Saturday Morning Lab

Let's Get Coffee! Daniel Manrique Castano Episode

On this episode of Let's Get Coffee, I reflect on my discussion with Daniel Manrique Castano. I reflect on the importance of personal initiative, the trials of postdoc training and faculty-trainee relationships, and reforming scientific publishing. I quote from the Christian Larson; The Optimist Creed. As always, your comments and questions are welcome at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com. 

Jen Polk says think critically about your career!

On this week's episode, I chat with Dr. Jennifer Polk of FromPhDtoLife. We discuss her thesis experience, meeting her first career coach, and how she found purpose in helping others find fulfilling careers beyond academia. Jennifer is kind, funny, honest, and reflective on this very important topic.

Pedro Leao says don't take yourself too seriously!

On this week's episode I chat with Professor Pedro Leao at the University of Radboud in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Pedro talks about growing up in a Brazil, his early passion for sports and how it influences his outlook as a scientist. He also talks about a how a series of unlikely circumstances accelerated his training and maturity as an independent investigator.  

Tanina Arab says be yourself because we need you!

Tanina Arab is an Associate Research Scientist at Yale University. On this week's episode, she and I talk about her experience growing up in a small mountain village in Algeria, her thesis training in France, and her move to the US to complete her postdoctoral studies. We also chat about the challenges facing academia today and the spillover of politics on academic relationships. 

Let's Get Coffee! Ashley Cole Episode

On this week's episode of LGF, I look back on my discussion with Professor Ashley Cole. I also reflect on her thoughtful question of how we would describe ourselves without mentioning our work. I also learned much about the rich Potawatomi culture (https://www.potawatomiheritage.com/) and came across the book Braiding Sweetgrass by the Potawatomi botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer (https://www.amazon.com/Braiding-Sweetgrass-Indigenous-Scientific-Knowledge/dp/1571313567). As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com!
 

Anna Ciaunica says our mind and body are intimately interconnected!

Professor Anna Ciaunica studies self-consciousness, embodiment and social interactions in Humans and Artificial Agents. On this week's episode we discuss the remarkable evolution of her research focus and her groundbreaking work on what makes the "self" and reconceptualizing the relationship between the mind and body. As always, your questions and input are welcome at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com!

Let's Get Coffee! Rahaf Salim Episode

This week on Let's Get Coffee, I reflect on my discussion with Rahaf Salim and how our uniqueness can be strengths in the research endeavor. I also revisit some old Arabic poetry I learned as a kid a long time ago. As always, your questions and input are welcome at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com!

Daniel Manrique-Castaño says work where you feel valued!

In this week's episode, I sit down with Dr. Daniel Manrique-Castaño, a Data Curation Officer at the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. Daniel shares his rich experiences growing up in Colombia, where he developed an early interest in psychology that eventually blossomed into a research career in neuroscience. He recounts completing his thesis in Germany during the pandemic and reflects on the challenges he encountered during his postdoctoral training in Canada. Now working in the field of data science and data integrity, Daniel reflects on the broader challenges of data management, scientific publishing, and the evolving landscape of science communication. As always, your questions and input are welcome at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com!

Let's Get Coffee! Elvira Forte Episode

In this episode of "Let's Get Coffee", I sit back and ponder Elvira's question and read a passage from Ulysses by the 19th Century English poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson. As always, your questions and input are welcome at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com!

Ashley Cole says don't put yourself in a box!

Dr. Ashley Cole is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Oklahoma State University. Ashley grew up in Oklahoma as a member of Potawatomi Nation. In this week's episode she and I discuss her successful journey to academic independence and the impact of her cultural background on her research focus. Ashley also shares her perspective on academia and mentorship. In her career as an academic, Ashley brings her values of compassion, support, respect, and intellectual vigor to life as she trains the next generation of scholars. As always, your questions and comments are welcome at SaturdayMorningLab@outlook.com!