Yep, I'm biased. Can't help it. I can only say that these folks consistently show the high level of thoughtfulness and committment to equitable evaluation practice that other places should emulate. Want to work in a department that not only treats you with compassion and care, but also does that with their community partners? This is a place, these are people that will do so.
P/T Researcher, Children's Museum
Really, really not happy with my super basic email and web hosting jumping 67% a year. Had it in the same place for 17 years... Sigh.
I'd bet that all those costs are directly related to AI that the hosting company has pushed the last year. So even though I reject that slop, I'm expected to pay for it?
Nah.
The Society for Ethnomusicology Sound Studies Section is seeking nominations for the co-chair and secretary positions (2026-28).
Nomination info page: https://semsoundstudies.wixsite.com/semsoundstudies/post/call-for-nominations-co-chair-secretary-2026-2028
Please make your nomination by Friday, Oct 16. The Section aims to complete the election process by the end of October․ Email semsoundstudies@gmail․com with questions.
(I'm not affiliated - just trying to get the word out in other places that aren't corporate. Feel free to boost!)
Sadly, I'm not surprised that the Indy Zoo has lost its accreditation. Things have been coming apart there for awhile, despite the efforts of serious professionals that are trying to do the right thing. Eliminating evaluation, gutting the education department, and significant employee turnover are all big, flashing warning signs.
I hope they get back on track soon, though it's kind of tough to envision right now.
In case others want to read the source article from Consumer Reports on cars and how companies are selling you out:
Source report from Northeastern University and Consumer Reports (nice navigation, great summaries):
https://automatictransmission.khoury.northeastern.edu/
#DataPrivacy #survelliance #research #WhyCantTheyLeaveUsAlone
For performing artists (very broadly defined), here's survey from SMU DataArts of AI's potential effect(s) on performing artists, conducted by SMU DataArts and Annie Dorsen as part of Artists Make Technology. More info at the link:
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8855295/3102026
Closes Sept 30. Feel free to boost, if you like. SMU DataArts have been known to do excellent work in the past, focusing on arts, community, and equity. I'm not affiliated - wish I was!
I'm really bothered by both the manner and degree to which education (formal and informal) lean on "resilience." It's like folks are almost there on understanding, or have to code it in such a way in order to get it passed some BS gatekeeping mechanism.
Resilence becomes how it's the workers' responsibility not just to do their job itself, but to endure selected, systemic conditions around that job. Why is "resilience" required + central?
I guess this may address part of the problem!
"The Community of Aquarium, Museum, Zoo, and Informal Educators is hosting a free workshop on Burnout in Informal Education on Sept 22 @ 4p – 5p ET.
We will explore the symptoms and causes of burnout as well as the unique challenges informal educators face. We’ll also discuss prevention and recovery strategies and how to build resilience as educators."
https://camzie.org/event/burnout-in-informal-education/
#FreeWebinar #InformalEducation #museums #libraries #aquariums #zoos
So, if I care about privacy, biometric data, PII, triangulation, location data
(and I do, very deeply)
whenever I interact in person (!) with another human I need to check for devices from Amazon (fash Rings, fash Alexa), Apple (perv watches), Meta (perv glasses), spyware TVs (TCL, LG), spyware cars (pretty much anything after 2020), fash laptops (Google and Microsoft), etc
because none of those companies have to practice the care I do as a solo researcher.
Utter garbage and unacceptable.
This goes for any researchers and evaluators, even if IRB doesn't apply or if you have an exemption. I would think this would be obvious, but it's disappointing to learn everyday what isn't obvious to so many people.
Others are trusting us with their data. Can we act like we deserve and will honor that trust?
#evaluation #research #RealEvalTalk #NoAI #glam #museums #ScienceCenters #nonprofits
Look out, folks. According to Signal group chat, seems like a hate group (ICE) is starting to ramp up in Indianapolis.
Take care of each other out there!
https://www.ilrc.org/community-resources/know-your-rights/step-step-family-preparedness-plan
#HoosierMast #Indianapolis #Indiana #solidarity #ICE #IndyRapidResponse
Show me the data that supports these ridiculous lies, grifters.
This is just a series of interconnected lies and fear mongering to further enable massive corruption. CEO of Gaylor Electric (builder of data centers and who is most definitely corrupt as hell) saying without data centers we won't have health care, schools, even cars!
No evidence presented for any claims he's made. Zero.
![text from the article, which quotes the ironically named Indiana Commerce Secretary Goidrich., CEO of Gaylor Electric.
"It could be any community, Brownsburg votes down a Kroger grocery store, Greenwood votes down Buc-ees," [Goodrich] said, "I'm just telling you the message is pretty clear. Pretty soon we're not going to have grocery stores or gasoline and it's not just a message about computing centers. It's a message about economic growth." Goodrich refers to data centers as "computing centers."
Goodrich said he and the Braun administration want to push a message of promoting all industries that bring high-paying jobs to the state, but the administration sees artificial intelligence and the data centers that facilitate the technology as a big part of future growth of Indiana.
"Without computing centers, we cannot have health care at the highest level. We cannot have your car even to drive," he said. "All things that computing centers are calculating are about what we do every day. It's a race for national defense. That's the easy discussion."
Still, the Commerce Secretary said that the infrastructure should not be pushed on to who's your communities. He added that the companies should be up front about their plans with locals. "If the community in the region does not want it, I'm okay with that." Goodrich said. "There are plenty of communities that understand in order to build the rural areas these computing centers can actually make rural Indiana vibrant. They can put our schools back together. They can fund our property taxes. They can fund our local government."
Goodrich remains CEO of Gaylor Electric, while serving as Commerce Secretary. The company designs and builds data centers among a variety of other developments across the country. When Goodrich points to his role in state government, he told reporters that the state in his company has set up processes to avoid conflicts of interest.](https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/184/282/121/317/037/original/76ef956516bcdd7f.png)
Three years running, almost the exact same thing has happened at the exact same time of year. Four different genetic lines of honeybees. New boxes and frames for some hives.
Very few hive beetles. Veroa treatment with oxalic acid has kept mites in check. Good laying pattern from the queens. Then sometime in July-August, the queen dies.
My good stewardship and care doesn't matter if my neighbors and upstream HOA poison the place.
All 3 hives are queenless now, so they aren't going to be alive for much longer. Maybe 2 frames of capped brood total, no larvae, but they were super mad. Definitely no queen cups. Also, notably, no pollen or honey in the deeps, and only the tiniest bit of honey in the supers (maybe 5 frames total).
2 months ago, they had almost filled their supers.
Asshats around here keep dumping chemicals into the water + spraying lawns to kill weeds and mosquitoes. :yell:
Indianapolis has a moratorium on data centers as of today on a 6-0 vote!
It's not like they had even an adequate staff before this. They leaned heavily on volunteers to do so many necessary functions, and I feel like they were/are perpetually on the edge of either being sustainable or having to reduce their work.
Not that evaluation would have necessarily saved them from this current environment, but I never saw any useful analysis in their annual reports. I offered for years to do work for free. I dunno.
The Center for Interfaith Cooperation has cancelled this year's Festival of Faiths, one of their signature events, because of their budget shortfall, staff downsizing, and the fundraising environment.
This is a direct result of the state and federal government's hateful war on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. I hope the org survives.
Hey Fedi privacy folks!
Can public school systems in the US share student and family data with any 3rd party they choose?
Can they do so if the school hasn't shared a data privacy policy?
It's my understanding of FERPA that parents have to be given a copy of that policy + opt in. Maybe I'm wrong, tho. Our school is doing some heavy pushing of ed tech with the start of the year and providing no documentation. Half expect RFID tags by Sept.
Like, how are people like this employed?! In 2026?!
Y'all, sometimes (many times) I simply cannot deal with the ignorance of so many museum professionals. This time, it's via a forum post.
Simon Mused, of the Scott Family Amazeum, Arkansas, thinks it's ok to give Meta glasses to low vision guests at this children's museum. Simon tries to wrap this in utter bullshit by using real phrases like "phenomenological interpretation" along with AI.
I'd suggest not trusting that museum with jack squat, nevermind kids.