Cassandra Paul
Physics & Astronomy | Science Education Professor (she/her)
STEM education researcher, PER, parent of 3, runner, lover of the outdoors and Sci-Fi/Fantasy fiction
- I called both my house rep, and the house rep representing the university I work at. This time, I had the pleasure [sarcasm] of sharing that the grant I worked on with @drkwilkinson.bsky.social , @proftv.bsky.social and others was terminated by NSF on Friday. #academicsky #highered #saveNSF
- We lost 5 grants across my two departments (Physics & Astronomy and Science Education), including one of mine. We are at an R2 university. All grants were STEM education related.
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulDEI helps us build the country we believe the US to be.
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulNSF has supported work I’ve done with colleagues improving math instruction for thousands of students through their teachers. I paid it forward by serving as a program officer and expert for 6 1/2 years, approving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of STEM education research awards.
- The NSF grant I had with @proftv.bsky.social, @drkwilkinson.bsky.social and others was terminated yesterday. This grant helped STEM faculty improve their intro courses by making them more active and asset-based. Over 1000 grants have been terminated this month. Call congress, science needs you.
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulOMFG. If there's any agency that is NOT top-heavy, it's NSF. Over 95% of the money flowing through NSF goes to awards.
- Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
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- My NSF HSI grant supporting STEM faculty in improving their introductory courses by making them more active and asset-based was just terminated in today’s round. Another thing I love about science is the amazing people I get to work with. Call your reps. This is not normal. Science is in trouble.
- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🧪 Ranking member Lofgren and 11 other House dems sent a fiery 7-page letter to acting NSF director today "The cancelation of these awards suggests instead that NSF is willing to apply political censorship of awards under direction from President Trump and the DOGE teenagers" Share widely #SaveNSF
- Science is important to me because I want my children and their generation to have the tools and information they need to address climate change. Please call your representatives. #science #academicsky #highered #STEM #STEMeducation
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- Reposted by Cassandra Paul✅ ACTION ITEM ✅ The National Science Foundation is under attack. Trump’s budget is moving to dismantle one of the great engines of U.S. innovation, education, and discovery. The fight to save NSF is on—and now there’s a new home base to join the front lines (🧵 1/3): www.savensf.com
- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🧪 Data update on NSF grant terminations Including last Friday's terminations, STEM education grants now account for... 54% of terminated NSF grants (751 of 1381) 75% of terminated NSF funding ($590M of $783M) The next generation of scientists is being targeted. #WithoutNSF #SaveNSF
- Do you want to help save science?!? 🔭🔬🧪 Step 1: Post or quote post this post saying why science is important to you Step 2: Call your representatives (link and script below) Step 3: Like this post once you have done step 2 Step 4: Call again tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that..
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulThanks to @mercurynews.com for covering the $55.9M in NIH cuts to Bay Area research funding. I appreciate that they didn't just focus on the elite institutions (a colleague and I are quoted) & want to share some key takeaways 🧪 1/ www.mercurynews.com/2025/05/05/b...
- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🚨 Cool new project alert 🚨 WE- you, me, everyone- need to work together to get important science messages out to people. 4 artists & 3 scientists collab'd on these posters. We hope YOU will put them out in your community. Each poster comes w/info about each topic. Get 'em Squidfacts.bigcartel.com
- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🧪 BOOM: The AAU, ACE, APLU, and 13 universities just filed suit today against NSF for slashing to 15% indirect rates. Full compliant: www.aau.edu/sites/defaul... Updates: www.aau.edu/resources-aa... A similar group of plaintiffs won a *permanent* injunction against a similar change at NIH.
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulThe Spencer Foundation is offering rapid response bridge funding for those who lost NSF research grants. www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulFYI “Spencer Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, William T. Grant Foundation and Kapor Foundation are providing quick turnaround grants of up to $25k for education scholars impacted by the abrupt NSF grant cancellations.” www.spencer.org/news/meeting...
- Some of my amazing colleagues had their NSF cancelled and are scrambling to find funding for their students to attend a summer assembly that the students have already planned and organized. Consider helping or sharing the link if you are able! #academicsky #highered www.gofundme.com/f/ympbzf-wef...
- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🧪 What the f is going on with NSF right now??? 🚨🚨🚨 There's been so many NSF updates within the past 48 hours that it's hard to keep track. It feels like an onslaught. It *is* an onslaught. But it's still vital to remain focused, organized, and strategic. So here's my recap of past 48 hours...
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- Reposted by Cassandra PaulA colleague at Stanford’s business school used The Stanford Daily to argue—poorly—against DEI. The piece was riddled with historical errors and left one searching for fact, so I broke my public writing hiatus to respond. I hope you’ll read and share the piece. stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
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- David and I share in this preprint: The gender gap in introductory physics courses might be entirely explained by exam stakes. #academicsky #physics
- Among all the other wild things in this NSF update, NSF now sees research on “misinformation” as an infringement on “free speech.” I would have thought that a scientific institution would be interest in thwarting pseudoscience, but nothing surprises me anymore. www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🙏 We need your help 🙏 The government continues to cancel grants at both NIH and NSF to censor science it doesn't like. We're tracking terminations to organize and advocate. Please report your terminated grants: NIH: forms.gle/J2znQ7y7YpeP... NSF: airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni... w/ @noamross.net
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- Here is a collection of letters and petitions you can sign in support of Higher Education. Glad to see our own "Open Letter To Our Students" listed here. If you feel lost, start here! www.wearehighered.org/letters Then check out the events. Thank you for organizing, @wearehighered.bsky.social !
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- I really excited that someone has gathered support efforts for higher ed all in one place! Thank you for including our letter (open letter to our students) on this list! I will be reading through these over the next few days and adding my name in support of many of these efforts. #AcademicSky
- Hello, Bluesky!! We are a collective of academics who are standing up for higher education. Join us: www.wearehighered.org
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulHello, Bluesky!! We are a collective of academics who are standing up for higher education. Join us: www.wearehighered.org
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- Reposted by Cassandra PaulToday was yet another sad day for science. All U-RISE training programs, including the one at SJSU, got stop work orders. We've had a version of this program at SJSU for 30+ yrs. Devastating for the students who got their stipends & tuition pulled w no notice & for the future of science 🧪 1/
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- Reposted by Cassandra Paul🧪 Whoa this @aaup.bsky.social guide for navigating NSF grant terminations looks amazing!! 👀 And quite timely: there's another EO deadline this Friday (3/28) to "terminate or modify...grants...to advance the policies of my administration." PDF: www.aaup.org/sites/defaul...
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- Reposted by Cassandra PaulToday I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women. More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications. I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
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- Hey doomscrollers - this is just a reminder to drink a good cup of coffee (or morning beverage of your choice) and engage in your preferred form of self-care today. We can’t save democracy without you, so please remember to put your own oxygen mask on first. Image: Sunrise on my morning trail run.
- This is a great article, both because it sings the benefits of ungrading (which I use in my master’s level courses), and because hope in higher education is something I desperately need more of right now.
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- We have over 200 signatures from faculty around the nation supporting DEIA efforts in higher education through this open letter to our students. Faculty -consider adding your name too! #academicsky medium.com/@dearstudent...
- This is an important read for all college administrators. The time to speak up is now. #academicsky www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
- “Above all, we see you, and you belong here. We will not be quiet and we will continue to advocate for your access to an equitable and inclusive education.”
- Faculty - if you are frustrated by the federal administration’s attacks on DEIA - here is one very easy action you can take. Sign this open letter to our students affirming our commitment to DEIA. Please share! #AcademicSky medium.com/@dearstudent...
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- We wrote this open letter to our students reaffirming our educational commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA). Faculty friends, if this resonates with you, and you feel comfortable doing so, please consider signing this letter, and sharing it widely. medium.com/@dearstudent...
- Reposted by Cassandra PaulHistory shows that stripping the rights of one disfavored group is always just pretext for a larger aim of stripping the rights of others.
- Iowa Legislature passes bill removing civil rights protections for transgender Iowans www.iowapublicradio.org/state-govern...
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- I am asking our University leaders to speak up, and reaffirm our commitment to our values which include equitably serving our diverse student population in an inclusive environment. Is this something you can do too?
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- Bluesky friends! I would love to get more connected on here! Who should I follow that communicates about science education research, higher ed current events and/or political news? (Also always happy to see cat photos and hear about sci-fi/fantasy!)
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- Every single person in education needs to read this “Dear Colleague” letter from the Department of Education. The language is alarming. Among other things, it blames educational institutions for “toxically indoctrinating students” and advancing “discriminatory policies.” www.ed.gov/media/docume...
- 100%!
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- Our university has student cultural centers that are identity-based spaces that provide support and promote a sense of belonging. These are essential spaces for students from marginalized groups. I am concerned for the future of these spaces. www.insidehighered.com/news/diversi...
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- Reposted by Cassandra PaulJoin 50501 in a National Day of Action on Monday, February 17th. We are reclaiming President's Day - a day that is supposed to be celebrating the Presidency. Unite to limit executive overreach. Find your protest at buff.ly/417VjtT, or create one.
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