The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast Women Scholars and Professionals

"I don’t think people really understand what systemic racism, structural violence, and equity actually are because I think if you do, you realize they’re holy words — because they’re showing us where heaven isn’t quite on earth yet." — Dr. Emily Smith
Epidemiologist and professor Dr. Emily Smith joins us on the podcast to discuss compassion, public health, and the challenges of thriving as a woman in science. 
How do we live as true neighbors in a world that is designed for more for competition and inequality than compassion? Epidemiologist and professor Dr. Emily Smith joins us on the podcast to discuss her book The Science of the Good Samaritan: Thinking Bigger About Loving Our Neighbors. During the height of the pandemic, Emily became known as The Friendly Neighborhood Epidemiologist through her social media outlets where she reached 3-4 million people per month during the years 2020-2021. I remember those days, and I depended on Emily’s updates to help me stay informed about keeping safe while the public health landscape shifted dramatically. It was a real treat to talk with her about her work as an epidemiologist, and also to hear her thoughts on life as a faculty member, as a scientist, as a global citizen and as a faithful Christian working to integrate all parts of her life into a whole. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where Emily shares about thriving as a woman in science.
So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.
— Ann Boyd
For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.
If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

"The Spirit accompanies us wherever we are….Worship opens us up to the realm of the Spirit. And it’s not just to be opened up for the times we are in church, but for our work in the world and our life in the world." — Jeanne Porter King
Author and leadership coach Dr. Jeanne Porter King joins us on the podcast to discuss wellness, leadership, and the opportunities for Black women. 
What does it look like to thrive as a leader while resisting oppressive forces in our culture? Author and leadership coach Dr. Jeanne Porter King joins us on the podcast to discuss her book Leading Well: A Black Woman’s Guide to Wholistic, Barrier-Breaking Leadership. The book follows the story of the Samaritan woman at The Well in John 4, establishing a framework for leadership that uniquely reflects the lives of women of color. Jeanne writes about specific challenges that Black women face in leadership roles, educating all of us and offering widely applicable leadership wisdom. We talk about the role of the Holy Spirit in pursuing our callings and how patriarchal systems can inhibit our ability to ask for what we need. Jeanne’s instruction is wise and spirit-filled, and I think you’ll enjoy listening. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where Jeanne talks about the unique ways caregiving can  complement our leadership journeys.
So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.
— Ann Boyd
For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.
If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

“Theological education means paying attention to all of the sources that shape you spiritually, theologically, and seeing that the questions you’re asking as a parent or as a student is theological reflection in practice.” — Maria Liu Wong
Author and educator Maria Liu Wong joins us on the podcast to discuss the ways community and relationships create space for the riches of theological education. 
How can we open ourselves to the opportunities for theological education all around us — whether or not we are in seminary? Author and educator Dr. Maria Liu Wong joins us on the podcast to discuss her book On Becoming Wise Together: Learning and Leading in the City. This book is part of a 12- volume series with the Theological Education between the Times project, a diverse initiative that explores the changing landscape of theological education. Maria offers her own rich life experiences as a medium through which she tunes into the theological lessons God has for her as she digs deeply into the stories of her family, her friends, and her community. I loved the way Maria’s viewpoint opens us to the constant presence of the Holy Spirit and the ways we’re continually being shaped by the relationships and communities of which we are a part. Maria’s voice is distinctive and wise, and I think you’ll really enjoy learning from her. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where Maria shares some tips about integrating the work of parenting into one’s academic calling.
So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.
— Ann Boyd
For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.
If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

“I think the key is to invite people into a space with you — to be the one who is always inviting people is the way to be in academia….Invitation is a great virtue to cultivate in a younger person.” — Tiffany Eberle Kriner
English professor and author Tiffany Eberle Kriner joins us on the podcast to explore the ways caring for the earth, the life of the mind, and our common humanity intersect.
What does it look like to combine a calling to write and teach with a lifestyle of nurturing the land? English professor and author Tiffany Eberle Kriner describes the joys and tensions of her multifaceted life in her book In Thought, Word, and Seed: Reckonings from a Midwest Farm. Tiffany shares her experiences of both teaching and caring for the earth and describes how they inform one another in remarkable ways. In a book written mostly during the pandemic, Tiffany offers insightful reflections on race, hope, faith, and the beauty of life. Her essays  take unexpected angles on a story that we have all lived through in the pandemic, and she finds connections with literature that provide rich and thoughtful questions for consideration. Tiffany is winsome and fun and a joy to talk with, and I think you’ll really like her. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where Tiffany shares about the delights and challenges of raising children while pursuing an academic career. 
So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.
— Ann Boyd
For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.
If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

“The best way for us to work out our thoughts and feelings and experiences about race is in relationship with another human being. ” — Krystal Hays
Professors Krystal Hays and Veola Vazquez talk with us about building and deepening cross-race relationships in a way that reflects deep faith and rigorous research. 
How can we faithfully navigate the complexities of race in our everyday relationships? Professors Krystal Hays and Veola Vazquez join us on the podcast to talk about their book Healing Conversations on Race: Four Key Practices From Scripture and Psychology. These women partnered on this book with two other colleagues — Joshua Knabb and Charles Lee-Johnson. Together, they developed the HEAL model for building and deepening cross-race relationships. The model is grounded in the narrative of Scripture and informed by psychology and social science. Krystal and Veola are both inspiring and practical, and I think you’ll really enjoy learning from them. 
Also — I’m pleased to tell you that InterVarsity Press is offering a discount for listeners of this podcast. Just use the code IVPPOD25 for 25% off and free shipping when you purchase Healing Conversations on Race at ivpress.com . You can find a link to the book and the discount code in the show notes. And if you listen to the end of the episode, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where we talk about how to overcome the sense of walking on eggshells around the issue of race.
So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.
— Ann Boyd
For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.
If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

“The self is the person that was beautifully and wonderfully created in the image of God. And so self-care for me is about taking care of that, is recognizing that I am a gift of God. Every one of us is a gift from God — our creation, our existence is a gift from God. How do I respond to that gift?” — Chanequa Walker-Barnes
Psychologist and professor Chanequa Walker-Barnes talks with us about the importance of self-care for our spiritual well-being and why this matters to women academics.
What comes to mind when you think of the phrase “self-care”? Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes joins us on the podcast to discuss the spiritual benefits of self-care and its role in our human flourishing. In her book Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves, Chanequa offers practical strategies for caring for ourselves in body, mind, and soul. In our conversation, she explains that we’ll be able to care for others and live out our purposes in the world much more effectively when we make sure that our needs are addressed. I loved talking with Chanequa — she is delightful and wise and challenging and a wonderful teacher. And if you listen to the end of the podcast, I’ve included an excerpt in which Chanequa describes how we can use her book as an accessible and nourishing devotional during Lent.
So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.
— Ann Boyd
For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.
If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!