Alumni Aloud

Paul Bruening has a PhD in Psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center and is currently Director of UX Research and Insights at Thomson Reuters.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Paul does a deep dive into the principles and methods behind UX research and how GC students can both prepare themselves for the field and stand out while job searching.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Misty Crooks. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Ivan Anastassov received his PhD in Biology at the CUNY Graduate Center and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at San Francisco State University.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Ivan talks to us about his path to becoming a professor, the range of scientific careers he explored as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, and his active pursuit of professional development opportunities that began while he was still in graduate school.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Jack Devine. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Sara Flowers received her Doctorate in Public Health from the Graduate Center and is now the Vice President of Education and Training at Planned Parenthood.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Sara talks to us about what it takes to become a sex educator, the benefits of developing strong relationships within your cohort, and the advantages of finding clarity as soon as possible when it comes to how you’ll apply your degree.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Sarah Hildebrand. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Lisa V. Gale received her PhD in Social Welfare from the Graduate Center and is now the Chief Program Officer at StoryCorps.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Lisa talks to us about why every individual’s story matters, the benefits of asking those around you what career they see you having, and the value of a CUNY education.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Sarah Hildebrand. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Marissa Barrera received her PhD from the GC’s Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences program. She is the owner of New York Neurogenic Speech-Language Pathology P.C., as well as the Program Director of Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program in Medical Speech Language Pathology.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Marissa tells us about bridging clinical and educational experiences in speech language sciences, how she founded her own private practice, and her experience in higher ed admin positions.

This episode's interview was conducted by Carly Batist. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Susan Croll received her PhD from the Neuropsychology program at The Graduate Center. She is now the Director Emeritus of Regeneron’s Postdoctoral Program. 

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Susan talks to us about the similarities and differences between an academic and industrial postdoc position, how to transition from a PhD program into the biotech industry, and the collaborative, invigorating culture she found at Regeneron. 

This episode's interview was conducted by Carly Batist. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Elisa Lee received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Graduate Center. She is now a psychologist in private practice.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Elisa talks to us about the challenges and benefits of opening up a private practice, the impact of the pandemic on her work, and the importance of networking in order to build a sense of community.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Sarah Hildebrand. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

This is a special edition of Alumni Aloud that was recorded at our virtual Careers in Science Communication & Outreach event in February 2021. The panelists were Drs. Rachel Weintraub-Brevda, Saranna Belgrave, and Maria Strangas. Rachel received her PhD from the Graduate Center’s Psychology program in the Cognition, Brain, and Behavior subprogram; Maria got her PhD in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program; and Saranna earned her PhD in the Psychology program’s Behavioral Neuroscience subfield. At the time of the panel, Rachel was the Education and Outreach Program Manager at NYU Langone’s Center for Cognitive Neurology, Saranna was the STEM Research Manager at CUNY K16 Initiatives, and Maria was Manager of the Science Research Mentoring Program at the American Museum of Natural History.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, our panelists tell us about how to incorporate outreach experiences into PhD life, the importance of continuously expanding your colleague, mentor and job search networks, and the translatable strategic planning skills PhD students have.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Carly Batist. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Evan Dawson received her PhD in Psychology with a concentration in Experimental Psychology and Law from the Graduate Center. She is now a Senior UX Researcher at Robinhood.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Evan talks to us about how she pivoted into the fields of tech and finance, the collaborative research she gets to do at Robinhood, and the importance of finding a career that aligns with your values.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Sarah Hildebrand. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.