PhD Lounge

Luis Maia de Freitas

Late-night podcast where I speak with PhDs about their research subjects, their decision on studying it and its importance throughout academic life. A podcast of entertainment and education, whose aim is to approach students and graduates who want to go through their future careers inside or outside of academia with a PhD and for those who are on a moment of uncertainty in continuing their studies further, as if we are having a drink and talk about PhD culture at a lounge on a late-night summer. Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.uk Business email: luisphdlounge@gmail.com

  1. Solo Session: Engage Wider Audiences with your PhD

    1 DAY AGO

    Solo Session: Engage Wider Audiences with your PhD

    Students and Graduates! PhD thesis don't leave the academic circle and are shared towards specialised audiences. But what if they can be presented to other type of audiences? In this late-night talk, I describe how you can share your research when following the code of plain and simple language, storytelling and strong hooks. Here's the breakdown: . Competitions like the 3 MT and Oak Ridge Laboratory: Your Research in a Nutshell. . Research Festivals, including keynotes, posters, and short talks. . Dance your Thesis and Bake your Thesis. . Casual chats with your PhD peers at pubs while holding pints. . Presenting your PhD dissertation at a live Stand-Up comedy show? With time and practice, people will understand your thesis, and you'll form an outreach that strengthens your thinking, delivery and impact. Your research is not a secret. It is a gift—one that grows when more people can hold it. Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.ukDonation tab - https://www.phdlounge.co.uk/donateBuzzsprout subscription - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1808542/supportInstagram: @phdlmfLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismaia94/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/phdloungepodcast

    4 min
  2. Solo Session: Do Employers care about your PhD?

    4 FEB

    Solo Session: Do Employers care about your PhD?

    Students and Graduates! Ever been told, “I don’t care that you have a PhD,” and felt the wind leave your sails? I take that line apart and rebuild it into a roadmap for landing industry roles where your research mindset becomes a competitive advantage. Across this candid session, I unpack ​Decoding the industry value system and outcomes​Mapping thesis work to product thinking​Addressing assumptions about lack of experience​Turning research stories into time-boxed deliveries​Responding to stereotypes with clear proof​Practical steps to build networks and internshipsDid you enjoy this late-night solo session? Say your thoughts below. Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Support the show Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.ukDonation tab - https://www.phdlounge.co.uk/donateBuzzsprout subscription - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1808542/supportInstagram: @phdlmfLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismaia94/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/phdloungepodcast Bibliography: TurningScience. (2018, January 20). Why won’t industry managers hire PhDs? [Video]. Phdcareersholly. (2021, December 13). What industries really value… and how to leverage this in your post-PhD job hunt. PostGradual: The PhD Careers Blog. Chen, L., Mewburn, I., et al. (2025). PhD employability beyond academia: an analysis of industry skills emphasis through a cultural capital lens. Higher Education Research & Development, 45(1), 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2515212

    5 min
  3. Late-Night Talk: Sam Webster, PhD. Anatomy, Gaming, and what a PhD Really Teaches.

    28 JAN

    Late-Night Talk: Sam Webster, PhD. Anatomy, Gaming, and what a PhD Really Teaches.

    Students and Graduates! Samuel Webster, PhD is a lecturer in Anatomy at Swansea University, a YouTuber and podcaster. Sam shares content about anatomy beyond his usual lectures, building an online classroom, and why doing hard things matters more than titles whether in short or long formats. Follow Sam Webster's work on his official website, https://samwebster.net/, where you can find his YouTube channel under his name, his podcast Dissectable Me 5 Minute Anatomy, and many more. Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Support the show Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.ukDonation tab - https://www.phdlounge.co.uk/donateBuzzsprout subscription - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1808542/supportInstagram: @phdlmfLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismaia94/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/phdloungepodcast

    1h 9m
  4. Late-Night Talk: Jade Goodwin, Miriam Beyers, PhD and Nathan John. Two Entrepreneurs and a Careers Advisor having a Round Table

    21 JAN

    Late-Night Talk: Jade Goodwin, Miriam Beyers, PhD and Nathan John. Two Entrepreneurs and a Careers Advisor having a Round Table

    Students and graduates! Miriam Beyers is a double PhD in Environmental Science from the Universities of Copenhagen and Ghent, and is the founder and CEO of WonTime, offering tailored workshops about time management and productivity exercises around wellbeing and mindfulness. Nathan John is the founder and CEO of Rewise, an Award-winning business which creates educational projects by combining impactful social outreach with core customer values. Jade Goodwin is a careers advisor at Swansea University, helping current students and graduates to find employment and to develop high demand skills in the job market through mock interviews and skill set workshops around employability. WonTime: https://www.wontime.eu/Careerboost email: careerboost@swansea.ac.ukRewise: https://www.rewise.co.uk/ Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Support the show Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.ukDonation tab - https://www.phdlounge.co.uk/donateBuzzsprout subscription - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1808542/supportInstagram: @phdlmfLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismaia94/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/phdloungepodcast

    1h 26m
  5. Solo Session: The PhD doesn't make you Smarter!

    14 JAN

    Solo Session: The PhD doesn't make you Smarter!

    Students and Graduates! A PhD doesn’t make you smarter.” Bold claim—or honest truth?  The idea that a PhD proves superior intelligence and show how real expertise comes from focus, method, and clear communication. In this solo session, rarity fuels the myth, where limits sit, and how to talk about research without distance or jargon. Here's the breakdown:Why the “PhDs are smarter” myth sticksWhat narrow expertise actually looks likeMethods, questions, and building argumentsThe role of patience, graft, and curiosityHow jargon creates distance in outreachUsing plain language to invite dialogueSetting boundaries on expertise with honestyEncouraging others to pursue the path by example Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.ukDonation tab - https://www.phdlounge.co.uk/donateBuzzsprout subscription - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1808542/supportInstagram: @phdlmfLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismaia94/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/phdloungepodcast

    4 min

  6. 7 JAN

    Solo Session: The Rule of Three in PhD

    A doctorate can feel like juggling knives in a windstorm—until you simplify your approach. We break down a practical rule of three that keeps your research clear, effective, and memorable: strategy, management, and communication. Rather than drowning in to‑dos, you’ll learn how to design a flexible plan, turn that plan into steady weekly progress, and share your work so real people understand why it matters.We start with strategy as the anchor for your PhD. You’ll hear how to focus your question, align aims with your supervisor’s interests, and set milestones that adapt to new data and unexpected detours. Then we move to management, where we prioritise high‑impact tasks, schedule deep work when energy is highest, and build simple systems—weekly sprints, daily next steps, and realistic buffers around supervision meetings—that reduce stress and create momentum. Finally, we explore communication beyond conferences: using plain language, relatable examples, and honest stories about setbacks to connect with undergraduates, colleagues outside your field, and the wider public.Across the conversation, we highlight small habits with outsized returns: treating research as a pipeline, tracking lead indicators you control, and pressure‑testing ideas by explaining them over coffee. You’ll leave with a lean toolkit for navigating uncertainty, focusing on what matters, and turning complex ideas into messages that stick. If you’re a current PhD, a prospective applicant, or a supervisor looking to guide your students, this is a clear, human framework you can use right away.Enjoyed the episode? Follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend who needs a simpler way to steer their PhD. Support the show Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.ukDonation tab - https://www.phdlounge.co.uk/donateBuzzsprout subscription - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1808542/supportInstagram: @phdlmfLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismaia94/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/phdloungepodcast

    4 min
  7. Late-Night Talk: Ewelina Kurtys, PhD: FinalSpark and Biocomputing

    17/12/2025

    Late-Night Talk: Ewelina Kurtys, PhD: FinalSpark and Biocomputing

    Students and Graduates! Ewelina Kurtys is a PhD in neuroscience, business developer and technology advisor at FinalSpark. With more than 20 peer-reviewed papers, Ewelina's work at FinalSpark is about market-planning, strategy and investment in working computers through human living neurons.  Personal website: ewelinakurtys.comEwelina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewelinakurtys/ FinalSpark: https://finalspark.com/ Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Sportify 💣 CHRISTMAS SALE STARTS NOW 15% OFF WITH CODE XMAS15 | 🚚 FREE DELIVERY OVER £40. Affiliate Link below: https://www.sportifycards.com/?ref=phdlounge

    35 min
  8. Late-Night Talk: Nikita Bedov. Rethinking Food Chains: What Happens When Predator Eats Predator?

    12/11/2025

    Late-Night Talk: Nikita Bedov. Rethinking Food Chains: What Happens When Predator Eats Predator?

    Students and Graduates! Nikita is a PhD candidate in Biology at Swansea University who submitted his PhD on the behaviour and ecology of predator interactions, and working at two field sites in sub-Saharan Africa to quantify the famous fight between mongooses and snakes. He also has his YouTube channel, Diary of the Adventurer and the podcast Baffling Biology. Nikita explores how mongooses and snakes flip the food chain, why threat discrimination is context-driven, and what long-term field data reveal about venom resistance and group defence. Along the way, Nikita shares his thoughts on funding, field logistics, science communication, and making space for creative projects during a PhD.• mutual predation between mongooses and snakes in Africa• threat discrimination shaped by movement, learning and context• venom resistance in mongooses and pup vulnerability• group mobbing against pythons versus solo risk• field sites, habituation and camera-trap ecosystems• self-funding, teaching work and practical trade-offs• Diary of the Adventurer and Baffling Biology platforms• science without hype and avoiding dramatization• choosing supervisors, writing early and skill-building Follow his YouTube channel Diary of the Adventurer: http://www.youtube.com/@diaryoftheadventurer Nikita's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-bedov-2a2019174/ Nikita's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikitaecras/ Baffling Biology: https://bafflingbiologypodcast.weebly.com/ Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure!

    1h 54m
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Trailer

About

Late-night podcast where I speak with PhDs about their research subjects, their decision on studying it and its importance throughout academic life. A podcast of entertainment and education, whose aim is to approach students and graduates who want to go through their future careers inside or outside of academia with a PhD and for those who are on a moment of uncertainty in continuing their studies further, as if we are having a drink and talk about PhD culture at a lounge on a late-night summer. Website: https://www.phdlounge.co.uk Business email: luisphdlounge@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Luis Maia de Freitas
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Luis Maia de Freitas
  • Show Website
    PhD Lounge