Hello PhD

If you have kids, you’ve experienced “the time shift.”

Where you used to have hobbies, you now have a drive to soccer practice.  Where you used to have dinner out, you now have dinner, dishes, bath-time, stories, and bedtime, IN.

And where you used to stay late in the lab to finish an experiment, you now rush out at 5 to avoid the late fee at daycare.

Family matters

Kids take time, and it’s time well spent, but what happens when your PI doesn’t understand your tight schedule?  Will you look like a slacker for working 8 to 5 on weekdays, and can you really make progress in a research lab with limited hours?

This week on the show, we tackle a listener question that hits all-too-close to home:

I have kids and have to drop them off at daycare at 8AM  and pick them up around 5PM.  My day is very well organized and I’m making progress on a paper, but other post docs and grad students spend a lot more time in the lab than I do.  I’m worried that the PI thinks I don’t work hard enough.

The answer is: you can make it work, but it’s going to take discipline.  And in the end, you might actually be a better scientist because of the special constraints.

 

That’s one small step for a man…

This week, we also cover some exciting research-related news from President Obama’s recent State of the Union speech.  He’s called for a modern moonshot, encouraging the nation to “cure cancer” over the next decade.  And he’s tasked VP Joe Biden, who recently lost his son to brain cancer, with leading the mission.

You can check out the transcript of his speech, and Biden’s plan for more details.

 

Is this beer cage free?

On the ethanol front, we sample Unity Vibration Bourbon Peach American Wild Ale Kombucha Beer.   Here, I’ll save you the trouble: Wikipedia article on kombucha.

If you have kids, you’ve experienced “the time shift.”

Where you used to have hobbies, you now have a drive to soccer practice.  Where you used to have dinner out, you now have dinner, dishes, bath-time, stories, and bedtime, IN.

And where you used to stay late in the lab to finish an experiment, you now rush out at 5 to avoid the late fee at daycare.

Family matters

Kids take time, and it’s time well spent, but what happens when your PI doesn’t understand your tight schedule?  Will you look like a slacker for working 8 to 5 on weekdays, and can you really make progress in a research lab with limited hours?

This week on the show, we tackle a listener question that hits all-too-close to home:

I have kids and have to drop them off at daycare at 8AM  and pick them up around 5PM.  My day is very well organized and I’m making progress on a paper, but other post docs and grad students spend a lot more time in the lab than I do.  I’m worried that the PI thinks I don’t work hard enough.

The answer is: you can make it work, but it’s going to take discipline.  And in the end, you might actually be a better scientist because of the special constraints.

 

That’s one small step for a man…

This week, we also cover some exciting research-related news from President Obama’s recent State of the Union speech.  He’s called for a modern moonshot, encouraging the nation to “cure cancer” over the next decade.  And he’s tasked VP Joe Biden, who recently lost his son to brain cancer, with leading the mission.

You can check out the transcript of his speech, and Biden’s plan for more details.

 

Is this beer cage free?

On the ethanol front, we sample Unity Vibration Bourbon Peach American Wild Ale Kombucha Beer.   Here, I’ll save you the trouble: Wikipedia article on kombucha.

In 2011, a whopping 36,000 science and technology grad students earned their PhDs.  That same year, about 3,000 faculty positions were created.  So why did you feel like a failure when you decided to step off the tenure track?

Taking the high road

Scientists aren’t always as rational as we seem.  A rational person would look at the disparity between faculty positions and new PhDs and realize we need to support students and postdocs who choose careers outside of academia.

But there remains a stigma. If you go to industry, you’re ‘selling out.’  If you find a job in policy or outreach, you’re ‘throwing away your training.’  And heaven forbid you take time off to raise your kids!  What gives?

This week on the show, we talk with Dara Wilson-Grant about an article she wrote titled Standing at the Crossroads: When PhDs Abandon the Tenure Track Career Path.  Dara is a licensed professional counselor and associate director of the office of postdoctoral affairs and career counselor at UNC Chapel Hill, and she’s seen the struggle as postdocs come to terms with their “alternative” career plans.

Her article is unique, because it addresses the deeply emotional issues of changing careers.  We’ve trained for years to be ‘scientists,’ so what do we become when we take a job in analysis, accounting, or administration?  How do you know when it’s just a rough couple of months in lab, and when it’s really time to reassess your life goals?  Dara answers all.

Read her blog and get in touch at careersinbloom.com

An IPA by any other name

Also in this show, we try… you guessed it… another IPA!  This time, it’s Missile IPA from Champion Brewing Company in Charlottesville VA.  It’s explosively delicious, with lots of collateral liver damage.

In 2011, a whopping 36,000 science and technology grad students earned their PhDs.  That same year, about 3,000 faculty positions were created.  So why did you feel like a failure when you decided to step off the tenure track?

Taking the high road

Scientists aren’t always as rational as we seem.  A rational person would look at the disparity between faculty positions and new PhDs and realize we need to support students and postdocs who choose careers outside of academia.

But there remains a stigma. If you go to industry, you’re ‘selling out.’  If you find a job in policy or outreach, you’re ‘throwing away your training.’  And heaven forbid you take time off to raise your kids!  What gives?

This week on the show, we talk with Dara Wilson-Grant about an article she wrote titled Standing at the Crossroads: When PhDs Abandon the Tenure Track Career Path.  Dara is a licensed professional counselor and associate director of the office of postdoctoral affairs and career counselor at UNC Chapel Hill, and she’s seen the struggle as postdocs come to terms with their “alternative” career plans.

Her article is unique, because it addresses the deeply emotional issues of changing careers.  We’ve trained for years to be ‘scientists,’ so what do we become when we take a job in analysis, accounting, or administration?  How do you know when it’s just a rough couple of months in lab, and when it’s really time to reassess your life goals?  Dara answers all.

Read her blog and get in touch at careersinbloom.com

An IPA by any other name

Also in this show, we try… you guessed it… another IPA!  This time, it’s Missile IPA from Champion Brewing Company in Charlottesville VA.  It’s explosively delicious, with lots of collateral liver damage.

When you’re worried about today’s experiments and tomorrow’s time points, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important for your career and your life.  Why not start the New Year with a new perspective?

Looking Back and Moving Forward

In this episode, we consider the advice of Robert J. Sternberg, PhD,  a self-described geezer and well-respected academic.  He’s Professor of Human Development at Cornell University, and has co-authored over 1,500 publications.  He wrote an article for the Chronicle of Higher Education laying out his career advice for other academics.

His tips range from simple (“Save as much money as you can”) to subtle (“Be true to yourself”), but all of them are worth a few moments of consideration as we enter 2016.  Here’s the list, with more detail included in the article:

Career Advice From an Oldish Not-Quite Geezer

* Put your family first.

* Make your health a close second.

* Save as much money as you can.

* If you’re in the wrong place, get out.

* Stay away from jerks.

* If you’re not having fun, something’s wrong.

* Be true to yourself.

* Don’t tie up too much of your self-esteem in someone else’s evaluation of your work.

* Take stock periodically.

* Have a hobby. See the world. Or both.

* Help others.

* Take some risks.

Pop a Cork

Also in this episode, Josh and Dan pop some bubbly to celebrate the New Year and some exciting milestones for the Hello PhD podcast.  Thanks to all of you joining us on this journey, and we can’t wait to make science a friendlier, happier place in 2016!

When you’re worried about today’s experiments and tomorrow’s time points, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important for your career and your life.  Why not start the New Year with a new perspective?

Looking Back and Moving Forward

In this episode, we consider the advice of Robert J. Sternberg, PhD,  a self-described geezer and well-respected academic.  He’s Professor of Human Development at Cornell University, and has co-authored over 1,500 publications.  He wrote an article for the Chronicle of Higher Education laying out his career advice for other academics.

His tips range from simple (“Save as much money as you can”) to subtle (“Be true to yourself”), but all of them are worth a few moments of consideration as we enter 2016.  Here’s the list, with more detail included in the article:

Career Advice From an Oldish Not-Quite Geezer

* Put your family first.

* Make your health a close second.

* Save as much money as you can.

* If you’re in the wrong place, get out.

* Stay away from jerks.

* If you’re not having fun, something’s wrong.

* Be true to yourself.

* Don’t tie up too much of your self-esteem in someone else’s evaluation of your work.

* Take stock periodically.

* Have a hobby. See the world. Or both.

* Help others.

* Take some risks.

Pop a Cork

Also in this episode, Josh and Dan pop some bubbly to celebrate the New Year and some exciting milestones for the Hello PhD podcast.  Thanks to all of you joining us on this journey, and we can’t wait to make science a friendlier, happier place in 2016!

You’re busy.  Experiments, lab meeting, journal club, classes – you barely have time to sleep, let alone make it to the gym to exercise.  We’ll tell you about 10 creative ways other grad students and postdocs stay physically fit, and how it’s boosting their productivity and self-confidence.

You don’t have time NOT to exercise

The research is clear: exercising is good for your mood, your productivity, and your health.  So why do so many of us believe we “don’t have time for it?”  To reap the benefits of exercise for people on a busy lab schedule, we asked the LabRats group on Reddit and other grad students and postdocs for advice on staying in shape.

Here are some of their tips:

* Bike to lab!

* Take a class at the university gym

* Take the stairs

* Learn a martial art

* Schedule workout time with your lab-mates to make it social

* Sign up for intramural sports on campus

* Check out cross-fit at a local gym or online

* Try the New York Times 7-minute workout or other apps

* Read papers while riding a stationary bike or elliptical machine

* Do squats while waiting for the centrifuge

Bottom line – find something you enjoy, and make it a priority.  You’ll feel more confident, and tie your sense of accomplishment to something more than today’s experiment.

 

Salted Caramel Everything

After all that exercise, it’s time to indulge as we sample a New Belgium Brewing/Ben & Jerry’s colla-BEER-ation (see what I did there?)  It’s the Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, and it’s not as bad as you’d think.  The brewer’s sense of restraint is appreciated, as this still tastes like a beer and not a chocolate milk-shake.

We also celebrate the season this week with a reading of The Night Before CRISPRmas, and an etymological tale about the origin of Santa’s name.  Happy Holidays!

 

References

Exercise and workplace performance

Exercise and cognition

You’re busy.  Experiments, lab meeting, journal club, classes – you barely have time to sleep, let alone make it to the gym to exercise.  We’ll tell you about 10 creative ways other grad students and postdocs stay physically fit, and how it’s boosting their productivity and self-confidence.

You don’t have time NOT to exercise

The research is clear: exercising is good for your mood, your productivity, and your health.  So why do so many of us believe we “don’t have time for it?”  To reap the benefits of exercise for people on a busy lab schedule, we asked the LabRats group on Reddit and other grad students and postdocs for advice on staying in shape.

Here are some of their tips:

* Bike to lab!

* Take a class at the university gym

* Take the stairs

* Learn a martial art

* Schedule workout time with your lab-mates to make it social

* Sign up for intramural sports on campus

* Check out cross-fit at a local gym or online

* Try the New York Times 7-minute workout or other apps

* Read papers while riding a stationary bike or elliptical machine

* Do squats while waiting for the centrifuge

Bottom line – find something you enjoy, and make it a priority.  You’ll feel more confident, and tie your sense of accomplishment to something more than today’s experiment.

 

Salted Caramel Everything

After all that exercise, it’s time to indulge as we sample a New Belgium Brewing/Ben & Jerry’s colla-BEER-ation (see what I did there?)  It’s the Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, and it’s not as bad as you’d think.  The brewer’s sense of restraint is appreciated, as this still tastes like a beer and not a chocolate milk-shake.

We also celebrate the season this week with a reading of The Night Before CRISPRmas, and an etymological tale about the origin of Santa’s name.  Happy Holidays!

 

References

Exercise and workplace performance

Exercise and cognition

Stephanie dreamed of becoming a scientist when she was a girl. She managed to maintain excellent grades while working in research labs throughout her college career. With her flawless CV, it came as no surprise when she was accepted into a top-tier pharmacology PhD program.

Four years later, Stephanie walked into her PI’s office to tell him she wanted to leave.

 

Dreams in the Daylight

This week on the show, Stephanie tells her story. Four years into her graduate training, she realized she was miserable and couldn’t see how her situation would get better if she stayed. So she had some hard conversations: with herself, with her family, and ultimately, with her graduate mentor and labmates.

Reactions were mixed, but she was able to finish her Master’s thesis and leave on good terms. Then it was time to find a job and a way to pursue all of her other passions and goals.  She says it was the best decision she ever made.

Biomedical PhD programs have a completion rate near 50%, which means for every newly minted PhD, there’s a scientist with similar training but a different degree. Some leave with a master’s, and some much earlier, but it’s high time we talked about the many paths of graduate students, and how to support each individual’s choice.

 

Mmm, Coppery!

This week we sampled Bad Penny Brown Ale from Big Boss Brewing Company. We’re still trying to decide whether the little people on the label are Penny’s murder victims.

And just in time for holiday giving, Stephanie makes some soap that WON’T give your loved ones cancer!  And isn’t that what the holidays are all about?  Check out RedMoutainGoodness.com and give the gift of goat!

Stephanie dreamed of becoming a scientist when she was a girl. She managed to maintain excellent grades while working in research labs throughout her college career. With her flawless CV, it came as no surprise when she was accepted into a top-tier pharmacology PhD program.

Four years later, Stephanie walked into her PI’s office to tell him she wanted to leave.

 

Dreams in the Daylight

This week on the show, Stephanie tells her story. Four years into her graduate training, she realized she was miserable and couldn’t see how her situation would get better if she stayed. So she had some hard conversations: with herself, with her family, and ultimately, with her graduate mentor and labmates.

Reactions were mixed, but she was able to finish her Master’s thesis and leave on good terms. Then it was time to find a job and a way to pursue all of her other passions and goals.  She says it was the best decision she ever made.

Biomedical PhD programs have a completion rate near 50%, which means for every newly minted PhD, there’s a scientist with similar training but a different degree. Some leave with a master’s, and some much earlier, but it’s high time we talked about the many paths of graduate students, and how to support each individual’s choice.

 

Mmm, Coppery!

This week we sampled Bad Penny Brown Ale from Big Boss Brewing Company. We’re still trying to decide whether the little people on the label are Penny’s murder victims.

And just in time for holiday giving, Stephanie makes some soap that WON’T give your loved ones cancer!  And isn’t that what the holidays are all about?  Check out RedMoutainGoodness.com and give the gift of goat!