Joshua B. Plotkin

Joshua B. Plotkin

@jplotkin.bsky.social

Annenberg Professor of Natural Sciences, University of Pennsylvania http://evolution.sas.upenn.edu/

2.3K followers835 following125 posts

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Daniel Cooney
@danielcooney1.bsky.social

I am happy to share a new preprint with Daecheol Kim, Yefei Zhang, and Yuxuan Zhao on The Keller-Segel Model for Chemotaxis on Metapopulation Graphs and Graphons. In this paper, we explore spatial pattern formation through directed motion on patch-structured populations. arxiv.org/abs/2610.31049

arxiv.orgThe Keller-Segel Model for Chemotaxis on Metapopulation Graphs and GraphonsMany models of spatial populations use directed motion towards environmental attractants as a mechanism for spatial pattern formation. While prior approaches typically focus on partial differential eq...

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Mia Levine
@levine-lab.bsky.social

@joethorntonlab.bsky.social and I are thrilled to co-organize the 2027 Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution GRC, June 13–18, in beautiful Portland, Maine! See our ⭐stellar⭐ lineup of speakers ⬇️ spanning evolutionary biochemistry, cell biology, development, behavior... www.grc.org/molecular-me... 1/n

grc.org2027 Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution Conference GRCThe 2027 Gordon Research Conference on Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution will be held in Portland, Maine. Apply today to reserve your spot.

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Cecilia Padilla-Iglesias
@ceciliapad.bsky.social

The last of our papers looking at the relationship between interaction networks and material culture networks in the archaeological record. Led by the wonderful Robert Bischoff 🤩 journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

journals.plos.orgBridging material culture networks and social networks in archaeologyThis study examines whether material culture can serve as a proxy for past social interaction. Using the ArchMatNet agent-based model, we simulate social behavior in small-scale communities and result...

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Megan Behringer
@megbehri.bsky.social

Come be my colleague at Vanderbilt ⚓️! We have an Open-Rank Tenure Track search for a Theoretical Biologist in the Dept. Of Biological Sciences! Vandy BioSci is an awesome group of researchers with diverse interests. See Application Information Below ⬇️

Ann T. Tate@annttate.bsky.social

Please RT: Do you use math to address interesting biological problems? Join us at Vanderbilt BioSci! We are conducting an open-rank TT search in Theoretical Biology: apply.interfolio.com/194619. We are a friendly and collaborative department with interests spanning a range of biological disciplines!

apply.interfolio.com Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
Joshua B. Plotkin
@jplotkin.bsky.social

Port Richmond Station, Philadelphia, 1925. Coal unloaded from Delaware barges. Firemen watched twelve stoker fires through peepholes. Oilers judged bearings by bare palm, every pipe clad in asbestos. Turbines ran 24/7 under the 125-vaulted ceiling; for 60 years.

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Julien Lie-Panis
@jliep.bsky.social

Why do societies rely on rigid moral rules? Don't lie. Keep your promises. Don't steal. We all recognize there are good reasons to make exceptions. So why are moral rules so often categorical? Our new paper proposes an answer. 🧵

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Kristian G. Andersen
@kgandersen.bsky.social

Replying to @kgandersen.bsky.social

And, here, in much more detail. This is an absolutely critical read for all federally funded scientists and institutions. Now is not the time to sit in the corner, hoping you won't be noticed - now is the time for action. elizabethginexi.substack.com/p/summary-of...

elizabethginexi.substack.comSummary of Key Changes in OMB’s Proposed Federal Financial Assistance RuleRussell Vought is going destroy American Science

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Charles Mullon
@charlesmullon.bsky.social

Applications now open for the UNIL Summer School on Modelling for Evolutionary Biology (31 Aug–5 Sep 2026, Lausanne)! For PhD & postdocs interested in formal approaches to evolutionary ecology (incl. social evo, life-history, species interactions). Scholarships available, Pls RP! shorturl.at/fo1GA

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Jorge Peña 🇵🇸
@jorgeapenas.bsky.social

🧵 New paper w/ Guillaume Cheikbossian: "Evolutionary branching of social preferences in a public good provision game" (ideas.repec.org/p/tse/wpaper...). Can behavioural heterogeneity in cooperation be an adaptive outcome? We think the answer is yes.

ideas.repec.orgEvolutionary branching of social preferences in a public gooWe study the evolution of other-regarding preferences in a public goods game where the production function exhibits varying degrees of complementarity between individual efforts. Individuals are ratio

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

PLOS Biology
@plosbiology.org

Do animals have a favored tempo for communicating with each other? This study reveals a hotspot of 0.5-4 Hz for #communication across distinct species & modalities, hypothesizing that this may driven by biophysical commonalities of the receivers' #neurons @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4ccWuhh

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Richard McElreath 🐈‍⬛
@rmcelreath.bsky.social

Pinchy!

Gasper Begus@begus.bsky.social

New paper out in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: we apply linguistic tools to sperm whale vowels. The result: sperm whale vowels do not just look like human vowels. They also behave like them. We found several parallels. Like in Latin, whales have short and long vowels.

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Hensley Lab
@scottehensley.bsky.social

We are recruiting 1-2 postdoctoral fellows to investigate the specificity of human anti-influenza virus antibodies, and to determine how these antibodies impact global antigenic drift of influenza viruses. Join our lab at Penn in Philly. Reach out if you are interested in applying! Please repost!

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

Jenna Norton
@jenna-m-norton.bsky.social

The last time I tried to engage with Jay Bhattacharya in dialogue I ended up on administrative leave. 🤷‍♀️

Katy Milkman@katymilkman.bsky.social

To everyone responding with vitriol: please come! Our goal in choosing speakers was to platform both popular and unpopular figures advocating for scientific reforms to spark productive conversations across divides! If this makes you angry, come engage in dialogue — that’s how we improve.

Joshua B. Plotkin reposted

EvolDir
@evoldir.bsky.social

Join the Women in Evolutionary Biology II workshop from June 1-3, 2026, at the Max Planck Institute in Plön, Germany. Open to all genders. More info: https://workshops.evolbio.mpg.de/event/144/overview. Registration closes on Feb 20, 2026. #workshop

workshops.evolbio.mpg.deWomen in Evolutionary Biology IIWomen in Evolutionary Biology is an event to promote diversity and equality in the field. For this purpose, we invited 6 outstanding women as keynote speakers, offering a unique opportunity to learn from their experiences and celebrate their achievements. While all keynote speakers are women, scientists of all genders and backgrounds in evolutionary biology are welcome to participate in scientific presentations and discussion sessions on topics relevant for women in science. The workshop’s...