Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
@tropicalbotany.bsky.social
Botanist. Evolutionary biologist. Associate Professor and Herbarium Director, LSU 🐯. Passionate about plants 🌺, inclusive mentoring 👩🏫, and wooden jigsaw puzzles 🧩. Really into my doggo 🦮🌶️. Fulbright US Scholar 🇨🇴.
https://www.lagolab.net
https://www.lagolab.net
Pinned
a girl in a purple dress is being held by a man in a purple dress
ALT: a girl in a purple dress is being held by a man in a purple dress
media.tenor.com
Despite all the bad right now, I got a personal dose of good today: I was selected as a Fulbright Scholar and will be spending 5 months in Colombia 🇨🇴 between September 2026 and August 2028!!
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
All this is spelled out in the paper itself:
Phylogenomics and museomics reveal five distinct species of tiger cats in South America
Lescroart, Nogales-Ascarrunz, et al. demonstrate that the contentious tiger cat species
complex consists of five cryptic species. Based on analyses of 38 whole genomes from
the Neotropical cat genus L...
www.cell.com
September 17, 2026 at 9:29 PM
All this is spelled out in the paper itself:
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
My lab is hiring a postdoc for an NSF-funded project on machine learning, model misspecification, and population genetics! Flexible start-date!
Learn more about the lab: smithlabbio.github.io
Job Ad: explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/cw/en-us/job...
Please reach out if you have any questions!
Learn more about the lab: smithlabbio.github.io
Job Ad: explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/cw/en-us/job...
Please reach out if you have any questions!
The Smith Lab — Mississippi State University
The Smith Lab at Mississippi State University studies diversification using genomic data, with a focus on terrestrial snails and slugs.
smithlabbio.github.io
September 16, 2026 at 3:08 PM
My lab is hiring a postdoc for an NSF-funded project on machine learning, model misspecification, and population genetics! Flexible start-date!
Learn more about the lab: smithlabbio.github.io
Job Ad: explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/cw/en-us/job...
Please reach out if you have any questions!
Learn more about the lab: smithlabbio.github.io
Job Ad: explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/cw/en-us/job...
Please reach out if you have any questions!
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Plant Colleagues! Open job for Director of the Billie L. Turner Plant Resources Center (PRC) at UT Austin. A great job for anyone addressing fundamental questions in evolution of plants and a commitment to herbarium administration and/or collections-based research. apply.interfolio.com/193263
September 15, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Plant Colleagues! Open job for Director of the Billie L. Turner Plant Resources Center (PRC) at UT Austin. A great job for anyone addressing fundamental questions in evolution of plants and a commitment to herbarium administration and/or collections-based research. apply.interfolio.com/193263
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Awesome news - for now.
🚨 Breaking News | The Department of Homeland Security’s widely criticized rule limiting how long international students can stay in the country won’t take effect Sept. 15 after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit challenging...
Read the full story ➡️ https://bit.ly/4j3rtjs
Read the full story ➡️ https://bit.ly/4j3rtjs
September 14, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Awesome news - for now.
I’m planning an October trip to Chile for the superbloom in the Atacama desert, and am so excited that I can throw in a day trip to the top of Andes (3700m) to see up to three species of flamingo!! I did not realize two of my bucket list items existed in such proximity 😍🦩🌺🏔️!!
Pink Flamingo Flock in Water
ALT: Pink Flamingo Flock in Water
static.klipy.com
September 15, 2026 at 4:27 AM
I’m planning an October trip to Chile for the superbloom in the Atacama desert, and am so excited that I can throw in a day trip to the top of Andes (3700m) to see up to three species of flamingo!! I did not realize two of my bucket list items existed in such proximity 😍🦩🌺🏔️!!
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
500k plants, ok, then 6 million fish. Important, sure but that's one uni making a bad choice. Then 7 million fossils and modern mollusks (PRI), 19 million specimens at ANSP, soon we're talking big data right?
specimens you can hold in your hand are real data
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/nat...
specimens you can hold in your hand are real data
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/nat...
It's Hard to Be a Natural History Museum in the 21st Century
As belts tighten, rich collections of plant and animal specimens face relegation, dissolution, or worse.
www.atlasobscura.com
September 12, 2026 at 2:54 PM
500k plants, ok, then 6 million fish. Important, sure but that's one uni making a bad choice. Then 7 million fossils and modern mollusks (PRI), 19 million specimens at ANSP, soon we're talking big data right?
specimens you can hold in your hand are real data
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/nat...
specimens you can hold in your hand are real data
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/nat...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Applications are now open for the International Travel Stipends to attend #Evol2027! Funds cover registration, travel, meals, and lodging. The application deadline is earlier this year: November 1st!
www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
September 11, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Applications are now open for the International Travel Stipends to attend #Evol2027! Funds cover registration, travel, meals, and lodging. The application deadline is earlier this year: November 1st!
www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
The Tree of Life Web Project is back online!
tolweb.org
Thanks to Travis Wheeler (@wheelerlab.org), Danny Mandel, and Andrew Lenards, the original programmers for ToLWeb, for retooling the code to work on a modern OS! It is hard for me to believe it lives again.
tolweb.org
Thanks to Travis Wheeler (@wheelerlab.org), Danny Mandel, and Andrew Lenards, the original programmers for ToLWeb, for retooling the code to work on a modern OS! It is hard for me to believe it lives again.
Tree
of Life Web Project
tolweb.org
September 8, 2026 at 6:23 PM
The Tree of Life Web Project is back online!
tolweb.org
Thanks to Travis Wheeler (@wheelerlab.org), Danny Mandel, and Andrew Lenards, the original programmers for ToLWeb, for retooling the code to work on a modern OS! It is hard for me to believe it lives again.
tolweb.org
Thanks to Travis Wheeler (@wheelerlab.org), Danny Mandel, and Andrew Lenards, the original programmers for ToLWeb, for retooling the code to work on a modern OS! It is hard for me to believe it lives again.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
This is a "least bad" outcome of a self-inflicted problem from Duke University. Is it better than the collection being atomized and shipped all over the place? Yes.
Is it a travesty that one of the world's wealthiest private Universities divested from their herbarium? Definitely yes.
Is it a travesty that one of the world's wealthiest private Universities divested from their herbarium? Definitely yes.
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke to combine herbaria, creating the third-largest university plant collection in the United States ncbg.unc.edu/2026/08/31/u...
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke to combine herbaria, creating the third-largest university plant collection in the United States - North Carolina Botanical Garden
The combined herbaria will create an unmatched archive for studying plant diversity in the southeastern United States (Chapel Hill, N.C.— Aug. 31, 2026) UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University will unite....
ncbg.unc.edu
September 1, 2026 at 3:15 PM
This is a "least bad" outcome of a self-inflicted problem from Duke University. Is it better than the collection being atomized and shipped all over the place? Yes.
Is it a travesty that one of the world's wealthiest private Universities divested from their herbarium? Definitely yes.
Is it a travesty that one of the world's wealthiest private Universities divested from their herbarium? Definitely yes.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Laura Lagomarsino @tropicalbotany.bsky.social (Louisiana State University, USA):
A Clade's Eye View of Plant #Evolution in the Andes
5/9
A Clade's Eye View of Plant #Evolution in the Andes
5/9
August 31, 2026 at 9:41 AM
Laura Lagomarsino @tropicalbotany.bsky.social (Louisiana State University, USA):
A Clade's Eye View of Plant #Evolution in the Andes
5/9
A Clade's Eye View of Plant #Evolution in the Andes
5/9
Look, y'all— this is not the worst outcome, but it's also not great. Framing this as gaining a notably large herbarium is spin; the reality is a historic, important herbarium has lost its identity. The specimens were never going to be trashed; Duke still voluntarily truncated their botanical legacy.
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke to combine herbaria, creating the third-largest university plant collection in the United States ncbg.unc.edu/2026/08/31/u...
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke to combine herbaria, creating the third-largest university plant collection in the United States - North Carolina Botanical Garden
The combined herbaria will create an unmatched archive for studying plant diversity in the southeastern United States (Chapel Hill, N.C.— Aug. 31, 2026) UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University will unite....
ncbg.unc.edu
September 1, 2026 at 3:42 AM
Look, y'all— this is not the worst outcome, but it's also not great. Framing this as gaining a notably large herbarium is spin; the reality is a historic, important herbarium has lost its identity. The specimens were never going to be trashed; Duke still voluntarily truncated their botanical legacy.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
"Creating the third-largest university plant collection" may seem celebratory, but remember: this is happening because Duke administration decided to axe the herbarium as a cost-cutting measure.
Natural history collections are a precious scientific resource, and too many are at risk of being lost.
Natural history collections are a precious scientific resource, and too many are at risk of being lost.
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke to combine herbaria, creating the third-largest university plant collection in the United States ncbg.unc.edu/2026/08/31/u...
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke to combine herbaria, creating the third-largest university plant collection in the United States - North Carolina Botanical Garden
The combined herbaria will create an unmatched archive for studying plant diversity in the southeastern United States (Chapel Hill, N.C.— Aug. 31, 2026) UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University will unite....
ncbg.unc.edu
August 31, 2026 at 11:34 PM
"Creating the third-largest university plant collection" may seem celebratory, but remember: this is happening because Duke administration decided to axe the herbarium as a cost-cutting measure.
Natural history collections are a precious scientific resource, and too many are at risk of being lost.
Natural history collections are a precious scientific resource, and too many are at risk of being lost.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
NSF just announced its GRFP solicitation due in October - deadline varies by field:
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Now for the bad news...
* NSF estimates they will issue 1,500 awards, down from 2,500+ last year.
* NSF removed STEM Education and Learning Research as a Major Field.
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Now for the bad news...
* NSF estimates they will issue 1,500 awards, down from 2,500+ last year.
* NSF removed STEM Education and Learning Research as a Major Field.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
August 25, 2026 at 9:05 PM
NSF just announced its GRFP solicitation due in October - deadline varies by field:
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Now for the bad news...
* NSF estimates they will issue 1,500 awards, down from 2,500+ last year.
* NSF removed STEM Education and Learning Research as a Major Field.
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Now for the bad news...
* NSF estimates they will issue 1,500 awards, down from 2,500+ last year.
* NSF removed STEM Education and Learning Research as a Major Field.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
new position at @morrisarboretum.bsky.social, endowed Molecular Ecologist. check it out:
wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recrui...
wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recrui...
John Otto Haas Molecular Ecologist; Morris Arboretum & Gardens
University Overview The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school co...
wd1.myworkdaysite.com
August 28, 2026 at 4:05 PM
new position at @morrisarboretum.bsky.social, endowed Molecular Ecologist. check it out:
wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recrui...
wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recrui...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
UMass Amherst Dept of Biology is hiring a TT faculty member in Evolutionary Biology!
careers.umass.edu/jobs/assista...
We have a diverse and wonderful dept - please consider joining us!
careers.umass.edu/jobs/assista...
We have a diverse and wonderful dept - please consider joining us!
Assistant Professor - Evolutionary Biology - Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
Title: Assistant Professor - Evolutionary Biology
Executive Area: Academic Affairs
College/School/MBU: College of Natural Sciences
Department: Biology
Work Location: Amherst
Schedule: Full Time
Work A...
careers.umass.edu
August 28, 2026 at 6:45 PM
UMass Amherst Dept of Biology is hiring a TT faculty member in Evolutionary Biology!
careers.umass.edu/jobs/assista...
We have a diverse and wonderful dept - please consider joining us!
careers.umass.edu/jobs/assista...
We have a diverse and wonderful dept - please consider joining us!
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Hey folks, this hasn’t gotten much attention, but remember those proposed OMB rule changes we all commented on recently? There’s a new attempt to sneak them just for NSF. We have three days to comment. Please don’t sleep on this!
Three more days to comment on NSF's attempt to smuggle in OMB's already-rejected policies of terminating any grant without cause, gutting civil rights obligations and restricting international collaborations. Submit your comment today! Then call your representatives. 🧪
My comment on NSF-2026-OTR-0001, NSF's obsequious gutting of their own procedures, replacing them with OMB's proposed rules undermining federal grantmaking with their ideological agenda.
Need guidance on commenting? @standupforscience.net has you covered: fight2win.standupforscience.net #NSF
Need guidance on commenting? @standupforscience.net has you covered: fight2win.standupforscience.net #NSF
August 21, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Hey folks, this hasn’t gotten much attention, but remember those proposed OMB rule changes we all commented on recently? There’s a new attempt to sneak them just for NSF. We have three days to comment. Please don’t sleep on this!
Member of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy (or would like to be) and have awesome plant photos to share? Submit them to our annual photo contest!!
www.iaptglobal.org/photo-contes...
www.iaptglobal.org/photo-contes...
Photo contest
Each year, IAPT will run a competition, seeking the world's best pictures of plants, algae and fungi, of people doing taxonomy and systematics, and of the great places where many of us do field work. ...
www.iaptglobal.org
August 21, 2026 at 4:54 AM
Member of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy (or would like to be) and have awesome plant photos to share? Submit them to our annual photo contest!!
www.iaptglobal.org/photo-contes...
www.iaptglobal.org/photo-contes...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
University professors generally do not make very much relative to our training levels. Most of us, especially in STEM, could make a lot more in industry (and deal with a lot less bureaucracy). Grant money mostly goes to paying students, postdocs, and staff, and is heavily vetted and scrutinized.
What’s a thing from your area of expertise (or special interest) that you think it would behoove everyone else to know?
August 19, 2026 at 5:57 PM
University professors generally do not make very much relative to our training levels. Most of us, especially in STEM, could make a lot more in industry (and deal with a lot less bureaucracy). Grant money mostly goes to paying students, postdocs, and staff, and is heavily vetted and scrutinized.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Are you (or do you know someone) recently graduated from undergrad looking to beef up your skills and experience prior to starting grad school/career? Do you like social drama and parakeets? Come join my team! I'm looking for two people to start very soon!! tinyurl.com/59rf8jcy
January 28, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Are you (or do you know someone) recently graduated from undergrad looking to beef up your skills and experience prior to starting grad school/career? Do you like social drama and parakeets? Come join my team! I'm looking for two people to start very soon!! tinyurl.com/59rf8jcy
It’s very telling of the moment we are in that my incoming grad student won’t be taking one, but TWO, seminars about AI in research this semester.
August 18, 2026 at 11:30 PM
It’s very telling of the moment we are in that my incoming grad student won’t be taking one, but TWO, seminars about AI in research this semester.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
A site created by his former students
August 17, 2026 at 4:59 PM
A site created by his former students
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
😡👇🧪🦠🧬🌏👩🔬#WomenInSTEM but we knew that already..
ChatGPT scored male first—authored papers higher (when authorship hidden). Differences could not be explained by abstract complexity alone - “It may reflect other factors linked to first author gender such as topic, method, field, journal context or authorship structure” 🧪 arxiv.org/abs/2608.09552
Does ChatGPT score research quality differently by gender?
Large Language Models (LLMs) are being considered for research evaluation, raising concerns about the introduction of AI bias. This study investigates whether ChatGPT research quality scores differ by...
arxiv.org
August 16, 2026 at 8:32 PM
😡👇🧪🦠🧬🌏👩🔬#WomenInSTEM but we knew that already..
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Really nice article laying out the semantics of sex/sexes that causes persistent confusion and arguing in our community. It lays out the undisputed patterns in biology and makes clear any "lack of consensus" on sex/sexes is arguing across different levels. academic.oup.com/icb/article/...
Evolution, Development, and the Incoherence of Sex: A Framework for Multiple Sex Concepts
Synopsis. The word sex can refer to at least seven distinct, evolutionarily related biological phenomena (0–6 below). Bacteria and archaea use mechanisms f
academic.oup.com
August 11, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Really nice article laying out the semantics of sex/sexes that causes persistent confusion and arguing in our community. It lays out the undisputed patterns in biology and makes clear any "lack of consensus" on sex/sexes is arguing across different levels. academic.oup.com/icb/article/...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
You're looking at a long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus)
Well, TWO, actually.
These odd-looking animals native to Australia are in a group called "rat-kangaroos".
They're also mighty 'truffle'-hunters. Let's talk about their neat relationship with subterranean FUNGUS.
Well, TWO, actually.
These odd-looking animals native to Australia are in a group called "rat-kangaroos".
They're also mighty 'truffle'-hunters. Let's talk about their neat relationship with subterranean FUNGUS.
August 11, 2026 at 1:31 AM
You're looking at a long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus)
Well, TWO, actually.
These odd-looking animals native to Australia are in a group called "rat-kangaroos".
They're also mighty 'truffle'-hunters. Let's talk about their neat relationship with subterranean FUNGUS.
Well, TWO, actually.
These odd-looking animals native to Australia are in a group called "rat-kangaroos".
They're also mighty 'truffle'-hunters. Let's talk about their neat relationship with subterranean FUNGUS.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Had the privilege of attending #Botany2026 last week to present the last of my work with Mentzelia! Got to connect with current and former members of the #LagoLab, as well as some old friends from OU! So excited to be joining such an outstanding community of researchers at LSU!! #plantpeopleFTW
August 9, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Had the privilege of attending #Botany2026 last week to present the last of my work with Mentzelia! Got to connect with current and former members of the #LagoLab, as well as some old friends from OU! So excited to be joining such an outstanding community of researchers at LSU!! #plantpeopleFTW