Jennifer Polk has appeared in articles, interviews, and video about From PhD to Life and her work as a career coach for PhDs. She’s been mentioned in Nature, Science, U.S. News and World Report, The Globe and Mail, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, CBC, and The Atlantic. Jen Polk is a sought after podcast and YouTube guest.
Podcasts
YouTube
Jen Polk in the media
2024
Bridging the gap between academia and industry: Letting go of academic mindsets
In conversation on with Tory Wobber from Academic Exit as part of the From PhD to Exit series on YouTube, 10 March 2024
Professors Leaving Academia: Why They Quit and Where They Go
In conversation with Tory Wobber from Academic Exit as part of the From PhD to Exit series on YouTube, 29 February 2024
To postdoc or not to postdoc?
In conversation with Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud from the Lab Coats and Life podcast, episode 1, 14 February 2024
Should you pay for career advice?
Article by Fawzi Abou-Chahine for Chemistry World, 9 January 2024
2023
Do you need to do a postdoc? The truth about the jobs you’re qualified for as a PhD
In conversation with Tory Wobber from Academic Exit as part of the From PhD to Exit series on YouTube, 17 November 2023
How to Network
In conversation with Vikki Wright from the PhD Life Coach podcast, season 2, episode 9, 13 November 2023
Doctorate Done, What Next? Crafting Your Post-PhD Roadmap
In conversation with Emma Brodzinski from the PhD Life Raft podcast, 7 November 2023
Interview about my post-PhD journey
In conversation with Kyra Prats, 7 November 2023
Will you be happy if you leave academia? 9-5 work is more flexible than you think
In conversation with Tory Wobber from Academic Exit as part of the From PhD to Exit series on YouTube, 13 October 2023
Career Help for PhDs and other job seekers
In conversation with Brian Richie from Career Elevator, X Spaces, 29 September 2023
How to make the leap into industry after a PhD
Article by Spoorthy Raman for Nature, 15 August 2023
How to Navigate the Switch from Academia to Industry
Article by Georgina Salazar for the Association for Women in Science (AWIS), 6 January 2023
2022
What Are Informational Interviews? With Jennifer Polk, PhD
In conversation with Jennifer van Alstyne on The Social Academic podcast, 13 September 2022
Are You a Sellout if You Leave Academia After Your PhD?
In conversation with David Mendes from Papa PhD, episode 190 and the launch of season 4 of the Papa PhD podcast, 22 July 2022
Why Go to Grad School? The Best and Worst Reasons
Article by Ilana Kowarski for U.S. News & World Report, 27 May 2022
How to handle a supervisor’s sudden departure
Article by Nikki Forrester in Nature 604, 787-789, Published online on 25 April 2022
Jen Polk
In conversation with Matthew Downing, The Ed.D. Pathway Podcast, episode 9, 29 March 2022
Personal Branding & Networking on LinkedIn for Industry Professionals
Panelist invited by iSTEMCare, moderated by Pawan Upadhyay, PhD, 19 March 2022
Developing an entrepreneurial mindset
In conversation with Peter Harrington as part of the Beyond Academia podcast from The London School of Economics and Political Science for research students and early-career academics, episode 8, 18 January 2022
2021
Grad School Survival Guide: Careers Outside Academia
In conversation with Simon Spichak, Resolvve podcast, episode 17, 30 December 2021
Interview with Jennifer Polk
In conversation with Eva Lantsoght and Rico Massa on the PhD Talk podcast, episode 43, 22 September 2021
Navigating a Career Path Outside the Academy
Facilitator of this panel discussion featuring Sandra McKay, Arjun Prui, and Usha Srinivasan as part of the EPIC Conference from AGE-WELL, 9 June 2021
Jen Polk – From PhD to Life
In conversation with Nosa Edoimioya for the How to Do Grad School podcast, episode 27, April 2021
Building PhD Careers
In conversation with Chris Cornthwaite for Roostervane, 22 March 2021
2020
How to Set Yourself Up for a Successful Career and Financial Life Post-PhD
In conversation with Emily Roberts for the Personal Finance for PhDs podcast, season 7, episode 14, 7 December 2020
How do I design my personal brand for any career?
Panelist for Horizons by Hopkins career conference co-organized by PHutures and PDCO at Johns Hopkins University, 12 November 2020
Jennifer Polk: From PhD to Life
In conversation with Jamie Slevin on The Scientistt Podcast, episode 23, published 25 November 2020
Coaching for PhDs in Transition to Industry & How to Gain Social Media Following as a PhD
In conversation with Natalia Bielczky for the Ontology of Value® YouTube channel, 1 November 2020
Seventeen Minutes Of Science: Helping PhD’s Launch Meaningful Careers Outside Of Academia
In conversation with Sarah Cheesman for 17 Minutes of Science from InVivo Biosystems, 6 October 2020
Meaningful Careers After PhD? | Industry Careers for PhDs | Academic Careers for PhDs | STEM Jobs
In conversation with Rahim Munir, Behta Pani YouTube channel, 27 August 2020
What is Networking? With Jennifer Polk
In conversation with Jennifer van Alstyne live on The Social Academic YouTube channel, 12 August 2020
Hey Boss, I’m Leaving! How to Approach Career Transitions with your Advisor
Article by Murielle Ålund for POSTDOCket, volume 17, number 7, July 2020
Using Zoom to Teach and Meet with Students
With Norman Eng as part of Tools for Teaching Online, 18 March 2020
Are you having second thoughts about your career choice?
Article by Jared Lindzon for The Globe & Mail, 14 February 2020
Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Choose a PhD Program That Will Support Your Personal and Professional Development
Segment on career development for the Personal Finance for PhDs podcast, season 5, episode 2, 13 January 2020
2019
Expert panel to address challenges PhD graduates face entering the labour market
Article by Anqi Shen for University Affairs, 29 May 2019
2018
Opening Doors for Students by Celebrating PhD Career Path Diversity: Learning to Eliminate Default Career Mindsets
Interview (with L. Maren Wood), “Opening Doors for Students by Celebrating PhD Career Path Diversity: Learning to Eliminate Default Career Mindsets,” Helium podcast, episode 14, 4 December 2018
A Conversation with Jen Polk
Part 1 and Part 2, Beyond Academia blog, 1 October 2018
Academe Is a New Green Pasture for Consultants
Article by Kelly Field for The Chronicle of Higher Education, 15 July 2018
(Re)connecting With Your Students
Article by Deidra Faye Jackson for the GradHacker blog on Inside Higher Ed, 1 May 2018
Whom Did You Thank in Your Dissertation?
Article by Scott Jaschik for Quick Takes on Inside Higher Ed, 22 April 2018
Why “Follow your passion” isn’t always good career advice
Article by Clifton Mark for CBC Life, 26 March 2018
Who’s Teaching the Teachers?
Article by Elizabeth Alsop for The Chronicle of Higher Education, 11 February, 2018
2017
University Affairs wins three golds at 2017 Cnadian Online Publishing Award
Article by Anqui Shen for University Affairs, 15 November 2017
Is a PhD really worth your time and money?
Article by Eric Davidson for Fulcrum from The university of Ottawa, 14 November 2017
Interview with Jennifer Polk
Recovering Academic Podcast, season 2, episode 6, 1 November 2017
Heading to a Conference? Tack on a Vacation, Too
Article by Emily Roberts for the GradHacker blog on Inside Higher Ed, 17 October 2017
You’re Not Alone
Article by Derek Attig for Carpe Careers on Inside Higher Ed, 24 September 2017
Outside the lab: Side jobs for scientists
Article by Elie Dolgin, Nature, volume 549, pages 297–299,
Jennifer Polk
In conversation with Daniel H. Kwan for the Curiosity in Focus podcast, episode 31, 28 August 2017
The Young Academic’s Twitter Conundrum
Article by Oliver Bateman for The Atlantic, 10 May 2017
Sharp differences in career paths of PhD grads across fields, UBC study finds
Article by Simona Chiose for The Globe and Mail, 13 April 2017
Life and Lessons After PhD, Beyond the Academia
Interviewed by Sudiksha Joshi for We Are Always Learning, 21 February 2017
Finding your dream psychology career
Article by Laura Zimmerman for Monitor on Psychology, volume 48, number 2, February 2017
Hope for PhDs who want to leave the profession
Interview with Rick Shenkman for the History News Network at the annual meeting of the American Historical Association, 7 January 2017
2016
From PhD to Life
Interview with Dan Otter and Scott Dauenhauser for the Teach and Retire Rich podcast, episode 37, 13 October 2016
Maximizing a Student-Run Conference’s Potential
Article by Jordan Reed and Leanne horinko for the GradHacker blog on Inside Higher Ed, 26 May 2016
Help for Academics Thinking Beyond the Professoriate
Interview with Daniel Fincke, Camels with Hammers blog on patheos.com, 4 May 2016
Life after Grad School
A resource recommended by Cynthia Macdonald in her article for the University of Toronto Magazine, 28 March 2016
Highlights: From PhD to Life with Jennifer Polk
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Simon Fraser University, 5 February 2016
From Linguistic Judo to Hustle
Article by Alfreda S. James for Carpe Careers on Inside Higher Ed, 17 January 2016
Interview with Jennifer Polk of PhD to Life
Interview with Daveena Tauber for ScholarStudio Session, 13 January 2016
2015
Interview with Jennifer Polk
Interview with Erik Marshall, WET Podcast: Writing, Education and Technology, episode 46, 12 December 2015
The Who’s Who’s of Canadian Media were at the COPA Awards in Toronto to celebrate digital publishing excellence
Cision, press release from the Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPA), 27 November 2015
University Affairs wins five gold awards for online publishing
Article by Ashleigh Vanhouten for University Affairs, 20 November 2015
Interview with Jennifer Polk
Interview with Scott Rank, The Scholarpreneur Podcast, episode 23, 16 September 2015
University Affairs nominated for seven Canadian Online Publishing Awards
Article by Natalie Samson for University Affairs, 15 September 2015
What’s up with alt-ac careers
Article by Suzanne Bowness for University Affairs, 8 September 2015
PhD Life Coach? Jen Polk helps grad students launch meaningful careers
Interview with Chris Jones, Rock Your Research podcast, episode 4, 25 August 2015
Finding Myself at Congress
Article by Stacey R. Devlin for The Pixelated Historian, 31 May 2015
Feeling Stuck
Article by Carrie Arnold for Science’s Career Magazine, 28 May 2015
Thriving as a Freelance Academic
Katie Rose Guest Pryal for Vitae, 8 May 2015
What it might mean when you begin to ‘put yourself in charge
Post by Jet for the Ruminations: Life after Academia blog, 19 March 2015
Fears of a post-PhD future
Post by Andrew Kloiber on ArchivalAdventure, 19 March 2015
13 Academics Speak Out: ‘What Would I Do If I Had No Hope of Tenure?
Featured by Scott Rank for The Scholarpreneur, 9 February 2015
The University is Just Another Client
Katie Rose Guest Pryal for Vitae, 5 February 2015
Career Coaching for Scientists: Why and Where Do I Find One?
Article by Joanne Kamens for the AddGene blog, 29 January 2015
Jennifer Polk, PhD, History
Interview with Marco Altamirano for the GradSquare Radio podcast, episode 18, 22 January 2015
The American Red Cross and YMCA in Revolutionary Russia, 1917-1924
Article by Christopher Stroop for Dissertation Reviews, 12 January 2015
2014
A Manifesto for the Freelance Academic
Article by Katie Rose Guest Pryal for The Chronicle of Higher Education, 31 October 2014
Finding a Mentor
Article by Gwendolyn Beetham for the University of Venus blog on Inside Higher Ed, 14 October 2014
Avoiding the Post-Grad Scramble: Dr. Jennifer Polk, history grad, on her alt-ac career path
Article by Jackie Amsden for the SFU Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Fellows blog, 27 June 2014
The Rogue Scholar Strikes a Balance
Article by Brandy Schillace for Inside Higher Ed, 5 June 2014
When PhDs realize they won’t be professors
Article by Josh Dehaas for Maclean’s, 22 May 2014
Escape from the Ivory Tower: PhDs ditch campus for startups and beyond
Article by Alex Dalenberg for Upstart Business Journal, 29 April 2014
2013
Interview with Cheri DiNovo
Radio interview with Cheri DiNovo for the program, 3 Women on CUIT 89.5FM Toronto, 10 December 2013
The Rogue Scholar Goes Digital
Article by Brandy Shillace for Inside Higher Ed, 6 August 2013
Jennifer Polk: ‘Recent PhDs Need to Have their Confidence Boosted
Interview with David Austin Walsh for History News Network, 5 August 2013
Jennifer Polk
Interview with Dan Mullin, the Unemployed Philosopher’s Podcast, episode 11, 4 June 2013
How to Network: My Interview with Jennifer Polk, PhD
Interviewed by Liz Covart, 10 May 2013
Rogue Scholar Salon: Introducing Jennifer Polk and From PhD to Life
Fiction Reboot Daily Dose, 3 February 2013
