Category: Transition Q & A

  • Transition Q & A: Mélanie Brunet

    Mélanie Brunet earned her PhD in history and then her Master of Information from the University of Toronto. She’s now the librarian at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Ottawa. Follow her @MelanieBrunet. Update, June 2016: Melanie is now Copyright Services Librarian at the University of Ottawa. What did you hope for in terms of employment…

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  • Transition Q & A: Sam Ladner

    Sam Ladner is a senior researcher at Microsoft, researching the future of productivity. She holds a PhD in sociology and has studied work, technology, and organizations in both academic and applied settings. Find her online at SamLadner.com and follow at @sladner. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? I had…

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  • Transition Q & A: Alisa Harrison

    Alisa Harrison earned her PhD in history from Duke University. She’s principal at A. Harrison Research & Consulting and the executive director of the Victoria (British Columbia) Division of Family Practice. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? I wanted work that would be intellectually as well as socially/politically engaging; I felt like…

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  • Transition Q & A: Sarah Kendzior

    Sarah Kendzior earned her PhD in anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. She is now a columnist for Al Jazeera English, a public speaker, a researcher and a consultant. Find her online at SarahKendzior.com and follow her on Twitter @sarahkendzior. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? I started…

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  • Transition Q & A: Chris Humphrey

    Chris Humphrey earned his PhD in medieval studies from the University of York. He’s currently a project manager at Triodos Bank. Find him online at Jobs on Toast, his website of “positive & practical support for PhD careers outside academia,” and follow him on Twitter @ChrisHumphrey. What did you hope for in terms of employment as…

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  • Transition Q & As from around the web

    Here are a couple interesting Q & As from Life After the PhD and Inside Higher Ed. Here’s an excerpt from an interview with Jessa Chupik, who transitioned from history PhD student to executive recruiter: Many students might be loath to leave the academy because they enjoy certain aspects of the job. How have you…

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  • Transition Q & A: Kimberley Yates

    Kimberley Yates received her PhD in English from the University of Toronto in 1997 and completed a Masters of Information Studies in 2009.  She is currently associate director of the Jackman Humanities Institute at the University of Toronto. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? I was a…

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  • Transition Q & A: Heather Steel

    Heather Steel earned her MA in history from the University of New Brunswick and spent six years in the PhD program in history at York University. She is now a researcher in the non-profit sector. You left your history PhD program before finishing. Why? In the end, my dissertation and I were not a good…

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  • Transition Q & A: Brad King

    Brad King earned his PhD in history from the University of Toronto. He is a vice president at Lord Cultural Resources, an international museum and cultural planning firm. A tenure-track job at a research institution is often seen as the supposed goal of a post-PhD job search. What was your experience? What did you hope for…

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  • Transition Q & A: Jamie Pratt

    Jamie Pratt received his PhD in philosophy from York University, specializing in ethics. He is now the research officer in York’s Faculty of Fine Arts. A tenure-track job at a research institution is often seen as the goal of a post-PhD job search. What was your experience? What did you hope for in terms of…

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