Changing Academic Life

Geraldine Fitzpatrick
Changing Academic Life

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. Creating Peer Support Groups (CAL126, S6, E20)

    18 JUN

    Creating Peer Support Groups (CAL126, S6, E20)

    If you are curious about how to set up your own peer support group, inspired by what Johanna Stadlbauer shared about what Uni Graz are doing, then this episode might get you started. I walk through some of the ‘things to think about’ when setting up peer groups such as the group’s purpose, the focus, and who that would involve, also the group size, meeting frequency and commitment, and choosing between structured or informal formats and related roles. I then walk through two examples of more structured formats: action learning sets which take more of a coaching approach, and peer mentoring models that take more of a consulting or advising approach. I also give some examples of more informal peer groups.  Regardless of approach, good listening, confidentiality and a commitment to genuine participation are key. I also refer to some resources and links for further reading and more detailed overview of steps, as well as some related podcasts. Whether you're looking for mutual support, expert guidance, or simply a sense of belonging, there's a group format that can work for you. Give it a try! 00:00 CAL126 Exploring Peer Group Support Models 00:29 Introduction 01:36 Purpose 03:03 Focus 05:03 How Many 06:17 How Often 07:45 Format 08:24 Roles 09:44 Critical Ingredients 11:38 Walking Through Some Examples 12:35 Example: Peer Coaching Groups - Action Learning Set 20:39 Example: Peer Mentoring Groups 25:04 Example: Informal Peer Support Groups 28:23 Recap 30:07 Do What Works for You - Suggestions 33:07 Closing Call and Pointers 36:36 End Related Links Action Learning Sets guidance by Caroline Doherty via the UK NHS Action Learning Sets page Action Learning Sets at Uni of St Andrews as example in an academic context Graz Call for participation in their Collegial Development Programme Kollegiale Beratung in sechs Phasen (Collegial Advising in 6 Phases)  Descriptive Consultancy with protocol description Balint Group Method The No Club book and No Club Guidance Related Podcasts Michael Bungay Stanier on the power of curiosity and taming your advice monster a href="https://changingacademiclife.captivate.fm/episode/rw8-asking-good-questions-empowering-good-people"...

    37 min
  2. Johanna Stadlbauer on boundaries, agency, and community building (CAL125, S6 E19)

    4 JUN

    Johanna Stadlbauer on boundaries, agency, and community building (CAL125, S6 E19)

    Johanna Stadlbauer is an anthropologist working in researcher development at the University of Graz, recently made Head of Research Careers Campus Graz. Her mission is a more fun and kind academia. Johanna shares the experiences and challenges of her journey from a PhD to quitting a postdoc in anthropology, to doing NGO work part-time, and then coming back to academia for a researcher development role. Her work now is focused on creating a supportive and kind academic environment, with the aim to improve researcher well-being and foster a sense of community. She discusses establishing structures for postdoctoral researchers' support and community, and highlights initiatives like the writing retreat, Fiasco Fest, and peer mentoring, which aim to improve researcher well-being and foster a sense of community. Johanna is a role model for how to navigate a career path and your work role on your own terms. She is really clear on her own boundaries, and what she needs to feed herself and look after her work-life balance. She also reminds us the value of peer support, of telling people their contributions matter, and of taking the time to savour the good. She reminds us of the significance of agency, community support, and the need for transparency and understanding in academia. 00:00 CAL125 Johanna Stadlbauer 03:03 Introduction and Guest Background 03:56 Journey from Anthropology to Research Development 06:18 Postdoc Experience and Challenges 07:42 Deciding to Quit the PostDoc 12:05 Transition to NGO Work 15:57 Finding Balance and Setting Boundaries 19:47 Messaging in Academia 23:35 Permanent Contract and Current Role 29:27 Towards a Fun and Kind Academia and Experiences of Power Abuse 31:26 Finding Solutions and Positive Structures 33:31 Balancing Critique and Support in Academia 35:58 Empowering Postdocs and Addressing Structural Issues 40:12 The Importance of Community, Peer Support and Mentoring 49:39 Promoting Good Working Environments for Researcher Wellbeing 52:03 Personal Reflections and Final Thoughts 56:53 End  Related Links Johanna's web page (English version) Head of Research Careers Campus Graz  Researcher Development in Graz Blog  LinkedIn pages for Johanna, the PostDoc Office, and Research Careers Campus Graz The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA)  Max Planck PhD Net  Balint Group Method

    57 min
  3. Tina Persson on career pivots, recruitment and coaching for career security (CAL124, S6 E18)

    21 MAY

    Tina Persson on career pivots, recruitment and coaching for career security (CAL124, S6 E18)

    Tina Persson shares her journey from chemistry and nearly 20 years in academia, to recruiting and then career coaching. Tina discusses the challenges she faced in academia, including struggles with energy-draining tasks and political landscapes, and how she pivoted to a career in recruitment and coaching. She emphasizes the importance of understanding natural talents, emotional intelligence, and honest communication in career development. The conversation covers valuable tips for professors on recruiting and supporting early-career researchers, the impact of AI on career skills, and the cultural differences in career transitions. Tina also highlights the significance of lifelong learning and being open to unseen opportunities, offering practical advice for academics, those seeking an academic position, and those considering a career pivot.  Overview: 00:29 Episode Introduction 03:02 Introducing Tina and her Academic Journey 10:18 Transition to Industry 12:24 Becoming a PhD Recruiter 15:25 Coaching and Career Development 25:24 Recruitment Tips for Professors 36:00 Startup Mentality in Academia 38:43 Evaluating Candidates Beyond Technical Skills 40:35 Innovative Interview Techniques 43:09 Filtering Candidates Efficiently 50:57 Cultural Differences in Recruitment 52:50 The Role of AI in Recruitment 54:25 Human-Centric Skills in Academia 01:00:13 Building a Supportive Academic Culture 01:03:23 The Importance of Career Pivoting 01:05:52 Conclusion and Contact Information Related links Related to Tina: About Tina and her LinkedIn profile and Passage2Pro PhD Career Stories Podcast and upcoming book People: Sarah Blackford , Fritz Eckstein  Holland’s Theory of Career Choice

    1 h y 8 min
  4. Strengths as Superpowers - Replay (CAL123, S6 E17)

    7 MAY

    Strengths as Superpowers - Replay (CAL123, S6 E17)

    This is a replay of an episode about our strengths as our superpowers and it is a useful precursor to the next podcast discussion where my guest will talk about them as natural talents. This replay episode was triggered by two interactions that made me think more about the importance of knowing our own unique superpowers (as Aaron Quigley discussed), ie our strengths, and also our kryptonite (thanks Lewis Chuang), and how this can help us work out what is our good academic life. And to recognise that we can all have different superpowers. Before getting to the replay I also report on some lovely feedback from the episodes with Graham McAllister. 00:29 Introduction 01:39 Update from episodes with Graham McAllister 05:21 Replay - Strengths as Superpowers 06:49 Kyrptonite and Superpowers 08:19 What are your superpowers? 14:29 Other notes about strengths as superpowers 17:21 Summary and pointer to ways to explore strengths 19:25 Additional Pointers 22:05 Outro Related Links: The twitter thread started by Lewis Chuang Aaron Quigley podcast conversation Mike Twidale podcast conversation VIA Character Strengths Survey Strengthscope Strengths assessment tools Related Work: Michelle McQuaid, 2014, Ten Reasons to Focus on Your Strengths No matter what your job description says, Psychology Today. Jeremy Sutton, 2021, Cultivating Strengths at Work: 10+ Examples and Ideas, PositivePsychology.com. Ryan M. Niemiec, 2020, Coronavirus Coping: 6 Ways Your Strengths Will Help You Turn to your best qualities for prevention, safety, and health. Psychology Today.

    23 min
  5. Graham McAllister (Part 3) on the art and craft of writing (CAL122, S6E16)

    16 ABR

    Graham McAllister (Part 3) on the art and craft of writing (CAL122, S6E16)

    ”Writing is thinking, I love thinking, I love working on problems, I love thinking through the problems…. So the whole writing thing is a thinking thing.” says Graham McAllister in this final part of our conversation. His foray into writing a book on Games Usability after he sold his company was also a foray into exploring the process of writing, asking himself questions like "How do you write a book? What's my voice? How do I write? What fits in with my life?”  Graham unpacks his experiences about the art and craft of writing that worked for him in answer to these questions. He starts with reflections on publishing challenges in academia and his commitment to making knowledge freely accessible. He also talks about the process of discovering his writing voice, the iterative writing process, setting up a writing routine and setting achievable goals. Graham also reflects on the broader implications of his work within academia and industry, the pursuit of clear communication for your audience, and his future aspirations in writing and consulting. The conversation highlights themes of personal growth, the importance of thoughtful work-life integration, and the impact of past mentors and opportunities. Overview 00:00 Introduction 02:50 Introduction to the Book Writing Journey 03:28 The Philosophy of Free Knowledge 04:51 The Writing Process and Idea Generation 07:12 Structuring and Refining the Book 10:08 Finding Your Voice and Writing Routine 11:51 Future Writing Projects and Reflections 20:09 Balancing Work and Personal Fulfillment 26:04 Final Reflections and Gratitude Related Links: Graham’s Home page and LinkedIn Profile and his books CAL120 Part 1 episode with Graham on his previous career pivots CAL121 Part 2 episode with Graham on team vision alignment

    32 min
  6. Graham McAllister (Part 2) on aligning team vision (CAL121, S6E15)

    2 ABR

    Graham McAllister (Part 2) on aligning team vision (CAL121, S6E15)

    In this second part of my conversation with Graham McAllister, we explore Graham's next pivot to studying organizational psychology at the London School of Economics. After selling his startup, Graham decided to do an MSc to help him answer what he now saw as the core problem in game development teams and that was lack of a unified vision. He shares his insights into shared mental models, vision alignment, shared values, diversity in hiring, and building resilient teams. He also discusses how these principles can be applied to other creative and research collaborations. Keep an eye out for the final episode in this series with Graham where he shares practical tips on the art and practice of writing. Overview: 00:00 Intro 00:29 Episode Introduction 02:30 The Turning Point: Leaving the Company and Writing a Book 04:54 Discovering Organizational Psychology 05:44 The Journey to London School of Economics 07:16 The All-Consuming Feeling of Vision 11:07 The Importance of Education and Luck 16:26 Reflections on Lifelong Learning 19:22 Applying Mental Models Beyond Games 20:42 Understanding Alignment and Values in Organizations 23:39 Rethinking Hiring Practices and Leadership 26:46 Setting a Vision and Mission 29:01 Building a Mental Model 32:19 Operationalizing Shared Values 36:26 Detecting and Addressing Cultural Beliefs 38:15 Preview of Part 3 on Writing 40:38 End  Related Links: Graham’s Home page and LinkedIn Profile CAL120 Part 1 episode with Graham on his previous career pivots Kotter’s Change Model https://www.kotterinc.com/methodology/8-steps/ Edgar Schein’s three layer of organizational culture - see various discussions:  https://psychsafety.com/psychological-safety-edgar-scheins-three-layers-of-organisational-culture/https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/5-enduring-management-ideas-mit-sloans-edgar-scheinhttps://www.managementstudyguide.com/sigma/edgar-schein-model.htmOriginal 1983 paper

    41 min
  7. Graham McAllister (Part 1) on career pivots (CAL120, S6E14)

    19 MAR

    Graham McAllister (Part 1) on career pivots (CAL120, S6E14)

    Graham McAllister reflects on his various career pivots, starting with a PhD in computer graphics in Belfast, transitioning through roles in academia and industry and then forming and later selling his games usability start-up. In the process Graham provides a masterclass on how to navigate and negotiate career pivots, how to articulate clear problems and solutions. The conversation highlights the value of bridging practical and theoretical domains, the role of luck and other people, and the need for continuous learning, reflection and adaptation in your career journey while being very clear about the strengths and passions that underpin this.   Overview: 00:00 Episode Introduction 03:01 Welcoming Graham 03:43 Early Career and PhD Journey 04:49 Transition to Industry 06:01 Straddling Academia and Industry 07:54 Return to Academia and Music Technology 13:34 Influence of Gary Marsden 17:41 Joining University of Sussex 21:18 Starting a Spin-Out Company 21:52 Balancing Academia and Startup 25:24 Challenges and Reflections 31:37 Academic vs. Industry Conferences 32:32 Critical Thinking in Video Game Development 33:28 Startup Challenges and Team Building 34:32 Marketing Through Education 40:56 Leadership Reflections and Authenticity 48:35 Selling the Company and Moving Forward 56:20 End Related Links: Graham’s Home page and LinkedIn page People he mentions: Ricardo Climent and Gary Marsden

    56 min
  8. Oana and Matt (Part 2) on mental health, teaching path and reflective practice (CAL119 S6E13)

    26 FEB

    Oana and Matt (Part 2) on mental health, teaching path and reflective practice (CAL119 S6E13)

    This is Part 2 of my discussion with Matthew Barr and Oana Andrei who work together in the Education and Practice Section in the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow. Oana and Matt each share their personal experiences with mental health challenges. Oana shares her journey from postdoctoral research to becoming a lecturer, highlighting how she dealt with burnout by taking up Taekwondo. Matthew discusses his long-term management of depression and the importance of normalizing such conversations in academic settings. We also talk about their learning, teaching and scholarship career paths, the significance of reflective practice and how it has been integrated into their teaching methods. They also discuss their commitment to inclusion and diversity in education, alongside their passion for teaching and the innovative graduate apprenticeship degree program they have implemented that widens access by enabling work-based learning and student support. The episode offers valuable insights into the importance of personal wellbeing, the role of supportive workplace environments, and what a teaching-focussed path can involve. Overview 00:29 Episode Introduction 02:00 Picking up on the question about mental health 02:46 Oana Shares Her Experiences With Burnout 08:05 Matt Shares His Experiences With Depression 12:45 Choosing Teaching Focussed Career Paths 16:36 Oana Moving From Research To Teaching Track 19:06 Promotion Criteria in a Learning, Teaching and Scholarship Track 24:14 Apprenticeship Degree Program 31:50 Doing a Master in Education 34:39 A Framework for Reflection 38:52 Wrapping Up 39:18 Revisiting Belonging 44:09 Thanks For The Podcast 46:27 End Related Links Oana Andrei, Lecturer (Ass Prof) Uni of Glasgow  webpage and LinkedIn profile  Matthew Barr (Senior Lecturer) Uni of Glasgow webpage and LinkedIn profile The reflective writing resources Matt mentioned: Manchester’s Academic Phrasebank: http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/The guidance here on Portsmouth’s website: https://myport.port.ac.uk/study-skills/written-assignments/reflective-writing-introduction Their paper on how the apprenticeship degree program might widen access to HE: M. Barr, O. Andrei and M. Kallia, "Widening Access to Higher Education through Degree-level Apprenticeships in Software Engineering," 2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), College Station, TX, USA, 2023, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343199.

    46 min
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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.

Información

  • Creador
    Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • Años de actividad
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodios
    135
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Changing Academic Life

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