Writer, researcher, terrible social media user | Assistant Prof @uvahumanities.bsky.social & VP of @pcstnetwork.bsky.social | studying journalism, #scholcomm & #scicomm | she/herhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3mfizr6eykk2dHome is not just a place, it is also a process. In my latest for @nautil.us, I dig into the psychology of one of our most basic needs: feeling at home. What does "home" really mean? How do we build that sense of belonging? And how does it impact our wellbeing? Read it: https://nautil.us/home-really-is-where-the-heart-is-1269002/23 Feb 2026 06:32 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfizr6eykk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3mfizjawhh22dPleasure to be a part of this important story — a must read for critical science journalists. [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Feb 2026 06:27 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfizjawhh22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3mccrmc6x6k2bPlease help spread the word! We are looking for freelancers to participate in an interview for our research project "Engaging citizens with sustainable solutions." If you fit the bill, or know someone who does, please read on (details in 🧵👇) #envirocomm #scicomm13 Jan 2026 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mccrmc6x6k2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3m7mn2c3wa22qCall for presentations: If you're planning to be at #ICA2026 and are interested in #scicomm, please join us for this exciting preconference! Details below 👇👇👇 [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Dec 2025 08:24 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7mn2c3wa22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3m4vgtepuqc2uOnly a week to go before our webinar on "watchdog science journalism"! Will we see you there? [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Nov 2025 16:11 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4vgtepuqc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3m4flbp65kk2pCome join us for a discussion of how science journalists can act as watchdogs of the research sphere! #scicomm #journalism [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Oct 2025 08:48 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4flbp65kk2phttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3m4fl7kjtdc2pSuch a pleasure to speak with INCT-CPCT about our recent research on how science journalists navigate predatory publishing study w/ @juancommander.scholcommlab.ca & @lauramoorhead.bsky.social available here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17512786.2025.2551984 [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Oct 2025 08:47 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4fl7kjtdc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3m24evttyhs2zGreat opportunity to work with a vibrant and international team, and to make a difference for #openscience and public knowledge. [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Oct 2025 06:09 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m24evttyhs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3m24egwsxys2uCurious about our new study on journalists and predatory publishing, but don't want to read a 15 page academic paper? @journoresource.bsky.social just wrote a great little summary and what the findings mean for #scolcomm, #openscience & journalism https://journalistsresource.org/home/study-sheds-light-on-journalists-knowledge-of-predatory-journals/01 Oct 2025 06:01 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m24egwsxys2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lznabo66kk2xIf you're in Amsterdam and interested in digital media (or just want to leave your house on Monday), come say hi at this FREE event. @markdeuze.bsky.social , Toni Pape & I will be talking about the weird and sometimes wonderful nature of living life online. https://voxpop.uva.nl/en/content/events/2025/09/off-screens-media-pub-talk-media-and-the-self.html25 Sep 2025 05:37 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lznabo66kk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lz7iewvn722u🐕 🐕 🐕 REMINDER 🐕 🐕 🐕 The deadline to submit an abstract to our special issue on "Journalism as a Science Watchdog" is just a couple of weeks away (October 15). We are really looking forward to reading your submissions! [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Sep 2025 18:24 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lz7iewvn722uhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lz4fuiv6bs2hInterested in researching how journalists experience and grapple with emotions? And how nature retreats might help them better manage the impacts of covering evolving crises? Come work at the @uvahumanities.bsky.social with the wonderful @johana.bsky.social 👇👇👇 [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Sep 2025 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lz4fuiv6bs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lxyv7kv3dk2kReflecting on this thread, I am laughing at the extreme irony of the glaring capitalization error in the title of our paper 😂 Definitely a sign our research is not to be trusted. [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Sep 2025 10:00 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxyv7kv3dk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lxyuppdwk22kHave you ever heard of predatory journals? Our new study—published this week in Journalism Practice—suggests many science journalists haven't. When they were familiar with predatory journals, most said they weren't worried, confident they'd "be able to spot one if they saw one." Details in 🧵👇04 Sep 2025 09:51 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxyuppdwk22khttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lxqz7dtsyc2qGrateful to see our work on Watchdog Science Journalism featured in @epstoa.bsky.social Reminder if you're a researcher interested in this space, our special issue for Media and Communication is accepting submissions till October 1! https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/issue/futureissues#i498 [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Sep 2025 06:50 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxqz7dtsyc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lwrez3ea2d23New study — out today in Journalism Practice! In it, we analyze the qualities of a news story (about climate-related emergencies) that predict whether/how much it is shared/engaged with on Facebook and republished by other media outlets.19 Aug 2025 16:56 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwrez3ea2d23https://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lqc623vick2k#PCST2025 folks interested in science journalism, investigative journalism, and/or research integrity, join us at 10:30 am in Conference Suite 2B for an international panel on "Watchdog Science Journalism" Featuring the fabulous An Nguyen, @riedlinm.bsky.social & @gracidade.bsky.social !29 May 2025 07:11 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqc623vick2khttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lo6eqo4cbs2c"public engagement and participation are predominantly framed as a way to build public trust—and thus maintain science’s cultural power and authority—rather than incorporate citizens’ unique perspectives" Our new study examines how policies address #EDI and public #scicomm in #openscience 👇👇👇 [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 May 2025 08:10 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lo6eqo4cbs2chttps://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lnz7buutgc27Great opportunity to work with an amazing group of scholars on an important project. Feel free to ping me if you have questions about the lab's work (but note I have nothing to do with this project). #openscience #scholcomm #peerreview [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Apr 2025 06:48 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnz7buutgc27https://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lnhildgdak22What does it take to make a #scicomm event inclusive—for the audience AND speakers? In next week's @pcstnetwork.bsky.social webinar, @riedlinm.bsky.social @nicbennett.bsky.social Luz Helena & Thilina Heenatigala @nepologia.bsky.social will share their tips! https://www.pcst.network/webinars/upcoming-webinars/23 Apr 2025 05:47 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnhildgdak22https://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lm7icuxqok22Ugh. [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 Apr 2025 07:56 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lm7icuxqok22https://bsky.app/profile/fleerackers.bsky.social/post/3lm7i2qsii222Interesting. But is shifting academic reward systems away from citation metrics to "AI-driven analytics" as metrics of #openscience the answer? More and different metrics is not the answer to our obsession with metrics. Even (& maybe especially) when those metrics are controlled by AI. #scolcomm [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 Apr 2025 07:51 +0000at://did:plc:7pa4du6v4kfakmc73oxdk6dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lm7i2qsii222