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Imposter syndrome might make you feel all alone in the world, but ironically, many graduate students, postdocs, and faculty members experience the same feelings of inadequacy.
This week on the show, we interview Dr. Maureen Gannon, PhD, about the sources of imposter feelings and the practical steps you can take to work through them.
By every objective measure, Dr. Gannon’s career has been an unqualified success. She went from private high school through a Masters degree with full scholarships, finishing her undergraduate training in just three years. She completed a PhD at Cornell and is now a tenured faculty member at Vanderbilt University with appointments in several departments. She leads and chairs multiple organizations and committees, and is invited to speak internationally about her work.
And yet, for much of her training, Dr. Gannon didn’t feel successful. She sometimes attributed her personal wins to outside forces or good luck. She wondered when others would discover her shortcomings as a scientist.
Then, she attended a workshop that put a name to the feelings: imposter phenomenon. With the name came a realization that many of her peers were experiencing the same thing.
Now, she speaks to students, faculty, and professional groups about her experience of overcoming imposter syndrome and getting on with her career.
In this episode, Dr. Gannon shares some of the common triggers for imposter feelings and the steps you can take to work through them.
Here are the books and resources she recommends:
Take the test yourself: The Clance Imposter Scale
The Impostor Phenomenon: Overcoming the Fear That Haunts Your Success
Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
Man vs. Machine
Science in the News brings us another reminder that computers are going to take our jobs. This week, machine learning algorithms outperform human doctors on predicting which patients will suffer from heart disease.
Now, when the robots rise up to kill us, they’ll be able to make it look like ‘an accident.’
We also sample a tropical ethanol with the Big Wave Golden Ale from Kona Brewing. It’s not clear why this allegedly Hawaiian beer was featured on a cruise in the Caribbean, but it’s best not to argue. Any port in a storm, as they say…
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