Month: June 2013
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Chris Peterson: “And then the rest of my life began”
Like many academics, I spent my young adult years postponing many of the small things that I knew would make me happy, including reading novels for pleasure, learning to cook, taking a photography class, and joining a gym. I would do all of these things when I had time—when I finished school, when I had…
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Signature strengths
I’ve been reading positive psychology books the past couple of months. I love the focus on helping people improve their lives, and agree that a happy life is a personally fulfilling life. One of the exercises offered up at the Authentic Happiness website is the VIA (Values in Action) Survey of Character Strengths. [Edit, 16…
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Transition Q & A: Rachel Mueller-Lust
Rachel Mueller-Lust earned her PhD in psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She began her career as assistant professor of psychology at Oberlin College, and is currently owner of Wondrance Weddings & Ceremonies. In between, she held executive positions in media including executive vice president, The Nielsen Company, where she was global business…
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Transition Q & A: Will Deyamport, III
Will Deyamport, III, earned his Ed.D. in educational leadership from Capella University. He’s an instructional technologist for Hattiesburg Public Schools. Follow him @peoplegogy. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? Originally, I had hopes of becoming a professor and one day leading a digital learning center or institute at…
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Training for jobs we won’t get
Today, a year after graduating and with no intention of returning to academia, I found myself at . . . an academic conference! And no, it wasn’t the annual meeting of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, my old summer conference stomping grounds; instead, I was at Worldviews 2013: Global Trends in Media…
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You’re invited! Post-PhD brainstorming session
What do PhDs most want? How can PhDs be best served? What are PhDs most interested in? What are PhDs biggest strengths? What resources do PhDs have? What helps PhDs achieve their full potential? These questions are purposefully broad. I think they make a good beginning for some brainstorming sessions, conversations, blog posts, and Twitter…
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Transition Q & A: Veronica Rubio Vega
Veronica Rubio Vega is a part-time PhD candidate in political economy at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University. She works as a research analyst at RBC. Connect with her on Academia.edu, follow her @VERYVERO, or email her. You’re currently enrolled in a PhD program, but recently switched to part-time studies. What happened?…
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Why I started my PhD
I was recently asked why I did a PhD if I didn’t now want to be a professor. The question was posed by a friendly acquaintance and was meant genuinely, out of curiosity. The assumption he made—that a doctorate is a prelude to a professorship—is common inside and outside the academy. I’m not surprised by…
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Thank you!
I’ve had a great time with this blog over the past 6 months—my half-year-iversary is coming up this weekend on Thursday! When I began, I was excited to write about my own transition process, reflect on what I’d learned, and provide support and helpful resources for others in my situation: PhDs trying to figure out…
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Transition Q & A: Kris Gies
Kris Gies earned his PhD in history from the University of Guelph. He is a publisher’s representative at the University of Toronto Press. Follow him @KrisGies. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? At the most basic level, my experience was probably much like anyone else who decides to…