Grad Chat
By PhD Balance
Grad ChatApr 20, 2021
Being Disabled in Grad School w/ Dr. Roo Steinberg
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.
You can click the link to learn more about Dragonfly Mental Health.
Want to be a guest on Grad Chat? Fill out this Google Form.
Leaving with a Masters and starting a new PhD w/ Brittney Hauke
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time; check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Narrowing Down A Vague Topic w/ Emeline Beltran
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time; check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Building Transferrable Skills w/ Eleni Routoula
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time; check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Navigating Academia as a First-Gen Black Woman w/ Kamille Harris
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time; check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Navigating Difficult Topics w/ Ti'Air Riggins
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Courtney on Twitter: @CApplewhiteX
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Finding Community Online in Grad School w/ Jennifer Van Alstyne
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).
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Chronic Illness in Grad School w/ Kasia Kuzmicz-Kowalska
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/
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Building an Additive Skills Portifolio w/ Manasi Apte
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Courtney on Twitter: @CApplewhiteX
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Boundaries w/ Julia Jones
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Job Searching without Mentor Support w/ Daniel Jefferies
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.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Aidan on Twitter: @aidan_mowat
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Pregnancy in Grad School - A Panel
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)
4. Pamela Fullerton, NCC, LCPC, CCTP, C-DBT (LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-fullerton-ncc-lcpc-cctp-c-dbt-9a5b83104/).
A full-text transcript is available via google doc.
You can connect with PhD Balance on social media at PhD_Balance on Twitter and Instagram and visit our website at www.phdbalance.com
Changing Working Environments w/ Victoria Gray
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 9 am Eastern Time, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Filling Your Cup w/ Sangeeta Nair
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Personal & Professional Development in Grad School w/ Sean Bittner
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!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Aidan on Twitter: @aidan_mowat
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Going to School and Working Full-Time w/ Mikel Joachim
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Aidan on Twitter: @aidan_mowat
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Setting your Goals & Defining Success w/ Erin Berlew
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Liesl on Twitter: @sourkrause94
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
PhD Career Transitions Beyond Academia w/ Holly Prescott, PhD
This week, we will be joined by Holly Prescott, PhD (she/her). Holly is currently the Careers Adviser for Postgraduate Researchers at the University of Birmingham (UK) and author of the new PhD Careers blog "PostGradual" (phd-careers.co.uk). She completed her PhD in English Literature at the University of Birmingham in 2011. Since completing her PhD, she gained four years experience in graduate student recruitment before moving over to postgraduate careers support. To aid this move, between 2014-16 she went back to studying part-time for a professional career guidance qualification. Outside of work, Holly keeps her literary interests alive as a member of the in-house company at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham (UK) and as Co-Artistic Director of Ottisdotter Productions in London.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Aidan on Twitter: @aidan_mowat
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat.
Going to Grad School after Working w/ Courtney Applewhite
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Isolation in Grad School w/ Elana Gloger
This week, we will be joined by Elana Gloger (she/her), host of the Dear Grad Student Podcast! Elana is a brand new PhD Candidate in health psychology. She is also the creator, and host of the amazing Dear Grad Student Podcast. You can find Elana on Twitter (@elana_gloger) and you can find Dear Grad Student on Twitter (@DearGradStudent), Instagram (@deargradstudentpod), their website and wherever you listen to your podcasts (like Grad Chat!!).
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT, check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Tackling Academic Mental Health w/ Zoë Ayres
CW: This episode contains mentions of suicidal ideation
This week, we will be joined by Zoë Ayres, PhD (she/her). After spending several years in academia post-PhD, Zoë moved to industry and is now an analytical Senior Scientist in the water industry. She is also a mental health advocate in her spare time, working towards improving mental health in research settings, primarily focusing on academic mental health. She raises awareness of the common issues people face throughout academia through various campaigns, talks and initiatives, and is the author of the #academicmentalhealth poster series on Twitter. You can find her on Twitter (@ZJAyres) and find her posters on her website!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Grad Chat episodes are posted every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Transitioning To A Postdoc w/ Ubadah Sabbagh, PhD & Kaela S. Singleton, PhD
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.
Check out Dr Sabbagh's website for his full guide on How to find, apply for, and choose a postdoc.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Liesl on Twitter: @SourKrause94
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Recovering from Academic Abuse & Bullying w/ Dr Heloise Stevance
This week, we will be joined by Heloise Stevance, PhD (she/her).
Originally born and raised in France, Dr Stevance moved to the UK to study Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sheffield. She earned her Masters of Physics in 2015 and her PhD in 2019. She is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland studying the evolution of massive stars to better understand how they die and produce Supernovae and Kilonovae. Outside research Heloise is passionate about public outreach. Find Heloise on Twitter (@sydonahi) or visit her website hfstevance.com.
The two blog pieces Dr Stevance mentioned in the episode can be found on her website: 1. Switching PhD Advisor: The “Good”, The Bad And The Ugly 2. Advice From People Who Switched PhD Advisor.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Navigating Academia as a Queer & Trans Person w/ Schuyler Borges
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Becoming a Mentor to Undergrad & Graduate Students w/ Zori Paul
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.
A full-text transcript is available via google doc.
Join us every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Graduate Student Mental Health w/ Susanna Harris, PhD
This week, we will be joined by Susanna Harris, PhD (she/her) to talk about Graduate Student Mental Health.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
At the 37:30 mark, Liesl discusses a technique to calmly call out those who say inappropriate things in meetings. This technique of saying “ouch”, is meant to be used as a way for someone with power to bring attention to themselves and correct the situation, while keeping marginalized groups safe. We recognize that some organizations have misused this technique and not allowed the correcting portion of the technique to take place. We believe that using this technique in full with the original intent is still a valid method of standing up for others when you can.
Join us every second Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Liesl on Twitter: @SourKrause94
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Power Abuse and Reporting w/ Marta Oliveira, PhD
This week, we will be joined by Marta Oliveira, PhD (she/her). During the PhD in Berlin, Marta crossed paths with a sexual harassment victim that fuelled her energy to engage in mental health advocacy and organizational culture/design. Her focusing was on the prevention and tackling of power abuse and improving the lives of graduate students and survivors of harassment and power abuse. Currently, she works with Dragonfly Mental health, delivers talks, and consults Universities and scientific institutes to help them improve their culture. You can reach out to Marta at marta.oliveira.scientist@gmail.com for specific advice or with questions you might have. Or get in touch on Twitter (@Martaboliv) and LinkedIn.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us Saturdays at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Starting Grad School after a Short Break from Higher Education w/ Silvi Di Pietro, PhD
This week, we will be joined by Silvina "Silvi" Di Pietro, PhD (she/her). Dr Silvina "Silvi" Dr Pietro is a postdoctoral graduate fellow within the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). She graduated from Florida International University (FIU) in March of 2021 with a PhD in environmental chemistry. But her journey to grad school might be a bit different from some people's. Many go straight from undergrad to PhD or from undergrad to masters to PhD but Silvi decided to take a short break before going to grad school and she going to talk about that and what it was like starting grad school after that break. You can find her on Instagram (@silvidipietro)
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us Saturdays at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Creating a Medium to Normalize Grad School Experiences w/ Monica Molinaro, PhD
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us Saturdays at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
The Importance of Hobbies During Grad School w/ Ariane Panzer
This week, we will be joined by Ariane Panzer (she/her).
Ariane Panzer is currently a 6th year PhD candidate. After working as a research technician for several years, she joined the Biomedical Sciences program at UC San Francisco. In her spare time, Ariane focuses on her other passions: science communication, equity and inclusion in the sciences, and open science. She also enjoys walks in the park with her dog Sophie, reading and discussing books with her book club, journaling, and recently has started watercolor painting. You can find Ariane on Twitter (@STEMbiosis).
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Liesl on Twitter: @SourKrause94
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Getting Involved in Grad School w/ Caitlyn Cardetti
This week, we will be joined by Caitlyn Cardetti (she/her).
Caitlyn is currently a PhD candidate in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at Stoney Brook University in New York. As she is finishing her graduate school career, she has been reflecting a lot on her experiences and realized how influential getting involved in Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWISE) and other extracurriculars have helped her succeed and she is here to talk about them today! You can find out more about Caitlyn on her Twitter (@CaitlynCardetti).
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Aidan on Twitter: @Aidan_Mowat
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Self Advocacy as a Woman in Physics w/ Lipi Gupta, PhD
This week, we will be joined by Lipi Gupta, PhD (she/her). Lipi just defended her PhD in Physics 10 days ago from The University of Chicago!!! She is now headed into a software engineering-focused postdoctoral fellowship at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Being a woman in academia, STEM or research comes with its own challenges and self-advocating is necessary but that doesn’t mean it’s easy! Lipi is here today to share her experiences on this! You can find her on Twitter (@_lipigupta) and LinkedIn!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Making Change for Disabled Grad Students & Academics w/ Haley Branch
This week, we will be joined by Haley Branch (she/her).
Haley is currently a PhD candidate in Botany at the University of British Columbia in Canada. Being a disabled person in the academy can be challenging but when you are in a discipline that includes fieldwork, like hers, there are additional barriers to navigate. Haley’s experiences have led her to found some new initiatives at her university, including a well-being initiative and the Disabled Graduate Student Association. In addition to this, she works as a graduate research assistant with the Equity and Inclusion Office at her university. You can find her on Twitter (@HaleyABranch)!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Future Careers - A Panel on Careers Outside of Academia
BONUS episode - #PhDStrongerTogether presents Future Careers: A panel on careers outside of academia!
Our host Fay Lin (@xiaofei_lin) chats with Dr Andrea Hindman (AAAS Technology Fellow), Dr Camillia Monestime (Medical Writer), Dr Amanda Preske (Owner of Circuit Breaker), and Dr Paul Evans (Head of Scientific Training at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience) on how to break the barriers of academia post-grad school, and the many options students may not even consider when considering their future careers.
A full-text transcript of this panel is available via google doc.
Check out the Stronger Together series on the PhD Balance website for more information and to check out this month's Stronger Together topic! You can also revisit all our past Stronger Together topics at any time - examples include Imposter Syndrome, Mental Health during a Crises, Work-Life Balance, Finding Your Academic Home, Mental Illness in Grad School and MUCH MORE!
Parenting and Pregnancy in Grad School w/ Alexandra Bobb-Woodson
This week, we will be joined by Alexandra Bobb-Woodson (she/her).
Alexandra (Allie) is currently a doctoral candidate in school psychology. She became a mom for the first time in 2014, two years after she failed out of undergrad. Allie returned to school when she found out she was expecting her 2nd child and has been going ever since! Parenting in graduate school has given her an interesting perspective on her work and has been the motivation for every big leap she takes! Find her on Instagram (@alexandrawdsn).
A full-text transcript of the episode is available via google doc!
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream and check out the PhD Balance YouTube Channel for all the videos! The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Advisor Conflict & LGBTQ+ Mentorship w/ Abby Nissenbaum
This week, we will be joined by Abby Nissenbaum (she/her).
Abby is an MBA candidate and a data analyst in Nashville, Tennessee. After refusing to falsify data as requested by her advisor, she received retaliation and was asked to leave her PhD in Social Psychology. Abby is ALSO a talented musician and singer currently working on a forthcoming single (coming out on June 18th!) and EP, centred on themes of harassment and abuse in academia, as well as mental health consequences. You can find Abby on Instagram (@abbynissenbaum) and Twitter (@abbynissenbaum)!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Niba on Twitter: @NotesByNiba
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Navigating Post-PhD Unknowns w/ Stephanie Deppe, PhD
This week, we will be joined by Stephanie Deppe, PhD (she/her).
Stephanie is a science communicator with the Vera C Rubin Observatory! After completing her PhD in Physics from the University of Michigan in 2019, she decided to pursue a career in Science Communication and even though she had a lot of varied experiences in SciComm during her PhD, she still had a lot of career uncertainty going into post-PhD life. And to complicate things, the world went into a pandemic and Stephanie was also suffering from extreme burnout. You can find Stephanie on Instagram and Twitter (both @SpaceSciSteph) & also check out her work with the Vera C Rubin Observatory on Twitter (@VRubinObs) and Instagram (@rubin_observatory).
A full-text transcript of the episode is available via google doc!
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Finding Your Voice in a Large Collaboration w/ Ben Davis-Purcell
This week's guest is Ben David-Purcell (he/him).
Ben is a physics PhD candidate at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He works on the ATLAS Experiment, based in CERN, Switzerland. ATLAS is an international collaboration with about 5000 members worldwide (Woah!) He's here to talk about finding your voice in a large collaboration. You can find Ben on Twitter at @BenDavisPurcell.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Aidan on Twitter: @Aidan_Mowat
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Talking About Transitions w/ Fátima
This week's guest is Fátima (she/her/he/him)! Fátima is currently an assistant researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison researching ECR training spaces and developing mentor training interventions. She's going to be talking to us about all the transitions in her life so far! Find her on Twitter (@HappyStemCell)!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Linda on Twitter: @LindaCCor
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Leaving Grad School w/ Niba of NotesByNiba
BONUS episode - Leaving Grad School Conversation on Clubhouse hosted by Susanna Harris, PhD featuring Niba of NotesByNiba and Diana Klatt.
Over 50% of people who start a PhD program leave without the degree. Why? Niba of NotesByNiba on YouTube talks about her experience of leaving Grad School as well as the experiences of those interviewed for her newest video 10 Stories on Leaving Grad School + Why I Left, which premiered on April 15th, 2021 on her YouTube!
Niba (she/her) is a multimedia science communicator based in Ramaytush Ohlone land (San Francisco, CA). She creates scientific content through articles, photos, social media, and primarily through science video hosting. She received a science film making fellowship from Jackson Wild and has created videos for platforms such as Stanford and Seeker. As a visible and invisible minority, Niba strives to be inclusive of all minority statuses. As a model turned scientist turned content creator, Niba explores the science in cosmetics, fashion, and skincare through YouTube and Instagram as @NotesByNiba. One of her favorite videos blends her Indian heritage, plants, and the science of henna body art. As an undergraduate at UC Davis, Niba investigated the effects of climate change on crops and pursued diversity studies. Her graduate work at Duke researched the genetics, form, and function of plant roots. Find out more on Niba's Website.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Follow the host Susanna on Twitter: @SusannaLHarris
Bipolar II in Grad School w/ Kiara Sofia Vega Bellido
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.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Choosing an Advisor w/ Kyle M. Kabasares
This week, we will be joined by Kyle M. Kabasares (he/him).
Kyle is currently a PhD Candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) where he studies supermassive black holes. Kyle completed his undergraduate degree in Physics at the University of California, Merced where he worked on research projects in condensed matter physics. In addition, Kyle spent one summer as a NASA intern studying atmospheric science. A few months into his first year of grad school, Kyle realized that he was not truly committed to the research of the PhD program that accepted him. As a result, he decided to stay in Physics at UCI but change sub-fields. Kyle's search for a new PhD focus led him to interview multiple professors and graduate students in different areas of research at UCI. Ultimately, he decided to pursue research in his childhood interest in astrophysics. Follow Kyle on Twitter (@AstronoMisfit) and Instagram (@astronomisfit).
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Leaving Grad School w/ Niba Nirmal
This week, we will be joined by Niba Nirmal (she/her).
Niba's video, 10 Stories on Leaving Grad School + Why I Left premiered on April 15th, 2021!
"Last year, I made a choice to leave Duke University -- not with a PhD as I had originally planned, with a masters degree. Though it was the right choice for me, I was not prepared for the backlash of that decision. Leaving has a weird stigma around leaving and assumptions about being able to “succeed” or not being "smart enough". In dealing with the repercussions of my decision, I felt alone and reached out to others who had left to learn from their experience. This video is their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on leaving." - Niba
Niba is a multimedia science communicator based in Ramaytush Ohlone land (San Francisco, CA). Niba creates scientific content through articles, photos, social media, and primarily through science video hosting. She received a science film making fellowship from Jackson Wild and has created videos for platforms such as Stanford and Seeker. As a visible and invisible minority, Niba strives to be inclusive of all minority statuses.As a model turned scientist turned content creator, Niba explores the science in cosmetics, fashion, and skincare through YouTube and Instagram as @NotesByNiba. One of her favorite videos blends her Indian heritage, plants, and the science of henna body art. As an undergraduate at UC Davis, Niba investigated the effects of climate change on crops and pursued diversity studies. Her graduate work at Duke researched the genetics, form, and function of plant roots. Find out more on Niba's Website.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Building a Community Around Mental Illness w/ Dr Susanna Harris
PhD Balance is celebrating its 3rd anniversary! In this special Grad Chat, we'll talk with founder Dr Susanna Harris (she/her) about the PhD Balance journey thus far, and the launch of the PhD Balance speaking team! Check out the PhD Balance website for more info about our speaking event services!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Reporting in Academia w/ Dr Dessie Clark
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.
During Dessie's PhD, she reported complaints against her advisor including discrimination and harassment based on her disability (ADHD), stalking, research misconduct, human-subjects noncompliance, financial misspending, retaliation, and violations of her right to privacy under FERPA. She spent time reporting these issues within her institution and to other oversight bodies within the federal government. Dessie ended-up leaving her advisor, changing departments, and eventually graduating with her PhD, but not without learning a lot along the way. Since sharing her story, Dessie receives many messages and emails for help from graduate students who are navigating similar issues and are looking for advice. You can find out more about Dessie on her Twitter (@dessielclark) and Instagram (@dessieleec) accounts.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Sense of Belonging in Grad School w/ Dr Chrissy Stachl
This week we will be joined by Dr Chrissy Stachl (she/her/ella)!
Chrissy earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020. She is now the Director of Education, Outreach, and Diversity at the Center for Genetically Encoded Materials. Chrissy started her PhD in physical chemistry, as one of only a few Latinx students in her department of over 400 graduate students. Her experiences during the first two years of her program motivated her to find ways to diversity her department and make it more inclusive. After launching a longitudinal study of her department’s academic climate, Chrissy switched into a chemistry education group and spent the rest of her PhD studying sense of belonging and the role it plays within academic culture. You can find out more about Chrissy on her Twitter (@ChrissyStachl) and Instagram (@chrissystachl) accounts!
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Navigating Legal Status During Grad School w/ Sameera Nayak
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!
A full-text transcript of this episodes is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the YouTube live stream where we talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. The podcast episodes are posted the Tuesday after the live stream!
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Black Mental Health Matters w/ Brianna Baker
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.
Learn more about Black In Mental Health on Twitter (@BlackInMH) and check out their other work via their linktree. Find Brianna on social media, Twitter (@briannaabaker), YouTube (Becoming Dr Baker), Instagram (@becomingdrbaker) or visit her website.
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT to talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school.
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host Fay on Twitter: @xiaofei_lin
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Student Wellbeing in Higher Education w/ Layne Scherer
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).
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT to talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school.
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host on Twitter: Fay Lin (@xiaofei_lin)
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!
Making STEM Accessible for Underrepresented Scientists w/ Co-founders of Científico Latino
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."
Learn more about Cientifico Latino through their website and follow them on Twitter (@cientificolatin) and Instagram (@cientificolatino)
A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc.
Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT to talk about maintaining mental health and balance in grad school.
Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form!
Follow our host on Twitter: Fay Lin (@xiaofei_lin)
Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!