Grad Chat

Dr. Roo Steinberg of Dragonfly Mental Health discusses her experiences with disabilities in graduate school.

She earned her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2020 and has worked in the mental health in academia advocacy space for over 10 years, aligning with her passion for writing and community building. Roo is also the editor-in-chief of dragonfly digital diaries, dragonflies monthly newsletter, which exists as a safe space for academics to share their lived experiences in academia and/or with mental health, and invites academics to be vulnerable to help fight the stigma in academic spaces.

This week, we will be joined by Brittney Hauke (she/they). Brittney Hauke is a 3rd-year Ph.D. Candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State University. She previously got her Master's in Materials Science and Engineering from Arizona State University and their BA in Physics and Studio art at a small liberal arts school called Coe College. You can find them on Twitter @SuperSparticle.

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week, we will be joined by Emeline Beltran (she/her). Emeline is a Master of Arts Candidate from California State University, Los Angeles studying Communication. The main subfields in this discipline that she focuses on are intercultural, global, and health communication. Her research interests are in crisis communication, specifically how emergencies and social injustices affect diverse populations and their intersectional identities. Long-term, she hopes to pursue a research or communication role in social and human services.

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week, we will be joined by Eleni Routoula (she/her). Originally from Greece, Eleni moved in the UK 6 years ago to pursue further studies. Her educational background has been in chemical engineering, but after 10 years of chemeng studies including a PhD on the topic, she realised that my passion was not about the practice of the profession as a researcher or industrial engineer. During my PhD in chemical engineering, Eleni discovered an interest in teaching, researchers’ development, science communication, networking, and employability, through participation in numerous extra-curricular activities. Her non-research interests ranged from teaching assistance and participating in outreach, to chairing committees and an editorial placement in the journal Nature. She decided to pave her way in a sector different than originally intended, by pursuing further experience and employment in areas of interest. Currently, her main focus is educating students and researchers on the realisation and development of transferable skills and extracurricular experience as a means to shape and pursue conventional and unconventional careers. You can find her on Instagram @curleni.

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week, we will be joined by Kamille Harris (she/her). Kamille is currently serving as a Psychology Intern at the University of Memphis Counseling Center where she provides individual and group psychotherapy, as well as crisis interventions and campus outreach. She completed her Master of Science in Clinical Counseling at Radford University and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at North Carolina A&T State University. She is studying Black women's well-being and experiences of gendered racial microaggressions in higher education. Throughout the course of her clinical training, she's provided mental health services to college students, veterans, adults, and children. This Philadelphia native hopes to spend her career providing clinical supervision, consulting, and developing community-based programs to improve the well-being of adolescent Black girls. In her free time, Kamille enjoys playing The Sims and creating content for @Blackgirlsnoysters on Instagram. To learn more about Kamille, follow her on Twitter @almostdrharris.

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week, we will be joined by Ti'Air Riggins (she/her).  

Ti’Air Riggins is a current Biomedical Engineering PhD researcher at Case Western Reserve University who just became the first Black Biomedical Engineering PhD recipient from MSU.  She received her bachelors in Biomedical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2011, also becoming the first black undergraduate student to receive a bachelors in science in BME from OSU, and proceeded to earn a master’s from the University of Cincinnati in 2013. Beginning her PhD at Purdue in 2014, she transferred to Michigan State in January 2019. Her research focus is integrating tissue engineering with implantable electrodes to tune immune response in the brain, in the REIL lab under the direction of Dr. Erin Purcell. She is a co-founder for Black In Neuro, serves as the Academia Chair for the Health Innovations special interest group of the National Society of Black Engineers, is a local organizer for Com Sci Con MI, and is in the speaker’s bureau for the Rape And Incest National Network.  She has also served in the community under her platforms of sexual assault awareness and exposing underrepresented students to STEM as Miss Indiana United States 2015 and has received awards for her Social Justice in 2016 and Humanitarianism in 2018.  She was named a fellow in the Society for Neuroscience from 2016 – 2018 and is also a NIH F99/K00 fellowship awardee. She just accepted a postdoc position in the Capadona lab at Case Western Reserve University where she will do her K00 funded research. Her future goals include managing her own lab exploring neurodegeneration and foreign body response to brain computer interfaces and being a successful educator and mentor for students who are underrepresented students in neuroscience and engineering.   

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week, we will be joined by Jennifer Van Alstyne (she/her). Jennifer van Alstyne is a communications strategist for professors and researchers. At The Academic Designer LLC, Jennifer helps people share their work effectively online. The Social Academic blog has articles and interviews on managing your online presence. Jennifer is a Peruvian-American poet with a BA in English from Monmouth University, an MFA in Writing & Poetics from the Jack Kerouac School, and an MA in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Connect with her on Twitter (@HigherEdPR) and LinkedIn (Jennifer van Alstyne).  

This week, we will be joined by Kasia Kuzmicz-Kowalska (she/her).  Kasia is a PhD Student at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria studying Developmental Biology. She is also the host of the Science on Trial [and Error] podcast. You can connect with Kasia on Twitter @kuzmiczkowalska and find Science on Trial [and Error] on Twitter @scienceontrial, Instagram @scienceontrialpodcast and on Podbean https://scienceontrialanderror.podbean.com/

This week's guest is Manasi Apte, PhD (she/her).  Manasi is a Scientist and Communicator, currently based in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. She is an accomplished science research scientist, seasoned science communicator, and avid public engagement practitioner, working with several initiatives in the United States and India for more than a decade. Manasi believes in building connections via communications and for her, impactful storytelling is one of the meaningful ways for connecting any two ideas, data points, stories, and people. She recently got featured in a STEMterview as well as in Lifeology SciCommer spotlights series. She is also one of the #WomeninSTEM role models and aspires to continue her journey in the field of science communication and public engagement. You can find her on Twitter at @Manasiapte. Her website referenced in the show is www.highlight-communications.org. The views/ opinions/ observations/ comments expressed during the podcast are her own and do not represent her employer's views and opinions about said topics. 

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week's guest is Julia Jones, PhD (she/her). Julia Jones is a scientist, coach, and founder of the Academic Life Community. With over two decades of experience in academia, Julia studied and worked at institutions across seven countries. She holds two masters degrees in biology and in demography and earned her PhD in Zoology from the University of Oxford in 2015. In 2020, Julia has completed a life and business coaching program accredited by the International Coaching Foundation (ICF). She is also currently completing a BSc in Psychology at the University of Southern Denmark. These days Julia runs a learning platform and community to support academics in achieving their academic goals while maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing. She regularly shares insights around mental health in academia through her blog, workshops, and group training programs. You can find her on Twitter (@juliajonesdotdk) and via her website (https://www.juliajones.dk/).

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

This week's guest is Dan Jefferies, PhD (he/him). Dan received his PhD in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 2019 after which he did a postdoc at Harvard University.  Although he is no longer in a fume hood, he has been able to find a career that keeps him close to the action and involved in his passions. Outside of work Dan, enjoy visiting new breweries, hiking & camping, and spending time with his fiancé and cats.

A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.

Let's talk about pregnancy in grad school! A bonus episode of Grad Chat by PhD Balance.  

Big thank you to our panellists:  

1. Javi Rudolph, PhD (Twitter @javirudolph) 

2. Alexa M. Quinn, PhD (Twitter @AlexaMQuinn) 

3. Iben Rickett Sullivan, PhD, MPH (Twitter @imickrick) 

This week, we will be joined by Victoria Gray, PhD (she/her). Victoria just finished her PhD in (Statistical) Cancer Genetics at Cardiff University and is getting ready to start a research position at the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on genetic variation in patients with various types of cancer. Outside of work, Victoria is a keen singer, performer and F1 fanatic. She’s active in science communication, and is passionate about reducing educational inequality and changing the perceptions of scientists through my new project ‘I’m A Scientist And…’ You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @viclougray & @imascientistand.

This week, we will be joined by Sangeeta Nair, PhD (she/her). Sangeeta recently graduated with her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience and is currently enjoying her life as a small business owner. Today she’s here to chat about finding a community in graduate school, working to fill your cup back up, and some of the disappointments and difficulties she faced along the way. You can find her on Twitter @sangeeters.

This week, we will be joined by Sean Bittner, PhD (he/him). Sean holds a PhD in Bioengineering and the Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation. His graduate research focused on 3D printing and biomaterials research, and he has a combined 6 years of writing & presentation consulting and leadership & career coaching experience. Sean currently serves as the director of a medical technology accelerator program. In graduate school, Sean gained a true passion for personal and professional development for graduate students and entrepreneurs. He pursued both research and non-research based opportunities that combined his interest in science and technology with a passion for people development and leadership. As a coach, Sean works with rising leaders in graduate school and healthcare entrepreneurship on self-discovery and improving their communication and emotional intelligence skills. In his spare time, Sean enjoys running and playing volleyball, learning to play piano and speak Italian, and spending way too much time building model kits. You can find Sean on Twitter @thelifescicoach and on Instagram @seanwithoutanh!

This week, we will be joined by Mikel Joachim (she/her). Mikel Joachim is a research program manager with Badger Athletic Performance and a full-time PhD student in Clinical Investigation, both at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research broadly focuses on injury prevention and recovery in athletes, with specific expertise in biomechanics and injuries in distance runners. She currently holds a master’s degree in kinesiology and anticipates defending her PhD dissertation in December of 2022.  

This week, we will be joined by Erin Berlew (she/her). Erin is a PhD candidate in bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focus is on making optogenetic tools to control the cytoskeleton and, more generally, thinking about how to use natural photoreceptors to perturb cell physiology. She is also interested in teaching, lab organization and culture, coding, cats, and Wikipedia deep dives. You can find her on Twitter @eerinberr.

CW: This episode contains mentions of death and the context of death.  

This week, we will be joined by new Grad Chat host, Courtney Applewhite (she/her).  

Courtney Applewhite is a PhD Candidate in Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara studying death. When she is not volunteering for Grad Chat, you can find her trail running, lifting weights, and spending time with her cats.  

CW: This episode contains mentions of suicidal ideation  

This week, we will be joined by Ubadah Sabbagh, PhD (he/him) & Kaela S. Singleton, PhD (she/her)!

Dr Kaela S. Singleton is a Black, Samoan, Queer developmental neuroscientist and postdoc in Dr Victor Faundez's lab at Emory University. Her research focuses on the cellular and molecular signals that control neuron development in normal and disease states. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Biology Department at Agnes Scott College and President-Elect and Co-Founder of Black In Neuro.

Dr Ubadah Sabbagh is a neuroscientist at the McGovern Institute at MIT, where he is a postdoctoral associate in Dr Guoping Feng's laboratory. Dr Sabbagh attended community college for three years before transferring to the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where he earned his bachelor's degree in biology. He later earned his PhD in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health at Virginia Tech, where he studied connections between the eyes and the brain. Outside of the lab, Dr Sabbagh is heavily involved in science outreach, advocacy, and policy. He co-founded and serves on the Board of Black In Neuro and has written extensively on topics at the intersection of science and policy.

This week, we will be joined by Heloise Stevance, PhD (she/her).  

This week, we will be joined by Schuyler Borges (they/them). Schuyler is a 4th year PhD student in Astronomy and Planetary Science at Northern Arizona University. Their dissertation research focuses on astrobiology; specifically, they study Antarctic microbial mats as potential analogs for life on Mars and exoplanets. Over the course of their graduate experience, Schuyler has felt very alone as a result of their identities and values. As a result, they’ve been actively involved in numerous efforts to provide a support network for those with marginalized identities in STEMM including Thrive Lifeline, a trans-owned grass-roots crisis hotline staffed by and for marginalized people in STEMM.  

This week, we will be joined by Zori Paul (she/her). 

Zori is a clinical mental health counselor and doctoral candidate in counselor education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Currently, her research interests include bisexual+ women of color and identity affirmation, which she’s focusing her dissertation on. Zori is also one of the co-founders of @BlackInMH. For Zori, seeking and gaining both formal and informal mentorship throughout her academic career has helped her navigate academia's vast and often confusing world. 

This week, we will be joined by Susanna Harris, PhD (she/her) to talk about Graduate Student Mental Health.

This week, we will be joined by Monica Molinaro, PhD (she/her).

Monica just defended her PhD at Western University on Thursday! Her research involved critically examining the caregiving narratives of pediatric oncology nurses. Through her dissertation research, Monica came to understand the importance of stories – how accessible they are, how powerful they can be, and how some stories hold more power than others. Monica also saw that graduate students all had stories about their experiences with their research, their graduate studies, as well as their lives outside of graduate school. She started two podcasts – first, the #Gradlife podcast on Gradcast, which is a medium for graduate students to talk about their experiences in the academy, and her own podcast, Humans of Grad School, where she talks with students who have been or are in graduate school about who they are, how they ended up where they are, and where they’d like to be.  

This week, we will be joined by Ariane Panzer (she/her). 

This week, we will be joined by Caitlyn Cardetti (she/her).

This week, we will be joined by Haley Branch (she/her). 

This week, we will be joined by Alexandra Bobb-Woodson (she/her).

This week, we will be joined by Abby Nissenbaum (she/her).

This week, we will be joined by Stephanie Deppe, PhD (she/her). 

This week's guest is Ben David-Purcell (he/him).

BONUS episode - Leaving Grad School Conversation on Clubhouse hosted by Susanna Harris, PhD featuring Niba of NotesByNiba and Diana Klatt.

This week we will be joined by Kiara Sofia Vega Bellido (she/her). Kiara is a Neuroscience PhD student at Baylor College of Medicine studying the neuroplasticity underlying contextual fear memory in the Schaffer collateral synapse. Kiara joins us to discuss her experiences navigating Bipolar II in grad school.  

This week, we will be joined by Kyle M. Kabasares (he/him). 

This week, we will be joined by Niba Nirmal (she/her).

This week we will be joined by Dr Dessie Clark (she/her)!

Dessie completed her PhD in Community Sustainability at Michigan State University in 2020. Her doctoral work focused on evaluating community-based programs and organizations that serve survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). As such, Dessie is passionate about supporting those who have experienced discrimination, harassment, or abuse. Dessie is currently the Research Collaboration Coordinator for the University of Massachusetts’ ADVANCE Program. In this role, she focuses on institutional transformation by cultivating faculty equity, inclusion, and success, specifically for women and BIPOC faculty in STEM fields.

This week we will be joined by Dr Chrissy Stachl (she/her/ella)!

This week we will be joined by Sameera Nayak (she/her). 

Sameera is a PhD candidate in Population Health in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences and a graduate researcher at the Institute for Health Equity & Social Justice Research at Northeastern University. Sameera has a background in Clinical Psychology, and she's a proud alumna of UCLA & Columbia University! Sameera's research is in social epidemiology, more specifically in the social & political determinants of health & health inequities. She uses quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the health and experiences of women, children, and families. Sameera has conducted research globally in East Africa as well as domestically in the US. Sameera first came to the US in 2010 as an international student from India and has spent the last decade navigating the complicated US immigration system. On this week’s episode of Grad Chat, Sameera will discuss the challenges of navigating status during graduate school, the heterogeneity of immigrants in the US, the intersections of mental health & immigration, and how her own personal experiences catalyzed her interest in making immigration the focus of her research!  

This week we will be joined by Brianna Baker (she/her), co-founder of Black In Mental Health.

Brianna is a first-year Counseling Psychology PhD student at Columbia University's Teachers College studying intersectional approaches to mental health and wellness at the individual, community, and policy level. In 2019, she graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad with a double major in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies where she created her own public health major on African American Community Health and Wellness. Brianna started a YouTube Channel called "Becoming Dr Baker" in 2020 to provide educational videos about Black mental health, increasing representation in the academy, and mental health activism.  

This week we will be joined by Layne Scherer (she/her). Layne is a senior program officer at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where she works for the Board on Higher Education and Workforce. Layne recently led an expert committee on the report, Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education: Supporting the Whole Student. She also had the opportunity to lead the report, Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, released in 2018. Layne cares deeply about higher education policy, the research enterprise, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Prior to her time at the National Academies, she worked at the National Science Foundation in their directorate for education and human resources. 

Layne experiences ADHD, anxiety, depression, and ongoing focus issues related to multiple concussions. In Fall 2020, she took a 3-month leave of absence from work to take time to address her mental health issues. During this time, she was working on a mental health report while experiencing some of the worst symptoms of her life.  Layne has also been in the process of exploring multiple identities in her early 30s: adopted, disabled, and queer. During this chat, we will discuss higher education, mental health, student well-being, and identity. Find Layne on Twitter (@LayneScherer).

How can we make STEM accessible for underrepresented scientists? Join us as we chat with the co-founders of Cientifico Latino, Dr Robert Fernandez (@latinodeciencia) and Olivia Goldman (@oliwiagoldman)! 

"Científico Latino is a volunteer-run grassroots STEM organization dedicated to increasing the pool of underrepresented scientists by creating a platform where everyone—regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or immigration status—has equal access to opportunities and guidance to become successful STEM professionals. 

Last year, we started our graduate student mentorship program (GSMI) to help underrepresented scientists navigate the hidden curriculum of graduate school applications. As part of this program, our scholars are paired with science professionals that provide feedback on all aspects of their graduate school application, access to webinars on demystifying the graduate school application process, one-on-one mock interviews, and a community of mentors and scholars in STEM. We have also generated open-access STEM resources from the high school to graduate level, to help students find summer research programs, fellowships, post-bac programs, and graduate school visit weekends. Our open-access resources and programs are only possible through the dedication of our amazing Científico Latino team, composed of STEM professionals across several universities, who are passionate about changing the narrative and enabling underrepresented scientists to succeed in STEM."