OBFS Forum - Recent Topics

Managing Student Conduct at Residential Field Stations

raystown — Fri, 30 May 2025 14:48:13 +0000

While students get to experience a sense of freedom and independence living at field stations compared to campus, this can also lead to relaxed conduct standards (e.g., cell phone use, keeping spaces clean) when living and learning spaces overlap. What student management strategies or policies do you employ at your residential stations to address this?

Annual Meeting Feedback

OBFS BOARD — Wed, 14 May 2025 16:26:27 +0000

Please leave any ideas or comments for the annual meeting committee! Thanks!!

Diversifying station use to bridge federal grant uncertainty

coraj — Wed, 14 May 2025 15:42:11 +0000

What alternative (or new) uses are stations exploring to keep their operations stable with the loss or current uncertainty around federally funded research projects?
More classes? Workshops? Non-research uses? Reduced operations or personnel?

Please share your operations and management ideas for bridging periods of station use uncertainty.

NSF Grant Termination List

OBFS BOARD — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:34:35 +0000

A verified list of U.S. science grants that have been terminated is available here: https://airtable.com/appGKlSVeXniQZkFC/shrFxbl1YTqb3AyOO

This list is being compiled to increase transparency, organize affected PIs, and facilitate responses, including via litigation. There is a link in the top right corner to add any grants that you know of, or you can go directly to the form here: https://airtable.com/appGKlSVeXniQZkFC/pag50h1IjrX5MHhCH/form

Please share widely!

Examples of intellectual property frameworks or other resources

OBFS BOARD — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:12:20 +0000

Include here examples of intellectual property frameworks or other resources

Examples of data management plans for field stations

OBFS BOARD — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:10:29 +0000

Include here any examples of field station data management plans

American Data Science Alliance news stories and budget announcements

pfoster — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:28:19 +0000

The American Data Science Alliance is publishing a collection of news stories around policy and budget announcements in higher ed and related federal announcements.

https://raindrop.io/AcademicDataScience/2025-policy-and-budget-announcements-52642813/sort=-created&perpage=30&page=0

Survey results: Impact of federal executive branch policies on postdoctoral researchers

pfoster — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:47:09 +0000

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) conducted a survey among its members, asking postdoctoral researchers to provide feedback on the impact of federal executive branch policies during the six-week period from January 20 to February 28, 2025.

The survey received responses from 293 postdocs, offering valuable insights into how these federal actions have affected them, which specific actions have had the most significant impact, and which federal agency primarily funds their work.

Tracking Federal Cuts Mapping Project

struminger — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 14:03:21 +0000

This may be of interest to the OBFS community ... Federal Cuts Tracker Map COMING SOON!

It is an interactive visualization of impacts felt across the country as the result of federal firings, funding freezes and cuts, and program cancellations. We are adding more stories (which translates to dots on the map) all the time.

If you or anyone you know may be interested in contributing by sending local newspaper articles about these impacts, you can click here: https://lnkd.in/gF6vwinb

If you are a federal worker--including international--who would like to share your story, click here: https://lnkd.in/g2VWpXK9

If you are in business in any way with the federal government and have been impacted by cuts, you can share your story here: https://lnkd.in/gWhWysHM

If you are a grant or loan recipient whose funding has been impacted by federal cuts in any way, you can share your story here: https://lnkd.in/gXWQRXFZ

hashtagcrowdsource hashtagamplify hashtagstories hashtagfederalstories hashtagfederalcuts

iNaturalist

AmandaYoung — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 22:05:26 +0000

Due to the overwhelming amount of support and encouragement from the OBFS iNaturalist email I sent out earlier this week. I thought I would try to make a discussion post here on the OBFS webpage for further discussion so as not to clog up inboxes. Though I am super excited that we have such and active group wanting to participate.

Admittedly I don't really know what I am doing beyond having created an umbrella project in iNaturalist for as many of the OBFS field stations that I could find. Maybe here those of us that know how to make projects can show others. Those of you that have been using iNaturalst can suggest ways that we as a group can do more and better with recording our observations.

Plan a 2025 Bioblitz between stations? Increase our visitor communities to post and participate. So many things.

It might turn out that we want to keep the conversation going in emails but since this great tool is here I thought we would give it ago.

If your want to be involved please join the umbrella project in iNaturalist. Then if you would like to be part of the administration of this effort let me know. I would love for a couple other folks to also help lead the way. If you are not sure about that but want to be part of the brainstorming and setting up your own project. Reach out here as well.

Like I said, I am new to all this so am just trying my best and would love for those with more experience to add some guidance. Looking forward to continuing to connect with you all and keep the suggestions coming.

peace,

Amanda