Changing Academic Life

In this short episode I reflect on the podcast season so far and on my own year of transitions. And I offer some prompt questions to help us reflect on what we have achieved and learnt this past year and encourage us to take some time to savour and celebrate it.

Overview:

00:05 Introduction

01:32 Podcast highlights

05:50 Transitioning to a new phase

7:35 Reflection prompts

10:17 Gratitude & looking forward

13:26 End

Dr Katta Spiel is an Assistant Professor at TU Wien, a recent ERC Starting Grant recipient, and a good colleague of mine. 

In the first part of this two-part conversation Katta shares their experiences on a range of topics like career uncertainty, rejection of proposals, coming out as queer, having a formal gender change, dealing with chronic health issues, and being successful in receiving a prestigious research council grant. Dr. Spiel's struggles and successes reflect their unyielding effort to change academic life for the better. An emphasis is also placed on the importance of authenticity and uncompromised approach when applying for grants. Part two of the conversation with Katta will delve deeper into the topic of neurodivergence and their ADHD experiences.

Overview:

0:00 Introduction

02:42 Navigating Identity and Academia

07:06 Exploring Alternative Career Paths

09:37 The Journey to Recognition and Success

10:34 Challenges and Triumphs in Grant Applications

23:07 Understanding the Difference Between Access and Accessibility

25:48 Personal Journey of Gender Identity and Health

33:58 Experiences with Chronic Health Issues

38:10 The Impact of Body Shape on Medical Treatment

40:16 The Role of Technology in Access and Inclusion

43:23 End

Related Links:

Katta's personal web page, TU Wien web page, LinkedIn page, and announcement about their ERC Starting Grant

People: Raja Kushalnager, Christian Vogler , Abraham Glasser

There were some technical hiccups in Part 2 of my conversation with Irina Shklovski, making the original audio I released very choppy (a lesson in not relying on smart tools!). I’ve uploaded new audio version that is much easier to listen to and doesn't chop off words. So this is an encouragement to you to listen to this now as it is such an important raw honest conversation and Irina shares so many useful ideas about coming back from burnout and learning to be enough, do enough. I include a clip from that conversation as a teaser. 

Overview:

00:00 Intro

00:29 Addressing Technical Issues on Irina Part 2

01:52 Revisiting Irina's Conversation

02:35 Snippet from Irina's Conversation

04:13 Encouragement to Listen to Part Two

04:30 Outro

05:25 End

Episode: Irina Shklovski Part 2

In this short episode I pick on the notion of self-compassion from the discussion with Mark Reed last week, and go back to Kristin Neff’s work and other related self-compassion researcher to unpack the three components of self-compassion and some practices for cultivating self-compassion and also point to some of the research evidence base for the benefits of self-compassion. I also share my own experience in needing to apply self-compassion this week. 

Overview:

00:29 Introduction

01:27 Replaying Mark Reed on self-compassion

02:26 An overview of self-compassion

06:37 Examples of self-compassion practices

08:24 My self-compassion experience

11:25 Example research evidence base

17:45 Back to Mark

20:24 End

For atranscript to follow automatically with the audio: https://share.descript.com/view/JxbMM1C5ZIZ

Related Links:

The podcast conversation with Mark Reed

Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion web page 

Neff, K., Hsieh, Y. & Dejitterat, K. Self-compassion, Achievement Goals, and Coping with Academic Failure. Self and Identity, 4, 263-287, 2005. DOI: 10.1080/13576500444000317 

Zessin, U., Dickhäuser, O. & Garbade, S. The Relationship Between Self-Compassion and Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis. Health and Well-Being, 7(3), 340-364 2015

Ewert, C., Vater, A. & Schröder-Abé, M. Self-Compassion and Coping: a Meta-Analysis. Mindfulness 12, 1063–1077 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01563-8

Lee, K.J., Lee, S.M. The role of self-compassion in the academic stress model. Curr Psychol41, 3195–3204 (2022).https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00843-9

Dreisoerner, A., Klaic, A., van Dick, R. et al. Self-Compassion as a Means to Improve Job-Related Well-Being in Academia. J Happiness Stud 24, 409–428 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00602-6

Phillips WJ, Hine DW. Self-compassion, physical health, and health behaviour: a meta-analysis. Health Psychol Rev. 2021 Mar;15(1):113-139. Doi:10.1080/17437199.2019.1705872. Epub 2019 Dec 22. PMID: 31842689.

Neff, K. Self-Compassion: Theory, Method, Research, and Intervention. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 2023. 74:193–218. 

Acknowledgement: Episode artwork image of person hugging themselves: Photo by Hala Al-Asadi on Unsplash

Professor Mark Reed is an academic, author, podcaster, consultant, trainer, policy advisor among his many roles. His research area is on ecosystem markets and environmental governance, and he studies how researchers can generate and share their knowledge so they can change the world. Reflecting both of these strands, he is both an academic, co-directing a research Centre at Scotland’s Rural College, and he is the founder of Fast Track Impact, a training and coaching company, and he hosts The Fast Track Impact podcast. He also has a host of other roles you can read about on his web page. 

We discuss the concept of 'impact' in academia, the challenges of mental health and burnout amongst academics, and the importance of self-compassion, self-reflection and self-care. Driven by a desire to make a difference, Mark intertwines his academic inquiries with a commitment to environmental stewardship and decolonizing research. He also talks about his commitment to empowering colleagues, managing postdocs efficiently, and his take on the biases and limitations within the academic system.

Overview

00:05 Introduction

00:30 Meet Professor Mark Reed: A Multi-faceted Academic

01:18 The Importance of Self-Reflection in Academia

01:56 Mark's Personal Struggles and the Importance of Self-Compassion

02:07 The Role of Purpose and Values in Mark's Work

02:56 Mark's Journey as an Academic and Policy Advisor

07:23 The Challenges and Biases in the Academic System

08:32 Building a Compassionate Culture in Academia

11:33 Decolonizing Research and Influencing Policy

27:11 The Role of Empathy and Love in Research

32:13 The Importance of Self-Care and Work-Life Balance in Academia

48:05 Creating a Purposeful Workplace and Leading from the Bottom Up

51:24 Conclusion: The Impact of Love and Empathy in Academia

52:56 End

Listen here for a version to follow the transcript linked directly to the audio

Related Links

Mark's research web page & Fast Track Impact page

Mark’s books: https://www.fasttrackimpact.com/books#impact-culture

• The Research Impact Handbook  2nd Ed 2018
• The Productive Researcher 2017
• Impact Culture 2022 

Mark’s ‘The Fast Track Impact’ podcast series

Mark Reed & Hanna Rudman, Re-thinking research impact: voice, context and power at the interface of science, policy and practice, 18, Sustainability Science, 967-981, 2023.

Richard Watermeyer's 2019 book: Competitive Accountability in Academic Life: The Struggle for Social Impact and Public Legitimacy

Dr Kristin Neff, Uni of Austen Texas on self compassion

Prof Michelle Pinard, Uni of Aberdeen 

In this very short 7mins episode, I talk about choosing to go to the park instead of doing a longer episode as I had planned - making good enough choices and honouring other areas of my life.

I also point to related older podcasts that talked about issues around burnout, obsessive vs harmonious passion, self care, planning:

Jolanta Burke on burnout, harmonious passion, positive workplaces & helping others (from 2017)

Anna Cox on family, work & strategies for making the changes we want (from 2017)

Amy Ko on being reflectively self-aware, deliberately structured, & amazingly productive (also from 2017)

Professor Irina Shklovski, University of Copenhagen, continues her powerful story about her academic burn-out experiences, returning to work and learning the dance of how to be enough and do enough. She discusses the push-and-pull between professional expectations and personal health, the value of reflection and self-awareness, how to establish work boundaries, and the crucial role of support from colleagues. We also touch on university funding, neoliberal culture in academia, and the importance of nurturing a balanced lifestyle which includes non-work related activities. The conversation ends with a call for change in academia, highlighting the need to redefine standards for success and manage the increasing pressures in academic cultures.

Overview:

[00:29] Episode introduction & recap Part 1

[04:53] Trying to plan

[06:29] Saying no and yes

[14:44] Value of professional help

[22:57] Tracking work

[32:10] Making time for rest

[40:24] Culture/structure influences

[49:39] Supporting students in what is enough

[54:46] Wrapping up

[59:04] End

Listen here for a version to follow the transcript linked directly to the audio

Related Links:

Pernille Bjørn 

 Kasper Hornbæk

Ridiculous Software

Toggle Track 

Haruki Murakami, What I talk about when I talk about running 

Professor Irina Shklovski, University of Copenhagen, has a powerful story to tell about her burn-out experiences.  In Part 1 she talks about how she got there, having an amazingly supportive department and colleagues, and how her body tells her when to stop. Implicated in this are issues such as being across two departments, defining her scholarship, starting a new uni during COVID, the downside of getting grants and what it’s like getting to the point of not being able to function and having to ask for help. 

Apologies for missing music - trying to get that sorted!

Overview:

[00:29] Episode introduction

[01:58] Navigating two departments…during COVID

[10:32] Deciding for CS, being uncomfortable, having impact 

[24:25] Journey to burnout

[29:35] Making the call for help

[38:45] How her body tells her when to stop

[42:32] Wrapping up

[45:17] End 

Click here for a walk-through transcript

Related Links

• Gender studies (TEMAG) - Linköping University
• Irina Shklovski, Uni of Copenhagen web page
• Kasper Hornbæck
• Pernille Bjørn
• Bob Kraut, Carnegie Mellon Uni, HCI Institute

In this short solo episode, I reflect back on recent conversations around academic mobility, discuss some benefits, and also point to an EU initiative to improve support for mobility across sectors, countries and disciplines. I also discuss some of the costs and issues around mobility, and in particular pensions, something we don’t often think about. In sharing my experiences with a complicated pension situation because of my international and sector mobility, I encourage everyone to think about this now.

Overview:

[00:29] Episode introduction, revisiting mobility form past episodes

[02:16] EU initiative towards better mobility support, mobility benefits

[04:47] Shadow sides of mobility

[06:12] Pension challenges with mobility

[08:12] My mobility and pension story

[15:08] Encouraging people to think more about pensions

[16:50] RESAVER pension fund

[19:24] End

Professor Susanne Bødker is a professor of Human Computer Interaction at Aarhus University in Denmark. She reflects on 40 years at Aarhus University (AU) touching on issues including mobility, changes over time, hiring practices, creating collegial culture, being active in university politics, transitioning to retirement, being a single parent, among many others. You’ll hear a strongly held set of values around participation and human connections. Susanne is one of the most respected and impactful HCI researchers yet you’ll also hear her humility. Thank you Susanne for a career well served and that will hopefully continue in some ways as you explore your new opportunities.

Apologies for missing music - trying to get that sorted!

Overview

0:05 Welcome to Changing Academic Life.

[00:00:29] Episode introduction

[00:02:21] Susanne introduces herself and her PhD times

[00:14:36] Reflecting on 40 years in Aarhus

[00:21:31] The collegial social culture at Aarhus

[00:25:29] Hiring people for fit

[00:30:18] The value of mobility

[00:38:06] The big changes over time

[00:40:49] Being involved in university politics

[00:47:39] Transitioning to retirement

[00:54:39] How she sees her legacy

[01:00:05] Being a single parent

[01:04:52] Wrapping up

01:07:21 End

Related links:

Susanne Bødker, Google Scholar profile 

Her published thesis: Susanne Bødker, Through the Interface: A Human Activity Approach to User Interface Design, Routledge, 1990

Austrian Academy of Sciences Lecture, 21 Sept 2023, “How do we understand tools, and why is that important for contemporary human-computer interaction?"

Morten Kyng, Kristen Nygaard, Kim Halskov, Joan Greenbaum 

Winograd, Terry and Flores, Fernando, Understanding Computers and Cognition: A New Foundation for Design, Intellect Books, 1986. 

Dreyfus, Stuart E. and Dreyfus, Hubert L. (1986). Mind over Machine. New York, NY: Free Press.

Utopia project & Participatory IT (PIT) Centre 

Keywords:

Academia, Career paths, Research culture, Retirement, Values

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