Ben Schulz

@benschulz

515 Folgt673 Follower394 Posts

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It's not too late for Brisbane to pull out of hosting the Olympics (and we should) www.jonathansri.com/canceltheoly... Very sensible thoughts as always from @js.jonathansri.com.ap.brid.gy

QLD Premier David Crisafulli standing in front of a CGI stadium in Barrambin, proudly saying "What if, instead of houses for the homeless, domestic violence shelters, hospital upgrades, and new public transport services, I cut down hundreds of trees to build this giant stadium over 1 km from the nearest train station?"

Ben Schulz @benschulz· 22d

Good winter's morning #UQ #Brisbane

Very pretty trees and blue sky reflected in UQ lakes

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jul 21

China showing how clear vision and long term investment by government can make amazing things reality. Their complete dominance in EV technology and infrastructure is not an accident.

The grand EV plan

China's government decided to prioritise EVs in 2001 and developed a long-term plan that would eventually catapult the country to the forefront of the future automotive industry.

The government focused on bankrolling new EV companies, giving loans to and partnering with existing companies, funding research and development programs, providing buyer rebates and tax exemptions, and building the infrastructure needed to support an electric revolution.

More than $US230 billion ($328 billion) of state capital was invested into the emerging sector over a 15-year period to establish China's lead, and in the process transform China into an electric society.

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jul 19

That title has things a little bit the wrong way around

But industry argues the task has been made more urgent as the Trump administration tries to bring medicine prices down in the US with a “most favoured nation” policy, which pushes drug companies to sell to the US at the lowest prices they sell at overseas. The risk is that manufacturers then avoid launching their products in smaller and lower-priced markets, such as Australia, so that they do not set a lower global baseline price.

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jul 17

700g sports drink powder, 500g sugar for gels, honey and Vegemite sandwiches, plus bananas and crisps at aid stations. Hopefully enough fuel to get me through tomorrow's Guzzler 105 km ultra trail!

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jul 14

Now I'm curious about the etymology. Gemini's answer is just wrong, but maybe it is because erythrulose is common in red fruits 🤔

Gemini boldly and incorrectly claiming erythrulose is red

Ben Schulz @benschulz· May 28

Excellent critique of the dismantling of genuine peer review of health and medical grants in Australia in the name of efficiency www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

These problems are best highlighted by detailing the farcical process through which the NHMRC has eroded the pillars that should support every credible peer review process. This includes the involvement of qualified experts. Previous grant review panels were carefully considered and assembled. Typically, about 80% of the panel (usually 12 members) were independent laboratory heads with prior grant panel experience. Remaining members were either new laboratory heads or, rarely, senior postdoctoral fellows. For training purposes, some senior postdocs were invited to serve as confidential observers, preparing them for future panels. This formative educational process for emerging leaders has now been scrapped and replaced with a YouTube-style video for junior scientists to educate themselves on peer review. In this new system, each grant is assigned to four or five anonymous reviewers whose qualifications are unknown.

Also gone is a stringent process that ensured fairness and accountability. Bias and conflicts of interest were frequently laid bare in prior grant review panels. Furthermore, to account for variation in raw scores, benchmarking and normalization was performed to guarantee that only the top grants from each panel were prioritized for funding. All of these measures have now been abandoned for a process that favors convenience over diligence. Reviewers do not interact, remain anonymous, and are not accountable. Consequently, variations in opinions and scores are simply mathematically averaged rather than scientifically debated, resulting in a 10% increase in funding cut-off scores and a decline of funding from 17.3% (2018) for grants reviewed at panel to 8.1% (2025).

The previous NHMRC mechanism also provided applicants with detailed reviewer comments and the opportunity to submit a two-page response before adjudication. This process has been replaced by one that provides applicants with little feedback—initially with just raw scores, and more recently with an assessment summary of as few as 100 characters. Because there are often no distinguishing features to the reviews, it is often unclear whether a grant has even been read. When scientists receive these reviews, there is no pride or sense of meritocratic achievement for a successful grant and no solace or guidance for improvement if an application was unsuccessful. On the annual occasion when NHMRC grant outcomes are released, there is only one unifying sensation felt: Australian scientists are left with the stain of embarrassment of belonging to a system that lacks the credibility of rigorous scholarly review.

Ben Schulz @benschulz· May 28

Paddington, Brisbane is not a Crisafulli fan

QLD premier David Crisafulli is a baby in police dress up, proud of his badges for Hate Speech Laws, Police Anywhere Anytime, and Adult Crime Adult Time, messily eating a birthday cake decorated with Number 1 Cop Stan. A sticker on a traffic pole in Paddington, Brisbane.

Ben Schulz @benschulz· May 18

Mayor Mamdani is proof that if your political representatives don't fix stuff, strengthen your community and make people's lives better it is simply and only because THEY DO NOT WANT TO www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social

Ben Schulz @benschulz· May 10

Loud and proud in agreeing with @hugepossum.bsky.social, I'll take “natural stupidity” any day 😎 www.nature.com/articles/d41...

For Crowley, the choice is clear. AI might make her work more efficient, but she would rather take the time to understand what she is doing. “I’m here to learn how to do things,” she adds. “I don’t think outsourcing it to a large language model is the goal of a PhD for me.”

Ben Schulz @benschulz· May 1

Intriguing report claiming N-glycosylation of nuclear proteins www.nature.com/articles/s41... I would personally be nervous doing follow-up experiments based on glycopeptide-spectral matches like this.

MS/MS reporting indentification of a glycopeptide, with many non-assigned peaks

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Apr 12

Australians describe themselves as centrists, even when they are economically extremely progressive. This self-described centrism is not an accurate ideological descriptor. It is a social positioning device: a way of signalling reasonableness. redbridgeintel.substack.com/p/polarisati...

Overwhelmingly, our participants describe themselves as centrists, even when their substantive positions are economically extremely progressive. And, particularly in urban areas and among younger regional Australians, they are socially progressive as well.

This self-described centrism is not an accurate ideological descriptor. It is a social positioning device: a way of signalling reasonableness in a political environment experienced as tribal and extreme - something most people hate almost more than they can articulate.

Australians will argue passionately for radically progressive policies, but they want those policies explained in calm, moderate language. They reject what they perceive as activist posturing with a visceral intensity because they see it as divisive. And what they crave is community connection and a sense that they and their neighbours can just get along.

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Apr 7

Mount Roland, northern Tasmania

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 16

The USA exports plasma "sold" by people under financial stress, including to Australia www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Countries that don’t allow payment for plasma, such as Australia and the U.K., don’t have enough plasma-based therapies available to treat patients, making them dependent on plasma from the U.S., he said.

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 16

Fantastic University of Queensland Biochemistry Alumni Lecture from @martinsteinegger.bsky.social on how new amazing structural bioinformatic tools are built on and can inform experimental biochemistry

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 14

Fabulous morning for a Southbank Parkrun with guest star @elisafadda.bsky.social!

Elisa bravely supporting the All Blacks and Ben all fresh and happy before running

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 12

Exquisite editing by the Australian Financial Review. Journalism so good it is art. vt.tiktok.com/ZSmFwUeYt/

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 7

Comb jellies 🥰

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 7

Fabulous talk by @fabianruperti.bsky.social in the #LorneProteomics2026 #glycotime session on the evolution and diversity of N-glycosylation in animals

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 5

Amazing #LorneProteomics2026 Australasian Proteomics Society Career Development Award seminar by @benparkerlab.bsky.social on Spatial- and proximity-based proteomics of the neuromuscular junction. Very cool techniques to explore some fascinating biology.

A/Prof Ben Parker on stage at Lorne Proteomics 2026

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Feb 5

Sensational afternoon for a cheeky #LorneProteomics2026 pre-conference run and swim

Waves look small but surf is perfect 🏄‍♀️

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jan 29

Hudson Freeze #glycotime www.theguardian.com/us-news/vide...

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jan 16

I'm normally all for kids wearing Nirvana t-shirts but this is too much

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jan 16

Not bad, Pottsville beach, not bad

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Jan 1

Happy New Year Parkrun! 🌈🥳

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Dec 25

Merry Xmas Parkrun!

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Nov 30

Mint Brisbane summer morning

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Nov 28

Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences Xmas party time 🎄💃🍻🌈😎 @chancx.bsky.social @fabianruperti.bsky.social

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Sep 29

I may have been at a small advantage, but I had a great time racing in the Australian Orienteering Sprint Championships at The University of Queensland on the weekend 🏃‍♀️🌳

Ben Schulz @benschulz· Sep 29

I was part of the organising team for the Australian Orienteering Long Distance Championships over the weekend overlooking Wivenhoe Dam west of Brisbane🏃‍♀️🌳 Hot, steep, speedy running, fun, and very successful!