Annika Barber
@annikabarber
Drosophila enthusiast. Assistant Professor of Mol Bio and Biochem at Rutgers U. Runner. Uses brain to think about brains. All around curious person.
The rats’ nest of airline “partnerships” is making sorting out my cancelled transatlantic flight today at disaster. Booked on @americanair.bsky.social. But actual plane was British Airways. Auto rebooking with 48 h travel time was on Aer Lingus. Each airline says it’s not their problem.
Took a selfie with the tiniest statue paying tribute to model organisms in science! 🧪 🐭 🐟 🪰🪱
My favorite thing at Uppsala Domkyrkan was the children’s chapel! I too am children. ⛪️ 🇸🇪
Classic situation. My husband emailed the historical society of a tiny Swedish town (year round pop = 15) about a tour of their 18th century ironworks ruins. Fully 25% of the town showed up, had a tea party for us, gave us a copy of the historical society’s book and showed us around for 3 hours! 🇸🇪
It’s a beautiful church, and will celebrate its 100th birthday next year!
My husband preached this morning in the church where I was baptized in Tegnérlunden! 🕊️
Goose, wondering if he has received ALL the attention to which he is entitled. 🐶
At the grand reopening of the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, where they recreated the flower arch built by women to welcome George Washington to town. A nice, lowkey local celebration of American ideals.
Every few years, my lab acts out the core clock transcription-translation feedback loop. First because I am entertained and the lab thinks it’s fun. Second because after acting it out, they remember the TTFL forever. This year had the most props yet! And a handstand! #academicsky 🧪 🎭
Guess how many pomodoros of writing and revision my supervisor has done this morning? Idk why we even pay him.
Lab assistant managed to rename a file while I was in the fly room. 🧪🐶
Last day before a long weekend, so naturally the lab went wild with a glitter tattoo kit that one of the undergrads brought in! ✨ 🧪
We belatedly celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary! From blue milk in the deserts of Tatooine to hot chocolate at the snowy reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware, to toasting Chris' new book with authentic 1876 Centennial glasses, here's to many more years of us! 💜🧡
TIL you can max out the Microsoft Word custom dictionary! The word that put me over the edge was erioglaucine. Fortunately I also learned you can make more custom dictionaries! #academicsky
Happy Loving Day! For our anniversary this year I went to a cathedral…with a close friend who was also in Pittsburgh at the Int’l Behavioral and Neural Genetics Society meeting with me. 😝
It’s nice that people in Pittsburgh are so interested in dipteran communication! 🪰
I like to treat trips to domestic cities the same as foreign ones. In that my arrival game plan is always 1) get a treat and 2) find a park.
I got myself a blue mohawk over a weekend in grad school, and my advisor didn't even bat an eye when I walked in Monday morning. I don't have the mohawk anymore, because it turns out it's much easier to have hair you can put in a ponytail. But it is still weird colors and I'm still a scientist.
The federal government might hate it, but many scientists I'm proud to work with weren't born in America! So I love the idea of Hablamos Ciencia, which builds up the Latino scientist community through talks in Spanish. And they have good taste in presenters: @sergiocrespo.bsky.social is from my lab!
Not everyone can pull off such a dignified demeanor when under 18” tall and wearing a yellow duckie raincoat. 🪿 🐶
Always a joy and a privilege to represent my department at convocation! Being in a room with over a thousand students celebrating their accomplishments with their friends and families is such a rewarding experience. This is why we teach and mentor! ♥️🖤
Goose is a frequent, if inattentive, attendee of the Rutgers Fly Club. Most of the time he doesn't even sit with me! (Photo by @seakelly5.bsky.social ). #drosophila
Swapped around the axolotl hides cuz I thought it would provide some enrichment. Hedy is an immediate fan. Gil not so much. (No,their lights aren’t normally this bright, just for photos)