Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
@catferna.bsky.social
Assistant Professor in Anthropology at Florida Atlantic University. I study food, nutrition and health from a biocultural and evolutionary perspective.
Views expressed are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.
Views expressed are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.
Pinned
doi.org
New in the saga of our causal model of human growth 🚼🧬📈at AJBA: can we reconstruct growth trajectories when kids’ ages are uncertain & all we have is cross-sectional data? Turns out, YES! 🎉 Accurate estimates, with exciting (?!) implications for bioarchaeology and beyond.
doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70358
doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70358
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
New in the saga of our causal model of human growth 🚼🧬📈at AJBA: can we reconstruct growth trajectories when kids’ ages are uncertain & all we have is cross-sectional data? Turns out, YES! 🎉 Accurate estimates, with exciting (?!) implications for bioarchaeology and beyond.
doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70358
doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70358
doi.org
September 22, 2026 at 2:05 PM
New in the saga of our causal model of human growth 🚼🧬📈at AJBA: can we reconstruct growth trajectories when kids’ ages are uncertain & all we have is cross-sectional data? Turns out, YES! 🎉 Accurate estimates, with exciting (?!) implications for bioarchaeology and beyond.
doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70358
doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70358
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
The latest from the lab! What we can learn about urbanization from gut microbes from diverse communities around South Asia: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
July 28, 2026 at 6:07 PM
The latest from the lab! What we can learn about urbanization from gut microbes from diverse communities around South Asia: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
Microplastics: research and commentary
I've been collecting items on microplastics, for which research is finding increasing evidence for harm to human and environmental health. Here are some relatively recent examples of what's out there on this topic. Should we be worried about microplastics? …
I've been collecting items on microplastics, for which research is finding increasing evidence for harm to human and environmental health. Here are some relatively recent examples of what's out there on this topic. Should we be worried about microplastics? …
Microplastics: research and commentary
I've been collecting items on microplastics, for which research is finding increasing evidence for harm to human and environmental health. Here are some relatively recent examples of what's out there on this topic. Should we be worried about microplastics? How big a problem are microplastics? The first global study of its kind quantifies the problem in the food and drink industry...
www.foodpolitics.com
July 9, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Microplastics: research and commentary
I've been collecting items on microplastics, for which research is finding increasing evidence for harm to human and environmental health. Here are some relatively recent examples of what's out there on this topic. Should we be worried about microplastics? …
I've been collecting items on microplastics, for which research is finding increasing evidence for harm to human and environmental health. Here are some relatively recent examples of what's out there on this topic. Should we be worried about microplastics? …
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
Cool, so NSF is now going to be used to essentially launder money to tech bros because universities are just too cumbersome and disciplinary oversight and regulations and accountability are all just too stifling for innovation.
$1.5B for “X-Labs.”
$1.5B for “X-Labs.”
NSF X-Labs
NSF's mission is to advance the progress of science, a mission accomplished by funding proposals for research and education made by scientists, engineers, and educators from across the country.
www.nsf.gov
May 14, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Cool, so NSF is now going to be used to essentially launder money to tech bros because universities are just too cumbersome and disciplinary oversight and regulations and accountability are all just too stifling for innovation.
$1.5B for “X-Labs.”
$1.5B for “X-Labs.”
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
“No educator would require students to smoke cigarettes to learn about nicotine’s ill effects on their health…If the medium is the message, then using generative AI in a course on climate change or sustainability might end up teaching the wrong lesson.”
—Debra J. Rosenthal
—Debra J. Rosenthal
May 12, 2026 at 2:08 PM
“No educator would require students to smoke cigarettes to learn about nicotine’s ill effects on their health…If the medium is the message, then using generative AI in a course on climate change or sustainability might end up teaching the wrong lesson.”
—Debra J. Rosenthal
—Debra J. Rosenthal
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
We are recruiting for a PhD student who will be studying jointly between Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and University of St Andrews, More information are attached.
@phrg-standrews.bsky.social
@cpc-cg.bsky.social
@bspsuk.bsky.social
@phrg-standrews.bsky.social
@cpc-cg.bsky.social
@bspsuk.bsky.social
May 10, 2026 at 5:34 PM
We are recruiting for a PhD student who will be studying jointly between Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and University of St Andrews, More information are attached.
@phrg-standrews.bsky.social
@cpc-cg.bsky.social
@bspsuk.bsky.social
@phrg-standrews.bsky.social
@cpc-cg.bsky.social
@bspsuk.bsky.social
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
The Shuar Health & Life History Project Special Issue (Edited by Sam Urlacher @ssurlacher.bsky.social, Theresa Gildner, & Larry Sugiyama) is complete! This important SI features 11 papers highlighting 20+ years of research with the Indigenous Shuar of Ecuador. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1...
Shuar Health and Life History Project: American Journal of Human Biology
The American Journal of Human Biology publishes reports of original research, theoretical articles and timely reviews, and brief communications in human biology.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
May 8, 2026 at 4:12 PM
The Shuar Health & Life History Project Special Issue (Edited by Sam Urlacher @ssurlacher.bsky.social, Theresa Gildner, & Larry Sugiyama) is complete! This important SI features 11 papers highlighting 20+ years of research with the Indigenous Shuar of Ecuador. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1...
Full cringe here but also proud of the work that we have done with my colleagues, John Bunce and Caissa Revilla-Minaya now at @amnh.org
#childgrowth #anthropology #bioanth #antropologia #growhtmodel #FAU
#childgrowth #anthropology #bioanth #antropologia #growhtmodel #FAU
May 4, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Full cringe here but also proud of the work that we have done with my colleagues, John Bunce and Caissa Revilla-Minaya now at @amnh.org
#childgrowth #anthropology #bioanth #antropologia #growhtmodel #FAU
#childgrowth #anthropology #bioanth #antropologia #growhtmodel #FAU
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
The largest and most diverse collection of Indigenous American genomes 👉🏻 “The evolutionary history and unique genetic diversity of Indigenous Americans”
@macscastro.bsky.social @hunemeier.bsky.social @chiarabarbieri.bsky.social @jrockdrigo.bsky.social
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@macscastro.bsky.social @hunemeier.bsky.social @chiarabarbieri.bsky.social @jrockdrigo.bsky.social
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
April 22, 2026 at 7:03 PM
The largest and most diverse collection of Indigenous American genomes 👉🏻 “The evolutionary history and unique genetic diversity of Indigenous Americans”
@macscastro.bsky.social @hunemeier.bsky.social @chiarabarbieri.bsky.social @jrockdrigo.bsky.social
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@macscastro.bsky.social @hunemeier.bsky.social @chiarabarbieri.bsky.social @jrockdrigo.bsky.social
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
A reminder, on the day following another mass shooting: it's a gun problem, and it's a masculinity problem.
Framing instances of gun violence largely as a domestic issue or a mental health issue ignores these glaring truths. wapo.st/3QQEH6Y
Framing instances of gun violence largely as a domestic issue or a mental health issue ignores these glaring truths. wapo.st/3QQEH6Y
April 20, 2026 at 2:49 PM
A reminder, on the day following another mass shooting: it's a gun problem, and it's a masculinity problem.
Framing instances of gun violence largely as a domestic issue or a mental health issue ignores these glaring truths. wapo.st/3QQEH6Y
Framing instances of gun violence largely as a domestic issue or a mental health issue ignores these glaring truths. wapo.st/3QQEH6Y
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
It was a pleasure to join my co-author of Food Intelligence @juliabelluz.bsky.social as a guest on the #AmericanDish podcast hosted by food policy journalist @hbottemiller.bsky.social
youtu.be/flBGxRoKXvc?...
youtu.be/flBGxRoKXvc?...
What we still don't know about ultra-processed foods with Julia Belluz & Kevin Hall
YouTube video by American Dish
youtu.be
March 19, 2026 at 12:48 AM
It was a pleasure to join my co-author of Food Intelligence @juliabelluz.bsky.social as a guest on the #AmericanDish podcast hosted by food policy journalist @hbottemiller.bsky.social
youtu.be/flBGxRoKXvc?...
youtu.be/flBGxRoKXvc?...
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
🚨 4-year PhD 🚨
Study how disgust 🤢 shapes food avoidance 🙅 & immune responses 🩸 through VR 🎮 + lab exp + psychophysiology
with @csarabian.bsky.social, Marie Charpentier (@mandrillusproject.bsky.social) & me
⏳ Oct 2026 | ⚠️ Deadline May 20
📍 Univ Montpellier 🇫🇷
--> euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/422430
Study how disgust 🤢 shapes food avoidance 🙅 & immune responses 🩸 through VR 🎮 + lab exp + psychophysiology
with @csarabian.bsky.social, Marie Charpentier (@mandrillusproject.bsky.social) & me
⏳ Oct 2026 | ⚠️ Deadline May 20
📍 Univ Montpellier 🇫🇷
--> euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/422430
PhD for Thesis No. 2 of the SENS-ALIM Nexus: ‘Between disgust and immunity: Avoidance strategies and vulnerability to risks associated with foodborne pathogens’
- work environment: Humans are constantly exposed to pathogens in their environment. In addition to physiological immunity, a behavioural immune system enables the detection of risks and helps to avoi...
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
March 31, 2026 at 7:20 PM
🚨 4-year PhD 🚨
Study how disgust 🤢 shapes food avoidance 🙅 & immune responses 🩸 through VR 🎮 + lab exp + psychophysiology
with @csarabian.bsky.social, Marie Charpentier (@mandrillusproject.bsky.social) & me
⏳ Oct 2026 | ⚠️ Deadline May 20
📍 Univ Montpellier 🇫🇷
--> euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/422430
Study how disgust 🤢 shapes food avoidance 🙅 & immune responses 🩸 through VR 🎮 + lab exp + psychophysiology
with @csarabian.bsky.social, Marie Charpentier (@mandrillusproject.bsky.social) & me
⏳ Oct 2026 | ⚠️ Deadline May 20
📍 Univ Montpellier 🇫🇷
--> euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/422430
"The team’s analyses revealed that, eight years after the arrival of their first child, women were 29% less likely to be employed at a university than if they had not become mothers" www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Motherhood derails women’s academic careers — these data reveal how and why
Mothers in academia take on considerably more childcare-related responsibilities than do fathers.
www.nature.com
March 30, 2026 at 5:26 PM
"The team’s analyses revealed that, eight years after the arrival of their first child, women were 29% less likely to be employed at a university than if they had not become mothers" www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
The evidence is overwhelming - COVID vaccines #ProtectYouBoth!! True then, true now - equitable, community centered outreach makes a difference in helping pregnant & lactating folks get vaccinated.
A 3-year study published in Pediatrics examined newborns in Norway. It found a clear benefit for the baby when mom gets a COVID vaccination during pregnancy. n.pr/4uXOx6X
Yep, a mom's COVID shot during pregnancy protects her baby, a large study finds
A 3-year study published in Pediatrics examined newborns in Norway. It found a clear benefit for the baby when mom gets a COVID vaccination during pregnancy.
n.pr
March 25, 2026 at 1:27 PM
The evidence is overwhelming - COVID vaccines #ProtectYouBoth!! True then, true now - equitable, community centered outreach makes a difference in helping pregnant & lactating folks get vaccinated.
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
New research lead by @marcela-pfaff-nash.bsky.social shows children living in low-resource, rural settings experience intestinal challenges that can persist well beyond early childhood, highlighting the role of globally varying intestinal function for childhood health and development.
Impaired Intestinal Function Among Indigenous Shuar Children of Amazonian Ecuador: Evidence From Lactulose:Mannitol Tests of Absorption and Permeability
Objectives Intestinal function is an important but often overlooked aspect of human biological variation, with the intestines serving as both a barrier against external pathogens/contaminants and th...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 20, 2026 at 5:42 PM
New research lead by @marcela-pfaff-nash.bsky.social shows children living in low-resource, rural settings experience intestinal challenges that can persist well beyond early childhood, highlighting the role of globally varying intestinal function for childhood health and development.
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
Of course this administration, which loves to talk a big game on "health," is trying to protect a pesticide company from legal accountability.
Trump Administration Affirms Support for Bayer in Glyphosate Case
Make America Healthy Again supporters plan to rally against the proposal when Supreme Court justices hear the case in Ap
civileats.com
March 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Of course this administration, which loves to talk a big game on "health," is trying to protect a pesticide company from legal accountability.
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
How to explain glyphosate hypocrisy? Bayer’s lobbying and revolving door
Here's one place where the MAHA and Food Justice movements agree: on glyphosate. Here is a post from thefoodbabe (@Vani Hari): LOBBYING This refers to U.S. Right to Know's Bayer lobby tracker. Federal disclosures show Bayer…
Here's one place where the MAHA and Food Justice movements agree: on glyphosate. Here is a post from thefoodbabe (@Vani Hari): LOBBYING This refers to U.S. Right to Know's Bayer lobby tracker. Federal disclosures show Bayer…
How to explain glyphosate hypocrisy? Bayer’s lobbying and revolving door
Here's one place where the MAHA and Food Justice movements agree: on glyphosate. Here is a post from thefoodbabe (@Vani Hari): LOBBYING This refers to U.S. Right to Know's Bayer lobby tracker. Federal disclosures show Bayer reported spending $9.19 million on lobbying Congress and the executive branch in 2025, which includes fees paid to at least 13 outside lobbying firms…
www.foodpolitics.com
March 4, 2026 at 2:01 PM
How to explain glyphosate hypocrisy? Bayer’s lobbying and revolving door
Here's one place where the MAHA and Food Justice movements agree: on glyphosate. Here is a post from thefoodbabe (@Vani Hari): LOBBYING This refers to U.S. Right to Know's Bayer lobby tracker. Federal disclosures show Bayer…
Here's one place where the MAHA and Food Justice movements agree: on glyphosate. Here is a post from thefoodbabe (@Vani Hari): LOBBYING This refers to U.S. Right to Know's Bayer lobby tracker. Federal disclosures show Bayer…
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
Come work with us! And get in touch with any questions you might have about the position, our labs or living/working in Germany #PostdocWanted
🚀 Postdoc Alert! Are you passionate about social learning & cultural evolution? @dominikdeffner.bsky.social & I have a 3-year position with freedom to develop your research and work on cutting-edge multiplayer and immersive experiments. Apply by March 30! hmc-lab.com/SocialLearni... Pls share 🙏
Postdoc position -- Social Learning and Cultural Evolution
Postdoc position -- Social Learning and Cultural Evolution
posted on March 2, 2026
We are currently seeking a highly motivated individual...
hmc-lab.com
March 2, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Come work with us! And get in touch with any questions you might have about the position, our labs or living/working in Germany #PostdocWanted
🤩PREPRINT OUT! Using our causal model of 👫 growth, we test if model can estimate growth trajectories of pops. of 🚸 of uncertain age using cross-sectional data. Results: our model provide accurate estimates providing a solution for bioarcheological and other contexts!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
February 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
🤩PREPRINT OUT! Using our causal model of 👫 growth, we test if model can estimate growth trajectories of pops. of 🚸 of uncertain age using cross-sectional data. Results: our model provide accurate estimates providing a solution for bioarcheological and other contexts!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
AI scribes suck. Check your clinical notes, everyone! I’ve had them cite the wrong body part (left vs right) for surgery, state that I have a diagnosis that I’d specifically said I do NOT have, mistranscribe my symptom descriptions, and more! Genuinely dangerous for so many reasons.
👁️ A new era of efficiency: #artificialintelligence #scribes and the future of #ophthalmology
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#MedSky #AImedicine #AI #HealthAI #AIinHealthcare #MedTech
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#MedSky #AImedicine #AI #HealthAI #AIinHealthcare #MedTech
A new era of efficiency: artificial intelligence scribes and the future of ophthalmology - Eye
Eye - A new era of efficiency: artificial intelligence scribes and the future of ophthalmology
www.nature.com
February 19, 2026 at 4:43 PM
AI scribes suck. Check your clinical notes, everyone! I’ve had them cite the wrong body part (left vs right) for surgery, state that I have a diagnosis that I’d specifically said I do NOT have, mistranscribe my symptom descriptions, and more! Genuinely dangerous for so many reasons.
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
It's not an exaggeration to say this will result in genocidal-scale death. And I don't mean in the distant, speculative future. Just the tens of thousands of pollution deaths in the relative near-term (Free link.) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/c...
Trump Administration Erases the Government’s Power to Fight Climate Change
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:50 PM
It's not an exaggeration to say this will result in genocidal-scale death. And I don't mean in the distant, speculative future. Just the tens of thousands of pollution deaths in the relative near-term (Free link.) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/c...
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
How to turn off Gmail's AI "summaries" while retaining the helpful inbox category tabs--finally!
January 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM
How to turn off Gmail's AI "summaries" while retaining the helpful inbox category tabs--finally!
Reposted by Catalina I. Fernández, PhD (she/her)
"It's less harmful to me to make sure that they can do the things without the AI than to try and push the AI into my classroom knowing that, at least for some of them, it's going to mean that they don't get to acquire the skills that they need."
This this this this this this this this this this 🙏
This this this this this this this this this this 🙏
Forth Worth teacher Chanea Bond says sticking with pen and paper keeps generative artificial intelligence out of her American literature classes. n.pr/4c3cdzs
To keep AI out of her classroom, this high school English teacher went analog
Forth Worth teacher Chanea Bond says sticking with pen and paper keeps generative artificial intelligence out of her American literature classes.
n.pr
January 28, 2026 at 1:38 PM
"It's less harmful to me to make sure that they can do the things without the AI than to try and push the AI into my classroom knowing that, at least for some of them, it's going to mean that they don't get to acquire the skills that they need."
This this this this this this this this this this 🙏
This this this this this this this this this this 🙏