Double Shelix

Latest Episodes:

Episode 38: Post-PhD Paths: Technical Consulting with Dr. Jessica Vargas Jun 17, 2022

Show notes

Plenty of PhDs go into consulting after graduation, but what do consultants actually do? Dr. Jessica Vargas from Exponent joins Kayla and Sally to discuss her journey from chemistry PhD to technical consultant. We chat about her grad school exit strategy and her transition from individual contributor to manager. We also address the most pressing questions such as... how many hours do consultants really work? We are stoked to share Jess’s story with you all, and her team is hiring - search for polymer or analytical chemistry roles in Exponent’s Menlo Park location! https://www.exponent.com/careers

Episode 37: Post-PhD Paths: Applying to Academia and Industry with Dr. Serah Kang Apr 29, 2022

Show notes

Sally and Kayla welcome Dr. Serah Kang to discuss her experience applying for academic postdoc positions and industry roles. After completing her PhD, Serah spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Gladstone Institute and now is a senior scientist at Genetech. Serah also discusses how her applications and job decisions were impacted by transhood and how employers can attract and support trans scientists. This is the first in a new series about finding your path after getting your PhD! Stay tuned!!

Episode 36: Parental Leave and Returning to Work Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

Caring for a new baby is a full-time job - and then some! In this episode, Sally and Kayla share their experience with parental leave and returning to work after the birth of their kiddos. This is a followup to our “Pregnancy in Graduate School” episode and is a must-listen for anyone thinking about becoming a parent or anyone wanting to be a better colleague or supervisor to (potential) new parents. We also discuss how institutional parental leave policies can support parents in STEM and the potential benefits of doing so.

Interviewing while pregnant or pumping - practical advice for making it work
University parental leave policies - discusses the value of accessible parental leave policies for graduate students and postdocs
Pregnantscholar.org - generally useful resource for learning your Title IX rights and generating Title IX compliant policies for your university
Great water bottle for breastfeeding parents

Episode 35: Pregnancy in Grad School Sep 15, 2021

Show notes

Is grad school the “right time” to have a baby? What is it like to be pregnant while working in a lab? How should you interact with your pregnant colleagues? In this episode, Sally and Kayla share their experiences and discuss what institutions can do to support pregnant students and student parents.

Episode 34: Surviving "The Slump" Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

Ah, the slump - that mid-PhD abyss when goals are ambiguous, motivation is waning, and stress is overwhelming. Dr. Emily Lingeman joins Sally and Kayla to discuss her own PhD slump and how she got back on track. Dr. Lingerman also shares strategies to destress and know when "just exercise!" won't be enough. Don’t fear - the slump is normal and you can get through it!

Episode 33: To PhD or not to PhD with Dr. Raj Kumar May 06, 2021

Show notes

Are you considering a PhD, but not sure if it's right for you? Or, are you deep into a PhD and trying to remember why you started in the first place? In this episode, Sally and Kayla interview Dr. Raj Kumar about the ins and outs of graduate school with a focus on PhDs in STEM. Topics include the differences between PhD and Masters degrees, how much graduate school costs, and reasons to (or not to) get a PhD. Raj is a recent PhD graduate turned Lecturer at Stanford University in the Materials Science and Engineering Department where he pursues his passion for mentoring and teaching.

Episode 32: Counting the Women in STEM with Claudine Schmuck, Gender Scan Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

How many women are working in STEM careers? What are the major hurdles to achieving gender equality? Claudine Schmuck founded Gender Scan to find out. While the project originates in France, Gender Scan is expanding to collect data from across the globe. In today’s episode, Kayla and Sally discuss the launch of the 2021 Gender Scan survey and how data collection is critical to supporting women in STEM.
Show notes:
Gender Scan Survey (scroll down and look left for the survey link)
https://www.genderscan.org/
-Be sure to answer “Double Shelix” when asked “Are you answering to this survey following the suggestion of a partner of Gender Scan?”
-The progress bar will make the survey seem quite long, but you actually only need to answer about a quarter of the questions to complete the general survey. You will then have the option to complete additional surveys about specific subtopics.
Meet Time’s First-Ever Kid of the Year
https://time.com/5916772/kid-of-the-year-2020/
Timnit Gebru’s Exit From Google Exposes a Crisis in AI
https://www.wired.com/story/timnit-gebru-exit-google-exposes-crisis-in-ai/

Episode 31: PhD Reflections: Hindsight is 2020 Dec 31, 2020

Show notes

Sally and Kayla GRADUATED! What were some highs and lows of graduate school? What did they wish they had known sooner? In this episode, Sally and Kayla reflect on their experiences while pursuing a PhD as well as share exciting updates for the next season of Double Shelix.

Episode 30: "What Ph.D. negotiations taught me about landing a job in Industry" with Fatoumata Fall Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

Are you a recent or soon-to-be graduate stressed about recruiting and how you will find your first "real" job?

In this episode, Kayla and Sally talk to Entrepreneur, Career Agent, and Advocate - Fatoumata Fall (Fatu) - about how graduating PhDs can optimize their job search experience. Fatu is a co-founder of Ralph, a company specializing in tech industry negotiations. They have supported over 130 STEM Ph. D.s in their negotiations, as well as their career decision-making and transition from Academia to Industry. In the episode, Fatu shares what she learned about the job search process from advising the most successful Ph. D.s. She also shares her own experience as an entrepreneur as well as her insights into the efforts tech companies are making to recruit underrepresented candidates.

Prep your research pitch - skill share! Sep 05, 2020

Show notes

What do you study? Whether it's to a leading faculty in your field or to your aunt's best friend, you have probably been asked to explain your research many, many times. How can you make your answer count without reciting an entire review paper? Sally and Kayla discuss how to craft an effective research “pitch" and then test their skills in real time. Spoiler alert: practice matters.

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