#expertise

I want you to think of all the depth that's in that subject.

What are the competing schools of thought? The big controversies? The previous best practices or approaches or models that got overturned? The behind-the-scenes drama where prominent voices got into an argument? That thing where someone asks "so what's the deal with X?" and you kind of have to sigh and go "okay, do you want the short answer or the complicated answer?" Really appreciate all the complexity and nuance of that topic.

And recognise that nearly every other area, field, or subject has at least equal complexity and nuance.

Do you have an academic or professional background with a specific species or taxa? Would you like to contribute to the accuracy of the repository? If yes, please use the contact form to reach out!

I'm beginning to include photos of wild animals in the repository (mostly pollinators, right now) and want to make sure they're accurately identified. A lot of people have suggested just throwing my pictures on iNat for identification, but I don't like the precision of crowdsourcing IDs - and it feels like taking advantage of the labor of people who don't know it is for the site. Plus, what happens if someone contests the ID and I can't reach the people who provided it?

What I've decided on is asking for volunteer assistance, and indicating on each species page who provided the ID and what their expertise/familiarity with the animal is. That way site users have a trustworthy citation for the ID - and I have a way to follow up with the someone knowledgeable if there's questions. This will look something like: "Identification by L. Ipsum, latinate expert."

So if this is you - if you've got professional or research chops for a specific species or group of animals - please reach out! I won't necessarily have photos I need identified immediately, but your info will go into a database that I'll reference when the time arrives.

Architecture no longer considered a "professional degree" in US !

Under the terms of the OBBBA, the provision of student loans in the USA will be overhauled starting 1 July, 2026, with borrowing amounts set to be determined by whether a degree is considered professional or not.

Architects, along with several careers including other nursing and accounting, will not be considered as "professional degrees", a move that was criticised by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

"The American Institute of Architects strongly opposes any proposal or policy that fails to recognize architects as professionals, particularly when designating which degrees qualify for student loan caps," said the AIA in a statement.

"The title of 'architect' is earned through years of rigorous education, extensive professional examinations, and a demanding licensing process," "To classify otherwise dismisses the expertise, professional standards, and dedication that define the profession."

The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), which will replace all previous loan programs, will see borrowing capped at $20,500 for "graduate students" and $50,000 for "professional students".

"Lowering the loan cap will reduce the number of architects who can afford to pursue this professional degree and harm American leadership in this field," said the AIA.

"AIA will be actively engaged with policymakers to ensure that the essential role and professional standing of architects are properly recognized in federal policy. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the integrity and value of the architectural profession."

The United States Senate has reintroduced the Democracy in Design Act to its chamber. The bill, introduced on September 19 by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), seeks to ensure communities have a voice in shaping federal buildings and that no single architectural style is imposed nationwide.

The move comes weeks after 'David Dennison' aka 'The notorious P.I.G.' introduced a new executive order making classical architecture the ‘preferred and default’ style for Federal public buildings.

archived NYT article with no paywall: X

excerpt from a great piece by a college professor:

AI may be a mid technology with limited use cases to justify its financial and environmental costs. But it is a stellar tool for demoralizing workers who can, in the blink of a digital eye, be categorized as waste. Whatever AI has the potential to become, in this political environment it is most powerful when it is aimed at demoralizing workers.

This sort of mid tech would, in a perfect world, go the way of classroom TVs and MOOCs. It would find its niche, mildly reshape the way white-collar workers work, and Americans would mostly forget about its promise to transform our lives.

But we now live in a world where political might makes right. In the wrong hands, mid tech is an anti-labor hammer.

AI is already promising that we won’t need institutions or expertise. It does not just speed up the process of writing a peer review of research; it also removes the requirement that one has read or understood the research it is reviewing.

AI’s ultimate goal, according to boosters like Cuban, is to upskill workers — make them more productive — while delegitimizing degrees.

Another way to put that is that AI wants workers who make decisions based on expertise without an institution that creates and certifies that expertise. Expertise without experts.