PhD and Me: The Third Degree

PhD and Me is about the real-life experiences of PhD students walking this sometimes vexing but meaningful path towards the final (third) degree. PhD life often gives students the third degree, and through this podcast, we're looking forward to returning the favor. Kierra Peak (UNC, Occupational Science) Matt Clayton (UNC, Psychology and Neuroscience)

First generation students are breaking new ground at all levels of academia. In this episode Chicas, Chris, Steven, and Burcu share the stories we tell our families, the stories we tell ourselves, and the stories we tell the world about what it means to be the first. Burcu Bozkurt (UNC, Health Policy and Management) Herrison Chicas (UNC, Business Administration) Steven Houang (UNC, Health Behavior and Health Education) Chris Lane (UNC, Human Movement Science)

As burgeoning researchers in the international space, you will find yourself facing many obstacles and ethical dilemmas. In this episode of PhD and Me, Burcu, Chelsea, and Theo discuss their own trials as researchers and how they worked through them. Our hosts talk about ways to navigate bureaucracy, systems of privilege and inequity, and the socio-politico-cultural context of your location. Burcu Bozkurt (UNC, Health Policy and Management) Chelsea Ducille (UNC, Maternal and Child Health) Arianne Ekinci (UNC, History) Theo Kassebaum (UNC, Anthropology)

COVID-19 has caused what has felt like a “forced pause” to daily routines and expectations for the future. In this episode, our hosts discuss how universities have responded to the pandemic from a mental health perspective and how the pandemic has affected the academic progress and emotional well-being of graduate students. Matthew Clayton (UNC, Psychology and Neuroscience) Poushali Ganguli (KCL, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience) Kierra Peak (UNC, Occupational Science) Jamshaid Shahir (UNC Bioinformatics and Computational Biology) Kelsey Thompson (UNC, Speech and Hearing Sciences)

COVID-19 has caused what has felt like a “forced pause” to daily routines and expectations for the future, resulting in complex implications for mental health. In this episode, our hosts discuss how the pandemic has altered relationships with peers, experiences as healthcare providers, and collective abilities to make and maintain connections. Matthew Clayton (UNC, Psychology and Neuroscience) Poushali Ganguli (KCL, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience) Kierra Peak (UNC, Occupational Science) Jamshaid Shahir (UNC Bioinformatics and Computational Biology) Kelsey Thompson (UNC, Speech and Hearing Sciences)

Covid-19 has altered every aspect of PhD life. In this episode, PhD students Sam, Danielle, and Steven take turns discussing their cutting-edge research, how they are dealing with misinformation, and the multiple forms of biases this pandemic has brought to light. This episode was recorded in June 2020. Danielle Chappell (UNC, Pharmacology) Sam Eiffert (UNC, Pharmaceutical Sciences) Steven Houang (UNC, Health Behavior and Health Education)

Academia in the 21st Century is becoming more interconnected and interdisciplinary, and the importance of communication has likewise increased. In this episode Ben, Bethan, and guest speaker Ale share their experiences of communicating across different languages, social norms, and disciplines. Bethan Cornell (KCL, Physics) Ben Lee (UNC, Occupational Science)

Anxious about teaching your first class as a graduate student? Royster Fellows Kate Saylor, Chad Hobson, and Joshua Conrad Jackson describe their experiences teaching the First Year Seminar “Science and Society,” and give tips about how to teach for the first time, how to teach in a team, and how to design a new course. Chad Hobson (UNC, Physics and Astronomy) Joshua Conrad Jackson (UNC, Psychology and Neuroscience) Kate Saylor (UNC, Public Policy)