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/care ..read more

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!!  ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 followi ..read more