Changing Academic Life

Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • 4.0 (7)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
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. Vikki Wright on career transitions, ADHD, and learning to manage yourself (CAL116, S6E10)

    10 HR. AGO

    Vikki Wright on career transitions, ADHD, and learning to manage yourself (CAL116, S6E10)

    Vikki Wright is the director of PhD Life Coach and offers professional coaching and training for PhD students and academics. She also hosts the PhD Life Coach podcast. Up until 2022 though Vikki was a full professor of Higher Education at the University of Birmingham in the UK, with a research background Sport and Exercise Sciences, then shifting to more of a teaching focus. Vikki shares her interesting journey from full professor to becoming a life coach. The conversation covers her career transitions, dealing with ADHD, the importance of self-awareness, along with self-compassion, curiosity and having realistic ambitions. She also shares role-based time blocking as an approach for effective self-management. These practical tools and mindset changes can be useful for us all to help us take more control of our lives and careers. Vikki also offers insights into her programs and coaching approaches for PhD students and academics. Overview 00:00 Intro 00:29 Episode Introduction  03:10 Guest Introduction 03:27 Academic Journey and Career Transitions 03:56 Challenges in Research and Shift to Teaching 07:29 The Teaching Path to Full Professor...and Pandemic Reflections 11:27 Discovering Coaching and Personal Growth 17:37 Understanding ADHD and Coaching Transformation 26:35 Balancing Ambitions and Realistic Goals 30:58 Self Understanding and Being Her Own Best Boss 37:25 Recognising and Addressing Student Challenges 41:24 The Role of Self-Understanding in Supervision 45:31 Self-Compassion 49:37 Curiosity 51:35 Balancing Ambition and Realism 01:00:04 Role-Based Time Blocking 01:09:52 Final Thoughts and Resources 01:11:36 Outro 01:12.24 End Related Links More about Vikki’s offerings: ‘The PhD Life Coach’ podcast ‘Be your own best boss’ course Vikki’s podcast episode on ‘How to use role based time blocking’ The PhD Lifecoach ‘The Membership’ - sign up Jan 2025 Vikki's LinkedIn page People: Dr Alex Conner  Other podcasts:  ‘I have ADHD’ podcast, Kristen Carder   The Life Coach School, Brooke Castillo

    1h 12m
  2. Your LP Reflections - Looking back, Looking forward (CAL115 S6E9)

    JAN 1

    Your LP Reflections - Looking back, Looking forward (CAL115 S6E9)

    As we leave 2024 and embark on the new year, I want to share the reflective template I used for myself, playing with the LP (long play) record concept. I introduce the table structure of the personal, people, play, and projects (Ps) categories, paired with reflective components like land, love, labor, and learn (Ls) for the past year review, and look forward, let go, let grow, and let be (Ls) for the next year. I share some illustrative examples from my own reflections of 2024, including milestones, achievements, and lessons learned. And I share some of the feedback from you that helps make the work of this podcast worthwhile – thank you! I hope this encourage you too to reflect on your LP last year, celebrate your accomplishments, and be more intentional on how you approach the coming year. You can download the LP template here. 00:29 Episode Introduction 02:29 Introducing the LP Table Template 06:27 Reflecting on my 2024 Landings 16:10 What I Loved and What Feels Like Labour 19:13 What I Learned 23:21 Taking Time to Savour and Celebrate 25:06 Celebrating Feedback on the Podcast 31:42 Looking forward to the 2025 LP 36:44 Wrapping Up and Summary 39:48 Final Pointers 41:01 Outro 41:50 End Related Links Past Episodes: Remembering Volkmar Pipek - on being curious, being you Liam Bannon (Part 1) on a career outside the box – April 2024  Liam Bannon (Part 2) on values & what matters – Sept 2024  On research identity, meaningful work and funding (solo)  - Jan 2024 RW9 Progress and praise – July 2021  Other links: Linked In Post by Rachel Ratz-Lubashevsky on the research identity episode HCI Group, TU Wien  Online Academic Leadership Development course – Spring 2025, early bird deadline 2 March 2025 To explore more of my offerings: geraldinefitzpatrick.com

    42 min
  3. Evan Peck on considered choices and career moves: from liberals arts to a research uni (CAL114, S6E8)

    12/11/2024

    Evan Peck on considered choices and career moves: from liberals arts to a research uni (CAL114, S6E8)

    Evan Peck returns to discuss his career evolution since our last conversation in 2017. The focus is on his initial choice to join a liberal arts college post-PhD, emphasizing the balance between teaching and research, how his research evolved, and on his career goals then. Evan then talks through his move to the University of Colorado Boulder, detailing his motivations and the strategic thinking behind the transition. He reflects on the impact of his work in responsible computing and data visualization and the importance he places on aligning career choices with personal values and goals. Evan also discussed the nuances of working in different academic environments and how he continues to prioritize student mentorship and educational impact.  Overview 00:00 Intro 03:21 Welcome Back, Evan! 04:33 The Appeal of Liberal Arts Colleges 06:26 Making Academic Paths Visible 09:31 Balancing Teaching and Research 13:21 Shifting Research Interests 22:40 The Move to Colorado 24:40 Integrating Ethics in Computing and Wanting More External Impact 33:50 Reflecting on Post-Tenure Decisions 37:16 Exploring New Opportunities 40:46 The Unexpected Offer 43:34 Transitioning to a Research Institution 47:26 Adapting to a Larger Institution 53:18 Balancing Work and Family 54:30 Reflecting on Career Choices 01:00:16 Final Thoughts and Advice 01:03:05 End Related Links: Evan's CU Boulder web page and his personal web page and LinkedIn profile 2017 podcast episode with Evan and his blog post

    1h 3m
  4. Özge Subașı on values, choices and care (CAL113, S6E7)

    11/27/2024

    Özge Subașı on values, choices and care (CAL113, S6E7)

    Özge Subaşı is the Director of Futurewell: CoCreation and Wellbeing Group in the Media and Visual Arts Department at Koç University in Turkey. In this episode, Özge shares a journey from industrial design to interaction design, with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and justice. The work with visually impaired children and older people significantly influenced Özge's transition into human-centered design. Özge's story reflects a life of multiple relocations—whether moving schools as a child, transitioning disciplines, or navigating new countries and cultures. Özge describes “always coming from somewhere and not being in the system.” The episode emphasizes the importance of holding true to core values, such as listening without prejudgment, fostering open communication, and caring for both the individual and the community. Özge's practical examples illustrate how these values influence research and teaching choices, as well as navigating trade-offs, particularly while completing an evaluation document. The discussion also addresses challenges with Özge's depression during the academic journey and strategies for maintaining personal wellbeing. Additionally, the episode highlights some difficulties faced by academics in Türkiye, including engaging with the international community and managing issues related to travel and visas. Özge's commitment to personal values, to trying different ways of being an academic researcher, and to fostering an empathetic and inclusive work culture is really inspiring. Overview 00:00 Intro 00:29 Episode Introduction 03:37 Introduction and Background 04:39 Early Career and Education 08:10 Transition to Interaction Design 11:50 Values and Philosophy 14:15 Challenges in Academia 18:07 Building a Collaborative Culture 26:37 Balancing Academic Expectations 34:42 Navigating Academic Trade-offs 36:04 Embracing Personal Values 38:36 Prioritizing Mental Health 42:26 Building Supportive Environments 47:00 Challenges in Academia 53:45 International Collaboration and Travel 01:02:22 Concluding Thoughts 01:04:36 End Related Links:  Futurewell: CoCreation and Wellbeing Group, Media and Visual Arts Department, Koç University Özge’s LinkedIn page  Özge on Instagram @allthefooldays (personal page on food & family) and @sozges on X

    1h 5m
  5. Creating Positive Cultures: Stories from the archive

    11/14/2024

    Creating Positive Cultures: Stories from the archive

    Continuing our culture theme, I revisit past podcast conversations that explore how to foster positive research environments and cultures. We hear from people such as Elizabeth Adams, Tanita Casci, Jolanta Burke, Janet Reed, Alex Taylor, Kia Hook, and Lindsay Oades, who share their experiences and insights on creating a sense of belonging and collegiality within academic settings. Their stories emphasize recognizing individual strengths, promoting transparency, celebrating achievements, and the importance of supportive management practices for bringing out the best in people. Hopefully you will take away practical ideas and inspiration, and recognise the importance of both micro-actions and collective efforts in creating supportive, transparent, and inclusive cultures. 00:00 Intro 00:29 Episode introduction - fostering good cultures 03:48 Glasgow Uni's Research Culture Awards 07:51 Jolanta Burke on positive organisations 09:53 Janet Read on flexibility and supporting people with young families 11:47 Janet Read on know your team 12:32 Janet Read on bringing out the best in people 16:14 Alex Taylor on the power of the collective 22:25 Kia Höök on Fika 25:50 Lindsay Oades on autonomy, rationales and leeting people they are valued 29:58 Wrapping up 33:18 Outro 34:05 Repeating what Lindsay said Related Links Past episodes used in this curated episode: Tanita Casci and Elizabeth Adams on supporting, rewarding and celebrating a positive collegial research culture (from May 2021) Jolanta Burke on burnout, harmonious passion, positive workplaces & helping others (from Nov 2017) Janet Read on charm bracelets, finish tape & the work to be a complete academic (from May 2018)  Alex Taylor on research at the boundaries, moving from industry to academia, the labour of academia & the power of the collective (from July 2019) Kia Höök on challenges of success & value of slowing down and re-connecting (from Feb 2017)  Lindsay Oades on academic wellbeing, connecting to strengths, meaning and purpose, and not taking the system too seriously (from Sept 2018) And others you can search for on Changing Academic Life who also talk about culture (among many others): Sarah Davies (part 2), Mark Reed, Karen Stroobants, Elizabeth Churchill.

    36 min
  6. Fostering psychological safety in research environments [solo]

    10/30/2024

    Fostering psychological safety in research environments [solo]

    Continuing the theme of great research environments, I explore how to contribute to creating great research cultures with a focus on the concept of psychological safety. I contrast the prize winning example we heard about in the last episode with examples of experiences with poor research environments. This leads to a discussion of the value of psychological safety as defined by Amy Edmondson, and others for enabling creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Psychological safety is about creating conditions where people feel safe speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns and mistakes and that foster a learning culture. I discuss practical strategies for leaders through their everyday interactions for fostering such an environment and enabling innovation, collaboration and personal growth and wellbeing. And I finish up with an invitation for all of us to reflect on our role in cultivating a supportive and inclusive academic culture. 00:00 Intro 00:29 Introduction to Creating Great Research Cultures 00:52 Recap of Prize-Winning Research Environment 02:38 Understanding Psychological Safety 03:40 Examples of Poor Research Environments 10:37 Defining Psychological Safety 12:21 Historical Context of Psychological Safety 15:42 Research on Psychological Safety 21:31 Psychological safety as key factor in Google's great teams 23:03 Leadership and Psychological Safety 24:15 Role Modeling and Self-Awareness 26:46 Fostering Belonging, Inclusion and Learning 29:18 Co-Creating Research Culture through our Actions 31:20 Conclusion and Reflection Related links: Previous podcast episode with Line, Nicklas, and Nina on Danis Young Academy prize research environments Amy Edmondson web page Amy C. Edmondson and Shike Lei, Psychological Safety: The History, Renaissance, and Future of an Interpersonal Construct. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior. Vol 1:23-43, 2014.  Amy C. Edmondson. The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Wiley. 2019. Pat Thomson, Blog article - Felling like an imposter? Pat Thomson, feeling like an imposter? Google’s Project Aristotle Royal Society, Research Culture Embedding inclusive excellence: Insights on the future culture of research. (Tom Welton quote on culture p6)

    34 min
  7. Creating better research cultures together

    10/16/2024

    Creating better research cultures together

    What are the ingredients for creating a supportive, inclusive research culture? Nina Molin Høyland-Kroghsbo from the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences , Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology at the University of Copenhagen discusses the Research Environment Prize established three years ago by the Danish Young Academy to promote and celebrate good research environments, as experienced by early career researchers in those environments.   We are joined here by the 2024 prize winners, PhD students Line Maj Sternberg and Nicklas Stott Venzel who nominated their Research Unit in Psychology of Sport, Excellence and Health at the University of Southern Denmark. They share what makes their environment great, and how the group translates their research on what makes a great sports environment into what makes a great research environment. In particular, they talk about encouragement for taking initiative, a focus on long-term development, open communication, psychological safety, promoting mental health, and a sense of belonging, as key factors. Nina also reflects on the common themes that the awarding panel has seen across over a hundred nominations, such as belonging, collaboration, creative practices, and celebrating both successes and failures. Overview: 00:34 Episode Introduction 03:26 Meet the guests 06:44 The Danish Young Academy and the Research Environment Prize 11:51 Line and Nicklas on applying sports research to academia 18:38 Building trust and open communication 22:34 Support for long term development and wellbeing 25:55 Psychological safety in research 26:55 Creative methods for sensitive topics 29:56 Common themes from nominated research environments 34:47 More examples of good practices 38:41 Having clear values 44:03 Learning from failures, celebrating successes 45:56 Value of good research culture for scientific integrity 49:51 Wrapping up, final thoughts 53:48 End Related links: SDU Prize announcement Prize announcement by the Young Academy on LinkedIn LinkedIn profiles for Nina and Line

    54 min
  8. On reframing networking: connections and impact

    10/02/2024

    On reframing networking: connections and impact

    In this solo episode (S6 E3) I invite us to rethink the concept of networking within academia, inspired by what the late Liam Bannon shared with us in our recent conversation and the evident relational impact he had on people. I encourage us, myself included, to view networking as being about the other person, not about us, and see it as an opportunity for forming meaningful impactful social connections.  I offer some practical ideas for making networking about giving and helping others, based on the value of generosity, curiosity, and everyday interactions. In the end our real impact and success in academia are measured by the quality of relationships and the human connections we build, not by the titles or metrics we collect. Overview 00:00 Introduction to Changing Academic Life 00:29 The Challenges of Networking 01:33 Rethinking Networking: Social Connections 01:48 Tribute to Liam Bannon 02:43 Personal Relations in Academic Careers 03:44 The Importance of Human Connections 10:16 Networking for Others 10:50 Practical Networking Strategies 17:17 Maintaining Connections 21:38 Conclusion and Call to Action 22:58 End Related links: Recent episode with Liam Bannon  Gopinaath Kannabiran Adam Grant, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

    23 min
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out of 5
7 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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Geraldine Fitzpatrick
  • Show Website
    Changing Academic Life

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