Podcasts by Hello PhD

172. Research Software Engineer from 2022-04-01T02:59:17

If you work in a lab, you’re collecting data. And as the volume of data increases, many researchers find they can’t process or analyze that data in a spreadsheet or stats program anymore. Instea...

171. The Life and Times of a Humanities PhD Candidate from 2022-03-16T02:49:44

Sometimes, your humble HelloPhD hosts forget how narrow our experience has been in graduate education. We’re both biomedical PhDs, and while we trained in different departments, there was a sign...

144. Finding a Career that Fits with Marlys Hanson (R) from 2022-03-01T03:16:18

Sarah had achieved her dream. With a PhD in Physics, she had accepted a new position as a Theoretical Physicist. But as the months wore on, she started to feel overwhelmed and depressed. She’d d...

170. Mailbag: Should I Quit Grad School? from 2022-02-16T03:57:49

If you’re a grad student who hasn’t thought about leaving your PhD program at least once, you might not have a pulse. When experiments fail, grants are rejected, or you get reprimanded by the PI...

169. Change Your Plans, Not Your Goals from 2022-02-01T03:03:37

Even as a child, Alexandra wanted to study space. She had a Bachelor’s degree in physics from Cambridge University, so she seemed like the perfect candidate to for a PhD program. But after gradu...

169. Change Your Plans, Not Your Goals from 2022-02-01T03:03:37

Even as a child, Alexandra wanted to study space. She had a Bachelor’s degree in physics from Cambridge University, so she seemed like the perfect candidate to for a PhD program.<...

168. Academic Twitter: Step-By-Step from 2022-01-17T02:46:57

It’s no secret that a lot of scientific conversation happens on Twitter. It’s a great place to share your research, keep up with trends, and connect with collaborators. But many grad students an...

086. Five Resolutions for Happier, Healthier Scientists (R) from 2022-01-01T04:20:34

Turning over the last page of the calendar seems to naturally invite some reflection on the previous 365 days. When you look back at 2021, what went well? And what do you wish you could change i...

167. Mailbag–Am I Ready For Grad School? from 2021-12-16T02:56:27

This week, we dive head-first into the mailbag to answer listener questions about grad school readiness, teaching experience, and more! Just Finished! Our first missive comes from Kaylee, who re...

075. When Research Sucks (R) from 2021-12-01T03:22:51

It’s inevitable.  At some point in your research career, you’re going to get that sinking feeling. Your experiments will all fail, your PI will get on your case about finishing that paper, and y...

166. Want to Improve Research Careers? Scientists Have 5,434 Suggestions. from 2021-11-18T18:03:22

The CACTUS Global Mental Health Survey asked valuable questions about stress, performance, and career goals for scientists. The data revealed plenty of room for improvement, as researchers strug...

165: A Survey Asked Researchers About Their Mental Health. Here’s What They Said. from 2021-11-01T01:04:28

Most academics are overwhelmed, even the ones who are successful in terms of being productive researchers, busy teachers and efficient administrators. But, they seem like the norm and everyone w...

164. The Essential Guide to Grad School Applications from 2021-10-17T02:32:15

Do you hear it? It’s the sound of hopeful scientists frantically typing out their grad school applications! They’re pondering the best format for a CV, scouring University websites to learn more...

163. The 3 T’s of Successful Field Research from 2021-10-01T03:04:23

The only thing harder than hiking for three hours into a remote boreal forest is realizing you forgot your sample kit back in the lab. For many researchers, running out of a reagent means walkin...

056. Team Up for Speedier Science (R) from 2021-09-17T02:52:58

When we think of scientists, we often think of the lone researcher plodding away at the bench late into the night.  We imagine Alexander Fleming scrutinizing his penicillium molds or Einstein po...

162. Get More Done with LabScrum w/ Dr. Lisa May from 2021-09-01T03:00:36

It’s 8PM on a Wednesday night, and you’re sitting in a quiet lab all alone. It’s your turn to present during lab meeting on Friday, and that familiar sense of panic starts to set in. What HAVE y...

161. Career Development is NOT a Waste of Time. We Have Proof. from 2021-08-17T02:12:20

All those feelings of excitement and possibility screech to a halt when you walk back into the lab to see your PI glaring over her reading glasses. She looks at her watch. “Hey, good to see you....

160. Mailbag–Finding A Postdoc Overseas, Lab Equipment at Home, et al! from 2021-08-01T01:41:36

You know it. You love it. It’s mailbag time! We answer real listener questions, plus a few questions no one is asking! Make it Meaningful The first question comes from Lexi, who is trying to cho...

159. Cultivating Resilience w/ Adina Glickman from 2021-07-16T02:35:07

Imagine a tennis ball dropped on cement – it immediately bounces back to your hand. Now imagine dropping that same ball on a sandy beach. The bounce of a tennis ball on pavement is a form of res...

027. The Road More Traveled: Stepping Off of the Tenure Track (R) from 2021-06-30T15:43:29

In 2011, a whopping 36,000 science and technology grad students earned their PhDs.  That same year, about 3,000 faculty positions were created.  So why did you feel like a failure when you decid...

158. Five Strategies for Defeating Distractions from 2021-06-16T02:51:13

It’s Friday morning, and you promised your PI a draft of your paper before the weekend. The trouble is, you lost a lot of time this week to distractions. Monday you had lab meeting and a few oth...

157. The Three Mentors You Need from 2021-05-31T03:25:18

Most graduate students look on their research advisors as a mentor – hoping for guidance on science, career, and life in general. But even a superstar PI can’t provide that kind of comprehensive...

156. How to Identify and Avoid Predatory Journals from 2021-05-16T16:24:58

It starts innocently enough with an email. This mail is with reference of your article published in the Journal of Cell Science, which is of good quality and making a good impact in the research...

155. How to Plan A Seminar or Scientific Event from 2021-04-30T02:25:56

At some point in your graduate training, you’ll want to host an event. For many students, that will mean inviting a speaker for a special seminar. For others, it might be an outreach event or a ...

154. How to Plan Your PhD w/ Hugh Kearns from 2021-04-17T04:31:55

A PhD Plan sounds like an oxymoron, but charting a path to graduation is one of the most important things you can do as a graduate student. This week, we talk with Hugh Kearns of Thinkwell about...

153. Where Do PhDs Work? The Answer Shouldn’t Surprise You. from 2021-03-30T02:51:56

If you went to graduate school before the turn of the millennium, you probable expected to (eventually) land in a tenure-track position at a University. You may have known a few peers who got te...

152. How Do I Explain the Bad Grades On My Transcript? from 2021-03-17T01:55:57

It’s time to open the mailbag once again to answer YOUR questions. First, we read a couple of emails from listeners who have put Hello PhD advice to work in their training, and they’re already s...

151. Avoid These Phrases in Your Peer Review from 2021-03-01T01:57:51

The Peer Review villain, alternatively known as ‘Reviewer 2’ or ‘Reviewer 3’, has gained meme status. This is the person who takes your submitted journal article, drenches it in red ink, shreds ...

150. Rediscover Your Scientific Passion from 2021-02-16T03:32:49

Nadia wanted to help patients. She had considered going to medical school, but found biomedical research to be an exciting opportunity to develop new knowledge and therapies. After graduate scho...

149. Yes, Grad Students, You DO Have Transferable Skills from 2021-01-31T02:53:20

If you’re a graduate student thinking about a career that lies off the tenure track, you’re probably vaguely nervous that your skills at the bench won’t take you very far in the business world. ...

148. Listener Mailbag: Contacting Prospective PIs, Supporting Friends, et al! from 2021-01-16T19:11:34

Happy New Year to all our Hello PhD listeners! 2021 has already been… a lot. But we’re here to help. This week, we open the mailbag to answer your questions about graduate training and life in t...

147. 2020: A Year in Review from 2020-12-31T05:06:22

It’s no stretch to say that 2020 was a hard year for almost everyone. It was marked by a global pandemic, social upheaval, and loss. The word ‘unprecedented’ lost all meaning around March, and w...

029. Tenure Tracker: Choose a Mentor, Not a Lab w/ Natasha Snider, PhD (R) from 2020-12-16T04:19:52

Choosing a lab for your graduate or postdoc research is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Most people read papers and abstracts to find the coolest science.  Or they favor the big...

146. Ace Your Virtual Graduate School Interview w/ Dr. Beth Bowman from 2020-11-29T04:38:09

The letters of recommendation have been submitted, and review committees have assembled. But while this graduate school application season may seem familiar, the next steps will be wildly differ...

145. Ten Tips from Hindsight: A PhD’s guide to a PhD from 2020-11-17T03:30:05

How many times have you said “I wish I had known!” or “Why didn’t they teach us this in school?” If you’re a graduate student, you’ve probably said it a lot. For some reason, from the moment you...

144. Finding a Career that Fits with Marlys Hanson from 2020-10-31T17:32:50

Sarah had achieved her dream. With a PhD in Physics, she had accepted a new position as a Theoretical Physicist. But as the months wore on, she started to feel overwhelmed and depressed. She’d d...

143. Mailbag: Clinical Experience, Fighting Impostor Syndrome, et al! from 2020-10-16T02:09:29

This week, we dig into the mailbag to answer your questions! What’s in a Name? We start with an email from Tegner about what happens when your department changes its name before you even begin y...

142. Advancing Racial Equity in Science w/ Dr. Kenneth Gibbs from 2020-09-30T16:24:26

When Dr. Kenneth Gibbs talks about diversity and inclusion in the sciences, it’s not just a cause célèbre. It’s personal. “For those of you who don’t know me, I am a Black man. A descendent from...

141. Why We (Still) Podcast from 2020-09-17T01:09:57

What makes two PhDs who escaped from grad school years ago want to revisit all the highs and lows of their training?  Short answer: Beer! But the long answer: Grad school is no cakewalk – classe...

140. Mailbag: Do I need more experience? Biology vs. biomedical. Et al! from 2020-08-31T19:43:45

You keep sending questions, we keep answering them! Take My Advice In our last mailbag episode, we noted that ‘comprehensive exams’ or ‘prelims’ varied not only by University but even department...

139. Back to School During a Pandemic from 2020-08-18T00:49:41

In March 2020, the world shut down. International borders were sealed. Businesses shuttered. Schools locked their doors and students were sent home to learn ‘remotely.’ At the same time, many un...

138. Listener Mail: Changing Fields, Comprehensive Exams, et al! from 2020-07-29T02:26:08

The mailbag is overflowing, and it’s time to answer YOUR questions. First up is Leslie, whose summer internship was cancelled by COVID. Now it’s not clear whether a fall application to grad scho...

137. Tools for Finding a Research Mentor from 2020-07-11T03:37:06

There are two conflicting truths for many early-career graduate students: The mentor you choose is vitally important, and can impact your ability to complete a PhD and your career trajectory yea...

136. Rebuilding an Inclusive Academia with Dr. Ashalla Freeman from 2020-06-30T03:43:39

As protesters march in the streets, you’ll hear calls to “Defund” or “Disband the Police.” These advocates argue that tweaks and training programs will never be enough to meaningfully alter the ...

135. The Science Training Toolbox with Dr. Andres De Los Reyes. Plus, Antiracism for Academia from 2020-06-12T13:02:18

Have you ever lamented the fact that there isn’t some kind of instruction book to help you navigate your scientific training? Wouldn’t it be nice if someone explained how to choose a mentor, or ...

134. Lessons from the Quarantine from 2020-05-30T01:41:32

COVID-19 is a wildfire burning its way around the planet. Its impacts are devastating to nearly every aspect of our modern lives: loved ones lost, economies destroyed, and plans put on hold inde...

133. Galileo and the Science Deniers–with Dr. Mario Livio from 2020-05-14T04:09:50

Four hundred years ago, Galileo Galilei knelt before a group of Cardinals of the Catholic Church and was forced to recant his heretical belief that the Earth revolves around the sun. “This must ...

132. Make a Plan to Repay Your Student Loan from 2020-04-29T21:39:38

First, the good news: you’re not alone! About 1/3 of adults under age 30 carry some level of student loan debt. Unfortunately, if you’re earning a post-graduate degree, you may owe nearly twice ...

131. How to Host a Dissertation Defense On Zoom from 2020-04-15T16:36:19

It’s finally here! The day you’ve been preparing for for the last five years! Your experiments are finished, papers published, and your dissertation has been typed, referenced, printed, and dist...

130. Coronavirus, and Life Outside the Lab from 2020-03-31T02:57:42

It has quickly become a new way of life – working from home, avoiding restaurants and gyms, and ‘social distancing’ from coworkers, friends, and even family. The upending of normal routines happ...

129. Grad School Rejection: Why it Happens and How to Get Accepted from 2020-03-13T04:03:07

 I feel a little disheartened because I’ve been rejected from many of the places I applied to and haven’t heard back from a number of others. Is it worth it to hold out hope for the ones that ha...

128. Field Work: Science in the Great Outdoors from 2020-02-26T13:51

It’s 6 AM and you wake up as the crickets grow quiet and dawn illuminates your tent. After cooking breakfast over a campfire, you load a backpack and hike seven miles into a canyon. That’s when ...

127. Listener Mailbag: How Do You Stay Motivated in Grad School? from 2020-02-11T03:51:33

It’s a well worn analogy, but an apt one: grad school is a mental and emotional marathon, not a sprint. This week, we answer listener mail from ‘runners’ at different stages of the race! This ep...

126. Listener Mailbag–Ghost PIs, Dress Codes, and Mental Health with Susanna Harris from 2020-01-24T03:27:44

It’s that time again – the virtual mail bag is overflowing, so we invited Susanna Harris of PhDBalance.com to help us answer YOUR emails, Tweets, and messages. Bringing the Heat We start with a ...

106. HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications – Acing Your Interview with Dr. Beth Bowman (R) from 2020-01-05T01:48:23

See our previous episodes in this series: 101: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications – Knowing When, and Where, to Apply with Dr. Beth Bowman 102: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications...

125. Demystifying the Research Institute from 2019-12-16T02:43:13

Most PhD students attend traditional academic institutions of higher educations. It’s the world of classes, campuses, and mortarboards you probably think of when you think about a University. Bu...

124. An Art Contest JUST For Hello PhD Listeners from 2019-11-27T04:06:57

We’re bringing you this bonus episode to encourage our listeners to submit their artwork to the Promega Art Contest for Creative Scientists. This isn’t for everyone – it’s just for listeners of ...

123. Anatomy of a Micropublication feat. Nate Jacobs of Flashpub from 2019-11-15T04:22:03

In a world where it’s “Publish or Perish,” you’d expect “publish” to be the more favorable option. But, if you’ve ever spent a year or more performing experiments, crafting figures, writing a ma...

102. HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications–Crafting the Perfect Personal Statement (R) from 2019-10-30T01:32:38

Please recount your life story, all of your future plans, and why this graduate program is uniquely suited to fulfill those dreams.  Limit your answer to 140 characters. Okay, okay, the typical ...

122. Tenure Tracker–The Life Non-Linear with Dr. Jimena Giudice from 2019-10-11T03:19:13

Dr. Jimena Giudice has all the traits of a promising new faculty member. Through her training and early career, she has earned more than a dozen grants and awards. She’s co-authored two dozen pa...

121. A Teenager Goes to Grad School feat. Julia Nepper, PhD from 2019-09-24T03:32:17

You’ve gotten this far, which means you have probably read the episode title by now. And that means you have questions. So… many… questions…. Let’s answer a few of them right up front. First, if...

120. Advancing Open Science with Dr. Jon Tennant from 2019-09-07T03:14:33

As a researcher, you may brag about the open, collegial way that scientists share their findings in lab meetings, poster sessions, and journal articles. But if you dig beneath the surface, you’l...

119. Ten Tips to Crush Your First Semester from 2019-08-27T03:29:35

It’s that time of year again – summer days are growing shorter, your friends are trying to fit in one last trip to the beach, and the backpack aisle at Target is about to be cleared out to make ...

118. Find a Better Mentor with GradPI from 2019-08-10T04:21:40

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a crystal ball that could reveal your grad-school future? You might look forward to see if that next experiment will work out, or if your research will eventually ...

059: Simple Tricks for Time Management–The Focus Funnel (R) from 2019-07-22T01:36:13

In some jobs, one day at the office looks a lot like the next. You could look through your calendar and optimize your meeting schedule and to-do list without much thought. But working in a lab i...

117: Bridging The Gap as a Medical Science Liaison from 2019-07-05T01:35:12

For most graduate students, the list of potential careers runs something like this: Research Faculty Teaching Faculty Industry Researcher Science Writer …. ummmm… But the truth is that there are...

116: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Summer Students from 2019-06-18T02:25:07

Ten weeks is not a long time. It feels even shorter when you’re tossed into the deep-end of a top-tier research lab. If you’re spending your summer as a Research Assistant between semesters, or ...

115: PhDown Under–4 Ways a PhD is Better in Australia from 2019-06-03T02:45:32

It’s no secret that post-secondary education is a rough road to walk. Graduate students rack up debt for the privilege of working long hours for an unpredictable number of years with very little...

114: Grad School Should Have a Time Limit from 2019-05-17T13:21:21

Here’s a controversial idea: what if graduate school finished on a predictable schedule the way (checks notes) every other academic training program does! Since kindergarten, your education has ...

113: All Work and Some Play–Isaac Childres on Following Your Passion After a PhD from 2019-05-01T02:28:56

Sometimes, a graduate school education follows the strait and narrow path through dissertation, postdoc, and faculty position. And sometimes, it sprouts wings and takes you somewhere else entire...

112: Listener Mailbag – Leaving Home, Avoiding the GRE, Finding Collaborators, et al! from 2019-04-16T02:30:21

It’s that time again… Let’s open the mailbag and see what you, our listeners and friends, have sent in! You asked for it… We start out with a couple of questions from David, who is considering g...

111: Empowering the Impossible with Citizen Science from 2019-04-01T02:46:02

It looks like a cross between an anteater and a hedgehog, but don’t let that description fool you into believing it’s easy to spot an echidna in the wild. These denizens of the Down Under know h...

033: It’s Tax Season–Here’s What You Need to Know (R) from 2019-03-13T01:11:55

You might believe that because you’re in grad school and receiving a research stipend, you don’t really need to worry about paying an income tax.  You don’t have a ‘real job’ and no one asked yo...

110: The Secret Life of Pets (in Grad School) from 2019-02-25T03:08:43

After a tough day of negative results and an ornery PI, it can be nice to come home to someone who thinks you’re amazing, loves you unconditionally, and wants nothing more than to cuddle with yo...

109: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications – Understanding Your Offer Letter with Dr. Emily Roberts from 2019-02-05T04:49:06

It’s been an exhausting journey, but you’re nearing the end. You slogged through reams of application forms, personal statements, and letters of reference. You gave up every weekend for two mont...

108: My Green Lab with Allison Paradise from 2019-01-22T04:25:34

It’s Monday morning and you arrive in lab a little late. No worries, you drop your tissue culture media into the warming bath, turn on the hood, and head down the hall while things ‘warm up.’ Ne...

107: Industry Insights–Career Evolution at 23andMe from 2019-01-07T17:33:10

When you’re a graduate student, your conception of ‘industry’ has a lot in common with your understanding of a black-hole. First, you’ve been told it’s a scary and unpredictable place. (“Did you...

106: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications – Acing Your Interview with Dr. Beth Bowman from 2018-12-17T03:14:32

See our previous episodes in this series: 101: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications – Knowing When, and Where, to Apply with Dr. Beth Bowman 102: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications...

105: Listener Mailbag – Grad School Readiness, Paper Critiques, and More! from 2018-12-02T02:36:48

Well, you’ve done it again… Our inboxes are full-to-bursting and it’s time to answer your questions in this week’s episode. We start with some feedback on episode 098: I’m in Grad School and I’m...

104: How to Give a Perfect Poster Presentation from 2018-11-15T03:36:44

It’s a tragic fact: many jaw-dropping, eye-opening, and heart-pounding research results never makes an impact on the scientific community. And it’s partly your fault. By “your,” of course,  I me...

103: Laboratory of Horrors! from 2018-10-29T01:45:20

Life in grad school may not have many horror-movie freak-outs, but there are plenty of harrowing and traumatic experiences to thrill even the most stoic scientist. In celebration of Halloween, ...

102: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications–Crafting the Perfect Personal Statement with Dr. Brian Rybarczyk from 2018-10-11T02:00:25

Please recount your life story, all of your future plans, and why this graduate program is uniquely suited to fulfill those dreams.  Limit your answer to 140 characters. Okay, okay, the typical ...

101: HelloPhD Guide to Grad School Applications–Knowing When, and Where, to Apply with Dr. Beth Bowman from 2018-09-26T16:36:22

You’ve studied hard, gotten good grades, and spent the last two years working in research labs on campus.  You’re feeling ready for that next, inevitable step: applying to graduate school. In a ...

100: The One Where We Celebrate from 2018-09-07T23:05:15

It's important to recognize each major milestone in grad school and beyond. That's why we've invited a few friends to help us celebrate our 100th episode!

The postListen

099: Skype a Scientist with Sarah McAnulty from 2018-08-24T02:24:18

“I was observing that there was this growing mistrust in science, and I couldn’t really understand why. I think that people just don’t trust scientists anymore, or at least not as much as they u...

098: I’m in Grad School and I’m Pregnant! How to Have Kids AND a Career in Science from 2018-08-09T02:26:04

It’s no secret that graduate school and postdoctoral training are some of the most intellectually and emotionally challenging periods you will face in your career. Experiments fail, grant deadli...

097: Conference Like the Pros–How to Plan, Network, and Win from 2018-07-26T02:06:45

Sure, scientific conferences are not a competitive sport, but the sheer volume of information, introductions, and events can leave you feeling like you just lost a round of rugby. This week, we ...

096: Listener Mailbag–Program Prestige, Changing Careers, and More! from 2018-07-11T01:24:09

The best thing about the Hello PhD podcast is our amazing audience of grad students, postdocs, and career scientists. We get emails, tweets, and website comments full of thoughtful questions and...

095: Should I Finish My PhD Remotely? from 2018-06-27T03:14:01

A PhD takes years to complete, so it’s no surprise that your situation may change during that time.  Your PI may move to a different University, your spouse may take a job in another town, or yo...

094: Do Grades Matter in Grad School? from 2018-06-12T02:28:18

We got an email from a first-year student who seems to love everything about grad school… except the tests.  He’s wondering: Do grades matter? Dear Josh and Daniel, I am a first year chemical en...

093: The Grad School Mental Health Crisis, and What You Can Do About It from 2018-05-23T02:07:27

Susanna was experiencing insomnia that began to interfere with her work and life.  She visited the campus health clinic, and they referred her to mental health resources on campus. There, the do...

092: Making Time for Science Communication with Mónica Feliú-Mójer from 2018-05-09T03:00:15

“Things are not progressing as they should. You’re having a hard time focusing on the research, and we know that you don’t want to be in academia anyway.  Do you want to quit?” The question land...

091: Cross-Train for the Faculty Track with the Academic Pathways Postdoctoral Fellowship from 2018-04-18T03:44:08

Think about your training as a grad student and postdoc – you spend countless hours at the bench, running experiments and reading papers to finish your personal research project. Now think about...

011: The 8.5 Fixes That Will Save Biomedical Science (R) from 2018-04-03T01:23:29

Josh and Daniel are on the road this week, so we decided to bring you some goodies from the archive.  An 8-ish step plan to save science!   Biomedical science is broken.  Funding is unpredictabl...

090: Maybe Grant Funding Feels Random and Subjective Because It Is from 2018-03-19T01:28:46

Have you ever submitted a grant, only to have it rejected?  You respond to the reviewers’ comments, addressing weaknesses and tweaking the protocol to honor their suggestions. Then, when you res...

089: The Grad Student’s Guide to Investing for Retirement from 2018-02-28T03:03:54

On a graduate student’s stipend, it’s hard to imagine having enough money left over to afford a dinner out, let alone enough to invest for retirement. But if you can scrape together a few dollar...

088: 15 Transferable Skills PhDs Can Use In Any Career from 2018-02-14T02:43:51

But I have no skills! At least no skills employers would be interested in! As a career counselor, Melanie Sinche heard grad students and postdocs voice this concern nearly every day.  She looked...

087: How Do I Choose a PhD Program? from 2018-02-02T22:39:02

Some decisions in life are simple (“Yes, I want cheese on that burger!”) and some are difficult (“Do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person?”). On that spectrum, choosing a Univers...

086: Five Resolutions for Happier, Healthier Scientists from 2018-01-16T03:54:18

Turning over the last page of the calendar seems to naturally invite some reflection on the previous 365 days. When you look back at 2017, what went well? And what do you wish you could change i...

085: Scientists in the Newsroom–The AAAS Mass Media Fellowship feat. Rebekah Corlew from 2017-12-22T19:35:44

Pick up any newspaper and you’ll find an article summarizing the ‘latest research’ on the health benefits of chocolate, a new treatment for Alzheimers, or the long-term risks of screen time for ...

084: The 4 Keys to an Effective Grad School Application from 2017-12-11T03:18:47

In every episode of Hello PhD, we explore science training and life in the lab.  But for every scientist, that saga begins with a grad school application. Whether you’re ready to apply today, or...

083: Preprint First, Peer-Review Later from 2017-11-21T03:07:55

Publishing your research in a peer-reviewed academic journal is an exercise in patience. You write and edit, wait for feedback from your PI, wrangle the figures into some esoteric format, and th...

082: The Science of Comedy with The Peer Revue’s Niki Spahich from 2017-11-05T01:24:57

Two scientists walk into a bar. One steps on stage and delivers ten minutes of raucously funny stand-up comedy.  The other enjoys an evening of laughter as enterprising STEM professionals share ...

081: Data Science Will Accelerate Your Research–with Joel Schwartz, PhD from 2017-10-17T20:09:31

As a graduate student, Joel Schwartz developed an immunofluorescence assay for neurotransmitter transport. To quantify his results, he needed to circle the cells in each image so the computer co...

080: Postdoc Straight Talk–Where Are They Now? from 2017-09-28T02:03:15

Uncertainty is a defining feature of postdoctoral training: Q: Is a postdoc a student or an employee? (A: Neither. Both?) Q: Should you continue in your PhD research field, or try something new?...

079: The Insider’s Guide to Industry–with Randall Ribaudo, PhD from 2017-09-14T03:32:59

If you’re an academic scientist, applying for an industry job is a bit like traveling to a foreign country. First, there is paperwork. Will they accept your Curriculum Vitae as is, or do you nee...

078: Knowing When to Leave Academia–Feat. The Recovering Academic Podcast from 2017-08-24T01:02:25

Maybe you’re in love with science, but you just can’t imagine your life as a PI.  And maybe you’ve had a string of experiments fail and you’re just ready to put the entire ‘lab thing’ behind you...

077: Google Discovers Five Keys to a Productive Lab from 2017-08-11T01:10:59

Google is data-obsessed, so it should come as no surprise that the company sought to apply its analytical expertise inside the organization. In an endeavor dubbed “Project Aristotle,” Google sou...

076: Should I choose a research focus BEFORE I apply? from 2017-07-23T17:41:09

Applying to grad school means making a series of difficult decisions: university location, reputation, lifestyle, and program. But do you need to pick out a specific research topic before filing...

075: When Research Sucks from 2017-06-30T03:38:40

It’s inevitable.  At some point in your research career, you’re going to get that sinking feeling. Your experiments will all fail, your PI will get on your case about finishing that paper, and y...

074: Does Science Have an Income Inequality Problem? from 2017-06-14T03:50:24

On May 2nd, NIH Director Francis Collins announced a plan to limit the total amount of grant funding awarded to an individual investigator or lab. According to Collins, “the distribution of NIH ...

073: Stop Telling Me My Project is Going to Fail! from 2017-05-26T02:46:37

Is your lab is filled with compassionate, positive individuals who offer nurturing support and gentle guidance to help you achieve your full potential as a scientist? We didn’t think so. While y...

072: Voices from the Front Line of the Science March from 2017-05-10T02:40:47

We weren’t sure what to expect when scientists planned a protest march on Washington, D.C. and other world capitals. Would this politicize the scientific process? Would enough scientists show up...

071: Practical Advice for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Dr. Maureen Gannon from 2017-04-20T04:06:18

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 s...

070: Imposter Syndrome from 2017-04-07T02:01:59

Meeting a new cohort of graduate students on your first day of class can be intimidating.  These are the brightest students from their undergraduate programs. Some of them have years of research...

069: Five Ways Scientists SHOULD Be Using Twitter from 2017-03-24T01:49:48

Traditionally, spending time on social media was a great way to make your PI angry. Your job is to finish experiments, read papers, and present your work at conferences, not to upvote and share ...

068: Use Targeted Savings Accounts for Irregular Expenses from 2017-03-09T03:18:47

If the idea of saving money while in graduate school sounds laughable to you, you’re not alone. Many grad students live month to month on a stipend that places them near the poverty line. After ...

067: Science Magazine Takes a Teeny, Tiny Step Toward Open Access from 2017-02-22T20:08:43

If you read the following headline this week, you might have experienced a small thrill: AAAS Forms Partnership to Expand Access to High-Quality Scientific Publishing AAAS, or the American Assoc...

066: Should Scientists March on Washington? from 2017-02-09T03:00:55

Though techniques and terminology vary from one scientific discipline to another, all scientists are bound together by a set of core principles. We call this the “scientific method,” and the app...

065: Does the GRE Predict Which Students Will Succeed? from 2017-01-26T02:52:15

Though most of us have never served on a graduate program admissions committee, we can still appreciate the difficulty of their task: Given a stack qualified applicants, choose the few that you ...

064: A PhD Internship Will Help You Get a Job from 2017-01-10T17:13:47

You might think internships are the domain of business students and undergrads.  You’re training every day in a lab – why would you need more experiential learning? The short answer is that your...

063: PhD Biography–Compton to the Ivy League from 2016-12-20T04:04:04

Statistically speaking, Teresa Ramirez didn’t stand a chance. She was raised in Compton, California, a city south of Los Angeles and the eponymous setting of the N.W.A. album “Straight Outta Com...

062: FLSA and 21st Century Cures are laws that impact the lab from 2016-12-06T03:49:15

The 2016 presidential election was divisive, dramatic, and distracting.  That’s why you probably missed a series of rulings and regulations that could have a profound impact on your research. Bu...

061: Why We LOVE Grad School from 2016-11-21T21:04:13

There’s no denying it: science is hard work. After a long week of 3AM time-points, contaminated cell cultures, and the ‘simple PCR’ that failed for the fifth time, you might lose sight of why yo...

060: The Right (And Wrong) Ways to Contact Potential Postdoc Advisors from 2016-11-07T04:27:38

Dear Dr. Scientist, I’m writing to tell you how much I admire your work in the field of science that you study.  Your lab has done some tremendous work researching very important topics of signi...

059: Simple Tricks for Time Management–The Focus Funnel from 2016-10-19T04:47:48

In some jobs, one day at the office looks a lot like the next. You could look through your calendar and optimize your meeting schedule and to-do list without much thought. But working in a lab i...

058: How to Be Truly Unhappy in Grad School from 2016-10-03T21:28:03

On those days when you manage to take a break from bench-work and call home, you will almost certainly get ‘The Question:’ “So, how is your research going?” If you’re new to grad school, you mig...

057:“I’m a scientist. And I’m blind.” from 2016-09-20T02:58:29

When we imagine what life is like for people who are blind, our first reaction might be paralysis. We consider just how difficult our lives would be without sight; preparing breakfast, dressing ...

056: Team Up for Speedier Science–#modernPhD Part 3 from 2016-09-05T18:31:12

When we think of scientists, we often think of the lone researcher plodding away at the bench late into the night.  We imagine Alexander Fleming scrutinizing his penicillium molds or Einstein po...

055: Four Ideas to Modernize Mentorship–#modernPhD Part 2 from 2016-08-23T00:55:27

Today, a graduate student will make a terrible mistake. He’ll blindly commit to a long-term relationship that will make him miserable.  He’ll be too shy to ask his partner the painfully awkward ...

054: The 5 year PhD–#modernPhD Part 1 from 2016-08-08T16:38:22

Scientific training has its roots in the ancient world.  From Aristotle’s natural philosophy to the modern biomedical research lab, science training has relied heavily on an apprenticeship model...

053: Why more testing from Theranos won’t prevent cancer from 2016-07-25T14:50:20

It’s a compelling promise: take a few drops of blood, and tell the patient what hidden diseases are lurking in his body.  If only we could have an early warning system for cancer, Alzheimer’s, o...

052: Hello PhD Year in Review from 2016-07-11T03:10:49

It’s official: the Hello PhD podcast is one year old!In honor of our birthday, we’re taking a look back at our favorite episodes and moments from the first ...

051: Should I change labs or quit grad school? from 2016-07-04T02:26:51

Jessica was finishing her third year of grad school when she finally decided she had had enough. Funding had gotten tighter, and her PI had basically checked out.  Many of her lab-mates saw the ...

050: Lab Fail–Radioactive Tritium Spill from 2016-06-26T21:28:32

We’ve all had bad days in the lab: you throw out the supernatant you were supposed to save, or contaminate all the cells in tissue culture. It hurts, but the next day, you can start over and try...

049: My advisor is moving, but I don’t want to go. from 2016-06-20T02:20:39

As a second-year grad student, Craig was making progress on an exciting project in a new lab. Then, one morning, the PI called Craig into his office. “I got a really generous offer to move the l...

048: Where the (Wild) Postdocs Are from 2016-06-13T03:24:11

Shhhh!  There he is.  Behind that rack of Eppendorf tubes…. The elusive ‘Postdoctoral Fellow’ in his native habitat! If we’re quiet, we may be able to observe him as he completes an experiment, ...

047: How many postdocs are there? The answer may surprise you! from 2016-06-06T02:17:56

It sounds like a simple question: how many postdocs are there in the United States? Maybe you want to know because you ARE a postdoc and you’re thinking about what kind of competition you’ll fac...

046: Do I need a PhD to advance in my industry job? from 2016-05-30T02:48:14

You’ve worked hard in your biopharma job, and you really love the position.  The team is passionate and dynamic, the product is starting to make an impact in the market, and you begin to imagine...

045: Finally, some good news for postdoc salary! from 2016-05-24T11:11:52

Postdocs are some of the most productive scientists on the planet, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at a pay stub.  For years now, postdoc salaries have remained stagnant in the low $40,00...

044: 5 Myths About University Teaching Jobs That YOU Probably Believe from 2016-05-16T01:17:54

We know that stepping from academia to industry is met with scorn for the person ‘selling out’ and leaving the university, but there’s a subtler form of bias against those scientists who actuall...

043: A Scientific Approach to Teaching Science from 2016-05-09T01:18:23

Every day in a research lab is spent forming hypotheses, designing experiments, and examining data.  So it might surprise you to know that the scientific method is only rarely applied in the cla...

042: I’m a Fifth Year, and I’m Stuck in a Rut from 2016-05-01T19:22:42

The good news is that your research project has gone well over the last few years, and you got your paper published. The bad news is that you published everything in that one paper, and you’re o...

004: Why we podcast (R) from 2016-04-25T00:43:20

What makes two PhDs who escaped from grad school years ago want to revisit all the highs and lows of their training?  Short answer: Beer! But the long answer: Grad school is no cakewalk – classe...

041: Make a Difference in Your Lab with Peer Support from 2016-04-18T01:07:38

Spoiler Alert: Working in a lab is tough. Yes, there’s the academic challenge, but it can also be an emotional roller-coaster when experiments fail, colleagues conflict, and you push yourself pa...

040: Three Keys to Success in Grad School from 2016-04-11T01:02:15

Kenny Gibbs is a scientist who studies other scientists. After earning his PhD in Immunology from Stanford, he turned his attention to the broader topic of scientific careers and how PhDs choose...

039: Two simple steps to better research mentors from 2016-04-04T02:02:51

Sometimes, we use the words ‘research advisor’ and ‘research mentor’ interchangeably, but be careful – they’re not the same thing. When you join the lab of a research faculty member in your seco...

038: Why aren’t bad research advisors held accountable? from 2016-03-28T01:32:15

You’ve either heard the stories, or worse, you’ve lived them. They’re stories of the research advisors who scream at their students in front of the whole department. The PIs who put two or three...

037: Consulting Jobs for PhDs from 2016-03-20T20:20:48

Management consulting is an exciting field, but actually getting a consulting job at one of the top firms can be extremely difficult.  Some people argue that you’ll have an easier time getting i...

036: What Do Consultants DO, Exactly? from 2016-03-14T03:26:11

If you’ve worked at the bench for awhile, your only reference to the world of consulting is probably the two Bobs in the movie “Office Space.”  They’re the hatchet men who swoop into a company, ...

035: Making Time for Outreach from 2016-03-06T19:48:13

Do you like to share your passion for science with others? Do you mentor undergrads or visit your local middle school to do scientific demonstrations? If so, stop it.  Your PI is going to hate y...

034: Sci-Hub and the Publication Pirates from 2016-02-28T21:59:02

Research budgets are tight, and many universities are canceling subscriptions to costly online science journals and publications.  But papers are the currency of science, and it’s impossible to ...

033: It’s Tax Season–Here’s What You Need to Know from 2016-02-21T19:52:28

You might believe that because you’re in grad school and receiving a research stipend, you don’t really need to worry about paying an income tax.  You don’t have a ‘real job’ and no one asked yo...

032: Help! I Hate Reading Papers! from 2016-02-15T03:00:46

Reading papers is part of the job, but keeping up with the literature can feel overwhelming sometimes.  If you’re developing a sense of dread for that stack of papers on your desk, it’s time to ...

031: Making PowerPoint Presentations That Don’t Suck from 2016-02-08T04:32:03

Great science speaks for itself, right? So the next time you need to give a lab meeting or seminar, just drop a couple of figures into the prettiest PowerPoint template you can find. Make sure t...

030: Baby carrots, prime numbers, and invisible planets from 2016-02-01T04:24:10

If you are a scientist, then I know a little something about your personality.  Almost by definition, you are curious about the world.  And I’ll bet that extends beyond your particular laborator...

029: Tenure Tracker–Choose a Mentor, Not a Lab from 2016-01-24T19:55:47

Choosing a lab for your graduate or postdoc research is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Most people read papers and abstracts to find the coolest science.  Or they favor the big...

028: Making Time for Kids When Everyone Else Stays Late from 2016-01-17T21:50:56

If you have kids, you’ve experienced “the time shift.” Where you used to have hobbies, you now have a drive to soccer practice.  Where you used to have dinner out, you now have dinner, dishes, b...

027. The Road More Traveled: Stepping Off of the Tenure Track from 2016-01-10T22:00:23

In 2011, a whopping 36,000 science and technology grad students earned their PhDs.  That same year, about 3,000 faculty positions were created.  So why did you feel like a failure when you decid...

027. The Road More Traveled: Stepping Off of the Tenure Track from 2016-01-10T22:00:23

In 2011, a whopping 36,000 science and technology grad students earned their PhDs.  That same year, about 3,000 faculty positions were created.  So why did you feel like a failure when you decid...

026: Career Advice from A Successful Scientist from 2016-01-04T01:55:08

When you’re worried about today’s experiments and tomorrow’s time points, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important for your career and your life.  Why not start the New Year with a new...

025: Experiments and Exercise: 10 Creative Ways Scientists Stay Fit from 2015-12-20T21:23:50

You’re busy.  Experiments, lab meeting, journal club, classes – you barely have time to sleep, let alone make it to the gym to exercise.  We’ll tell you about 10 creative ways other grad student...

024: Leave with a Master’s, and your sanity from 2015-12-13T21:40:37

Stephanie dreamed of becoming a scientist when she was a girl. She managed to maintain excellent grades while working in research labs throughout her college career. With her flawless CV, it cam...

023: Seriously, can we ditch the GRE already? from 2015-12-07T03:35:23

A driving test shows that you’re ready for your license.  A pregnancy test shows that you’ve got a baby on the way.  So what does the GRE show? More often than not, it shows whether you’re a man...

022: Science Overseas: Life as an International Student from 2015-11-30T03:10:26

Think about your first few months of graduate school. You moved into a new apartment in a new town, you met hundreds of other students and scientists, and you had to pick a rotation lab and clas...

021: The 4 simple tips that will make your writing stand out from 2015-11-23T02:27:08

Even if you’re not working on a paper or grant proposal today, you’ll probably communicate about science.  You’ll send an email to a colleague, chat with your PI, or present a paper at lab meeti...

020: Do I really need to do a postdoc? from 2015-11-15T19:59:19

As you near the end of your graduate school training, you will feel defeated, worn out, and ready to take a nice, peaceful job at that bookstore down the street.  But if your career goals includ...

019: How to Avoid a Toxic Lab from 2015-11-08T17:05:17

The research is cutting-edge. The publications are top-tier. Funding is abundant. But this lab has a toxic secret that will make your life a living hell.   Hidden in Plain Sight This week, we an...

018: How NOT to choose a career you’ll love from 2015-11-01T19:47:19

If you wake up every morning excited to go to work, you’re ‘in-the-zone’ all day, and you come home refreshed and excited to start a new day, please stop reading now.  Everyone else, join me in ...

017: Does science have a gender bias? It depends on who you ask. from 2015-10-26T00:23:45

Shocking Fact No. 1: If you put a woman’s name and a man’s name on the exact same job application for lab manager, the woman is described as less competent and will be offered less money. Shocki...

016: Working Hard, or Hardly Working? How lab culture affects your productivity. from 2015-10-18T18:50:32

During his first week as a postdoc, James was excited.  He stayed late to set up cultures and read a stack of papers.  The second week, he was surprised to notice he was the last one in the lab ...

015: Simple Tricks for Time Management: The Pomodoro Technique from 2015-10-11T17:46:38

Scientists aren’t like other workers.  There’s no 9 to 5 time clock with lunch and two fifteen minute breaks.  When you’re running an experiment, you have to make a plan days in advance, juggle ...

014: Postdoc Straight Talk Part 2: PostTalk from 2015-10-05T01:38:26

The moment you finish grad school, a weight is lifted from your shoulders.  You’re free to follow your scientific passion and publish your discoveries in top-tier journals.  But don’t get TOO co...

013: Postdoc Straight Talk from 2015-09-28T01:54:02

If you met him on the street, you’d never suspect that mild-mannered Clark Kent was actually the indomitable Superman. And there’s a chance that you’re ignoring the real superheroes walking arou...

012: How to help veterans succeed in science, and why it’s important to all of us. from 2015-09-20T20:41:49

If you believe the newspaper headlines, you’ll be ready to dismiss Jake as another statistic. After all, the odds of a soldier returning from war and getting an undergrad degree are not good, wh...

011: The 8.5 fixes that will save biomedical science from 2015-09-14T03:00:47

Biomedical science is broken.  Funding is unpredictable, training programs drag on indefinitely, and some of our best scientists are drawn to careers outside of the university or drowned in pape...

010: Are you too old to go back to school? from 2015-09-07T01:30:53

Congratulations!  You just decided that you want to be a scientist, and spend your career doing research in a biomedical lab.  That would be great news, except that you’re past thirty and you ha...

009: Research and Prelims and Quals, Oh My! from 2015-08-30T22:13:07

It’s year two, and you’re just hitting your stride in the lab.  You’ve finally got classes behind you, so now it’s time to drop the books and make some magic at the bench, right!  Nope, now it’s...

008: Fight for Your Right to #GradInsurance from 2015-08-23T18:18:51

Imagine waking up on a Friday morning, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting down to check your email.  What’s this?  A note from your employer stating that your healthcare coverage will expire i...

007: From Quiet Lab to Super-Fab! from 2015-08-16T21:28

Some labs feel like a party – there’s music playing, post-docs chatting, and grad students running from bench to bench setting up experiments. But what if you land in a spot that feels more like...

006: Haters Gonna Hate; Dealing with Critics from 2015-08-09T16:00:12

It has happened to all of us: you finish a solid day of work at the bench,  and as you head out the door to your well-earned R&R, the PI catches you and lays on a speech about how you need to sp...

005: Perfecting Peer Review from 2015-08-02T15:26:22

Scientists are supposed to be objective, so why is it easier to publish your paper when you’re in a big-name lab?  Why do women and minorities get harsher feedback from reviewers than white men?...

004: Why we podcast from 2015-07-27T01:27:30

What makes two PhDs who escaped from grad school years ago want to revisit all the highs and lows of their training?  Short answer: Beer! But the long answer: Grad school is no cakewalk – classe...

003: Should I take a new job or stay where I am? from 2015-07-20T01:01:25

You may like your job, your boss, and your co-workers, but what happens if a “Dream Job” lands in your lap? Should you leave the safety of your current gig to take a risk on something new?  What...

002: Post-doc salary, absent PIs, and the secret of landing industry jobs from 2015-07-13T01:31:27

The Obama administration has proposed some new rules that would give overtime pay to salaried workers making less than $50,400 per year.  Who cares?  Many post-docs who make the NIH recommended ...

001: Tim Hunt, Lab Rotations, and Teaching vs. Tenure from 2015-07-10T03:11:35

In this episode: Tim Hunt incited a firestorm on Twitter last month for making sexist comments about women in lab, and he eventually lost his job over the incident.  We marvel at the intersectio...