Syracuse University Gradcast

Erica Machulak, PhD, is a medievalist turned entrepreneur and the author of Hustles for Humanists: Build a Business with Purpose (Rutgers University Press 2025). We're so lucky that she'll be joining us for a virtual talk about her book, her path through her Ph.D., and her company, Hikma Collective. I got to chat with her and learn more about her and her work, and it makes me so excited for her talk on October 23rd, 12:00-1:30 via Zoom!

This week's episode features my friend and fellow grad school alum Matthew Lillo, Ph.D. and is part of our long-running series, "Careers in," in which I interview someone working in a career of interest to PhD students and postdocs. Matt is the Chair of High School English and House Advisor at the Dalton School in New York City and holds a Ph.D. from Fordham University in English literature.

It was great to hear from him about his current role and to hear about what it's like teaching "AI native" students, what this career path holds for those who are passionate about teaching, and why a doctoral student or postdoc should consider working in a private prep school environment.

Amidst all this talk of jobs, you might wonder what the Graduate School does for you in terms of making you feel included on campus, and who might be thinking about such things. That's why I was glad to talk to my colleague in the Graduate School, Tracy Balduzzi, Ed.D.,  Associate Director for Graduate Student Engagement and Success, whose job it is to think about the “student life” aspects of Graduate School. Tracy and I talk about her journey to this role, about programming on offer for graduate students and, somewhat improbably, about apples. 

It is easy to focus on the task of applying to jobs while it is happening, but we don't always have opportunities to hear from folks who recently were hired. That's why I was excited to talk with Jenna Walmer, Ph.D., a recent Assistant Professor hire in a small liberal arts college with a religious affiliation and an equally recent graduate of the Social Psychology department at SU.

We talk about the whole process of applying, from the time when Jenna was just starting to explore careers to the nitty gritty of interviewing with faculty, the dean, and much more.

In this episode, Ava sits down with Dr. Stephanie Nesbitt, President of Utica University, to discuss current trends in graduate student education. Drawing lessons from her time as an SU graduate student, Dr. Nesbitt explains how she has led her institution through innovations to the graduate student experience that reaffirm the value of higher education in a changing landscape. 

Ava Breitbeck, Ph.D., our recently-graduated grad assistant had this great conversation with Angela Au, Ph.D., who is Director of Manufacturing Science and Technology at LOTTE Biologics here in Syracuse. Many people talk to us about careers in the biotech industry, and this excellent interview is a great place to start if you want to hear what a job like this is all about!

What is going on in the job market these days? And what can we do about it? With the proliferation of AI, many changes in the higher ed landscape, and employers increasingly trying to find new ways to source talent, adaptation is a must. Maren Wood, Ph.D., CEO and Director of the Center for Graduate Career Success, joins me for an enlightening discussion about what you can do, right now, to make the most of this uncertain time.

Dr. Treviene Harris is Project Manager with Doctoral Futures, an initiative of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) that aims to identify and promote ways doctoral programs can evolve to meet current challenges and better serve students. Treviene shares her own PhD journey, her current work on the project, and strategies the ACLS and its partner organizations can use to encourage widespread adoption of their recommendations and transform doctoral education and outcomes at the national level. 

In this episode, Ava Breitbeck sits down with Alexia Chatzitheordorou, PhD Candidate in Physics, to discuss her leadership as a graduate student. In her role as representative to the SU Board of Trustees, she has championed numerous initiatives to support graduate students' professional development. We discuss strategies to succeed as a student and scholar. 

Ruohan Xu, an Energy Systems Engineer in the Carrier Engineering Leadership Program (ELP) in Syracuse and a master's degree holder from ECS, has a lot of insight to offer. As an alum of the university as well as someone working locally in Syracuse, I was grateful for the opportunity to hear about how he was able to leverage his experience at SU in his current work--and I think anyone looking for industry opportunities will be better for hearing his story. As somone who has stayed involved at Syracuse after his graduation, talking about his journey is essential listening for those looking to follow a similar path.