Changing Academic Life

Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • 4.2 (9)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

What can we do, individually and collectively, to change academic life to be more sustainable, collaborative and effective? This podcast series offers long-form conversations with academics and thought leaders who share stories and insights, as well as bite-size musings on specific topics drawing on literature and personal experience. For more information go to https://changingacademiclife.com Also see https://geraldinefitzpatrick.com to leave a comment. NOTE: this is an interim site and missing transcripts for the older podcasts. Please contact me to request specific transcripts in the meanwhile.

  1. Jen Heemstra on Accidental Leadership (CAL 138, S8E3)

    2D AGO

    Jen Heemstra on Accidental Leadership (CAL 138, S8E3)

    Prof. Jen Heemstra from Washington University in St. Louis in the US shares her journey from a research-focused bimolecular engineer to accidental leader and now author of the insightful book 'Lab Work to Leadership.' Jen speaks about the challenges faced by academics moving into leadership, recognisning that we are often untrained and unprepared for these roles. She shares insights from her book focusing on self-leadership, leading others, and coaching future leaders. Jen talks about the importance of building trust, creating a positive lab culture, giving and seeking feedback, and the significance of modeling behavior for emerging leaders. Jen also reflects on her personal experiences, including her struggles to get tenure and maintaining a work-life balance. 00:29 Introduction and Welcome 03:09 The Birth of 'Lab Work to Leadership' 05:43 Navigating Academic Challenges 08:29 The Worst Day: Tenure Rejection 12:14 People Showing Up and Getting Tenure 15:49 Embracing Leadership in Academia That We Are Not Trained For 21:26 Building a Collaborative Lab Culture 30:35 The Importance of Self-Leadership and Self-Awareness 33:27 The Role of Coaches and Mentors 35:02 The Importance of Feedback 37:01 Challenges in Giving and Receiving Feedback 38:46 Understanding Individual Needs in a Lab Environment 43:59 Building Trust and Psychological Safety 49:37 Coaching Future Leaders 56:50 Balancing Professional and Personal Life 58:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 58:56 Outro Related Links: About Jen: Heemstra Lab at Washington Univ in St. Louis Jen’s webpage and LinkedIn Profile Book: Jen Heemstra, Labwork to leadership: a concise guide to thriving in the science job you weren’t trained for, 2025, Harvard University Press People: Troy Champ Resources: Edwin Catmull and Amy Wallace, Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, 2014, Penguin. Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, 2010, Harper Collins. Birkman Personality Inventory

    1 hr
  2. Jayne Price on making work work better (CAL137, S8E2)

    JAN 28

    Jayne Price on making work work better (CAL137, S8E2)

    Jayne Price is all about making work work better. She is the Transformation Director and Head of Continuous Improvement at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Jayne discusses her journey to her current role in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the strategies she employs to foster human-centered, purpose-led change in the organization. She emphasizes the importance of leadership that is grounded in trust, accountability, and psychological safety, and the role of experimental and agile approaches in driving systemic transformation. Jayne also shares practical examples, including the implementation of Holacracy and continuous improvement initiatives. The conversation highlights the challenges and successes in transforming our traditionally bureaucratic research culture into a more effective and innovative environment. Jayne offers valuable insights for leaders at all levels and showcases the value of empowering teams to do their best work. 00:29 Introduction to the Episode 03:41 Introducing Jayne and her Career Journey 06:52 Understanding Project versus Program Management 07:59 From Change to Transformation 12:14 Implementing Experiments and Measuring Change 14:10 Challenges in the Academic and Research Sector 19:54 Innovative Approaches to Leadership and Management 27:21 Designing Alternative Promotion Routes 29:21 Challenges to Identity and Developing Leaders 35:50 Moving from 'I' to 'We' as a Leader 37:53 The Mindset to Move to 'We' 40:13 Humility, Vulnerability and Authenticity in Leadership 43:26 Shadow Sides, Blind Spots and Experimenting with Different Approaches 47:31 Starting to See the Benefits 50:53 Creating Workplaces For People to Flourish 53:04 The Holacracy Experiment - Creating Clarity 55:42 Doing Meetings Differently 59:22 Empowerment and Autonomy with Accountability 01:01:47 Corporate Rebels and Other Inspirational Resources 01:06:31 The Critical Importance of Leadership Buy-In 01:08:01 Everyone Can Choose Leadership Behaviours at Any Level 01:09:51 Encouragement for Change Agents 01:11:39 Outro About Jayne: Jayne Price https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-price71/ UKRI https://www.ukri.org STFC https://www.ukri.org/councils/stfc/ Related links: Cynefin framework for making sense of complexity Corporate Rebels Diederick Janse and Marc-Peter Pijper from Corporate Rebels supported the Holocracy Trials GlassFrog: “the cutting-edge self-management platform that empowers teams with clarity and autonomy” Tuff Leadership Training Books: Aaron Dignan, Brave New Work, Portfolio, 2019 Daniel Pink, Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us, Riverhead Books, 2011 Joost Minnaar and Pim de Morree, a...

    1h 13m
  3. Sarah McLusky on diverse careers, purposeful events and effective communication (CAL135, S8E1)

    JAN 14

    Sarah McLusky on diverse careers, purposeful events and effective communication (CAL135, S8E1)

    Dr. Sarah McLusky, is an advocate and role model for research-adjacent careers. As an advocate Sarah hosts the 'Research Adjacent' podcast, which showcases career opportunities beyond traditional academic and industry roles. She talks about why started the podcast and also talks about her four main categories of research adjacent roles, emphasising the importance of recognising the many contributors to successful research. As a role model, Sarah shares her own experiences moving into a research adjacent role post-PhD, now working as a freelancer who supports research organisations through events and communications. Some of her key insights are around how to prepare participants for meaningful engagement at events and the value of effective research communication. She encourages us to rethink career possibilities and the significance of culture in research environments. 00:29 Intro to the Episode 02:49 Introducing Sarah McLusky 04:33 The Concept of Research Adjacent 08:00 Research As a Team Sport 12:02 Career Paths Beyond Academia 20:10 Four Main Categories of Research Adjacent Roles 24:22 Sarah McLusky's Journey to a Research Adjacent Role 29:36 Balancing Passion and Pragmatism 33:17 Navigating Freelance Work 34:51 The Importance of Gathering with Purpose 45:54 Supporting the Communication of Great Research 48:49 Final Thoughts and Resources 51:25 Outro Related Links: About Sarah and her work Website https://sarahmclusky.com/ Newsletter https://sarahmclusky.com/gathering-with-purpose LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmclusky/ Research Adjacent Podcast https://researchadjacent.com/podcast/ https://pod.link/1663857550

    53 min
  4. LP Replay - Reflect, Celebrate, Dream (CAL135, S7E8)

    12/17/2025

    LP Replay - Reflect, Celebrate, Dream (CAL135, S7E8)

    For this last episode of the year I revisit the Long Play (LP) template, inspired by vinyl records, as a way to intentionally reflect on and celebrate this past year and to be more intentional about how we move into our new year. The Ps of the template are personal, people, play, and projects and we use the Ls to reflect across there:  what did you land, love, labor on, and learn this past year review, and what do you want to look forward to, let go, let grow, and let be for the next year. You can download a template to create your own personalised reflections and plans, individually or within groups, to help you shape your good academic life. Overview: 00:29 Setting up the LP 03:34 LP Replay 05:05 Introducing the LP Table Template 08:59 Taking Time to Savour and Celebrate 12:06 Looking forward to the 2026 LP 16:12 Wrapping Up and Summary 19:09 Final Pointers 19:49 Outro You can download your LP template here. Feel free to tailor it to what works best for you! And I'd love to hear back how you used it and evolved it.

    21 min
  5. Infertility, Career Choices, and Compassion (CAL 134, S7E7)

    12/03/2025

    Infertility, Career Choices, and Compassion (CAL 134, S7E7)

    In this very personal solo episode, I share my journey through infertility and the impact it had on my academic and personal life. Inspired by Susan Dray's story, I decided to share our challenges of trying to start a family while managing a career in academia. I discusses the physical and emotional toll of infertility treatments, the loneliness of not sharing my struggles with colleagues, and the moral dilemmas we faced. Mine is just one story, and we can be sure that many of the people we work with are dealing with their own challenges or carrying their own sadnesses so this is a call for more empathy, kindness, and support in academic environments, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the human side of our lives. I conclude with a message of support for those facing similar challenges and a reflection on how my career path, though unintended, brought its own form of fulfillment. 00:29 Introduction: A Personal Journey 01:05 The Inspiration Behind This Episode 03:58 Opening Up About Women's Health Issues 07:23 The Struggles of Infertility 12:15 Navigating the Moral Dilemmas 14:51 Navigating Our Journey 17:43 Navigating Career and Personal Life 22:44 Moving On and Finding New Paths 26:48 Things Coming Together in the Move to London 30:13 Reflecting on an Academic Career Without Children 33:53 Final Reflections Related Link CHI Stories @CHI2017: Midwifery, Babies, HCI: “Doktormutter”hood and Sustainable Academic Life

    39 min
  6. Susan Dray (Part 2) on listening, mentoring, and adversity (CAL133, S7E6)

    11/12/2025

    Susan Dray (Part 2) on listening, mentoring, and adversity (CAL133, S7E6)

    In Part 2 of our conversation, Susan Dray continues to share deep insights about the importance of self-awareness and authenticity, empathy and listening with heart, and dealing with professional discomfort and personal adversity. She discusses her mentoring style, centred around being empathetic and supportive. And she talks about the importance of service and community, as well as the current challenges faced by early career researchers. Susan also shares deeply personal challenges and losses, and the accompanying emotional journey of accepting and learning from setbacks, the value of honouring people's experiences, and the importance of collaborative support. She reminds us, paraphrased here, that few people understand how special they are, and that what really matters is who you are. Because this is going to mean that what you do is important and makes a difference. Susan has certainly made a difference.  Overview: 00:29 Introduction to Part Two with Susan Dray 02:18 Navigating Discomfort and Deep Learning 05:47 Mentoring and Community Support 08:51 HCI in Africa and Global Recognition 13:28 Supporting Early Career Researchers 19:12 Mentoring and the Joy of Service 22:11 Reflections on Mentoring and Authenticity 26:08 Evolving Roles, Willingness to be a Beginner 29:40 Postscript - Personal Reflections and Adversities 30:55 Lessons from Sailing 32:21 Coping with Loss and Finding Positivity 35:08 Final Reflections on Life and Legacy 36:50 Wrap up 38:27 End Related Links: Susan Dray's webpage and LinkedIn profile

    38 min
  7. Susan Dray (Part 1) on navigating interstices: academia, industry and global consulting (CAL132, S7E5)

    10/29/2025

    Susan Dray (Part 1) on navigating interstices: academia, industry and global consulting (CAL132, S7E5)

    The wonderful Dr Susan Dray shares her journey from obtaining a PhD in experimental and physiological psychology at UCLA to becoming a pivotal figure in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Susan recounts her transition from academia to industry, including roles at Honeywell and American Express, and her eventual shift to independent consulting. She discusses the evolution of HCI and human factors, the significance of ethnographic studies, and the importance of listening with one's heart in diverse cultural contexts. Susan also reflects on the birth of SIGCHI, organizational challenges, and her expansive international work. Her insights provide a rich, historical perspective on the ongoing interplay between technology, human behavior, and organizational dynamics, and on the contextual and cultural nuances in technology adoption. She also demonstrates the power of curiosity, self reflection and a service mindset.  Overview 00:29 Episode Introduction 02:49 Susan's Background 03:52 Transition from Academia to Industry 05:37 Early Challenges at Honeywell 06:56 Gaithersburg Conference and SIGCHI Formation 10:15 Human Factors and Computing Systems 13:34 Human Technology Impacts at Honeywell 16:40 The Mindset of a Scientist 22:59 Mentorship and Career Advice 26:30 Career Transitions and Reflections 28:06 Early Challenges in Consulting 30:12 Setting Up a Consulting Business 31:59 International Projects and Usability Studies 38:22 Navigating Cultural Differences and Lessons in Challenges 45:24 Innovative Research in Korea and South Africa 49:26 Embracing Discomfort Curiousity and Self Reflection 52:17 Wrap up Related Links Susan Dray webpage  and LinkedIn ACM SIGCHI Special Interest Group On Computer-Human Interaction

    54 min
  8. On the art, heart and science of 1-1 meetings (CAL131, S7E4)

    10/16/2025

    On the art, heart and science of 1-1 meetings (CAL131, S7E4)

    Building on the last episode’s topic of meetings, the focus here is on our one-on-one meetings. In his book, 'Glad We Met: The Art and Science of One-to-One Meetings,' Steven Rogelberg discusses how these meetings can be practical, personal, and developmental. We can also think of these as the four Ps of care—process, progress, product, and person. Drawing on insights from Rogelberg’s book, along with some timely recent posts, I draw attention to the role of empathy, authentic communication, and regular, intentional meetings in supporting PhD students, postdocs, and research assistants. Practical tips include setting regular meeting cadences, being attentive and present, and ensuring a respectful and effective meeting environment. These are all skills we can work on to better support the practical, personal and developmental in our 1-1 meetings. Overview: 00:29 Introduction to Effective Meetings 01:55 The Importance of One-on-One Meetings 03:25 The Four Ps of Care in Meetings 04:14 Practical Aspects of Supervisory Meetings 05:06 Caring for the Person in Meetings 05:35 Skills for Effective Meetings 09:12 Student Contributions to Meetings 11:01 Preparation and Presence in Meetings 12:18 Time Management and Respect in Meetings 13:23 Listening and Asking Good Questions 14:25 The Cadence of Meetings 17:55 Practical Suggestions for Meeting Environments 19:14 Career Conversations and Resources 20:20 Conclusion: The Art, Heart, and Science of Meetings 24:02 End Related links: Steven Rogelberg's webpage, LinkedIn profile, and Meeting resources and previous CAL episode on Transforming Academic Meetings Book: Rogelberg, S. G. (2024). Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1: 1 Meetings. Oxford University Press. Recent posts mentioned: #116 - 6 Communication Strategies to Get What You Need From Your PhD Advisor (Without Being Annoying), Emmanuel Tsekleves , PhDtoProf Newsletter 1 Oct 2025 A toolkit to foster great career conversations, Rachel Chin and Rachel Herries, Auditorium Blog, 7 Oct 2025 Related Changing Academic Life episodes: Oscar Trimboli (Part 1) on being better listeners  Oscar Trimboli (Part 2) on how to listen deeply  Michael Bungay Stanier on the power of curiosity and

    24 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

What can we do, individually and collectively, to change academic life to be more sustainable, collaborative and effective? This podcast series offers long-form conversations with academics and thought leaders who share stories and insights, as well as bite-size musings on specific topics drawing on literature and personal experience. For more information go to https://changingacademiclife.com Also see https://geraldinefitzpatrick.com to leave a comment. NOTE: this is an interim site and missing transcripts for the older podcasts. Please contact me to request specific transcripts in the meanwhile.

Information

  • Creator
    Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    147
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • Show Website
    Changing Academic Life

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