This week Emily and Mollie explore playfulness during the PhD. They discuss how incorporating playfulness into academic and professional settings can enhance creativity, reduce stress, and foster collaboration. They highlight the benefits of maintaining a positive mindset, infusing humour into interactions, and gamifying tasks, and they chat through some of the common misconceptions and challenges associated with playfulness in the workplace. Tune in to learn how you can reap the benefits of infusing playfulness with your PhD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information ..read more

Join Emily and Mollie in this episode of Stupid Genius where they explore the realities of PhD funding, from understanding timeframes to the challenges of not finishing on time and how that can affect you personally and professionally. They share stories from those facing funding constraints and they offer some insights on practical solutions.Emily and Mollie chat critically about the different options that might be available when funding ends and how to navigate the complexities of completing a PhD when time has run out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information ..read more

In this eye-opening episode, Emily and Mollie dive deep into the unspoken challenges of conceiving and navigating pregnancy while pursuing a PhD. From the startling lack of resources and support to the societal taboos that surround this topic, Mollie shares her journey with raw honesty and vulnerability. Join Stupid Genius as they shed light on an overlooked aspect of academia and advocate for a more open dialogue around pregnancy and fertility during doctoral studies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information ..read more

Join Emily and her partner, Vincent for an intimate conversation as they explore the intricacies of maintaining a long-distance relationship while one partner pursues a PhD. In this episode, they delve into the joys and challenges of navigating differences in academic and non-academic lifestyles, sharing personal anecdotes and insights along the way. From scheduling conflicts to emotional connection, they candidly discuss the strategies they have employed to nurture the relationship despite the distance. Whether you're a fellow PhD student or the partner of one, tune in for heartfelt reflectio ..read more

The Stupid Geniuses are back! Join them for life updates, lots of stupidity and a side order of genius. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information ..read more

In this episode of Stupid Genius, Emily and Mollie explore the history and evolution of the PhD. From its ancient origins in Greece to its modern-day significance, they delve into the first official award of the PhD, tracing its development across Europe and beyond. They celebrate notable milestones, such as the emergence of the research-focused PhD in 19th century Germany and its adoption by universities worldwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information ..read more

In this episode, Emily and Mollie discuss the peer-review process including what it is, what to do, what not to do, and everything in between. As researchers, engaging in peer-reviewing is a key part of our role and yet, it can be tricky to know how to start and it can also ignite that pesky imposter syndrome as we question if we are good enough to review someone else's work. But Stupid Genius has got your back as they outline what a typical review should focus on, and they provide a handy list of things to do and things to avoid whilst engaging as a reviewer. But what do they know? Hosted on ..read more

Join the Stupid Geniuses as they discuss gender equality in academia and the importance of allyship. With International Women's Day approaching, they explore some of the issues facing women in the academic sphere and they share some statistics that might surprise you! They share some inspiring stories of amazing women who are breaking barriers in this often challenging environment. They also hear from men on how they can contribute to promoting gender equality in academia. Don’t miss out on this insightful episode, tune in now and be part of the conversation! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri ..read more

Do you want to know more about the strike action that took place throughout universities across the UK? Well, Emily and Mollie are joined by the amazing Dr Bee Hughes, who, as a longstanding University College Union member and activist, has answers to all of our union-related questions! In this episode, they discuss who University College Union are and what their mission is, what the key issues are in academia that have led to industrial action, and how we as academics and PhD students can get more involved in this incredibly important cause. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf ..read more

Failure is coming your way whether you like it or not. But the Stupid Geniuses are here to explain why we shouldn't shy away from failure. In this episode, inspired by the work of Professor Joe Moran, Emily and Mollie chat about concepts such as "cruel optimism" and discuss why the academic experience particularly, promotes failure. They discuss how as PhD students, academics and simply as human beings, we are all united by failure. But what do they know? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information ..read more