Vitamin PhD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rohin and Jess are joined by David Meshoulam, co-founder of Boston’s Speak for the Trees, and Daniel Zietlow, education designer at NCAR Education and Outreach. This episode, we talk all about community engagement and how to know if you’re reaching your target audience. We learn about the challenges and rewards of working directly with the community and debate, &q...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Vitamin PhD , Rohin and Jessica delve into platforms of communication along with promoting accessibility during COVID-19. They are joined by Dr. Lorena Medina Luna, Education Designer at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and co-founder of SOLESS - Society of Latinx/Hispanics in Earth and Space Sciences, along with Tara Miller, BU PhD candidate in the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we meet our new hosts for Season 5 of VitaminPhD, Jessica Wright from the Earth and Environment department and Rohin Banerji from the Biomedical Engineering. Jessica and Rohin share some information about their exciting new topic for this season, exploring the core capacity of communication skills and how PhD/postdoc students can strengthen or learn  methods of co...

Send us Fan Mail The next seven seasons of our podcast, Vitamin PhD, will each focus on a different Core Capacity. As an introduction to the upcoming seasons, Sarah Hokanson, Assistant Provost for Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs sat down with Daniel Kleinman, Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs, to discuss the objectives of the Core Capacities and how Boston University hopes...

Send us Fan Mail In the final episode of Season 4, Kiloni addresses the difficult topic of restructuring pedagogy to increase diversity in academia. She is joined by Dr. Anukul Shenoy, Anthony Yeung, and Kristy Abo from the Pulmonary Social Justice Forum at Boston University School of Medicine.

Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode of Stories of Intersectionality, Kiloni and Khadija are joined by Boston University's inaugural Director of Programs in the Office of the Associate Provost for Diversity & Inclusion, Dr. Alana Anderson, and U.S. historian Dr. Paula C. Austin, Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies. In this episode, our hosts and guests disc...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, Kiloni and Khadija are joined by the student leaders from the Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWISE), Abby Rendos, Natalie Vaisman, and Jillian Rix to discuss how intersectionality plays out in higher education and the impact that the "othering" of some identities can have on Ph. D. students. This episode also examines the existing...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode of Work to Live vs. Live to Work, Kiloni and Khadija are joined by Dr. Dennis Jones PhD, a Professor from the Graduate Medical Sciences Program at Boston University School of Medicine and an active advocate for diversity and inclusion, as well as a student-run organization from the School of Public Health called Students of Color for Public Health. The episo...

Send us Fan Mail In the second episode of Season 4, Khadija and Kiloni investigate what “allyship” looks like for BIPOC - Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color - at BU. They are joined by Dr. Monica Wang, the Associate Director of Narrative at the BU Center for Antiracist Research , and Luis D. Ramirez, a first-generation, Afro-Latino PhD Student in the Graduate Program for Neuroscience and the...

Send us Fan Mail Khadija and Kiloni discuss “how to make you care” about diversity and inclusion for BIPOC - Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color - at BU. They are joined by Táchira Pichardo, the President of the Minority and International Scientist Organization (MISO) from the BU School of Medicine, as well as Vi and Merriam from the College of Arts and Science Anti-Racist Initiative (CASARI)...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we meet our new hosts for Season 4 of VitaminPhD, Khadija El Karfi from the Romance Studies department and Kiloni Quiles-Franco from the BU School of Medicine. Kiloni and Khadija share some information about their exciting new topic for this season, “How can we make BU a safe and welcoming community for our BIPOC students, faculty, and staff?”

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Maria and Jenna chat with Mandy Pinheiro, MS, about reframing the idea of networking and the development and maintenance of personal and professional relationships. They discuss how to expand your professional circle, overcome the fear of initiating connections, and brand yourself and engage on Academic Twitter. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Maria and Jenna chat with Dr. Jen Heemstra about the mentor/mentee relationship. They discuss tips on choosing the right mentor, navigating difficult conversations and “managing up”, and maintaining professional relationships long-term. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Maria and Jenna chat with Dr. Dan Fulford about success in graduate school. They discuss the transition from undergrad to grad studies, making the most out of your grad school experience, how to stay engaged long-term, and the importance of goal-setting. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Maria and Jenna chat with Nirali Shah, PT, about work-life balance. They discuss separating work from home, developing a routine that excites you, maintaining relationships, the importance of consistency, and self-care.  Nirali Shah is a physical therapist from India, and is currently a third-year PhD student in the Rehabilitation Sciences program at Boston Univer...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Maria and Jenna chat with Michelle Baum, MSW and current MPH student at Boston University, about mental health. They discuss the culture surrounding mental health in academia, how to support someone struggling with mental health, how to support yourself, and the importance of social support. Michelle Baum, MSW is a public health social worker in her last year of g...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Maria Ayoub and Jenna Zajac, two PhD students in Rehabilitation Sciences at BU's Sargent College, introduce themselves, describe their journey from undergrad to graduate school, and touch on their current work. They also express their motivations in hosting VitaminPhD Season 3 and highlight the themes and topics of the upcoming episodes. 

Send us Fan Mail In the season finale of Vitamin PhD, Sasha Goldman engages in a discussion with three current BU PhD students: Diane Lebo (Biology), Ricky Magner (Mathematics), and Kiloni Quiles-Franco (Molecular and Translational Medicine). During the conversation they discuss how to balance doctoral program requirements, extracurricular activities, and personal needs. They share reflections on...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Sasha Goldman (Program Manager for PhD Professional Development) talks with Katina Rogers about the state of doctoral education in the humanities, Rogers’ career pathway in Higher Education, her role at the Futures Initiative, and her new book Putting the Humanities PhD to Work: Thriving in and Beyond the Classroom , available from Duke University Press in August 2...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is a live recording of a conversation between Sarah Hokanson, Dr. Melissa McDaniels, and Dr. Christine in Nashville, which took place during the 2019 Council of Graduate Schools Conference. The conversation focuses on the relationship between PhDs and their mentors, which is central to their success and satisfaction in the graduate school experience. They talk about s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Sarah Hokanson talks with Dr. Adela Penagos who is a Visiting Assistant Professor of the Practice in Hispanic Studies and Coordinator of the Upper-Level Spanish Language Program. She is also President of Futuro Enlightened, a consulting firm for students seeking college and graduate school admissions. Sarah and Adela talk about juggling multiple roles across organ...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Francine Montemurro, of the Office of the Ombuds at BU about what services the Ombuds offer, and how they help members of the BU community manage difficult situations in an impartial, independent, and confidential way. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we speak to Ronit Prawer, Director of the UK Government's Science and Innovation Network for the Eastern USA. She discusses her career and how important science policy is to the greater science community. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we speak with Dr. Andrea Farina, Vice President, Program Strategy and Initiatives at St. Francis House - a Boston based non-profit organization. She discusses how she navigated her way into non-profit work, and the skills she developed to become successful in her field.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we speak with Dr. Steve Ramirez, Assistant Professor in the Psychological & Brain Sciences in BU's College of Arts & Sciences. He discusses how he navigated his way into his career in neuroscience.