🧪 #PlantScience Ted Cruz posted a list of "woke DEI" NSF grants, which included many REU programs. REU = Research Experience for Undergraduates. A 🧵 thread of sadness: www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/2/cruz-... - ThreadSky

ehaswell.bsky.social • 37 days ago

🧪 #PlantScience Ted Cruz posted a list of "woke DEI" NSF grants, which included many REU programs. REU = Research Experience for Undergraduates.

A 🧵 thread of sadness:

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/2/cruz-led-investigation-uncovers-2-billion-in-woke-dei-grants-at-nsf-releases-full-database

Comments

elenabrayspeth.bsky.social•37 days ago

A brief analysis of the text accompanying this “database of wokeness” shows a word soup with absolutely no substance. There’s no real argument, just arbitrary criteria and handpicked flag words. 😖❤️‍🩹

ehaswell.bsky.social•37 days ago

There's no good faith argument or engagement with the actual work. I guess the assumption is that it doesn't really matter--and for his constituents, it doesn't seem to.

ncjen.bsky.social•37 days ago

this story or “press release” is posted on a government site? this is just bizarre!

grandsassy.bsky.social•37 days ago

He's such an ass. I'll see if 5 Calls app has that as an action item and call him on it.

lreiser.bsky.social•37 days ago

So many post doc awardees on this list…

ehaswell.bsky.social•37 days ago

I'm sad because these programs provide a opportunity for undergraduates to get the kind of experience & training they can't get at smaller schools, or because financially they can't do research for credit. It is small programs like this that try to make scientific careers accessible to everyone.

ehaswell.bsky.social•37 days ago

I'm sad that "woke" now means reaching out to bring in anyone who wants to be a scientist.

ehaswell.bsky.social•37 days ago

I'm sad to see plant biology on this list so often. NSF is one of a few agencies that funds basic plant research. I can only assume that basic plant biology will shrink in the US; so will the many agritech companies that only flourish when they can spin off new ideas from basic research institutes.

ehaswell.bsky.social•37 days ago

I'm sad that the mandate Congress gave NSF decades ago to expand the scientific workforce in this country is being turned back on people and programs who have passion for education and training.

ehaswell.bsky.social•37 days ago

I'm just sad.

alizeemalnoe.bsky.social•37 days ago

🫂

swirlosquirrel.bsky.social•37 days ago

Yeah, ditto. It’s right to grieve for the needless waste of it all.

The human race will lose so much ground even just having to rebuild back from their mindless destruction.

As a species, we have to break that repeat cycle too.

Asteroids ain’t nuthin.

We’re often our own worst enemies.

swirlosquirrel.bsky.social•37 days ago

I would encourage researchers to (somehow) reach out to redneck farmers, and get on the same page with them that your livelihoods and the health of the natural world are both being threatened by the same people. Any way to break the mental logjam.

swirlosquirrel.bsky.social•37 days ago

I think in this case, it’s because by definition, plant “diversity” is a good thing (monoculture being so much less nutrient rich, etc), and these unscientific nitwits honestly can’t distinguish between that, & their weirdo gender & race obsessions.

These are not smart people we’re contending with.

timanatorp.bsky.social•37 days ago

If this nightmare even ends, and progressives regain power, I don't want us to get along, I don't want reconciliation, I want everyone MAGA out of all government jobs, from dog catcher to general.

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