The Scientistt Podcast

In the last 18 months, Dr Zoë Ayres has become a leading voice in battle to bring mental health issues to the surface of academia. The coveted '#100Voices Project', numerous awareness infographics and most recently the launch of new organisation 'Voices of Academia' - have seen Zoë's Twitter following skyrocket to over 16,000. 

But it's not about fame, or recognition for that matter. In this conversation we find out exactly why a Senior Scientist working in industry, would spend so much time advocating for the mental health standards of PhD students and academics. What issues are being tackled? Why is it such a big problem? What can you do to help?

See more of Zoë here: https://twitter.com/ZJAyres

Join the Scientistt community: www.scientistt.net 

We could all do with a personal coach sometimes, right? 

Jennifer Polk, PhD, is a career coach and expert on PhD careers. After earning a PhD in history from the University of Toronto, she launched From PhD to Life, a career coaching and speaking business. Jen writes (and speaks!) on graduate education and careers for doctoral-degree holders, on both her popular website and Twitter handle, @FromPhDtoLife. She is also a guest speaker on university campuses and at academic and professional conferences throughout North America and beyond. In this conversation, we delve deeper in to Jennifer's own story and find out what motivates her to be the inspirational figure that she is today for students around he world. 

 Who said academics can't be entrepreneurs? 

Benjamin L. Oakes is the Founder and CEO of Scribe Therapeutics, a company rewriting the story of disease and engineering the future of genetic medicine. Completing his PhD at University of California, Berkeley in 2017 - Oakes worked under the supervision of Jennifer A. Doudna, a 2020 Nobel prize winner. In this podcast, we explore Oakes' career path & and the practical application of his research to make huge advancements in the field. 

We all have a fascination with space, right? I mean, how can't you be somewhat interested in the concepts of planets, space craft and fields of "dark energy". 

Dr. Bruce Betts is a planetary scientist and children's book author who loves teaching people about planets in fun and entertaining ways. As a science communicator and educator,  he is the Chief Scientist and LightSail Program Manager for the world’s largest space interest group, The Planetary Society. If this wasn't enough, Dr. Betts has a popular Twitter account with over 44,000 followers, as well as hosting a thriving series of entertaining "Random Space Fact" videos & has previous experience working at NASA. 

Find out more about Bruce here: www.randomspacefact.com/home 

Listen to more episodes of The Scientistt Podcast here: https://scientistt.net/pages/podcast 

 "After my PhD, my first ever grant was actually for homeland security..." So, what does a Professor in the Genome Center of UC Davis , have to do with investigating threats to the safety of the US population?

When we started our conversation with Dr Jonathan Eisen (elected to the American Academy of Microbiology in 2012), we could not of predicted what was in store! A lively character, Dr Eisen balances his research with being an award-winning blogger and Twitter influencer, boasting an online following of over 60,000 people on that platform alone. Since earning his PhD in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, we pick up on Dr Eisen's career journey & explore the highlights of his illustrious research portfolio. 

If you enjoy this episode - join the free community at www.scientistt.net to access a 10-minute bonus segment that we couldn't fit in to this conversation! 

"Calling out systemic issues in #academia does NOT mean I don't support the pursuit of research.  Calling out systemic issues in #academia means I think research is wonderful and I want the environment to improve." - Fay Lin 

On this episode, our guest's involvement in academia goes far beyond her PhD research. Fay Lin is a strong advocate for equality, diversity and mental health - raising awareness for the systemic issues in academia through a Twitter page that is growing in popularity. In our conversation, we look to delve deeper in to this issues & find out more about the fantastic individual behind the scenes. 

Find Fay on Twitter: https://twitter.com/xiaofei_lin 

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Jen Heemstra! 

In this episode, we discuss equality in the sciences, medical ethics, and the potential upsides of adversity. We also cover the need for breaks in academia and even chat rock-climbing! Female, scientist, professor, and now supervisor - Jen leads the way as a woman in her field. But, it wasn't easy to get there. 

What should a leader look like in academia? 

Jen Heemstra, as the name alludes, is the lead supervisor at the Heemstra Lab and Associate Professor at Emory University. 

In this episode, Jen offers her unique insights into a range of subjects that often go unspoken in academic circles;  failure, imposter syndrome and why tenure changes things for a professor. Jen covers everything from the exciting implications of DNA modification to the mindset required for idea generation, and we delve deeper in to the landmarks of her remarkable career. 

You can read Jen's fabulous blog here: http://thingsthatchangethewayithink.blogspot.com/

What does one of the world's most respected researchers think the future holds for medicine?

Eric Topol is a doctor, scientist and author. Being  one of the most heavily cited scientists on the planet, he has received over 250,000 citations and produced close to 1,200 publications. If that wasn't enough, he is the Executive Vice-President of Scripps Research, and Founder of the Scripps Translational Research Institute. On this episode, we discuss Covid-19, the potential future role of AI in medicine and the ongoing process of democratising healthcare. Enjoy! 

Follow Eric: https://twitter.com/EricTopol

Find out more about Scripps: https://www.scripps.edu/science-and-medicine/translational-institute/

 "Building communities through communication". That's the motto that has seen Susanna Harris' research career grow far beyond microbiology.

 A science communication expert and mental health advocate, Susanna's popularity as a keynote speaker and academic personality has seen her develop over 60,000 followers on Twitter. If that wasn't enough, she is the founder of PhD Balance, a supportive space for students and researchers, providing training and resources to better academic mental health. 

In this episode, we find out Who is Susanna Harris? From early career ambitions, growing business interests and the harsh reality of mental health in academia, we delve deeper in to Susanna's life and areas of expertise. 

Find out more about Susanna here: https://susannalharris.com/