Major Revisions
71 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThe world's greatest ecology and environmental sciences podcast
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Episodes
MR076: Hot takes!
April 21, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 32.8 MBJon and Jeff explore the utility of the "hot take." Should or can scientists be more provocative in how they frame their science or how they interact with the public? What are the advantages? Disadvantages? Who can even do this--hint, hint it's clearly a privilege issue.
MR075: Defining "early career" with Drs. Cristy Portales and Lauren Hallett
March 24, 2022 19:00 - 55 minutes - 25.4 MBJon and Jeff are joined by Drs. Cristy Portales and Lauren Hallett to talk about the nebulous concept of the "early career" scientist. When does "early career" start? When does it end? We discuss whether it is purely a concept based on time since degree, achievement of certain milestones, or just how one defines themselves.
MR074: Theory for the Masses with Dr. Tess Grainger
March 18, 2022 16:00 - 55 minutes - 25.7 MBJon, Jeff, and guest co-host Tess Grainger talk about bridging the gap between ecological theorists and empiricists. Where are the challenges? What are the ways forward? What do we gain? Paper for discussion: Grainger et al. 2022 (https://tessgrainger.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/grainger-et-al.-2022-amnat.pdf) .
MR073: What Have We Changed Our Minds About?
March 11, 2022 19:00 - 46 minutes - 22.7 MBJon and Jeff address the absurdity of reviewing two articles a day, Jeff offers up a revolutionary idea for review papers, and both address whether they would or would not change any of the advice they have given out on the podcast over the years.
MR072: New Directions, Making Plans
March 07, 2022 19:00 - 43 minutes - 20.4 MBJon and Jeff are back and talking future directions and making plans--with a big announcement and a fair amount of navel-gazing
MR071: Fraud and Fabrication
May 24, 2021 18:00 - 49 minutes - 22.9 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff discuss the potential occurrences and frequency of data fabrication and scientific fraud in ecology. Just how rare is rare? What is scientific fraud? How do we detect it and how do we prevent it?
MR070: Revise and Resubmit
May 15, 2021 20:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff reconvene still during the pandemic and talk about career changes, switching universities, what pandemic-induced changes they hope stick around, and whether giraffes are believable as animals.
MR067: Basic and Applied Ecology
May 15, 2020 18:00 - 49 minutes - 31.7 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about the beginnings of quarantine and then jump into the murky waters that are applied vs. basic ecology. Is there really a difference? Does it matter?
MR066: Phosphorous, Publishing, and Existential Dread
April 24, 2020 15:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff are talking the phosphorous cycle in part one of a multipart radio play about the often forgotten element cycle. The gang also revisit five questions, debate Chacos, and delve into a fascinating hypothetical scenario regarding publishing. What if you could only write a specific number of papers? How would that change the science you do?
MR065: Attending Your First Science Conference: An AGU 2019 Special
December 05, 2019 18:00 - 25 minutes - 17 MBHow does one prepare for their first major science conference? We brought along a ton of friends including Drs. Susan Cheng, Ben Bond-Lamberty, Alexey Shiklomanov, and other conference veterans Lisa Haber, Amy Hudson, and Bill Hammond to offer their tips. Jon and Jeff jump in too.
MR064: The (Hidden) Costs of Publishing
October 04, 2019 21:00 - 54 minutes - 35.1 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about the hidden costs of publishing, referencing Josh Schimel's famous blog post on the subject. Where does open access and preprints fit into the current state and future of publishing? How would we alter the publishing landscape? How do you decide where to publish? Also, Jeff gets his license plate stolen.
MR063: Data is Sharing, Data is Caring, with Mike Pace
September 25, 2019 16:00 - 26 minutes - 16.9 MBGrace and Jon sit down with Mike Pace from the University of Virginia to talk about data sharing and how the ecological data landscape has changed over the last couple of decades.
MR062: Stats and Models
September 24, 2019 17:00 - 53 minutes - 35.3 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff recount some summer activities and talk about ESA2019, but the main focus of the show is talking about a recent Nature Communications op-ed on statistical vs. mathematical modeling.
MR060: Ryan Emanuel
September 23, 2019 17:00 - 55 minutes - 36.7 MBJeff sits down with professor and ecohydrologist Ryan Emanuel from North Carolina State University to talk about crossovers in ecology and hydrology, introducing students to interdisciplinary work, and his work with American Indian/Indigenous communities. Ryan also gives us a big announcement.
MR059: Hobbie, 1992
August 09, 2019 14:00 - 53 minutes - 35.5 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff are back at it with Classic Ecology V: SE Hobbie's 1992 opus "Effects of plant species on nutrient cycling." The gang also talk about the experiment Jeff is apart of and debate, at length, nitrogen and phosphorous limitation. Hold on to your hat there buckaroo, this one is a doozy.
MR058: The Plot Thickens
June 20, 2019 15:00 - 41 minutes - 27.3 MBJon and Jeff do a deep-dive into the PLOS: Computational Biology paper "Ten Simple Rules for Better Figures." This one is kind of nerdy, but at this point, isn't that what y'all want?
MR057: Classic Ecology IV: Power, 1990
May 14, 2019 17:00 - 1 hour - 39.9 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff do a round of Would You Rather? Academic Style and then follow up with a conversation about the quintessential paper Power 1990 "Effects of Fish in River Food Webs" as they jump back into the Classics in Ecology series. Mary Power's work established the importance of understanding river food webs from a trophic perspective, rather than just a flow-dominated system.
MR056: Real Ecosystems, Posters, and Spring Cleaning
April 19, 2019 14:15 - 1 hour - 52.1 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff do some spring cleaning via the latest buzz from Twitter and the blogosphere including way-out-there poster designs, what constitutes a real ecosystem, comparing male-female ratios in publications, and how ecology programs are put together. Grace also details her wine-o-mometer for the changing seasons while Jon doubts the existence of white wine.
MR054: MMM 2019 Preview and The Trouble with Acronyms
March 13, 2019 08:00 - 48 minutes - 31.2 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff are talking March Mammal Madness 2019 ! Jeff questions dandelions, Jon goes all in on owls, Grace has speciation questions, and we are joined by friend of the podcast Bob, our local sea turtle and marine specialist. The gang also discuss the issues of bothersome acronyms and seminar titles in science.
MR053: March Mammal Madness 2019 Interview w/ Patrice Conners and Marc Kissel
March 04, 2019 08:00 - 42 minutes - 27.4 MBJeff and Jon sit down with Patrice Connors and Marc Kissel, two of the folks behind March Mammal Madness 2019 (#2019MMM). Marc and Patrice give us the behind the scenes, inside baseball look at the process of creating the narratives and organizing #2019MMM as well as sharing their love and interest behind the amazing science communication juggernaut. Did you know that MMM reaches over 100k students? All this and more! We are also announcing the Major Revisions 2019 MMM tournament. It's a mult...
MR052: Biodiversity, Neutral Theory, and Pillai and Gouhier, 2019
February 14, 2019 05:00 - 57 minutes - 37.7 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff tackle a recent paper in Ecology (Pillai and Gouhier, 2019) that claims that the "positive" effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning is vastly overstated. The gang talk about the background and context of the paper, including neutral theory, competitive exclusion, and complementarity, while also revisiting some classic ecology work from Tilman and Huston. Also, March Mammal Madness is coming soon!
MR051: An Interview with Rob Nowicki
February 06, 2019 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.8 MBJeff sits down with Rob Nowicki to talk about how the scope of ecological research has changed over that past few decades, the differences between marine ecology and biology, living in the Florida Keys, and what life is like in the field when your field is the deep blue sea.
MR050: 2018 in review
January 08, 2019 01:00 - 51 minutes - 34.2 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff bid a not-so-fond farewell to 2018. The gang talk about their favorite papers of the year, science low-lights, and their podcast resolutions for the upcoming year. And, to wrap up the year, we return with America's favorite game, five questions. What would your lab mascot be? What are the sounds of owls mating? Have you seen Twin Peaks? Also, Jeff learns about the limnology challenge he has to face and everyone learns what the 2019 Major Revisions stic...
MR049: An Interview with Ben Cook
January 03, 2019 10:00 - 30 minutes - 21.9 MBDr. Ben Cook from NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies joins us on the show to talk about drought, the climate system, working across scales/disciplines, how we think about hazards, and his soon-to-be-released book. Ben is a climate scientist who is broadly interested in land surface and climate system interactions with a focus on drought. This show was recorded live at the 2018 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in Washington, DC.
MR048: An Interview with Kyla Dahlin
January 02, 2019 05:00 - 58 minutes - 38.1 MBWe welcome Dr. Kyla Dahlin from Michigan State University to the show. Kyla's research aims to better understand and quantify ecosystem processes and disturbance responses through the application of emerging technologies, including air- and space-borne remote sensing, spatial statistics, and process-based modeling. We also talk about kids, life, and giant slingshots. This episode was recorded at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in Washington, DC 2018.
MR047: NSF Part Two
December 21, 2018 13:00 - 1 hour - 42 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff continue the discussion about the NSF proposal process including ad hoc reviews, what panels are like, and how to prepare what you need in order to get funded. The gang also take stock of what their science wishlist is for the holidays including imaginary dataset, magical equipment, and the most fantastic of all . . . time to do what needs to get done. Also, the joys of winter fieldwork and olive juice.
MR046 Mailbag One: Two Years and Counting
December 12, 2018 09:44 - 1 hour - 46 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff celebrate two years of podcasting with a mailbag episode where we answer a slew of emails, questions, and follow-ups from the last few weeks on air including crowdfunding science, grants for early career folks, and why we don't talk about more classical ecology papers. Also, hot pockets.
MR045 Calling the Quantitative Ecologist
November 09, 2018 09:00 - 54 minutes - 37.9 MBJon and Jeff ask the age old question, when do the statistics get so wonky you call in the quants? The gang minus one talk about the trade-offs between learning new, powerful techniques and just collaborating with folks who have already climbed that mountain (e.g. statisticians and quantitative ecologists). Also, old car or new car? Doom metal or screamo? Did you know we are the world's leading ecology podcast? So much and more on this episode of Major Revisions!
MR044 NSF part one
November 08, 2018 01:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff give a primer on the funding mechanisms at the National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as recent changes that we are all thinking about it. The gang also lament poison ivy and chiggers while delivering a stern warning about Benadryl. Be careful out there!
MR043 An Interview with Atticus Stovall
September 20, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 47 MBJon and Jeff interview Atticus Stovall of the University of Virginia, a lidar guru and all-around nice person, live from the top of a mountain at the University of Tennessee Biological Station near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Atticus gives his thoughts on forest ecology and solar induced fluorescence as well as telling some stories about traveling to Toolik, New Mexico, and many place in between. The gang also establish Combos as the null model for gas station snack food.
MR042 Field Sampling Bias and the IF Draft
September 20, 2018 11:00 - 37 seconds - 47 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about a recent paper in Nature E & E on how sampling bias affects science and policy. The gang also tally the results of last year's Impact Factor draft (and it's not that close). Jon gets a Twitter handle he will never use, we come up with several great spin-off podcast ideas, there are lots of bugs, and of course life, the universe, and everything else.
MR041 Resources!
August 09, 2018 11:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about the new Resources page on the Major Revisions website as well as their own thoughts about what helped them get to where they are, at least the practical aspects. Lots of North Woods references, talk about Gluten-free food, and greatly over-due World Cup banter.
MR040 Our Favorite Fictional Scientists
July 22, 2018 19:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about their favorite scientists from any form of fiction . . .with some big surprises. They also cover who they don't like so much, fewer surprises there. Also, grocery stores. To an alarming degree.
MR039 The Culture of Ecology
June 19, 2018 09:00 - 48 minutes - 33 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about recent op-eds in Nature and Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment on the culture of science and ecology in particular. How do we build strong lab culture? How do we think about and do science in the 21st Century? Is the underlying culture of science at risk? Also, Jeff's car was eaten by rats and we talk MDPI journals and how you can publish multiple OA articles for free, if they are well-prepared.
MR038 An Interview with Brady Hardiman
May 25, 2018 15:00 - 1 hour - 48.6 MBIn episode 38 we welcome Brady Hardiman to the show! Brady is an Assistant Professor of Urban Ecology in the department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University (Go Boilermakers!). We talk about urban ecology, macrosystems, time management, mentorship, being a new professor, and setting up a lab and creating a positive and supportive atmosphere.
MR037 Classic Ecology III: Gleason, 1926
May 03, 2018 20:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about the Gleason, 1926 classic, "The individualistic concept of the plant association" a real barn-burner of a piece that forms one of the foundational pieces of community ecology--despite its controversial reception at the time. The group also chat up the first part of the Dynamic Ecology controversial ideas in ecology piece, why Jeff is a terrible biologist, and talk trash about Kant.
MR036 Classic Ecology II: Lindeman, 1942
April 09, 2018 08:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff keep the classics in ecology series going, this time with Raymond L. Lindeman's 1942 piece, "The Trophic-Dynamic Aspect of Ecology." This seminal piece not only codified the idea of the ecosystem, but features the famous (infamous?) ooze diagram. The gang also lament March Mammal Madness and the ups and downs of spring time.
MR035 Classic Ecology I: Moran, 1953
March 14, 2018 15:00 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff kick off a series delving into classic papers in ecology, leading off with P. A. P. Moran's classic paper "The statistical analysis of the Canadian Lynx Cycle II: Synchronization and Meteorology" which helped to launch the concept of spatial synchrony, fluctuations that are correlated through time across two ore more locations, a fundamental aspect of population ecology. The gang also talk about March Mammal Madness (#2018MMM) and their picks this year and how few of the...
MR034 An interview with Caitlin MacKenzie
March 05, 2018 15:00 - 57 minutes - 39.7 MBWe talk to Caitlin MacKenzie, a postdoc at the University of Maine, about taking sediment cores from frozen lakes in Maine, what it's like to put together and deliver a TEDx talk on an 19th century botanist, surviving the snowscape she calls home, and conservation, phenology, and ecology in New England.
MR033 Getting Into Grad School 3: The Interview!
February 26, 2018 21:00 - 1 hour - 44.1 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff jump into the murky and oddly shaped pool that is the world of the graduate school interview. We also go on a journey to find out what happened to Grace's phone, how scientists find love, and the only five hobbies graduate students are allowed to have. Jeff and Grace also bond over their love of Otterbox.
MR032 Since I Was Young
January 29, 2018 13:00 - 46 minutes - 26.5 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about #SinceIWasYoung.
MR031 The Professor is In
January 29, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff reconvene book club to chat about the Professor is In!
MR030 How To Do Ecology?
December 06, 2017 12:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff are back in book club this episode, talking about the book "How to do Ecology." The gang also talk about how academics and scientists spend their holidays.
MR029 The 100 Papers Every Ecologist Should Read?
November 27, 2017 14:00 - 33 minutes - 22.7 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff jump right into the fray this week to talk about a recent, divisive article in Nature Ecology and Evolution about the papers every ecologist should be reading.
MR028 The Impact Factor Draft
November 21, 2017 14:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBIt is time for the inaugural Impact Factor Draft! Grace, Jon, and Jeff pick journals based on how they think the IF will change next year. Really it is just an excuse to talk about the landscape of ecological journals.
MR027 One Year Anniversary
November 17, 2017 14:00 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff revisit the first year of the podcast, including the most and least popular episodes--and we look forward to the future.
MR026 Carbon, carbon, carbon!
October 20, 2017 14:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBGrace and Jeff, sans Jon, talk about some of the latest in carbon cycling research--terrestrial and aquatic! We also talk Jon's recent wedding, examine a new paper in Science focusing on the tropics, a great piece on science blogging, and talk about the podcast's upcoming anniversary. Oh, and cow farts. Lots about cow farts.
MR025 Difficult Conversations
October 20, 2017 08:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff do a deep dive into having difficult conversations in the classroom around the current political and social climate and how to respond to situations in a thoughtful, and supportive manner.
MR024 Making the Most Out of Grad School
September 15, 2017 12:00 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBGrace, Jon, and Jeff talk about how to get the most out of grad school including setting priorities, making friends with the smart people, thinking about it as a career, and whether classes "really" matter.
MR023 Throwin' Shade
September 06, 2017 13:00 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBIn our first banter-only episode, Grace, Jon, and Jeff talk about the eclipse, the comings and goings of the Ecological Society of America 2017 meeting in Portland, pre-registering ecology articles and studies, and the question of censorship of science.