Alumni Aloud

Kishore Gangangari earned his PhD in chemistry from the Graduate Center. He is a life science consultant at Charles Rivers Associates, a global consulting firm that provides expertise on litigation, business strategy, and government policies.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Kishore describes the skills needed to become a science consultant, his application and interview experiences, and his experience as an international student finding work in the U.S.

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

This podcast episode was produced by a Graduate Center student who participated in an Alumni Aloud fellowship offered through the Office of Career Planning & Professional Development. This programming was sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative.

Kurt Reynertson is a graduate of the Biology PhD Program at the Graduate Center. He is now Manager of Regulatory & Stewardship Policy at Johnson & Johnson.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Kurt tells us about his transition from the plant sciences program to product research. He explains how industry jobs, especially those in a large company, can complement multidisciplinary skillsets and offer a wide range of opportunities.

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

This podcast episode was produced by a Graduate Center student who participated in an Alumni Aloud fellowship offered through the Office of Career Planning & Professional Development. This programming was sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative.

Marian Díaz-Wionczek earned her PhD from the psychology program at the Graduate Center. She is Principal at MDW Consulting & Research, a consulting firm for children's educational media and technology.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Mariana tells us about her entrance into the field of children’s “edutainment.” She talks to us about her career path, being open to unexpected opportunities, her feelings about imposter syndrome, and the importance of paying it forward.

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

This podcast episode was produced by a Graduate Center student who participated in an Alumni Aloud fellowship offered through the Office of Career Planning & Professional Development. This programming was sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative.

Delia Mellis is the Director of Program and Faculty Development for the Bard Prison Initiative and an alum of the Graduate Center's PhD Program in History.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Delia discusses her passion for teaching and learning. She speaks at length about the Bard Prison Initiative, a program that extends teaching into six correctional facilities in New York State. She also talks about finding the motivation to finish her graduate degree.

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

This podcast episode was produced by a Graduate Center student who participated in an Alumni Aloud fellowship offered through the Office of Career Planning & Professional Development. This programming was sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative.

Ma Sha is head of the bioprocess application labs at Eppendorf, a biotech company that develops products for laboratories around the world. He earned his PhD from the biochemistry program at the Graduate Center.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Ma describes his current role in the company and how his role has changed over time. He discusses the hiring process, contrasts academic and industrial lab experiences, and emphasizes how a shift in mindset is necessary for all researchers transitioning to industry.

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

This podcast episode was produced by a Graduate Center student who participated in an Alumni Aloud fellowship offered through the Office of Career Planning & Professional Development. This programming was sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative.

Devora Geller received her PhD in musicology from the Graduate Center. She is the Digital Preservation Manager at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Devora talks about how she began her job search while still in graduate school, the work she manages at YIVO, and how she uses her training from her PhD and previous experience every day.

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

Denys Katerenchuk is a Senior Data Scientist at IBM and a PhD candidate in the Graduate Center's Program in Computer Science.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Denys talks about transitioning into tech industry jobs while completing the PhD and the similarities between industry and academia. He also discusses the surprising benefits he reaped by testing his own skills and abilities on the open job market.

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

Allannah Karas earned her PhD in Classics from the Graduate Center. She is an Assistant Professor at Valparaiso University in Indiana.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Allannah talks about her position at Valparaiso and the benefits of working in a small private university. She also lays out some of her strategies from the job search and her tips for networking as a new junior faculty member.

This episode’s interview was conducted by Abbie Turner and edited by Kate Pendoley. The music is “Corporate (Success)” by Scott Holmes.

Jonathan Hill is an Excelsior Fellow in the policy and planning department at the New York State department of transportation. Jonathan earned his PhD in history at the Graduate Center in 2018.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Jon tells us about the joys of using research skills to make an impact on civic infrastructure; the surprising benefits of asking quote-unquote stupid questions; and how to negotiate the changing terms of your professional identity when you carry your PhD to work outside the ivory tower.

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

Elida Jbeili earned her Masters in Middle Eastern Studies from the Graduate Center. She is the North American Director of Communications and Media at Lebanese American University.

In this episode of Alumni Aloud, Elida talks about the various benefits of working in a nonprofit and how her career has developed as she's moved between different organizations.

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