The iProgress Podcast

Welcome back to the #iProgress Podcast - JOIN US ON DISCORD:  https://discord.gg/Ru5mt8PYpM 

In this episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk about how you can sell yourself on the academic and professional job markets. They cover the use of social media when searching for opportunities, developing your skill set, and marketing yourself in applications for employment.  

----------  

YOUTUBE       ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCslssS3vIVx2okk6g5d9D4g

TWITTER        ►► https://twitter.com/iProgress_CC

INSTAGRAM  ►► https://www.instagram.com/iprogress_official/  

WEBSITE        ►► https://iprogress-cc.com/ 

----------  

Chapters: 

00:00 - Introduction to the Episode 01:38 - Effective Use of Social Media 

08:04 - Be So Good That Employers Can't Ignore You 

18:11 - Develop an Open and Accessible Portfolio   

----------

Resources  

Cal Newport's "So Good They Can't Ignore You" book: https://amzn.to/3ga2psE  

----------

CRIB NOTES: 

-Welcomes & Scope of podcast episode  

-Topic 1 - Personal Branding

      - Establish a personal 'brand'

      - Be online and on social media, but choose your platforms wisely  

-Topic 2 - Sell Your Skills and Your Story

      - Identify what sets you apart

      - Don't follow your passion, but develop a skill set that will allow you to enjoy your future role

      - Be 'so good they can't ignore you'   

- Topic 3 - Develop an open-access portfolio of your skills

      - Web presence and online portfolios

      - Choose your platform appropriately

           - A website for doctoral candidates

           - Blogging as an undergraduate  

- Closing remarks   

---------- 

Music by AlphaGaming | HarrisHeller

Welcome back to the #iProgress Podcast - JOIN US ON DISCORD:  https://discord.gg/Ru5mt8PYpM 

In this episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk you through the things that they would change about working in higher education.  

----------  

YOUTUBE       ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCslssS3vIVx2okk6g5d9D4g

TWITTER        ►► https://twitter.com/iProgress_CC

INSTAGRAM  ►► https://www.instagram.com/iprogress_official/  

WEBSITE        ►► https://iprogress-cc.com/ 

----------  

Chapters: 

00:00 - Episode Introduction 

00:32 - Clarity in Promotion Pathways 

09:40 - Protection of Research Hours 

16:26 - Cutting University Beauracracy and Additional Academic Workload   

----------

CRIB NOTES: 

-Welcomes & Scope of podcast episode  

-Topic 1 - Academic Pathways to Promotion

      - Understanding criteria

      - Establish your evidence 

      - Smart framing of annual objectives  

-Topic 2 - Protecting Research Time

      - Time-blocking for success

       - Combining tasks to make more efficient use of hours

       - Adopt a student-based model for win-win situations  

- Topic 3 - Cutting Academic Beaucracy

      - The need for research support

      - Poor communication between departments adding to academic workloads

      - Avoid becoming the 'Switchboard Academic'  

- Closing remarks   

----------  

Music by AlphaGaming | HarrisHeller

Welcome back to the #iProgress Podcast - JOIN US ON DISCORD:  https://discord.gg/Ru5mt8PYpM  

In this episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk you through how you can effectively and efficiently start your PhD journey. They discuss the need for efficiency in the PhD process, and their top tips for working effectively during your first week and throughout the first year.

----------

YOUTUBE       ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCslssS3vIVx2okk6g5d9D4g

TWITTER        ►► https://twitter.com/iProgress_CC

INSTAGRAM  ►► https://www.instagram.com/iprogress_official/

WEBSITE        ►► https://iprogress-cc.com/

----------

Chapters:

00:00 - The current state of PhD funding and availability

08:44 - Developing your PhD mindset in the first week

24:33 - Planning your first year as a PhD student

Resources:  Our PhD Notion Template: xxxxxxxxx

Get your planner: https://iprogress-cc.com/resources-shop/

Our tips for starting your PhD effectively on day one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50H9rtiHXV0

Cal Newport's "Deep Work" book: https://amzn.to/3QkPH71

Cal Newport's "A World Without Email" book: https://amzn.to/3Rnp5TW

----------

CRIB NOTES

- Welcomes & Scope of podcast episode

- Topic 1 - The current state of PhDs

     - Increased number of self-funded PhD students over the last few years

     - Compared to 2017–18, there has been a decline in providers’ own funds, overseas government funding and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding as a major source of tuition fees.

     - There was a significant increase in the number of self-funded entrants in 2020–21, which is mainly attributed to the growth from China.

     - The uncertainty of the UK’s participation in Horizon Europe impacts both access to the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action doctoral training networks and PhD students funded through Horizon Europe projects.

      - Because of this, there are a lot of students who have invested their own money in their PhDs and so for them, being able to complete in a timely manner is of importance.

- Topic 2 - Tips for starting off effectively in your first week

     - Enroll in all workshops available

      - Set up meeting with supervision team and establish a contract of working

      - Fully acquaint yourself with campus

          - Find your quiet spot

          - Find your place to learn

          - Meet the librarians and support staff

     - Attend any welcome events possible to find your tribe

- Topic 3 - Tips for starting off effectively during your first year

     - Plan a publication

     - Gain a thorough grounding through regular writing

     - Develop templates to avoid 'productive procrastination'

- Closing remarks

----------

Music by AlphaGaming | HarrisHeller

Welcome back to the #iProgress Podcast

JOIN US ON DISCORD:  https://discord.gg/Ru5mt8PYpM 

In this episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk you through the things that they wish they'd known when starting their undergraduate degrees. They discuss the importance of effective workflows and time management, as well as the value of looking at feedback over grades. 

----------  

YOUTUBE       ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCslssS3vIVx2okk6g5d9D4g

TWITTER        ►► https://twitter.com/iProgress_CC

INSTAGRAM   ►► https://www.instagram.com/iprogress_official/  

WEBSITE        ►► https://iprogress-cc.com/ 

----------

Chapters: 

00:00 - Introduction 

00:56 - Maximize Your Ways of Working 

17:02 - Saying Yes to New Opportunities 

23:36 - Making the Most of Feedback 

Resources 

Our Notion Template 

Video walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WedvIlAFMc 

Get your planner: https://iprogress-cc.com/resources-shop/  

----------

CRIB NOTES: 

Topic 1 - Learning Techniques      

-Using years 1 and 2 of the degree to try different methods of learning and essay writing      

-Block study vs. studying as opportunities arise.   

Topic 2 - Saying Yes to New Experiences      

-It can be difficult to always have a direction you want to take your life during University, and as such, opening yourself up to as many experiences as possible can be an advantage after completing the degree.       

-This can extend outside of sports and committees to research opportunities and volunteering opportunities       

-Academics are limited for time to conduct research and would be grateful for assistance; also holds students in good stead for third year projects.   

Topic 3 - Utilizing Feedback      

-Movement towards detailed, comprehensive, and individualized feedback for all students at all stages of study       

-But the feedback is not always capitalised on to its full capacity, or taken into consideration across various modes of study.       

-Reaching out to markers to explore and better understand feedback  

----------

Music by AlphaGaming | HarrisHeller

Welcome back to the #iProgress Podcast 

JOIN US ON DISCORD:  https://discord.gg/Ru5mt8PYpM 

In this episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk about the onging trend of 'leaving academia', and give some reflections on this process. They discuss possible causes of the academic exodus, and why people might wish to remain in higher education.  

YOUTUBE       ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCslssS3vIVx2okk6g5d9D4g

TWITTER        ►► https://twitter.com/iProgress_CC

INSTAGRAM   ►► https://www.instagram.com/iprogress_official/  

WEBSITE        ►► https://iprogress-cc.com/ 

----------

Chapters: 

00:00 - Introduction 

01:21 - Academia vs. 'Industry' 

09:42 - Why Are People Leaving Academia? 

29:30 - Social Media Discussions and the Effect on ECRs  

----------

Topic 1 - What is Industry?      

     -Allows academics to bring about impact through taking ideas to market (though commericalisation is increasing).       

     -Increase applications for real life and provides opportunities and support for those with great ideas.   

Topic 2 - Reasons for Leaving      

     -Mental Health           

          -Leads on from Ep 002 discussion of academics feeling burnt out by the vast scope of their current duties with seemingly little support to help them understand their remit.            

          -Where the remit is there, the culture promotes unhealthy working hours, working during annual leave, and returning from leave to all the work missed whilst away (just shifting workload instead of having time off).        

     -Expression

          -Is academia the best place for everybody to do their best work?

          -Competing roles, growing focus on student numbers       

     -Pay           

          -Academia is likely to pay less than many industry roles, especially after enduring years of low pay as a PhD student.             

Topic 3 - Impact on ECRs and aspiring academics       

     -Dampens motivation for those part-way through their PhD programme       

     -Could cultivate toxicity in Universities 

----------

Music by AlphaGaming | HarrisHeller

Welcome back to the #iProgress Podcast 

JOIN US ON DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Ru5mt8PYpM 

In this episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk you through the growing amount of poor mental health in academia and how PhD students and Early Career Researchers are feeling this the most. They discuss possible causes as well as ways to start to protect yourself and the need for cultural change.

YOUTUBE ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCslssS3vIVx2okk6g5d9D4g

TWITTER ►► https://twitter.com/iProgress_CC

INSTAGRAM ►► https://www.instagram.com/iprogress_official/  

WEBSITE ►► https://iprogress-cc.com/

---------------

Chapters: 

00:00 - Introduction 

01:00 - Prevalence of Poor Mental Health 

12:19 - Potential Causes 

28:06 - Overcoming Poor Mental Health  

RESOURCES:  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/how-say-no-and-do-it-successfully 

---------------

Topic 1 - Scope of Mental Health

- A recent online survey with 2,279 participants from 26 countries and 234 institutions reported that graduate students are more than six times as likely to experience depression and anxiety as compared to the general population (Evans et al., 2018).      

- 3,659 Ph.D. students from Belgium indicate that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders is higher among academics than the general highly educated population (Levecque et al., 2017).      

- The journal Nature runs a global annual survey for doctoral researchers. The survey had over 6,000 respondents in 2019 and featured a question exploring mental health. Thirty-six percent of the survey participants said that they had sought help for anxiety or depression caused by their PhD studies      

Topic 2 - Potential Causes

- PhD students under-prepared for entering into the role; often undertake inductions which don’t represent role, and are expected to learn on the job      

- This trails into the academic role of ECRs who are expected to juggle teaching, finishing off their PhDs, and amplifying their own research portfolio - on top of administration duties.       

- Failing to say no - or not being in the position to avoid taking on new duties because of how you might be viewed. Hidden duties that don’t get mapped onto workload plans, which bleeds into spending time working in the evenings.   

Topic 3 - How to Overcome      

- Altering the working environment and culture of academia

- Del Carpio also raises a point that is highlighted in the 2019 Nature survey – long hours culture: "I’ve encountered people who still hold on to models of academia where you can only be successful by working long hours and weekends. I’ve even been told by a faculty member at my university that if I’m not willing to do so, I need to find a different career."

- Thoroughly preparing PhD students for the gradient in learning as they move into their post-grad positions

- Skills workshops, speakers, mentors and coaches

- Learning to work effectively from home but having resources on campus

----------

Music by AlphaGaming | HarrisHeller

Welcome to the iProgress Podcast.

In this launch episode, your hosts - Dr. Dean Fido and Dr. Craig Harper - talk you through the aims of the show and iProgress as a new community of learners and young professionals. They touch upon the current deficits in current training and education approaches, and how developing a sense of community and shared resources can plug some of these gaps.