m looking forward to meeting people and learning, feel free to reach out if you’re here too!

Sof stands in a tidepool, holding a small sea star and notebook

Hi bluesky! My name is Sof, and I’m a marine biology undergrad at UO. I’m currently working on a thesis on the Rostanga pulchra nudibranch, and spent the summer doing marine reserves science communication. I’m so excited to connect with people here and see all the cool science that’s happening!