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It’s time to open the listener mailbag to answer your question about the human side of science, and life in the lab! This week: the importance of lunch, blending art with science, and the dream of a lab-based sitcom.
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We often talk about the myriad factors you should consider when choosing a PhD program.
Location. Research. Stipend. Work culture. Livability. Peers. Prestige. The list of things to remember seems endless.
But way back in pre-history, we were just humble undergrads ourselves, feeling our way around and trying to make life-changing decisions with very little information.
This week on the show, Josh regales us with insights he learned from his own PhD journey. (Check out 178. I Didn’t Even Know “Research” Was a Thing! for the beginning of his tale.)
Just a year after learning that research existed, Josh applied to several PhD programs. He talks about the interview process, knowing how many applications is too many, and trusting your instincts.
We also discuss the power of prestige. Is it worth it to go to a big-name private university for your graduate training, or can you get a good education at a state school or small college?
No matter where you are on your training journey, it can be helpful to hear stories from others who walked the same path. We invite you to reminisce about your OWN life-changing choices, and maybe share them with a fellow traveller who could gain insight from your successes (and failures!).
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Titles are a part of our identity. If you meet a school teacher, computer programmer, or rocket scientist, you will instantly form an impression of what kind of person they are without any additional information.
The bias we impose upon hearing a title can be good or bad, of course. But we all invariably take these mental shortcuts, and it influences how we treat the people we meet.
What’s interesting is that these titles reflect on us, as well. What I call myself impacts what I expect from my work, and how I expect others to treat me in my role.
This week on the show, we talk with a PhD who helps current graduate students as they explore careers outside of academia. And she has some advice on how you can reimagine your graduate title.
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The day-to-day reality of many graduate programs is that you’ll spend most of your time doing research.
Even if you don’t end up working in a lab or doing experiments forever in your career (and most people don’t!), being able complete experiments is going to help you efficiently progress through your program and eventually GRADUATE. And isn’t that what we all want?
This week, we cover some common pitfalls that suck your time and erode your confidence. We’ve got advice for avoiding those traps and making the most of your time in the lab. Yes, it’s about getting stuff done. But it’s also about getting the RIGHT stuff done in the right way.
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