Curious Dr. Z!

Hi new friends! 👋🏾 Happy to see you here! I'm Shaz (aka Dr.Z) 🏳️‍🌈🇯🇲🇩🇲 I'm a STEM coordinator for @cuatlas, a dope creative tech research institute at CU Boulder. I love all things herps 🦎, neuro 🧠 and Black🖤! I make science comics for my inner child (nerdy, lowSES URMs)

✨Ya girl is officially a published poet!✨ Thank you to @AmberWendler and @TheDoctaZ for allowing me to expand on my creative voice with this opportunity! Congratulations to the other contributors as well. Proud of us🥳💗🫶🏾 Purchase link is in my bio

I don't believe we *become* scientists. I think we train the innate scientist.

Life Update: I've been stepping back at various efforts to apply more time and energy where needed. Thankfully, things are stable and can take the month of July to rest and recover. Not looking forward to more social media after the break but *real* excited for the Why. 😁

I helped a friend of a friend contact the NAACP to help him get a non-retired (🙄) public defender for a bogus charge that threatened 7 years. Homie's getting released tomorrow on probation. Woo!! 🥳 #rightToFairTrual #6thAmendment

@AlHendiify Intelligence is a construct.

Intelligence is cool and noteworthy but is not a metric of ecological importance for a given species. There are some unintelligent, I mean truly doodoo dumbass, pasta for brains, absolutely dipshit critters that our entire existence is hinged upon.

About to go hang with the Black Panther members of my family. My family is so dope. #stoked #honored

@SciNetUCS @ravenscimaven @gserratomarks @drsrbayer @SICB_

@ravenscimaven @gserratomarks, co-editor of #Uncharted which @drsrbayer mentioned above. Gabi wrote this fantastic piece which we still use as a reference: blog.ucsusa.org/science-blogge…

Who are some people with disabilities in STEM that you would recommend for people to follow or explore their work? (thought leaders, activists, advocates)

#BiEReads highlights ‘Been Outside' edited by @amberwendler+@TheDoctaZ, out on Oct 1. This essay collection explores the Black experiences and their journeys into loving nature and science. bookshop.org/p/books/been-o…

I got 3 rejections in a week along with gastroenterisitis and flush. Needless to say, dark days for Dr. Z!

Hello, friends. I've been enduring a great deal of familial and physical stress in this fine year of 2023. I'm doing my best to reprioritize and tend to my channels. Thanks for bearing with gaps and weirdness! Please take a moment today to call or reach out to someone you love.

I’m thrilled to announce that the book ✨“BEEN OUTSIDE: Adventures of Black Women, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature”✨ is available for pre-order through @MtneersBooks & @Bookshop_Org (also at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Bookshop, etc.)!

@PapaPhDPodcast @AcademicChatter This podcast is such a gem. Thanks for having me on! It was a blast!!

What will academia look like in 10-20-30 years?🤔 In ep. 219, one of my favourite conversations of Season 2 of the show, during which @TheDoctaZ allowed me to have a glimpse of what a more diverse, more inclusive academia could look like. Listen and share!📱🎧 @AcademicChatter

I've been business mode all week and I really love it. Start up life is hard but very, very energizing.

Today's one of those days that begin with me weeping for the abundance of love and grace. Call your loved ones today.

@amtcastle Aviary one of them?!

I gave a guest presentation to a local bird club this evening and they were a fantastic audience. But let me tell you: those folks love birds.

@MariahGraceArt My reaction plan is: get in the company of a trusted friend, try to get as much extreme stimulation as I can (cold plunge, hot shower), and drink water--not because I think I'm dehydrated, but the action is really soothing and tactile. Then, you know, therapist session, etc...

TW suicide/suicidal ideation Does anyone ever conquer their suicidal thoughts? Do they ever stop or do you just fight them forever?

I'm preparing a workshop on the neuroscience of AI. The structuring is laughable. Recurrent cells instead of augmenting filter length? Everything is excitatory and deterministic?! What even IS this??? #compNeuro

This whole thread made my morning

@AlHendiify San Francisco, too.

Y'ALL MEAN TO TELL ME SAN DIEGO JUST GOT RANDOM PARROTS FLYIN AROUND HERE???

That time I left my Jeep idling for 5 hours... (I am GLAD) today is over!