The PhD Life Raft Podcast Dr Emma Brodzinski

Yulia Karpova is undertaking her second PhD!  Yes, for her, once though the journey just wasn’t enough!  In this week’s episode we talk about how things are different the second time around.
 
Yulia is currently studying at the University of Southern Denmark. She also holds a PhD in History (2015) from Central European University. From 2016-18, she held a Maria Sklodowska Curie postdoc at Aarhus University and, from 2021–2022 she was a postdoc in the project ‘Exhibiting across the Iron Curtain’ at the University of Copenhagen. 
 
In this episode we talk about the influence of Yulia’s mentors - including her Mother and her first PhD supervisor.
 
Yulia shares the story of her academic career so far and how looking for postdoctoral work led her to apply for a second doctorate.
 
She talks about the key things that she has learnt that she needs to put in place for successful PhD research.  
 
We finish with a top tip particularly relevant to those who are thinking about undertaking their PhD overseas.
 
You can find out more about Yulia’s work here: https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/en/persons/yukar





If you would like a useful weekly email to support you on your PhD journey you can sign up for ‘Notes from the Life Raft’ here:  https://mailchi.mp/f2dce91955c6/notes-from-the-life-raft

Kate Henry  is a productivity coach, independent scholar, and author who lives outside Boston, Massachusetts in the U.S.  Kate received her MFA degree in Creative Writing and her Master's degree and Doctoral degree in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  
 
In this episode, we focus on an upcoming event ‘A Month of Mondays’ - which is designed to help PhD researchers plan for a productive Summer.
 
We talk about getting ready for the summer and Kate touches on many of the issues that come up for doctoral candidates over the season.  She addresses how to plan effectively, making the best use of your personal resources.  She talks about how you can make goals actionable and achievable and how to maintain motivation.
 
We also discuss the importance of rest and how to manage the rhythm of your work across the summer.  
 
Kate leaves us with a top tip around identifying priorities.
 
You can find out more about Kate’s work here:
Website: thetendingyear.com
Instagram: @thetendingyear  
 
You can find my previous interview with Kate here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/goal-setting-for-phd-students-with-kate-litterer/id1537420258?i=1000526248880
 
You can save your seat for the ‘Month of Mondays’ here for free:  https://emmab.kartra.com/page/monthofmondays
 
 
 
 

David Mendes is the host of Papa PhD, a podcast that shares stories of post-PhD career journeys.  He is also the co-founder of a media agency dedicated to serving the research community.
 
In this episode David reflects on his own journey as, at the end of his PhD, he chose to look to for work beyond academia.  
 
We also talk about why the world needs PhDs - and the valuable skills and experience that doctoral researchers can bring to the workplace and society at large.
 
David shares a wide range of examples of post-PhD careers - from Google to government - including a surprising route for a doctorate in Chemistry. 
 
We finish with top tips for networking without the schmooze.
 
You can find out more about David here:
 
Twitter - @papaphdpodcast
 
Youtube.com/PapaPhDYT
 
Email - david@papaphd.com





If you would like a useful weekly email to support you on your PhD journey you can sign up for ‘Notes from the Life Raft’ here:  https://mailchi.mp/f2dce91955c6/notes-from-the-life-raft
 
  

Stella Duffy is completing a doctorate training in Existential Psychotherapy and her research is in the embodied experience of postmenopause.  Alongside her therapy work, Stella is an award-winning writer of seventeen novels, over seventy short stories and fifteen plays and worked in theatre for over thirty-five years as an actor, director, facilitator and improvisor. She has been active in equalities and inclusion work in the arts, LGBTQ+ and feminist communities for many decades, and was the co-founder and co-director of the UK-wide Fun Palaces campaign for cultural democracy. She is also a yoga teacher, leading regular workshops in yoga for writing and offers creative mentoring support. 
 
Stella has been postmenopausal since chemotherapy for her first cancer in her mid-30s, and has a special interest in life after menopause – a conversation sadly lacking in the prevalent current discourse.
 
In this episode we talk about Stella’s journey to the PhD from a working-class background in South East London as the youngest of seven children.
 
Stella also talks about her experience of cancer and the therapeutic intervention that changed her perspective.
 
We reflect on the embodied nature of the PhD that Stella is engaged with both as a researcher and through her own lived experience of her body.
 
We finish with encouragement to check-in with your senses.
 
You can find out more about Stella’s work here: stelladuffytherapy.co.uk




If you would like a useful weekly email to support you on your PhD journey you can sign up for ‘Notes from the Life Raft’ here:  https://mailchi.mp/f2dce91955c6/notes-from-the-life-raft

Welcome to Season Eight of The PhD Life Raft Podcast!!

We are kicking off with a fabulous interview that gives a wonderful overview of the PhD journey.

Steven Segal is a psychologist and academic who also practices as a philosophical counsellor.  His PhD was in the philosophy of Education and his work as Associate Dean of Higher Degrees Research, as well as his own supervision of doctoral candidates, led him to develop a framework of understanding around the transition from novice to expert through the PhD.
 
In this episode Steven reflects on how doctoral training often focuses on the technical aspects of the PhD rather than attending to the experiential dimension to research which is a key aspect of the process.
 
Steven shares his own experience of feeling lost during his PhD and the wise words that his supervisor shared with him that continued to support him.
 
Steven reflects on the “existential risk” of becoming a researcher and the potential impact of the resulting anxiety.  He offers thoughts on how to manage that experience and remain open to opportunity.
 
We talk about the development process of the PhD and finish with the importance of tuning in to your intuition.
 
You can find out more about Steven’s work here: https://www.drstevensegal.com.au




If you would like a useful weekly email to support you on your PhD journey you can sign up for ‘Notes from the Life Raft’ here:  https://mailchi.mp/f2dce91955c6/notes-from-the-life-raft
 

Welcome to the final episode of Season Eight of The PhD Life Raft Podcast!

In this interview I am talking with Lucy Nevitt, a freelance professional proofreader who specialises in working with academic texts and doctoral theses in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences fields. Lucy did her PhD in Drama at Royal Holloway, then spent a decade working as a full-time academic at UWE Bristol. For several years she ran editorial administration and submissions support for Research in Drama Education: the Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance. Having re-trained as a proofreader, she set up her current business, Proofs Detective, in 2022.
We start by clarifying what proofreading actually is and how it differs from more general editing.
Lucy outlines what a proofreader will be able to help you with and how to ensure that your thesis remains all your own work.
As part of the interview Lucy offers valuable advice on how to approach working with a proofreader as well as top tips for proofreading your own work.
Lucy references two English Usage Guides:

Fowler's ('Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage', ed. Jeremy Butterfield, Oxford University Press, 2015) 
Swan (Michael Swan, 'Practical English Usage', fully revised 4th edition, Oxford University Press, 2016).
 
You can contact Lucy here:
Email: lucy@proofsdetective.com
Website: https://proofsdetective.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/proofsdetective/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/proofsdetective
 
 
If you would like a useful weekly email to support you on your PhD journey you can sign up for ‘Notes from the Life Raft’ here:  https://mailchi.mp/f2dce91955c6/notes-from-the-life-raft