The juice and the squeeze

Inspired by a listener question, Jonathan and Julia talk about mentoring, with specific attention to how it might look different for trainees of different stages (for example, undergraduate vs. graduate students). Important considerations include generalizable "don't call them soft" skills related to time management, organization, and so on. Some strategies include formal onboarding for new lab members, individual development plans, and “professional development” portions of lab meetings. Julia learned the importance of knowing the why of something in the context of sweeping the floor. But first, celebrating 50 episodes of The Juice and the Squeeze, and an update on Julia's Halloween. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

It's really tempting to count things like credit hours, publications, or grants. Julia and Jonathan talk about some of the disadvantages of counting, including missing out on "hard-to-count" activities that may be important to us, and how to push the needle in our own thinking or evaluations to fight against easy answers. How do we consider the important aspects of helping students in our offices, deep thinking, or playing with Legos? Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Back after a year (!) away, Julia and Jonathan cover what's been going on for the last year, and new things they are doing. Perhaps depressingly, they agree that being older or more advanced in one's career doesn't prevent the need for some degree of “starting over” when new challenges present themselves. Plus, Julia shares a strong book recommendation! Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Jonathan has a career announcement and Julia is excited about graduation. Jonathan's world didn't fall apart when he checked his email less. And the main topic: what makes a good hobby? Do Jonathan or Julia have any hobbies? Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan revisit the issue of how we manage our time and our commitments so that we can keep some sense of sanity, instead of feeling like butter being scraped over too much bread. In brief, when there's too much stuff in the closet, you need to lean harder into your pile of no's, because you probably only have about 4000 weeks to work with. How do we decide whether the juice is worth the squeeze (as it were)? Maybe we should start giving awards for thinking long and hard about a topic. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

After some long-overdue Halloween follow-up and Jonathan horrifying Julia with his new strategy for (not) dealing with email, your hosts tackle the topic of exam questions, and in particular, how to handle the prospect of open-book exams in classes where we would still like students to study. Should exams be timed? Multiple-choice? How do we incentivize students to spend time outside of class and support our learning goals while also being appropriately flexible? There are no easy answers but Julia and Jonathan offer some ideas. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

For many of us, collaborating with other researchers is one of our favorites part of an academic career. In this episode Julia and Jonathan talk about different kinds of collaborations and what to think about when you're starting a collaboration. And, some potential downsides of collaborations and how hopefully avoid the worst of these. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Like all of life academia is social. Julia and Jonathan talk about different strategies for telling our colleagues about our work, including “advertising” our papers, talks, and the importance of having a website (you don't have one? Get one!). These things are important at any career stage and you can start doing them wherever you're at. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

There's a lot about the last year and a half we are happy to get rid of, but are there any things we'd like to keep? Julia and Jonathan talk about the advantages of online meetings and talks, flexibility in classes, and (if we're lucky) discovering we can say "no" to things and it's OK. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

After an unplanned summer hiatus Julia and Jonathan are back to talk about errors in research, and specifically how we can make fewer of them. Julia talks about her Error Tight project for implementing some culture changes, including standardization, how to cultivate a sense of shared responsibility in a research lab. Research mistakes reflect a failure of systems rather than a failure of people—so let's improve our systems! Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Wrapping up our mini-series on teaching, Julia and Jonathan talk about readings, grading, and how to fairly offer flexibility to students in our classes. In-class activities, quizzes, how many grades to drop, how to handle late assignments, how to get feedback from students, and more. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

After “big picture teaching” last episode, Julia and Jonathan dive into the weeds a bit, spending a lot of time on the syllabus. Is it a contract? A way to communicate “hidden curriculum”? A fun way to connect with your students? In short, yes, and also, it depends. Also, maybe it's unrealistic to expect students to carefully read all 20 pages of our syllabus without offering incentives (can you blame them?)? Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

OK, your turn to teach a course for the first time (or the Nth time). Now what? Julia and Jonathan share thoughts and experiences (and mistakes) from teaching lecture courses. For example, how do you decide what to cover (hint: you don't have to teach all of the topics in the textbook)? How do we model excitement for learning? What hidden curriculum will you include? Also, Oregon Trail. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia recaps the first-ever Midwinter Ball and sets the bar high for future MWBers, as a prelude for talking about how life these days can be hard even if we are “fine”. Having a hard time is normal, and when it's Kobayashi Maru time, there might not be a perfect solution. Take a minute to be extra kind to others this week and keep hanging in there! Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan share comments they made as part of a talk on science communication. Turns out, we scientists are ALL involved in science communication, whether we realize it or not (or whether or not we like it). Know your audience. Communication is a learnable skill. And many more tidbits on what is our longest podcast to date (!). Special consideration given to our experiences with Twitter and podcasts. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

How do you bring a research project from brilliant idea to completion? Julia and Jonathan talk about implementing a research project pipeline, including some nuts-and-bolts of how files are organized and what gets kept track of. If all you take away is that having a project log is a good idea, it will be time worth spent! Also, get prepping for celebrating Midwinter Ball (January 17). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Mentors are great, but can't meet all our needs. In the last episode of 2020, Julia and Jonathan explore other people in our support networks, how we can find them, and why they are useful to have. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

After very excellent banter about Frozen Custard and Julia inventing a new Winter Holiday, your hosts offer wide ranging thoughts on having children as an academic. The general theme is along the lines of “don't let anyone tell you what to do but here are our experiences and some things you might want to think about”. And, a little about what we, and institutions, might be able to do to help normalize all genders being involved in childcare and family life. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia likes Halloween JUST A LITTLE and Julia and Jonathan start with their annual review of Julia's Halloween plans. Then, on to talk about finding a research niche. It turns out it's not Leonardo Da Vinci times where it's possible for one person to know everything, and Julia and Jonathan extol the virtues of programmatic research (and some hints on how to find your program). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan have a wide-ranging discussion on grant writing, starting with a basic question: Which audience are you writing for? Topics include the mindset of your reviewers (hint: not always as expert as you might think), how to handle resubmissions, and our wish that it were easier to see examples of grants. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

You get reviewer comments back on your manuscript. How do you respond to them? Julia and Jonathan give their perspective on picking your battles, structuring a response letter, and how much to include vs. not. Some of us get grumpy when we read reviews, and many of us have experience with Grumpy Reviewer 2. But what about Helpful Reviewer 4? Also, your hosts invite David Tennant to be a guest on the podcast next time Julia is out of town. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Peer review is an integral part of the scientific endeavor. Julia and Jonathan share thoughts about why we review, and how we review. And, some thoughts on how to review less if you review a lot, and how to review MORE if you'd like to get started. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Be serenaded by the dulcet tones of crying babies while you hear Julia and Jonathan discuss poorly-named “soft skills” of academia, including project management, general organization, and taking care of yourself (“sharpening your saw”). Empathy and theory-of-mind are undervalued as soft skills but are probably things we can practice. Imposter syndrome makes an appearance. And, Jonathan also explores a unique publishing opportunity. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

What's a postdoc? Why might you do one? And, how do you get one? Jonathan and Julia talk about their own experiences and advice, including why it's never too early to start and why considering the F word is useful. But before any of that, a refreshing digression on cocktails and clear ice. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan have been thinking a lot about online teaching. Not claiming to be experts they share what's worked well and what they are excited about for the coming term. Office hours? Casual interactions? Small group discussions? We've got ideas for you. Bonus: hear how Julia learned about controlled burns (yes, it's related). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Interested in what a job at a small liberal arts college (SLAC) is like? Julia shares about her job (spoiler: she likes her job just a little) and offers advice on things to consider when applying for a similar job. Pssst: teaching experience helps. (And, follow-up reply to an email where the hosts reject a listener's suggestion that it is entirely their fault they have a difficult relationship with their advisor.) Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

With many (all?) conferences online for the foreseeable future, Julia and Jonathan talk about the pros and cons of online conferences, using SIPS (which Julia just attended) as a jumping off point. How do we fight “Zoom fatigue”? What advantages do online conferences offer and how can we take advantage of them? Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Turns out, life isn't always easy. Julia and Jonathan explore some ways that we can help ourselves, and others, when we are going through difficult times (academic and otherwise), including the importance of modeling dealing with disappointment for our trainees (and colleagues) and having a network of people to turn to for support. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan have a short show this week so you have time to listen to one of the other great podcasts by Black academics linked to in our show notes. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Mentoring is one of those things in life that is super important but that most of us don't get much training about. Julia and Jonathan talk about how mentees can seek out effective mentors (understanding everyone differs in their flexibility), and things mentors can do to be more helpful. And a friendly reminder that you're never to young to have a mentor, or to be a mentor. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan are excited about registered reports. They discuss pros (many) and cons (none?) and try to provide an overview of the process for newbies. Also, find out the best food to cook in your waffle maker (hint: it may not be a waffle). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Jonathan and Julia—and special guest Violet Brown—muse over sharing sciency things that AREN'T code and data (such as knowledge about statistical analysis or writing grants). What is the best way to share this knowledge, who's our audience, and why bother? Plus, find out whether you are in Jonathan's scientific generation or not. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com) Special Guest: Violet Brown.

Julia and Jonathan catch up on FU from Julia's “self correcting” episode and dive into talking about why and how we share our data and code. What are the pros and cons? Will you be helping your future self? Spoiler alert: your hosts are more convinced by the pros. Plus, lots of interesting links to supplement your listening. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

In this episode, Julia describes the process of finding and correcting a major error in one of her published papers. A programming mistake had generated a pattern of data that was, in fact, completely untrue. Julia shares how she discovered the error, the temptation to conceal it, and the process of disclosing it to her co-authors, the journal it was published in, her tenure committee, and others. Along the way, Julia and Jonathan talk about the incentive structures of science, the benefits of programmatic research and scientific transparency, and the importance of sharing our mistakes and how we fix them. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Things feel a little crazy at the moment but listening to podcasts can only help. Right? RIGHT? Julia and Jonathan share how they are approaching teaching and maintaining sanity during coronavirus lockdown. Slack, Zoom tea time, faux commutes, and Julia's speakeasy (password: “password”). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Scientific talks are the topic and Jonathan and Julia offer a wide ranging set of thoughts on topics ranging from practice to laser pointers to imagining Julia sitting in the back row of your audience. In an unexpected moment of honesty Jonathan admits to usually wearing pants (AND trousers, by the way). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Sometimes things don't go according to plan, and sometimes this is OK. Jonathan and Julia talk about how we react when our plans don't work out and offer a bit of specific advice for graduate school applicants. Julia doubts that ALL dolphins are friendly and helpful, and Jonathan shares about the time he was almost a wrestler. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

IMposter or imPOSter? However you pronounce it, Julia and Jonathan take on the topic of imposter syndrome, which as it turns out isn't really a syndrome. Everyone experiences this to various degrees but gosh it can be hard to talk about. Maybe we can change the world by being more intentional about supporting each other in both our successes and not-knowing-and-it's-OKings. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia and Jonathan dive into the topic of writing, including when in a project we tend to write, some common challenges, and approaches that have worked for them (and which may, or may not, work for you). Some handy tricks involve phrases like “reverse outlining”, “word vomit”, and “parenthetical REF”. Jonathan has the most boring game ever to help him write. Challenge for the week: Find a paper that inspires you to write well, and share it with someone. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

F/U related to Julia's tenure and weaponry, and Jonathan's sleep deprivation, before moving into discussing seasons of the academic year. How do we use these to help us plan and take advantage of when we have the most energy? Weekly challenge: send someone you know (which might be your future self) a nice note to encourage them. Speaking of mail, keep sending your email. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

To bring 2019 to a close Julia and Jonathan offer unsolicited advice on a wide range of topics, including health, finances, and computers. Don't say we didn't warn you! Julia gets an important phone call related to her career (insert suspenseful music). Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Jonathan and Julia talk about how we get our research published. What do we think about when picking a journal? When in the process do we pick a journal? What's the deal with preferred/nonpreferred reviewers? The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but when's a reasonable time to start squeaking? Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Winter is here, prompting a discussion of clothing and coziness before getting into the how and the why of organization systems (especially to-do lists and calendar-related things). Breaking things down into meaningfully-sized chunks is good (with a real-world example from manuscript writing). Good calendar hygiene is important. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Jonathan and Julia tackle the topic of things that distract us from what we are dHEY look a squirrel!!! There's a balance between being focused and having the freedom to explore. If there are too many things in your closet, they won't fit neatly, and you might just have to get rid of something. Jonathan loves the IRB. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Sometimes it works to just go to a conference and wander around, but more often having a strategy is useful. Probably trying to do EVERYTHING will not be a winning strategy. Networking just means making friends with people who are interested in similar things as you and makes conferences way more fun. One of your hosts is much more likely than the other to strike up conversations with nearby strangers. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Julia's favorite holiday is approaching and we all wish we could attend her Halloween party. Follow up to a listener email about how to handle new requests for work prompts a long discussion about how we choose what projects to work on in general. We should all be saying “no” to a lot of things but don't. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

Among all of the facts, focusing on positive ones (instead of negative ones) can help keep us in a good mental place. Julia both loves and hates running and is grateful to the mysterious woman who encourages her. A double-edged challenge for next time: reframe something positively to ourselves, and reframe something positively for someone else. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

After a brief diversion for f/u we have a quick chat about the importance of having a website if you're an academic. Taking time off from work (during the day, week, or year) seems VERY important for both happiness and productivity. But it's hard to do. Join the resistance and sharpen your saw (all credit to Julia's mom). We would all like to handle email the way Donald Knuth does but that's probably unrealistic. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

How do we know what we are bad at, and what do we do about it (if anything)? Tupperware containers, face recognition, mental math, and grantwriting make the list. One of us may or may not have been a childhood chess prodigy. Sometimes just jumping in and doing something (like writing a grant or learning a programming language) is helpful at reducing anxiety. Deciding what kind of bad we are seems worthwhile. Some things are important to just try. Of all the things we are bad at, how do we decide what (if anything) to work on improving? Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)

In their first ever podcast Julia and Jonathan talk about how many people's careers don't go in a straight line, and how this is often OK (but beware of survivorship bias). In the course of talking about their own career paths Julia reveals the costume she wore while bartending and Jonathan sort of but not really promises to play the horn sometime. Jonathan decides to double down on self-serving bias when writing grants. Theme music courtesy of The Bobby Dazzlers (https://thebobbydazzlers.bandcamp.com)