An intimate glimpse into the career (and broader, life) choices of PhDs.
The opinions shared on this podcast are personal and not affiliated with and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the employers of the host (Dr. Stark) or guests.
Dr. Sherman Charles: linguist/speech researcher who loves both science and teaching
Dr. Sherman Charles, a linguist and speech researcher, shares his journey from academia to industry and reveals how he leverages his scientific expertise to innovate and disrupt the performing arts world with his web-based score tabulation platform.
12 Dec 2024
Dr. Miles Welstead, on enjoying the journey of science and research
Dr. Miles Welstead shares insights on navigating the journey of science and research, highlighting the importance of following your interests and exploring diverse career paths in human subject research.
5 Dec 2024
Dr. Lauren Bellflower: giving yourself grace along the educational journey
Dr. Lauren Bellflower shares her journey of giving herself and others grace along the educational path, drawing from her own experiences as a first-generation college graduate living with a chronic disease.
21 Nov 2024
Dr. Amber R Moore, immunologist and grant consultant committed to fostering inclusivity and belonging
Dr. Amber Moore shares her journey from immunologist to DEIB practitioner, highlighting pivotal moments that shaped her commitment to fostering inclusivity and belonging in academia.
24 Oct 2024
Dr. Matt Samson: a post-PhD life in tech, being true to yourself and taking risks
Dr. Matt Samson received a PhD and MPhil in Psychology from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and a BA in Psychology from Macquarie University (Sydney, AUS). Matt knew he did not want to stay in academia and sought out jobs in tech, leveraging networks that existed in his PhD lab. He has since had varying experiences in tech, including start-ups, and openly shares about how he decides what he is interested in and, in some cases, when to move on. Join me for this great conversation!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewsamson/
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
17 Oct 2024
Dr. Sara O'Connor: community-engaged research and translatable skills
Dr. Sara O'Connor is the Associate Director of the Geo-SpACE Lab and Lecturer in the Geography Department at California State University, Long Beach. She received her PhD in Urban Planning and Public Policy from the University of California, Irvine, a Master's of Urban Planning from New York University, and a BA in Anthropology from Bryn Mawr College. She has both worked and researched in Kazakhstan, with her dissertation work comprising qualitative comparative case studies in Kazakhstan (hint: be on the lookout for her book on this topic coming out soon, with Routledge!). Join me in a chat with Sara about exploring career opportunities, working whilst studying, and how to make your skills translational within and outside of academia.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-o-connor-55761422/
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
3 Oct 2024
Dr. NiLa Austin, educator and advocate for education, researcher
It was my great pleasure to interview Dr. NiLa Austin for the first episode of Season 2!
Dr. Austin holds a BA in Psychology from George Mason University, a research fellowship at Howard University, an MA in Applied Developmental Psychology from George Mason, and a PhD in International Psychology from the Chicago School.
Dr. Austin is an innovative educator who spends her time creating creative curriculum and advocating for middle schoolers welfare. She leverages her background in psychological research to ensure that all students have the opportunity to develop critical thinking and research skills that will benefit them throughout their life. I mean, I'm not joking: to date, Dr. Austin has created 15 youth programs/initiatives including cosmetology, barbering, high school/college prep , digital photography, young writers, doctors pathway, public speaking and more. These programs are completely FREE for students, with the majority scheduled during the school day and aligned with Common Core State Standards.
I had such a great time chatting to Dr. Austin, and I hope you also enjoy our conversation!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nila-austin-phd-0a58a06a/
Giveland:
https://www.givelandfoundation.org/ (https://www.givelandfoundation.org/)
Want to be my next guest? Please get in touch on email (brielle.stark[at]gmail.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brielle-c-stark-phd-10726516/)
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
14 Mar 2024
Dr. Krit Sitathani, a chemist turned financial tech & environmental banking researcher
Dr. Sitathani and I go back many years -- mostly as competitors in the sport of rowing at Cambridge University! He graduated with his PhD in 2016 in physical chemistry, studying gas emission from diesel engines. Then, he embarked on a career in financial tech (you'll hear Krit say "fintech," which is what this is), and now is an Assistant Managing Director at a large bank in Thailand. His job now comprises both research and financial consulting, largely on environmental-related fund management. As he says in this podcast... he started doing something (fintech) that had nothing to do with his PhD in Chemistry, but has now suddenly found himself with a research-related role in a banking institution that's focused on many of the topics he researched in his PhD. It's fun how life can come 'full circle'! Hope you enjoy.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krit-sitathani-phd-44922a50/
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
7 Mar 2024
Dr. Angela Quiroz, fostering diversity and equity during and after her PhD
Dr. Angela Quiroz works in Diversity and Equity, is a professor at a community college, and also runs her own consulting business! She holds a PhD in International Psychology, and a BA and an MA in Criminal Justice. It was a pleasure to chat with her and better understand her journey to where she is today. I hope that you enjoy!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-quiroz-phd-87290878/
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
29 Feb 2024
Dr. Beejal Oza: a psychologist who finds herself in a business school
It was a real pleasure to chat with Dr. Beejal Oza, a psychologist and counselor working full-time as the Global Director of Counseling & Coaching Center & Assistant Professor at SP Jain School of Global Management in Dubai, UAE. Dr. Oza is also a Global Mental Health Consultant. She's got a spectacular outlook on life and emotional intelligence, and it was such a pleasure getting to spend some time with her! I hope you enjoy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-beejal-oza-29030611/
https://www.spjain.org/faculty/profiles/bijal-oza
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
8 Feb 2024
Dr. Kacy Barker: returning for a PhD after 10 years in a career, navigating life/work boundaries, and an emphasis on social justice
It is my pleasure to host Dr. Kacy Barker on this episode of Life After PhD! Dr. Barker has a PhD in International Psychology with a concentration in Trauma Services, a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She spent approximately ten years working before returning for her PhD, and shares some great life experiences that helped to motivate her to get a PhD, and also how her life experiences shaped her PhD and the time after it. She is a tireless social advocate, and shares a lot of information about her research on destigmatizing sex work and more globally on harm reduction. Please check out the links below for more information on these topics. I hope you enjoy listening to Kacy as much as I did!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacy-barker/
Dr. Barker's PhD, "
How Values Shape Attitudes: The Stigma of Sex Work in Amsterdam, The Netherlands": https://www.proquest.com/docview/2740277790?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true
Harm Reduction Coalition: https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/ (https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/)
Recommended further reading on sex work: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317386939_Sex_Work_Criminalization_Is_Barking_Up_the_Wrong_Tree (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317386939_Sex_Work_Criminalization_Is_Barking_Up_the_Wrong_Tree )
If you're interested in being featured on Life After PhD, please reach out to Dr. Brielle Stark at brielle.stark@gmail.com
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
1 Feb 2024
Dr. Michele Veldsman: a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, mentor and leader
Welcome back to Life After PhD!
Dr. Michele Veldsman is currently the head of Research & Development in Neuroscience at Cambridge Cognition, based in the UK. She graduated with her PhD from Cambridge University, and completed several postdoctoral roles / research scientist roles before taking her current job. She is a well-known mentor in the field of human neuroscience, especially to women and persons from marginalized and minoritized groups. She's gone out of her way to help others seeking a change from academia, and in her spare time (I joke, I joke), is about to go live with her startup, Playroom! Learn more about Michele, below.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheleveldsman/
Playroom: https://www.playroom-app.com/ (and nice write-up: https://www.forwardpartners.com/latest/michele-veldsman-founder-of-playroom)
Dr. Veldsmans' courses: https://stan.store/DrVeldsman
Interested in being on the podcast? Reach out to me (Brie) at brielle.stark@gmail.com
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
18 Jan 2024
Dr. Alexandra Moussa-Tooks: an academic career in the clinical sciences
Dr. Alexandra Moussa-Tooks and I talk about her trajectory from a clinical psychology PhD, to a clinical internship, postdoctoral fellowship, clinical education professorship and now her role as a first-year tenure-track Assistant Professor. She has some great insight into her own favorite parts of doing a PhD (creativity! being interdisciplinary!), and great takes on lessons learned along the way.
Dr. Moussa-Tooks academic page: https://psych.indiana.edu/directory/faculty/moussatooks-alexandra.html
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jhX8qzcAAAAJ&hl=en
Some terminology we use:
PI = Principal Investigator
NIH = National Institutes of Health
PBS = Psychological and Brain Sciences
Wet Lab = a type of laboratory where it is necessary to handle various types of chemicals and potential "wet" hazards, such as with animal models
If there's ever a word/phrase you're unfamiliar with, let me know and I'll add it to these notes.
I'd love to host you next! Send me an email: brielle.stark@gmail.com
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
11 Jan 2024
Dr. Saajan Bhakta: A PhD in Psychology and the world of merger-acquisitions
It's my pleasure to bring you this conversation with Dr. Saajan Bhakta, who I met many years ago during our time serving on the youth board of a non-profit. Dr. Bhakta received his PhD in International Psychology and applies many of those skills into the Mergers & Acquisitions industry. He also holds a role as a Associate Professor in a medical school, enabling him to stay close to the psychology research world. Join me in learning more about Dr. Bhakta's path -- and spoiler alert, he's probably been to more countries than all of us combined!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saajan-bhakta-ph-d-4a154076/
Apologies for a few audio blips; let's blame the WiFi!
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
4 Jan 2024
Dr. Emily Beswick: Extending your skills in the postdoc
Join me in chatting with Dr. Emily Beswick, who graduated with her PhD in 2022 and is now about to start her second postdoctoral position. Learn about how she decided to stick with a postdoc, but also learn about her interests in industry and next steps.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-beswick-digitalresearch/
Some acronyms we mention on here:
PI = Principal Investigator, usually director of a lab
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
4 Jan 2024
Dr. Neal Fox: Developing young minds in the Sierra Nevadas
Dr. Neal Fox is Founder and Executive Director of Sierra STEM, which runs experiential learning, educational consulting, and professional development programs in the beautiful Sierra Nevadas. Dr. Fox holds a PhD in Cognitive Science from Brown University. Following a very successful 'traditional academic path,' Dr. Fox found joy in high school teaching and then morphed his love of the outdoors and his science training to start Sierra STEM.
Learn more about Neal:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealpfox/
Sierra STEM: https://www.sierrastem.com/
I mention a little audiobook in the podcast. It's this one (https://www.amazon.com/National-Parks-Americas-Best-Idea/dp/0375712100/ref=asc_df_0375712100/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=266118767273&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1457204734643315868&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1017003&hvtargid=pla-456454345335&psc=1&mcid=cd02f4f689a235019a97e63a234fe37a&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4WsBhCiARIsAEJIEzX3YR8PdOj4ntRCvKtk3N9sNPZsNUgh1TuvWRuhHFOm4bXKd7tkdtgaApcvEALw_wcB)! "The National Parks" by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns. It has a segment on Hetch Hetchy which then lead me to read/learn much more about the social and political history of the area.
Some acronyms we mention on here:
NSF = National Science Foundation
NRSA = A training grant
NIH = National Institutes of Health
ECOG = Electrocorticography
PI = Principal Investigator, usually director of a lab
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
18 Dec 2023
Dr. Sarah-Louise Decrausaz: Faculty research grants & strategic projects
It's my pleasure to bring you this interview with the insightful Dr. Sarah-Louise Decrausaz. Dr. Decrausaz holds as BS in Physical and Biological Anthropology, an MA in Physical and Biological Anthropology, and a PhD in Biological Anthropology. She is currently employed as a Strategic Project Officer, working closely with her university and faculty to identify and win grants.
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-louise-decrausaz-phd-50232321
Email: sldecrausaz[at]gmail.com
If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, send an email to Brie: brielle.stark[at]gmail.com
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
29 Nov 2023
Introduction to Life after PhD
A conversational podcast all about the diversity of careers one can pursue after obtaining a PhD. If you're interested in being a guest, please get in touch! brielle.stark [at] gmail.com
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brielle-stark/support)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Host of Life After PhD?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
