About Me

I’m James Smoliga, DVM, PhD, professor at Tufts University School of Medicine.
I trained originally as a veterinarian (DVM, Cornell Univeristy ‘03) but shifted early in my career to focus entirely on human health, sports science, and research integrity. I completed my PhD in Sports Medicine and Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh (‘07).

Over the past 20+ years, my work has spanned sports medicine, exercise science, physical therapy, and translational medicine. If you’re interested, you can find more details from my Google Scholar profile and Tufts faculty page.

I teach in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Tufts University School of Medicime, working with future physical therapists and healthcare professionals to sharpen evidence literacy and critical thinking.

Outside the classroom, I’ve published 80+ peer-reviewed papers, and commentary pieces in outlets like Ars Technica, Nature, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. I have a particular interest in identifying how science sometimes over-promises—and how we can rebuild public trust without sacrificing rigor.

And just for fun:
I used to run fast (relatively speaking)
I have an extensive collection of honey.
I believe science can be rigorous, yet still keep a sense of humor.

Why Subscribe

This is a newsletter for people from all walks of life who care about science—not just what it says, but what it means, what it misses, and what it becomes once it enters the world.

Beyond the Abstract is for clinicians, scientists, and thoughtful readers who believe in evidence—but also know that even good science can be misunderstood, misused, or oversold. I unpack the subtleties that often get missed: in methods, language, and incentives.

It’s not about doubting science. It’s about understanding it more completely—especially when the surface looks convincing but the structure underneath doesn’t hold.

And if you’re navigating academia—whether you’re just starting out, rethinking your path, or wondering what success looks like without burnout—I’ll share what I’ve learned. From community college teaching to SLACs to R1s, I’ve seen what the system rewards, what it doesn’t, and how to survive with your integrity intact.

Beyond the Abstract is here to follow the evidence all the way through: from headline to methods section, from promise to policy, from data to decision-making.

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Paid features will grow over time—but even now, pledging is a way to say: “This kind of science writing matters.”

Thanks for reading.

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