The PhD Survival Guide Podcast

The PhD Survival Guide Podcast

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The PhD Survival Guide Podcast episodes

  • 15. Casual Conversations: Can you be a mom in the PhD? - with Abigail

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! In this episode, we talk with Abigail, a political sciences PhD student from Canada about what it is like to do a PhD as a mother. Please help me in introducing Abigail! We talk about what some of the challenges of being a mother in a PhD entails such as figuring out maternity leave, organization/time management, and imposter syndrome. We also dive into how Abigail makes time for herself and maintains a healthy balance of PhD/home/self-care. This is an incredible episode chatting with a very talented PhD student. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode!


    Want to be a guest or send me a voice message? ⁠Check out our linktree!⁠


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please leave the podcast a like or follow! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! Don't forget to leave us a review!


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Ferass. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.


    We are also on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts! 

    1 hr 24 min
  • 14. Make writing easier!!! - Top things I wish I knew before I started writing in the PhD - Writer's block

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! It has been a while and I have missed you guys! We dive right back into the groove in this episode. So let's talk about one of the most daunting tasks in the PhD, writing! It doesn't have to be daunting or scary though, which is something that I learned a little later then I wish I had. For that reason we're going to discuss some tips for writing more effectively, and what you should start doing even early on in your PhD to make the writing easier along the way!

    We are also on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts! 


    Want to be a guest or send me a voice message? Check out our linktree!


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! Don't forget to leave us a review!


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Ferass. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.

    32 min
  • 13. Dissertation committees are there to help - Considerations when choosing members for your committee - Committee meetings 101

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! In this episode, we break down the scary dissertation committee! This is essentially one of the first big decisions you will make on your PhD journey. Who should you choose to be on your committee? How many members should I have on my committee? How do I prepare for a committee meeting? We answer all of these questions and more!


    Tools mentioned in this episode:

    Doodle (for scheduling meetings)


    We are also on Apple Podcasts! 


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! Don't forget to leave us a review!


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Firas. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.

    33 min
  • 12. Transferable Skills! - What skills will you need after your PhD? - Learning from Dr. Karmaus

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! What are transferable skills and what are some key general takeaways from your time in grad school that you can use after you graduate? I had the pleasure of listening to a great presentation by Dr. Agnes Karmaus at the SOT meeting this year and wanted to share what she talked about with all of you! We talk about the importance of communication, networking, confidence, and much more. By the end of this episode, you will have a good idea about what is needed to further your career, whether it be in academia, industry, or government.


    We are also on Apple Podcasts! 


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! 


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Firas. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.

    36 min
  • 11. The infamous side projects - Stretching yourself too thin - How to get the most out of them!

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! Have you ever heard of the infamous side projects? The ones that PhD students always reference as taking up most of their time? In this episode we really break down what they are and how to avoid ones that can be detrimental to your progress in your dissertation. Some side projects are not all that bad though, and it's important to also highlight how to get the most out of them efficiently!


    We are also on Apple Podcasts! 


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! 


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Firas. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.

    28 min
  • 10. Conferences! Pt. 2 - What to put on your poster - How to present your poster

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! This episode is the second of a 2 part series dedicated to academic conferences! Academic conferences host fabulous research and opportunities for all PhD students to learn from. In this episode, we talk about how to put together your poster, what programs you can use to do that, and how to present your poster!


    Sorry for the long wait, we're back to our routine! Thank you so much for keeping up with the listening and sharing with your friends!


    We are also on Apple Podcasts! 


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! 


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Firas. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.

    35 min
  • 09. Conferences! Pt. 1 - Why you should go to conferences - Making friends outside the lab - Prize money?

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! This episode is the first of a 2 part series dedicated to academic conferences! Academic conferences host fabulous research and opportunities for all PhD students to learn from. We tackle my top 3 reasons to go to a conference, the different ways to obtain funding, and the overall impact that conferences can have on your academic career! We hope you enjoy this episode!


    We are also on Apple Podcasts! 


    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! 


    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 


    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod 


    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Firas. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.

    27 min
  • 08. Casual Conversations: Resilience in the PhD - with Nicole, BS
    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! Join Nicole and I in this "Casual Conversations" episode where we talk about what it means to be resilient in a PhD. What to do when an experiment isn't working? What to do with criticism? Tune in as we speak about our personal experiences and how unique resilience is interpreted by each of us.
    We are also on Apple Podcasts!
    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends!
    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below!
    Follow us on Instagram! @PhDSG_Pod
    DISCLAIMER: This podcast was written, produced, and hosted by myself, Firas. While we do the best we can to gather information from various sources, it is important to remember that everything we say here is of our own opinions and inferences. All PhD students, mentors, and programs are unique and the advice may not always apply. We implore you to think with an open mind. The purpose of this podcast is to help guide and empower current and prospective students throughout their journeys. We appreciate your time.
    49 min
  • 07. Breaking the "Sorry" habit - Arrogance vs. Diffidence - Building your confidence
    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! In this episode, we talk about the "Sorry" habit. Do you find that you start every response with "sorry?" What does that mean to the people that you are speaking to? How can we break this habit, and become much more confident in the way we conversate with our peers? We talk about all of that and more in this episode!
    Article Referenced: When "I'm Sorry" Is Too Much - Juliana Breines, PhD
    Excerpt from: Advice for a Young Investigator - Santiago Ramon y Cajal
    We are also on Apple Podcasts! 
    If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like and follow the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. 
    Please share us with your friends! 
    If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! 
    Follow us on Instagram! @Phdsg_pod
    23 min
  • 06. Organization makes the PhD Easier - My top organizational tools for every PhD - How many web tabs are too many?

    Welcome to the PhD Survival Guide Podcast! In this episode, we talk about how organizational skills are essential to making a PhD easier. This is something that I struggled with greatly in my first years as a student, and one that I continue to work on even now. I break down 3 tips to making organization easier through a PhD! We are also on Apple Podcasts! If you enjoy this podcast and want to tune in as more episodes of the PhD Survival Guide come out, please feel free to like the podcast! This way, you will be notified every time a new episode airs. Please share us with your friends! If you have any suggestions for future episodes or topics you would like to hear about, please let me know in the Q&A section below! Follow us on Instagram! @Phdsg_pod

    28 min

About The PhD Survival Guide Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Are you a first year PhD student trying to figure out how to navigate grad life? Or maybe you're a fifth year looking for the motivation to write out the last chapter of your dissertation? Regardless…

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