The Happy Scientist

Today’s episode is part of an experiment: introducing best practices from other disciplines to the bench-based bioscientist. Dr. Kelly Chibale brings those extra-laboratory disciplines inhouse. What do you get when you cross a molecular biologist with a humanitarian and an entrepreneur? A roadmap for using science as a tool for development. In this conversation, Kelly shares how he built Africa’s...

#89 — Stop Forcing It: How to Make Progress Without Burning Out As scientists, we often rely on grit and willpower to get things done. Push harder. Focus more. Power through. While this approach can work in the short term, it often leads to frustration, procrastination, and burnout over time. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , we explore why forcing progress often backfires, and what actuall...

#88 — Taking Back Control of Your Attention in a Distracted World It often feels like our attention is under constant attack from emails, notifications, and even our own habits. The result is scattered focus, lost time, and growing frustration. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , we look at how to take back control of your attention and stay focused on what truly matters in your research and...

#87 — When Experiments Don’t Go as Planned: How to Stay Curious Instead of Frustrated In science, things rarely unfold perfectly. Experiments fail, data looks confusing, or equipment breaks at the worst possible moment. When this happens, it is easy to get discouraged or lose focus. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , we explore how to stay curious instead of frustrated when research does not...

Today’s episode is part of an experiment: introducing best practices from other disciplines to the bench-based bioscientist. Dr Jennifer Polk helps you put your hard-earned training into the bigger picture of your career, your choices, and your life, because great mentors can make you a better scientist, but they won't automatically make you a happier one. For more from Jen, check out her website...

#86 — Fix it, overhaul it, or start fresh? Not everything works the way you want it to. Sometimes it is a lab protocol that needs tweaking, a workflow that feels inefficient, or a collaboration that just is not clicking. The hard part is knowing when a small adjustment will do the trick, and when you need a bigger change, or even a fresh start. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , we explore a...

Today's episode is part of an experiment: introducing best practices from other disciplines to the bench-based bioscientist. Declan Dunn cuts through the hype and gets practical about AI in the lab: what it's good at, what it's bad at, and what it changes for your day-to-day science. Should bioscientists care about AI? Can it actually replace the scientist, or does it just raise the bar for what g...

#85 — Are your supports holding you back? Think back to learning how to ride a bike. Training wheels help you stay upright—but eventually, you have to let them go if you want to truly ride. The same thing happens in science and in life. We lean on habits, routines, and support systems that once helped, but over time they can quietly start to hold us back. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , w...

#84 — Are you avoiding what matters most? Avoidance shows up in subtle ways—sometimes we know we’re dodging a task, sometimes it’s a reflexive habit, and other times we don’t even realize what we’re avoiding. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , we explore how these patterns of avoidance can quietly drain your confidence, slow your progress, and amplify stress. More importantly, we’ll show you...

Extra Episode — Cory Katuna — Have You Ever Heard of the Consciousness Hard Problem? Today's episode is part of an experiment: introducing best practices from other disciplines to the bench-based bioscientist. Today, we discuss the consciousness "hard" problem with Cory Katuna. Why should a bioscientist care about consciousness? In science, objectivity gets so much attention. But when subjectivity...

#83 — Can you decide what captures your attention? Modern society has developed sophisticated means of engaging our attention, often for purposes decidedly against our personal interests. And in the lab, tasks like calculating reagent concentrations or pipetting multiple samples require a high level of focus to avoid messing up. The more mundane, the harder it can be! And then there are the compet...

Pursuing a career in science often involves challenges and setbacks that are mentally demanding. While we all grow and learn from these setbacks, the main experience at the time is pain. But it's crucial to distinguish pain from suffering. Pain might be an inevitable part of growth and learning, but suffering—deeper distress that's often a consequence of pervasive issues like burnout and imposter...

#81 — Periodically directing your gaze inward can clarify your current position, past journey, and future aspirations. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , explore the vital practice of taking a self-inventory. Hear how to conduct this introspection effectively—steering clear of overly positive illusions, harsh self-criticism, and potential disappointment. Plus, get practical strategies for ma...

Ever feel a mix of frustration and nostalgia when you see new faces in the lab, fresh and full of questions? Are you the kind of person who takes them under your wing, or does their naivety annoy you and get in the way of your lab work? It’s easy to forget that we all started somewhere, and mentoring these budding scientists is the key to advancing not only their careers but also science as a whol...

Naked ambition is a powerful characteristic, yet it can easily become overpowering—for you and your colleagues. This could endanger your work connections and harm your reputation, especially in situations where teamwork is highly valued. In this episode of The Happy Scientist , explore the potent quality of ambition and how to use it most effectively to create accomplishment regarding tasks, proje...

#78 — In this episode of The Happy Scientist , we dive into the emotional patterns that hinder the smooth operation of any to-do list system. These emotional barriers can sabotage even the most well-crafted to-do lists. Let's get to the root of these emotional barriers and empower you to work more effectively. Join us as we explore the psychological factors that influence our productivity and lear...

Is your to-do list downstream of your work style, or your work style downstream of your to-do list? Do you prefer to write down everything you need to do for the day and then execute as many tasks as possible? Or do you prefer to get stuck in for the day, and then decide what you need to do? Your to-do list is your daily plan and sometimes an alarm clock. It gets you closer to your objectives by d...

#76 — At the heart of the scientific method lies the idea that perspectives are not static—they evolve, shift, and intersect as we tackle scientific problems from different perspectives and uncover new ground truths. Yet, for most of us, daily science boils down to fine details such as the particulars of experimental design, the caveats to our experiments, producing enough data to satisfy the boss...

#75 — We're told from a young age that patience is a virtue. But does that hold up to scrutiny? In some respects, it seems so, given that impatience can be annoying to experience and make you unbearable to the people you're waiting on. But what are the consequences of excessive patience? Does it become a pathological trait that results in excess tolerance and forbearance, which, in turn, stop you...

#74 — How we feel about completing certain tasks and the people they involve have a massive impact on whether or not we do those tasks or how quickly and carefully we get them done. You know—when a job involves dealing with that person, sending that email, or dealing with that instrument. Or when your stress levels build up so much that you lay out a heap of things you want done and tell everyone...

#73 — Why do you do science? Is it your passion, is it to make an impact, is it just the way you make your living, or something else? Whatever the reason, having a clear sense of your purpose matters. It can help you deal with major and minor challenges, cope with setbacks, and help you reflect on the professional success and value of your career choices to sustain your development. Or perhaps you...

#72 — Freedom is not having lots of options—it's choosing between them. You are free to choose. Now think about that in the context of your research project and career. Are there any decisions you would approach differently? Is there anything you tend to avoid because you worry it will limit your options in the future? You might worry that specializing in a specific technique or instrument makes y...

#71 — Tara Nylese was a career scientist and formerly a Regional Market Development Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. She left her Market Development Manager job to focus on other workplace wellness activities, and launched her book, Mindfulness in Everyday Life , which hit the #1 Best-selling new release in Business Health & Stress on Amazon. She is passionate about mental and emotional we...

#70 — Academia can seem like nothing but deadlines. Experiments, people, reports, and objectives compete for our immediate attention. Sometimes, rightly so. But you can't physically do everything at once. And when rushing becomes the rule rather than the exception, all your well-reasoned priorities can be totally derailed, leaving you feeling like you are always playing catch-up. Plus, rushing usu...

#69 — Challenging people. You get them everywhere. Your lab—and beyond. There's the one who block-books instruments for two weeks straight. There's the one who barely shows up and seems to get by doing far less work than you. There are data thieves and god complexes, post-it note warriors, and everything in between. Heck, labs can be real frontier towns. Some challenging people might be irritating...