@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

NicoleCRust

@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social

Professor (UPenn). Brain researcher. Author (nonfiction). Advocate for community based progress & collective intelligence.

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NicoleCRust, to writing
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

First book revisions. Tips?

(Academic press) book pre-publication reviews are back. Really positive. YES!!!!!!!!!!!! ๐ŸŽ‰โ€‹๐ŸŽ‰โ€‹๐ŸŽ‰โ€‹.

So now I'm moving onto final revisions. It feels good to slip back into that headspace again.

My big question for anyone who has sent a book off to the world: What was your strategy for those last steps? There's addressing the feedback, of course. But after that? It will never been perfect. But it has to be great. How do you know when to let it go?

jonny, (edited ) to random
@jonny@neuromatch.social avatar

Students for divestment at have taken a building and riot cops are staging

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/pro-palestinian-protesters-occupy-building-at-u-c-irvine/

edit: unclear whether riot cops have live ammo or just rubber bullets

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@jonny
Not you, right?!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@jonny
Hugs to everyone at Irvine. + whew.

NicoleCRust, to science
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

When should one call themselves an X researcher?

There are so many different types of researchers. Weather researchers, climate researchers, brain researchers. And within those categories, the nuances (like memory researchers).

When someone says they are an X researcher, what does that imply to you? In other words, what qualifies? Does it just imply that they are curious about X? Or perhaps that they know a bit more about it - perhaps they've mastered some scholarly literature or they've done at least one experiment? Or maybe even published a paper in a peer reviewed journal? Or maybe even more - perhaps they have a body of work on the topic; maybe they even run a lab (and have grants to support X research).

On one hand, no one should gate keep curiosity! On the other, certain terms imply knowledge and qualifications. I'm a "researcher". But just because I know a lot about memory doesn't automatically mean that people should listen to me about climate or economics. And I once read a very good book about ecosystems, but I don't think that means I should quality as an ecosystem researcher. So what, then, might instead?

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@analog_ashley
Great point! The field has built things up to require some bravado to declare "Yes, I'm computational". What qualifies? Is y=mx+b enough? Does x need to be a vector? Or do you need to be able to define what a "Jacobian" is?

Some of my best computational insights have been of the form: if you and and subtract and apply a threshold, then ....

NicoleCRust,
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@amras
Great points!

APBBlue, to random
@APBBlue@zirk.us avatar

I think I'm going to need reading glasses soon. ::squints::

NicoleCRust, (edited )
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@APBBlue
Solidarity. My sense there is that some of us are open to reading glasses when 14 pt font menus are a normal distance from our face whereas others of us wonโ€™t give in if thereโ€™s any arm length distance we can still read a menu. If you look around at a restaurant, the more sensible among us have glasses on. The less sensible โ€ฆ (just look; itโ€™s amusing!)

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@APBBlue
Manifestion is the key!

jonny, to random
@jonny@neuromatch.social avatar

Just got chased out of a lab by a PI while doing a Union walkthrough. I feel bad for people in labs like that man, for your boss to be so tightly hovering over you and actively hostile to your rights as a worker must suck a lot.

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@jonny
โค๏ธโ€‹

NicoleCRust, to random
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

On making the anticipation bifurcation collapse ...

At the final stages of pulling together a big proposal where I'm really sticking my neck out, I feel like I'm torn between two states: I can be nervous about woulda-shoulda-coulda, or I can be really happy with the delta from start to finish.

After musing for a good while on the first (Did I do everything I possibly could, given what I know?), I'm going to opt for the latter.

While it feels a bit dangerous to be hopeful and excited, I'll say it: I'M EXCITED!!!

And instead of being superstitious, I'm opting to invite the universe to join in. Hey universe: working together could be fun. Want to collaborate?!

neuralreckoning, to random
@neuralreckoning@neuromatch.social avatar

Three grant rejections in one week. Sigh.

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@neuralreckoning
Itโ€™s rough when they pile up like that. Empathy and solidarity!

NicoleCRust, to random
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

Many know about amyloid, the gene APP and its relationship to Alzheimer's. But how many know the backstory? It all began with a letter from Carol Jennings to John Hardy .... Wonderful tribute and retelling here in @thetransmitter.

Much gratitude, Carol Jennings. RIP.

https://www.thetransmitter.org/alzheimers-disease/carol-jennings-whose-familys-genetics-informed-amyloid-cascade-hypothesis-dies-at-70/

NicoleCRust,
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@barrygoldman1 @thetransmitter

Carol's family is among those with a type of rare genetic mutation that, if inherited, determines that an individual will develop Alzheimer's with near certainty. This is only true for ~1% of all individuals with Alzheimer's (more here: https://dian.wustl.edu/). For this group, there is very little question about the science. But tragically, we still don't have a cure for them.

But what I expect you are hinting at is also true: for the 99% of other individuals with Alzheimer's, what triggers it, and the role that amyloid plays in that, is a lot less clear. In some of those individuals, genetics leads to higher risk. For others, no genetic links have been found.

NicoleCRust, to random
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

Summer reading recs?!

Iโ€™m looking to compile a big pile of IRL books for summer beach reading.

Big fan of scifi, specfic, murder mysteries. Strong female characters = bonus points. Canโ€™t deal with darkness. Nothing high brow or tedious. Nonfiction lover but that list is already bursting at the seams.

I also love long series - 3 body problem, wheel of time, foundation โ€ฆ those waves all have good memories attached.

If that brings anything to mind, please send the rec!!

NicoleCRust,
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@theta_max
Excellent - added to the list. Thank you!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@D3Reo
@gregeganSF. Big fan here of Egan's books. I haven't read this set yet; thank you!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@adardis
A rare one from this list that I've read. I agree; great rec - thank you!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@jwc
Thanks!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@adardis
Didn't know these. Excellent!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@csgordon
Looks really great. On it's way. Thanks!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@dcm
That's a rare combo. Thank you! I'll check it out.

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@kimhoar
thanks!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@cmaclell @dcm
Sounds delightful; thank you.

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@zeh
Super - thank you!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@axoaxonic
Oh wow - I'll definitely check those out. Thanks!

NicoleCRust,
@NicoleCRust@neuromatch.social avatar

@olena
Thank you!

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