The Vulnerable Scientist

The Vulnerable Scientist

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The Vulnerable Scientist episodes

  • 35 | The story of Dr. Adrienne Leussa | From academia to sales

    Adrienne Leussa talks about moving from academia after a PhD and a Post-doc to Sales. She supports scientists and technicians using Biotechnology like PCR, NGS, CRISPR/Cas, other Gene editing and molecular biology techniques in Africa.

    Adrienne Leussa's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-...


    This is Science Media Africa and Planet Wizard Africa production where Adrienne Leussa talks about his journey in science.


    The whole idea of this project (The scientist's path) is:

    Give the general audience insight into what it takes to be a scientist, the Type of scientists, and their work.

    To give a younger scientist a guide into a science career by learning from others in addition to knowing the diversity of careers paths one can follow after school.

    To give scientists a platform to reach a wider audience with their work and hopefully increase their chances of getting collaborations on the type of work they do.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.


    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.



    Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 32 min
  • 34 | Vulnerable Nyawira Muriuki

    This is the story of a young Kenyan woman who moved from academia to industry and thrived in that space telling her highs and lows to where she is now.

    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.

    Why did I start this podcast? You might ask. When doing my MSc project, my experiments started to fail at a certain period and it was very frustrating. I thought, If I finally get a new vaccine target for CBPP in cows, it would be all smiles but no one will ever know what I went through. I also wondered how many scientists were going through the same rough patch but did not openly talk about it?

    One day when I had just had a rough day, I talked into a mic about my day and I felt better. That was the first episode. At first, I thought it would just be journalling but after some fellow scientists heard it, they wanted to be Vulnerable too. Since then I have brought scientists from different fields to tell their stories of the highs and lows they have experienced with honesty and authenticity being the lead of our informal and long conversations.

    I enjoy asking questions since I am a naturally curious person. Feedback from the audience, including scientists and non-scientists, is the main motivation I message scientists or accept their request to be on the podcast, schedule an interview, edit audio, design the artwork, post it, and share it on social media platforms. It is a full-time job that requires me to spend from my pocket with no monetary returns, but I enjoy it.

    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
  • 33 | Vulnerable Dr. Fredrick Mobegi | Part 4

    Finishing off this conversation, there are topics we couldn't ignore especially for young scientists seeking opportunities in science.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.

    Why did I start this podcast? You might ask. When doing my MSc project, my experiments started to fail at a certain period and it was very frustrating. I thought, If I finally get a new vaccine target for CBPP in cows, it would be all smiles but no one will ever know what I went through. I also wondered how many scientists were going through the same rough patch but did not openly talk about it?

    One day when I had just had a rough day, I talked into a mic about my day and I felt better. That was the first episode. At first, I thought it would just be journalling but after some fellow scientists heard it, they wanted to be Vulnerable too. Since then I have brought scientists from different fields to tell their stories of the highs and lows they have experienced with honesty and authenticity being the lead of our informal and long conversations.

    I enjoy asking questions since I am a naturally curious person. Feedback from the audience, including scientists and non-scientists, is the main motivation I message scientists or accept their request to be on the podcast, schedule an interview, edit audio, design the artwork, post it, and share it on social media platforms. It is a full-time job that requires me to spend from my pocket with no monetary returns, but I enjoy it.

    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  • 32 | Vulnerable Dr. Fredrick Mobegi | Part 3

    The Conversation keeps going and becomes more interesting. Check out the first and second parts of this mini-series.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.

    Why did I start this podcast? You might ask. When doing my MSc project, my experiments started to fail at a certain period and it was very frustrating. I thought, If I finally get a new vaccine target for CBPP in cows, it would be all smiles but no one will ever know what I went through. I also wondered how many scientists were going through the same rough patch but did not openly talk about it?

    One day when I had just had a rough day, I talked into a mic about my day and I felt better. That was the first episode. At first, I thought it would just be journalling but after some fellow scientists heard it, they wanted to be Vulnerable too. Since then I have brought scientists from different fields to tell their stories of the highs and lows they have experienced with honesty and authenticity being the lead of our informal and long conversations.

    I enjoy asking questions since I am a naturally curious person. Feedback from the audience, including scientists and non-scientists, is the main motivation I message scientists or accept their request to be on the podcast, schedule an interview, edit audio, design the artwork, post it, and share it on social media platforms. It is a full-time job that requires me to spend from my pocket with no monetary returns, but I enjoy it.

    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • 31 | Vulnerable Dr. Fredrick Mobegi | Part 2

    We continue to talk about the highs and lows of Dr Mobegi's journey into the science space as a bioinformatician.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.

    Why did I start this podcast? You might ask. When doing my MSc project, my experiments started to fail at a certain period and it was very frustrating. I thought, If I finally get a new vaccine target for CBPP in cows, it would be all smiles but no one will ever know what I went through. I also wondered how many scientists were going through the same rough patch but did not openly talk about it?

    One day when I had just had a rough day, I talked into a mic about my day and I felt better. That was the first episode. At first, I thought it would just be journalling but after some fellow scientists heard it, they wanted to be Vulnerable too. Since then I have brought scientists from different fields to tell their stories of the highs and lows they have experienced with honesty and authenticity being the lead of our informal and long conversations.

    I enjoy asking questions since I am a naturally curious person. Feedback from the audience, including scientists and non-scientists, is the main motivation I message scientists or accept their request to be on the podcast, schedule an interview, edit audio, design the artwork, post it, and share it on social media platforms. It is a full-time job that requires me to spend from my pocket with no monetary returns, but I enjoy it.

    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  • 30 | Vulnerable Dr. Fredrick Mobegi | Part 1

    In this episode, I had a chat with an Australian based Bioinformatician, who has a unique Twitter username - mobeginomics , who shared his story about where he is at the moment.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.

    Why did I start this podcast? You might ask. When doing my MSc project, my experiments started to fail at a certain period and it was very frustrating. I thought, If I finally get a new vaccine target for CBPP in cows, it would be all smiles but no one will ever know what I went through. I also wondered how many scientists were going through the same rough patch but did not openly talk about it?

    One day when I had just had a rough day, I talked into a mic about my day and I felt better. That was the first episode. At first, I thought it would just be journalling but after some fellow scientists heard it, they wanted to be Vulnerable too. Since then I have brought scientists from different fields to tell their stories of the highs and lows they have experienced with honesty and authenticity being the lead of our informal and long conversations.

    I enjoy asking questions since I am a naturally curious person. Feedback from the audience including scientists and non-scientists is the main motivation why I message scientists or accept their request to be on the podcast, schedule an interview, edit audio, design the artwork and post it and share it on social media platforms. It is a full-time job that requires me to spend from my pocket with no monetary returns so far but I enjoy it.

    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  • 29 | The Story of Dr. Harrison Ndungu | The Scientist's Path Series

    Dr. Harrison Ndungu is a Kenyan-based scientist who did his Phd in Germany but still looking for opportunities in Kenya. This shows the unappreciation of research in Kenya that causes limited opportunities in Science.


    This is repurposed interview from the science media Africa interviews done in collaboration with Planet wizard Africa 

    Interview Questions:

    1. Background
    2. Prescience Student experience
    3. Science Interest: How it began and who has influenced your path into science.
    4. University experience: Bsc to PhD
    5. How did you get your first job and subsequent jobs
    6. Mentorship: Did you have a mentor, Is it important to others, Do you mentor
    7. What kind of opportunities are there in science or for science graduates
    8. Highs and Lows in your career
    9. Mistakes and what you learnt from it, advise to younger self
    10. Tell us about your research….How you got into it, and how it helps the society: Past Present and Future if any.
    11. Future prospects
    12. Experience as a woman in science: The changes over the years…Advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in science.
    13. Let’s talk about mental health: Any personal experience or things you would like to share about it.
    14. Advice to a young scientist.
    15. Anything you would like to add: Questions you wish I asked and wish to answer.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.


    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  • 28 | The story of Dr. James Nyabuga Nyariki | The Scientist's Path Series

    This is a repurposed interview from the science media Africa interviews done in collaboration with Planet wizard Africa 

    Interview Questions:

    1. Background
    2. Prescience Student experience
    3. Science Interest: How it began and who has influenced your path into science.
    4. University experience: Bsc to PhD
    5. How did you get your first job and subsequent jobs
    6. Mentorship: Did you have a mentor, Is it important to others, Do you mentor
    7. What kind of opportunities are there in science or for science graduates
    8. Highs and Lows in your career
    9. Mistakes and what you learnt from it, advise to younger self
    10. Tell us about your research….How you got into it, and how it helps the society: Past Present and Future if any.
    11. Future prospects
    12. Experience as a woman in science: The changes over the years…Advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in science.
    13. Let’s talk about mental health: Any personal experience or things you would like to share about it.
    14. Advice to a young scientist.
    15. Anything you would like to add: Questions you wish I asked and wish to answer.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.


    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  • 27 | The story of Dr. Benta Abuya | The Scientist's Path Series

    Dr Benta Abuya moves from being a high school teacher to educational research at APHRC

    This is repurposed interview from the science media Africa interviews done in collaboration with Planet wizard Africa 

    Interview Questions:

    1. Background
    2. Prescience Student experience
    3. Science Interest: How it began and who has influenced your path into science.
    4. University experience: Bsc to PhD
    5. How did you get your first job and subsequent jobs
    6. Mentorship: Did you have a mentor, Is it important to others, Do you mentor
    7. What kind of opportunities are there in science or for science graduates
    8. Highs and Lows in your career
    9. Mistakes and what you learnt from it, advise to younger self
    10. Tell us about your research….How you got into it, and how it helps the society: Past Present and Future if any.
    11. Future prospects
    12. Experience as a woman in science: The changes over the years…Advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in science.
    13. Let’s talk about mental health: Any personal experience or things you would like to share about it.
    14. Advice to a young scientist.
    15. Anything you would like to add: Questions you wish I asked and wish to answer.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.

    Why did I start this podcast? You might ask. When doing my MSc project, my experiments started to fail at a certain period and it was very frustrating. I thought, If I finally get a new vaccine target for CBPP in cows, it would be all smiles but no one will ever know what I went through. I also wondered how many scientists were going through the same rough patch but did not openly talk about it?

    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  • 26 | The Story of Hudson Alakonya | From Kakamega to Oxford | The scientist's Path Series

    Hudson Alakonya is currently a PhD Rhodes scholar and the Founder and CEO of Integrated Cancer Research Foundation of Kenya


    This is repurposed interview from the science media Africa interviews done in collaboration with Planet wizard Africa 

    Interview Questions:

    1. Background
    2. Prescience Student experience
    3. Science Interest: How it began and who has influenced your path into science.
    4. University experience: Bsc to PhD
    5. How did you get your first job and subsequent jobs
    6. Mentorship: Did you have a mentor, Is it important to others, Do you mentor
    7. What kind of opportunities are there in science or for science graduates
    8. Highs and Lows in your career
    9. Mistakes and what you learnt from it, advise to younger self
    10. Tell us about your research….How you got into it, and how it helps the society: Past Present and Future if any.
    11. Future prospects
    12. Experience as a woman in science: The changes over the years…Advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in science.
    13. Let’s talk about mental health: Any personal experience or things you would like to share about it.
    14. Advice to a young scientist.
    15. Anything you would like to add: Questions you wish I asked and wish to answer.


    The Vulnerable Scientist is a Kenyan-based podcast that focuses on scientists' stories about their daily lives, work, and how they got to where they are. I am your host Sarah Nyakeri, a scientist, informal science communicator and a hiker. I am a multidisciplinary individual that does digital marketing and website design during my free time.

    The main questions asked that scientists are expected to answer vulnerable are: How are you, Introduce yourself, how did you become a scientist, What are the highs and lows you have experienced in your science career, tell the listeners about your hobbies, what question would you like to answer that has not been asked and how do you feel after having this conversation.


    If you want to be Vulnerable on the show, send me an audio message either on speak pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/VulnerableScientistVoicemail ) or anchor (https://anchor.fm/thevulnerablescientist/message). Feel free to reach out too if you want to talk about a certain topic in the science career space or anything as a scientist that might have nothing to with science but affects scientists. The podcast is on social media @TVscientistPod and Website; TheVulnerablescientist.com. You can support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thevulnerablescientist) on Patreon or Paypal sarahnyanchera(at)gmail or Mpesa at (254)0718896962 under Sarah Nyakeri.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 38 min

About The Vulnerable Scientist

From the publisher's feed

Only scientists who are honest and authentic or are working towards it will be on this podcast.


Professor Brene Brown's research shows that vulnerability fosters good emotional and mental…