Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis
@vbs55.bsky.social
Professor, History of Science at University of Florida. Coeditor-in-Chief, Journal of the History of Biology, Past President, ISHPSSB. HSS, BSA, SSE and AAAS. Historian of biology and evolutionary biology, genetics, systematics and the botanical sciences.
Published in JHB: the story of the discovery of DNA newly revised thanks to Alistair Sponsel and Brian Sutton who studied Rosalind Franklin's notebooks and camera work and images--she did "see it" after all, unlike what Watson and so many others thought. www.science.org/content/arti... website.
How did Rosalind Franklin miss the helix in her iconic DNA image? She didn’t
New analysis refutes James Watson’s claim he was first to recognize significance of famed photograph 51
www.science.org
October 5, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Published in JHB: the story of the discovery of DNA newly revised thanks to Alistair Sponsel and Brian Sutton who studied Rosalind Franklin's notebooks and camera work and images--she did "see it" after all, unlike what Watson and so many others thought. www.science.org/content/arti... website.
Congratulations to Lily Balloffet, the recipient of the 2026 Mendelsohn Prize for “Environment, Tropical Disease, and Scientific Networks in Argentina: Folclore and Multiscalar Mobilities," published in JHB 58.3 (2025):387-411 in Megan Raby's Topical Collection! link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Environment, Tropical Disease, and Scientific Networks in Argentina: Folclore and Multiscalar Mobilities - Journal of the History of Biology
This article employs space and place as analytic categories in the history of life sciences and public health research in rural Argentina. The historical-ecological panorama of South America’s “Gran C...
link.springer.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Congratulations to Lily Balloffet, the recipient of the 2026 Mendelsohn Prize for “Environment, Tropical Disease, and Scientific Networks in Argentina: Folclore and Multiscalar Mobilities," published in JHB 58.3 (2025):387-411 in Megan Raby's Topical Collection! link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The very final program of the 2025 Porto Meetings of ISHPSSB is available as a PDF booklet on the conference website now. Do take a look a the stunning diversity of topics from participants at all career stages from all over the world. ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt/program/
Program
ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt
July 15, 2025 at 10:55 PM
The very final program of the 2025 Porto Meetings of ISHPSSB is available as a PDF booklet on the conference website now. Do take a look a the stunning diversity of topics from participants at all career stages from all over the world. ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt/program/
ISHPSSB Council has approved an ISHPSSB Community Award recognizing a member who has played an outstanding role in supporting, managing, or building our organization, or fostering a spirit of community. Nominations may be made by a brief one-page letter by any member to [email protected] by June 30.
June 19, 2025 at 11:51 PM
ISHPSSB Council has approved an ISHPSSB Community Award recognizing a member who has played an outstanding role in supporting, managing, or building our organization, or fostering a spirit of community. Nominations may be made by a brief one-page letter by any member to [email protected] by June 30.
Reposted by Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis
April 24, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Registration for the 2025 ISHPSSB Porto meetings is now open. Scroll down on the green box to register: ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt/registration...
April 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Registration for the 2025 ISHPSSB Porto meetings is now open. Scroll down on the green box to register: ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt/registration...
Reposted by Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis
Breaking news: Thousands of researchers and their supporters, including recently fired federal workers, have gathered across the U.S. in response to layoffs and funding cuts ordered by the Trump administration. scim.ag/41zlPv4
Thousands gather across U.S. in Stand Up for Science events
Scientists rally across the country in response to layoffs and funding cuts ordered by the Trump administration
scim.ag
March 7, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Breaking news: Thousands of researchers and their supporters, including recently fired federal workers, have gathered across the U.S. in response to layoffs and funding cuts ordered by the Trump administration. scim.ag/41zlPv4
Reposted by Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis
Christiane Amanpour’s reaction to the Oval Office ambush has me shook. I feel like she’s seen it all.
I think she knows this was staged because Trump and Vance don’t want peace unless Putin gets it all.
I think she knows this was staged because Trump and Vance don’t want peace unless Putin gets it all.
March 1, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Christiane Amanpour’s reaction to the Oval Office ambush has me shook. I feel like she’s seen it all.
I think she knows this was staged because Trump and Vance don’t want peace unless Putin gets it all.
I think she knows this was staged because Trump and Vance don’t want peace unless Putin gets it all.
Reposted by Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis
"Regardless of style and tactics, everyone in the American scientific community must hold to the principles of independence, peer evaluation, and inclusion. These have enabled the country’s success in science & technology for at least a century. We will not turn our backs on them now."
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
The response of the science community to the last month is not about one statement or action. It's about all of us with our different frames. For Science's part, we are doing what we have always done and have no plans to change. My thoughts on what we can do. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Come together, right now
The chaos, conflicting information, firings, and hurtful rhetoric of the Trump administration’s approach to science over the past month are causing anxiety, grief, and concern for the scientific commu...
www.science.org
February 25, 2025 at 2:54 AM
"Regardless of style and tactics, everyone in the American scientific community must hold to the principles of independence, peer evaluation, and inclusion. These have enabled the country’s success in science & technology for at least a century. We will not turn our backs on them now."
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
The deadline for ISHPSSB's travel grants to Porto is on March 1. Please check the ISHPSSB's conference website for more information on this and on hotels. Some have started to fill up. I recommend the HF hotels like Tuela and Ipanema near the conference venues and listed on the conference website.
February 22, 2025 at 10:09 PM
The deadline for ISHPSSB's travel grants to Porto is on March 1. Please check the ISHPSSB's conference website for more information on this and on hotels. Some have started to fill up. I recommend the HF hotels like Tuela and Ipanema near the conference venues and listed on the conference website.
As Trump Targets Research, Scientists Share Grief and Resolve to Fight www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/c...
As Trump Targets Research, Scientists Share Grief and Resolve to Fight
At a conference in Boston, the nation’s scientists commiserated and strategized as funding cuts and federal layoffs throw their world into turmoil.
www.nytimes.com
February 17, 2025 at 2:31 PM
As Trump Targets Research, Scientists Share Grief and Resolve to Fight www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/c...
Reposted by Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis
In celebration of Darwin Day 2025, Darwin Online has issued the largest collection of Darwin caricatures ever assembled, including, they claim, 30 that were previously unknown.
Here’s a link: https://darwin-online.org.uk/Caricatures.html
🌱🐋🧪🐡 #HistSTM #EvoBio
Here’s a link: https://darwin-online.org.uk/Caricatures.html
🌱🐋🧪🐡 #HistSTM #EvoBio
February 12, 2025 at 8:44 AM
In celebration of Darwin Day 2025, Darwin Online has issued the largest collection of Darwin caricatures ever assembled, including, they claim, 30 that were previously unknown.
Here’s a link: https://darwin-online.org.uk/Caricatures.html
🌱🐋🧪🐡 #HistSTM #EvoBio
Here’s a link: https://darwin-online.org.uk/Caricatures.html
🌱🐋🧪🐡 #HistSTM #EvoBio
Applications for Travel Support for Porto 2025 are now open at the conference website: ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt/registration...
Scholars who are independent, early career (within five years of receiving the PhD), or still students are eligible to apply. The application deadline is 1 March 2025.
Scholars who are independent, early career (within five years of receiving the PhD), or still students are eligible to apply. The application deadline is 1 March 2025.
Travel support
ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt
January 31, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Applications for Travel Support for Porto 2025 are now open at the conference website: ishpssb2025.icbas.up.pt/registration...
Scholars who are independent, early career (within five years of receiving the PhD), or still students are eligible to apply. The application deadline is 1 March 2025.
Scholars who are independent, early career (within five years of receiving the PhD), or still students are eligible to apply. The application deadline is 1 March 2025.