The hardest part of academia is deciding whether to spend your day failing to write or failing to read

The two worst feelings in academia are writing and not writing

Two journals tried paying peer reviewers and found increased acceptance, earlier reports, and no change in quality. WHAT A SURPRISE!

Is the draft well written? No. But is the argument coming together? Also no. But was it at least enjoyable to write? No.

In the Amazon, rivers don't just divide land-they divide species. We found 80% of new world primates are split by natural barriers and wider rivers = more genetically distinct monkeys! 🐒🌊 #evolution #biodiversity #primatebio #sciencetwitter #conservation doi.org/10.1111/btp.70…

I’m taking a break from my mental health to focus on my academic work

💍 The Gollum Effect: possessive behaviours, attempts to undermine others, and efforts to restrict access to data, resources or opportunities go.nature.com/4kbAvZG

Among those who experienced the Gollum effect, 54% said it happened during their PhD studies, 32% during their master’s studies, 31% as a postdoctoral researcher and 27% as an undergraduate. Senior researchers & even professors experienced it too Julian Anna Nowogrodzki nature.com/articles/d4158…

While the Gollum effect is pervasive within the sciences, it remains largely unreported in the scientific literature. A lack of systematic data on its occurrence is exacerbated by the reluctance of victims to openly report such toxic and harmful behaviors cell.com/one-earth/full…

"Of those affected, nearly half said that the perpetrator was a high-profile researcher, and one-third said it was their own supervisor". (Study author: Jose Valdez) Science’s ‘Gollum effect’: PhDs bear brunt of territorial behaviour nature.com/articles/d4158…

Sharing this in the spirit of reflection & self-empowerment. “The Gollum effect”: possessive behaviours, attempts to undermine others & efforts to restrict access to data, resources or opportunities. nature.com/articles/d4158… Thanks Jose Valdez, Ph.D

🆕 in our "Animal Ecology" track: Human-made pools support amphibians in a Portuguese park, showing the value of both natural and artificial habitat 📄Traditional water structures in villages support amphibian populations within a protected landscape doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.7…

Human-made water habitats such as centuries-old water tanks and fountains are key habitats for amphibians. Paper lead by Jose Valdez, Ph.D in Ecosphere. This work is special to me because it was carried out by students of the Nature Conservation course Universität Halle (inaktiv) at #PNPG. 1/2🧵

Artificial waterbodies can be critical refuges for amphibians in human-altered landscapes. Our study in Peneda-Gerês National Park shows historical water tanks support breeding & diversity, highlighting the need to protect both natural & cultural heritage. doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.7…

Illegally downloading a copy of your own article and other academic tales

My first 100 citation paper! And single author! It took a lot of work, setbacks, and doubt from myself and others, but in the end it shows its always best to write what interests you and to pursue the research questions you're genuinely curious about scholar.google.com/citations?view…