Desi Academia Podcast

In this episode, we are joined by recent PhD graduate Dr. Ishaan Bhat ( @Doctor_Woah ) who shares his experience dissertating in European academia. Ishaan walks us through his specialisation in image recognition and ML/DL algorithms, his interdisciplinary collaboration with medical doctors, and his doctoral research on uncertainty estimation and improving reliability in predictions made by image r...

Aman tells us about how he combined his passion for sport with his lived experience in India, and professional experience as a sports journalist. We discuss how he moved from the fast-paced life of journalistic publication, to slow and measured academic knowledge creation. We also talk about the nuances of researching and teaching about sports journalism and disability, and how to cover a para spo...

In this episode of DAP, Megh and Vatsal are joined by Dr. Harish Prakash . Dr. Prakash is an assistant professor at GITAM University, and his research interests include ecology and animal behavior. Join us in this fun conversation, where we take a deep dive into his academic journey and his motivations. We tackle questions like why the study of ecology is essential, his research involving studying...

In this episode, we discuss the resurgence of He Jiankui on the Twitter trends, the research that made CRISPR a Nobel-worthy discovery, and the various reasons why scientists don't go around gene-editing human embryos to create super species. Readings: Scientist who gene-edited babies is back in lab and ‘proud’ of past work despite jailing China to begin first in-human CRISPR trial next month CRIS...

Join us in this episode of Desi Academia Podcast where we discuss the ins and out of an academic publication. Megh and Vatsal are joined by the friend of the pod Dr. Rituparna Patgiri where they talk about all the basics of an academic publication. We tackle questions like what is an academic publication, where do we publish, who is an author, what is peer review and more! Recommendations Megh “Wh...

In this conversation, Megh and Kaushtubh talk to content creator Balram Vishwakarma about his qualitative research work documenting the lived realities of Mumbai's workers. He shares the story of why he co-founded Scroll Back Studios, and how he approaches sharing human interest stories with the realities of content monetisation. Recommendations: Megh Bridgerton Good Omens Book- H-Pop , Kunal...

We are joined by Ravi and Tara, two incredible alumni of a private university in India. They talk to us about their experience ideating, researching and writing their undergraduate theses, and how their pre-doctoral work in India sparked their ongoing research journeys in the fields of economics and culture studies. Recommendations Megh Inside Out-2 Baby Reindeer Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 "R...

In this episode of DAP, we discuss the national entrance exam controversy, which impacts millions of students and academics in the country. Apart from NEET/NET exams, we discuss our first impressions of the controversy, what it means to the students, the general examination and coaching culture surrounding it, and the ramifications of this absolute blunder, amongst many other things. Recommendatio...

In this episode Palomi, shares her journey in psychology. She discusses her experiences with fieldwork and in clinical settings in Karnataka, Andhra, Florida, and the East Coast. We talk about how researchers of the human mind manage human subject data, building a portfolio and online presence for pursuing research opportunities, and the impact of social media, science communication, and AI tools...

The gang returns to discuss what makes academics divorce their intellect and rationality from their political positions? Recommendations: Megh ChatGPT is bullshit https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5 Romance Scammers Find a New Way To Prey on Indian Women https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/romance-scammers-find-a-new-way-to-prey-on-indian-women/ LLMs Can't Plan, But Can...

DAP "Supplementary Materials" is a new subset of conversations that just can't be fit anywhere else. In this quick episode, Megh and Ajay discuss the recent global outage faced by Windows users, the issue faced by Crowdstrike, and the difficulty of balancing the need for immediate actions with the need to rigorously testing a release before deployment. Sources: Watch Rahul Dua's...

DAP "Supplementary Materials" is a new subset of conversations that just can't be fit anywhere else. This first episode is an unplanned and unserious conversation with friend-of-the-pod Harsha, on an admission scam that [the scamster] broke on Reddit, plus a million tangents. Megh and Harsha read the young student's account of his actions, his analysis of academia and admissions...

In this episode of DAP, we are joined by Dr. Ruchika Sharma, a Historian and a prolific YouTuber responsible for the channel “Eyeshadow and Etihaas." We delve into Dr. Sharma's journey through academia, from her foundational years of schooling to her PhD at JNU. We discuss the intricacies of historical research methodologies, from framing the research questions to framing conclusions and...

In this episode, we are joined by Ankit Kawade, a PhD student at the Centre for Political Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Ankit shares his academic journey, focusing on his expertise in political philosophy and comparative literature . He explores the fascinating intersection of philosophers like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Friedrich Nietzsche, and their relevance to India’s modern history...

In this episode, we get a masterclass in sociology research from the expert Dr. Rituparna Patgiri. Dr. Patgiri is an Assistant Professor of Sociology in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. Apart from academics, Dr. Patgiri is also actively involved in Science communication and outreach for sociology. To learn more about her stellar...

In this episode of DAP we sit down with our guest and a friend of the pod, Kaustub Naik. A scholar and historian, Kautubh's academic journey spans the intriguing transition from STEM to MPhil in Theatre and Performance Studies at the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. We discuss Kautubh's deeply perso...

In this episode, we discuss Vatsal’s final year in his PhD program, as he grounds himself in his research to transform his results into a camera-ready manuscript, and a 200-odd page dissertation. We talk about the Pandemic and its impact on his dissertation timeline, his support system, his defense, his next steps and That Feeling When It’s Over! Recommendations: PCSK7: A novel regulator of apolip...

Join us on a thought-provoking journey as we explore the intersection of academia and politics with our guests from Jawaharlal Nehru University. From the Mandal Commission to the Mandir movement, we delve into some pivotal moments that shaped India's socio-political landscape. With our guests, we engage in a discourse on the "politics of the moral" and the emergence of militarized Hi...

Join us for Episode 2 of this season as we delve into the unique experiences of being Queer and Desi in academia with Meghana and Harsha. Tune in as we try to explore the intersections of identity, culture, and academia. Recommendations: Megh The Vulgarity of Caste: Dalits, Sexuality, and Humanity in Modern India Shailaja Paik https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=34163 https://reeserichardson.blog/...

In this episode, we discuss Harsha's academic journey in veterinary pathogen research and what led to his Ph. D. studies. We also discuss how our research intersects with Drug discovery and simultaneously go over some of the basics of this process. Recommendations Megh Business Standard, Jan 27th “Debt, drinking, and decisions” The Vulgarity of Caste: Dalits, Sexuality, and Humanity in Modern...

Megh and Aditya discuss Aditya's experiences travelling internationally for conferences as an Indian PhD student. Travel fund options for Indian academics: https://www.serc-dst.org/application_for_travel_support.html https://dbtctep.gov.in https://www.ictp.it/

We discuss what failure means in the context of academic research: how we learn when our research goes in unexpected directions, publishing negative results, dealing with imposter syndrome and peer reviewers, and learning from our mistakes. Recommendations Tech Won't Save Us Podcast https://techwontsave.us/episode/189_elon_musk_unmasked_origins_of_an_oligarch_part_1 The Rest is History- Baghda...

In this episode, we begin with a rant about the faculty hiring process and the futility of re-entry fellowships in India. We then move on to discussing citation farms and the gamification of h-indices. Citation and publication farms links: https://retractionwatch.com/2024/01/23/exclusive-mayo-florida-profs-among-authors-of-article-tied-to-indian-paper-mill/ https://retractionwatch.com/2024/01/25/j...

In this episode of DAP, we discuss Ajay's academic journey and what came after it. We delve into many anecdotes and certain inevitable intricacies of academia like mandated fees, stipends, thesis writing, and tenure-track applications that shape the academic landscape. Recommendations: Megh: Bumble dating survey trends: https://mashable.com/article/bumble-top-dating-trends-2024 Arranged on Ama...

In this episode of DAP, we delve into the world of Academic Conferences. Why do we attend them, and what are the differences between International and Local conferences? We also examine the influence of the pandemic on academic travel, including the challenges faced by graduate students such as seeking funding, accommodation, and networking, all while experiencing the excitement of discovering new...