The Academinist

What happens when art, neuroscience and neurodiversity meet? Sounds like the set up for a bad punchline, but this month Rebecca chats to the brilliant team behind NEUROART to find out exactly that! Bethan Burnside, Keshvi Shah and Dr. Shaakir Salam are a multi-talented team coming from different backgrounds of science communication, research and research funding management. They tell us the story behind the NEUROART exhibition held at the Science Gallery (London, UK) earlier this year, and among many other things we also discuss team-work, science communication, and what researchers can do better to support & include neurodivergent people!  Learn more about NEUROART here (and check out the behind-the-scenes video to hear more from researchers and artists involved!) Catch up on highlights: @neuroartexhibition (Instagram) Follow Bethan Follow Keshvi Follow Shaakir Want to be a guest on The Academinist? Find our guest form here. Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com Recorded: 14th March 2024 & 26th August 2024 Released: 30th August 2024 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library)

This month Rebecca enters a temporary solo era and sits down to chat to Emma Francis & Hannah Franklin, two (newly minted!) PhD students who lead the national campaign to increase UKRI-funded PhD stipends…and won! In this second part of an ongoing discussion on how the cost of living crisis is affecting PhD students, Emma and Hannah share their inspiring experiences of organising the successful campaign in 2022 and update us with the facts and figures on where things stand now. They also tell us about all the work they’ve been doing to engage UK government representatives to ensure PhDs are included in policy dialogue on increasing cost of living for students. How do you talk to politicians…and get them to listen to you? Follow Emma: @emmarubyfrancis (Twitter) Follow Hannah: @neuroblonde (Twitter) Listen to ‘Part One’ with Sophie Langdon  Learn more: The House of Lords Office for Student Investigation Report (2023): here. The Office for Students response statement to the report: here. The latest from UKRI on UK PhD stipends: here. Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 2nd Feb 2024 & 29th Feb 2024 Released: 1st March 2024 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month The Academinist contemplates all the odd places we’ve recorded episodes, and reflects on the end of another year. We’re also joined by Dr. Sam Terry, a cancer biologist at King’s College London, to discuss challenges and current barriers in academia which specifically affect mothers in STEM. Sam shares her experiences of going on maternity leave twice as an early career researcher, including post-natal depression, juggling childcare and successfully navigating the return to work.  Follow Sam for more on her work: @syaterry (Twitter) Check out Sam’s Lab: https://radlab.uk and @kingsimaging (Twitter) For more support resources , blogs and community around being a mother in academia, Jodi and Rebecca also recommend checking out Mothers in Science (website: https://www.mothersinscience.com/ Twitter: @mothersinsci). Jodi’s list of festive causes if you are in a position to donate to those in need: St Mungos  Great Ormond Street Christmas Appeal Salvation Army Christmas Appeal Trussell Trust Christmas Toy Donations in the UK Christmas volunteering opportunities at Crisis Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 29th November  & 11th December 2023 Released: 29th December 2023 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

Ahh the million-dollar question (but only on International Women’s Day). Do men talk about gender equality when we’re not leading the discussion? What does male privilege look & feel like in STEM? How should men engage with gender equality discussions and why do so many find it so difficult? This month Jodi & Rebecca are joined by not one, not two but FOUR men to discuss all this and more, as well as some honest chat about lessons learned and experiences across different intersections.  International Men’s Day: https://internationalmensday.com/  Movember: https://uk.movember.com/ (learn more and donate if you can!)  This month’s recommendations from our guests: Project EduAccess - a non-profit improving access to Higher Education for marginalised communities in the Global South. Check them out to see how you can volunteer (like Arish) and take a look at their free resources. https://www.projecteduaccess.com/  Are you a Brazilian graduate hoping to pursue post-graduate education (MSc, MRes, PhD) in the UK or North America? Rodrigo is happy to mentor you! Get in touch: rodrigo.duarte@kcl.ac.uk  Are you interested in design and biomaterials? Are you looking for a PhD or research assistant position with a fantastic PI & mentor? Join Ali’s brand new team in the Design School at the Royal College of Arts. Get in touch to find out more about upcoming positions: ali.mohammed@imperial.ac.uk  Are you a teacher of A-Level STEM subject students from underprivileged backgrounds in the UK? Contact Shiden to find out more about opportunities to experience ‘a day in the life’ of a neuroscientist in the lab: shiden.solomon@kcl.ac.uk  Connect with our guests: Dr Ali Mohammed: @AliMoe88 (Twitter) Arish Mudra Rakshasa-Loots: @ArishMRL (Twitter) Dr Rodrigo Duarte: @3RDuarte (Twitter) Dr Shiden Solomon: @ShidenSolomon (Twitter), https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiden-solomon-155022126/ (LinkedIn) Rate & review us wherever you get your podcasts!  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 2nd and 13th November 2023 Released: 4th December 2023 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton & Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month Rebecca has a run in with a T-Rex and Jodi contemplates whether laughing is an acceptable response to ‘how are you’ towards the end of your PhD. We’re also joined by Dr. Srishti Baid, a microbiologist who shares her experiences of moving from India to the USA for her research career. Srishti shares helpful tips and insight on the unexpected challenges of making an international move for her career, plus how some of these obstacles intersect with being an Indian woman in STEM.  Connect with Srishti Twitter: @BaidSrishti LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srishtibaid/  ‘I’m A Scientist Get Me Out of Here!’: https://imascientist.org.uk/  Check out this school outreach initiative - tried, tested and recommended by Srishti (and other past guests) - which puts scientists into classrooms around the world to chat to school students and answer their most burning questions.  Rate & review us wherever you get your podcasts! Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com . Recorded: 28th September 2023 and 6th October 2023 Released: 27th October 2023 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton & Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

Is something burning? This month Rebecca and Jodi unpack their experiences of burnout, both recent and current. We’re also joined by Megan Kwok, an incredible high school student, aspiring neuroscientist, youth mental health activist and co-founder of ‘Because Mental Health’: an education platform for mental health, psychology and psychiatry. Megan shares her experiences of being a young person in the activism space, how to be taken seriously by older generations and managing your mental health whilst working on causes you’re passionate about. We also chat about accessibility of research work experience and challenges faced by aspiring young scientists trying to get into a lab. Follow Megan on LinkedIn. Check out Because Mental Health (and donate if you can): www.becausementalhealth.org/  Are you working in STEM and want to help young people get to where you are? Consider joining the mentorship programme run by Because Mental Health, which tries to connect students with STEM professionals to demystify STEM careers.  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com Recorded: 11th August 2022 and 2nd September 2023 Released: 28th September 2023 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library)

The Academinist is BACK! Settle down for story time as Rebecca and Jodi fill you in on all the juicy details of where they’ve been and what they’ve been up to. Plus we hop in our time machine and take a trip back to July 2022 to chat to Professor Emily Sena about ‘Integrity’. Emily shares her expertise on research integrity as a meta researcher and all-round champion of open science. She also chats about maintaining integrity as a researcher on a personal level in a system that doesn’t reward this. We know you’ve missed us so we’ve brought you an absolute treat from the archives!  Follow Emily: @profEmilySena (Twitter) Check out ReproducibiliTea, mentioned by Emily: @ReproducibiliT (Twitter), https://reproducibilitea.org/ Emily also recommends the fantastic book ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race’ by Reni Eddo-Lodge. Want to be a guest on ‘The Academinist’?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 21st July 2022 and 19th August 2023. Released: 1st September 2023 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard. Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month the office plants are thriving more than the PhD students, and Rebecca and Jodi have been taking their own advice. We also chat to Mal Ahmed, a PhD researcher at Goldsmiths University working on neuropsychology . Mal shares with us her experiences as a practicing Muslim woman in STEM, busting some myths and misconceptions about Islam and also chatting to us about being both religious and a scientist.  Follow Mal: @__maliat (Twitter), @_phdpending (Instagram) Check out Mal’s platform, ‘PhD Pending’: https://linktr.ee/_phdpending Check out the Yaqueen Institute as a starting place to learn about Islam and be a more informed ally: https://yaqeeninstitute.org/   Support the Restless Beings Sylhet Flood appeal if you are able to: https://donate.restlessbeings.org/appeals/sylhet-flood-2022  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 6th July 2022 and 26th July 2022(recorded remotely via Zoom, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality).  Released: 29th July 2022 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard. Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month Jodi’s broadcasting from her duvet and Rebecca’s got a thesis in the oven. We’re also joined by Sophie Langdon, Cancer Research UK PhD student, to chat about ‘The Cost of PhDing’. This is an honest, open conversation sharing experiences and discussing the challenges of financial stress and living on a PhD stipend during a cost of living crisis. Sophie also dishes the dirt on both sides of the academia/industry divide, sharing her perspective of returning to academia for a PhD. Sign the ‘Postgraduate Researchers Against Low Pay’ open letter to the UKRI. It takes 1 minute and is an easy action you can take relating to the discussion in this episode! There’s also an option to anonymously sign.  Sign the letter: bit.ly/UKRIStipends Follow Sophie on Twitter: @Sophie_Langdon6 Check out ‘I’m a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here!’: https://imascientist.org.uk/  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 6th June and 27th June 2022 (recorded remotely via Zoom).  Released: 1st July 2022 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

Welcome to the terrible two’s…it’s our birthday and we’ll cry if we want to. The Academinist is 2 years old! This month Rebecca & Jodi reflect on growing, learning and throw the podcasting equivalent of a party,  as we invite our friends from past episodes to join us. The road to  equality in STEM is long and slow, so to celebrate two years of episodes our present from us to you is an episode of hope and sharing what inspires us. Thanks to all of our incredible guests over the past two years, everyone who contributed to this episode and to all our listeners new and old who have stuck with us each month!  Featuring: Christine Madla, Ciara Kenneally, Laura Sichlinger, Laura Taylor, Maria O’Hanlon, Molly Ann Williams, Annora Thoeng, Selina Wray, Oluwaseun Ogundele, Tomi Akingbade. Listen to part 2 of the ‘Women In Academia’ special episode over at PhDeets, featuring Rebecca and last month’s guest Laura Sichlinger! Find PhDeets wherever you get your podcasts or check out their website. PhDeets - http://phdeets.com/  Black Women in Science Podcast - buff.ly/3MAa6DU Check out the new podcast by the Black Women in Science network, their first episode is out now and features the fabulous Tomi Akingbade. Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 23rd May 2022 Released: 27th May 2022 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Barnard. Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month Jodi’s very quiet, plus we’re joined by Laura Sichlinger, neuroscience PhD student and co-president of Women of the Wohl, to talk ‘Partners in Crime’. Laura chats to us about allies, women in STEM looking out for each other, co-conspiring to dismantle the patriarchy and while we’re on it where are all the men and how do we get them involved?  Follow Laura: @LSichlinger (Twitter) Women of the Wohl - a gender equality network for STEM staff and students at King’s College London.  Website: womenofthewohl.com Twitter & Instagram: @womenofthewohl Email: womenofthewohl@kcl.ac.uk Women in Neuroscience - https://www.storiesofwin.org/  Women’s Brain Project - https://www.womensbrainproject.com/  Listen to Laura & Rebecca discuss the gender pay gap and barriers women face trying to progress in academia over at PhDeets! Find PhDeets wherever you get your podcasts or check out their website. PhDeets - http://phdeets.com/  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 21st March 2022 and 28th April 2022 (recorded remotely via Zoom).  Released: 29th April 2022 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month Jodi and Rebecca ponder taking a nap for the entirety of April after a busy Women’s History Month, discuss PayGapApp: the rebellious Twitter bot sticking it to the patriarchy on International Women’s Day. Plus we’re joined by the fabulous Dr. Clara Barker, an engineer and materials scientist, and Manager of the Centre for Applied Superconductivity at the University of Oxford. Clara chats to us about ‘Standing Out’ in many different senses: being an LGBT+ role model in STEM, breaking down scientist stereotypes, sharing her experiences of being a trans woman in STEM and how small acts of allyship can stand out and make a real difference to those who feel unwelcome in STEM.  Follow Clara: @ClaraMBarker (Twitter) Check out her YouTube channel: youtube.com/ClaraMBarker Watch Clara’s fantastic TEDx talk on ‘Building Trust to Create Diversity in Institutions’ Go and check out some of the fantastic organisations Clara mentioned, working to showcase underrepresented researchers in STEM, particularly LGBTQIA+ researchers. There are lots of resources, webinars and campaigns to check out - go and learn, support and get involved if you can! TIGER In STEMM - https://www.tigerinstemm.org/ or follow them on Twitter @tigerinstemm  Pride In STEM - https://prideinstem.org/ or follow them on Twitter @PrideinSTEM  The STEM Village - https://www.thestemvillage.com/ or follow on Twitter @TheSTEMvillage  The Royal Society of Chemistry report on LGBT+ researchers, plus resources: https://www.rsc.org/new-perspectives/talent/lgbt-report/  Go and check out the IWD antics of PayGapApp: @PayGapApp Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com . Recorded:17th February 2022 and 28th March 2022 (recorded remotely via Zoom).  Released: 1st April 2022 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

Cats and dogs and hats (oh my!) This month brings abundant animal guests, while Rebecca and Jodi contemplate the passage of time. Plus we’re joined by Professor Tara Spires-Jones, Professor of Neurodegeneration at the University of Edinburgh and Founding Editor of Brain Communications (just 2 of her many ‘hats’!) We chat about how research group leaders can lead by example when it comes to running an inclusive lab and supporting progress. Plus we dive into what inclusivity looks like in the sphere of academic journals, open access publishing and the process of starting a journal!  Follow Tara: @TSpiresJones (Twitter) Check out her lab group’s work at their website. Check out Brain Communications at their website here (including the Reviewer Academy and the Observers Programme - some really great schemes for ECR’s!)  Follow Brain Communications: @BrainComms (Twitter) Check out the British Neuroscience Association and their equality tools & resources for neuroscience researchers here. Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com . Recorded: 4th February 2022 and 7th February 2022 (recorded remotely via Zoom).  Released: 25th February 2021 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

New year, more of The Academinist! We kick off 2022 contemplating who’s really the ‘evil half’ of The Academinist, first jobs and what Beyoncé gets done in 24 hours. Plus we’re joined by Ciara Kenneally, PhD researcher studying antibiotic resistance at Munster Technological Institute, talking about the challenges faced when you need to work on the side to make ends meet while studying, or working a second job.  *TW: Burnout and mental health discussed throughout* Follow Ciara on Instagram (@ciaras.phd.ramblings) and Twitter (@CK_Sci) Check out Ciara's blog: https://ciarasramblings.wordpress.com/  Ireland-based listeners can check out some of the organisations Ciara mentioned, whether you are seeking mental health crisis support, or would like to donate your time or money to support these vital services: Pieta House - https://www.pieta.ie/about/ Aware - https://www.aware.ie/ Jigsaw (Youth Mental Health) - https://jigsaw.ie/  For UK listeners, here are some excellent charities providing mental health & crisis support: Papyrus -  https://www.papyrus-uk.org/ Samaritans - https://www.samaritans.org/ Shout (24/7 text support service) - https://giveusashout.org/ Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 18th January 2022 and 24th January 2022 (recorded remotely via Zoom). Released: 28th January 2021 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow. Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton. Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

As 2021 draws to a close, we get cosy and have an honest chat about loneliness in research life with Dr. Molly Williams, who has just completed her PhD research at Dublin City University. We talk about mental health, building support networks, moving away to do research, plus how it can feel particularly isolating trying to navigate your career as a woman in science.  Follow Molly: @_dr_molly (Instagram), @WilliamsMolly_9 (Twitter) Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 19th November 2021 and 2nd December 2021(recorded remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality).  Released: 10th December 2021. Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

September brings an unexpected abundance of jazz hands and...a vanishing plant?! Plus, we’re joined by Claire Saunders, a PhD researcher in applied physics and materials science at California Institute of Technology. Amongst many things, we chat about: the challenges of working on a PhD whilst managing a chronic autoimmune illness, the effect of gender when it comes to being ‘taken seriously’, and what needs to change to make science more accessible to people managing chronic health conditions.  Follow Claire: @ClaireNSaunders (Twitter) Check out Claire’s website: https://www.clairensaunders.com/  Want to know more about experiences of managing research alongside a chronic health condition? Check out Ellie Hurer - another fantastic researcher who shares her story of pausing her PhD due to chronic illness and the anxieties around productivity & returning to the lab. Ellie's Instagram: @myphdexperience  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 21st September 2021 and 25th September 2021(recorded remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality).  Released: 1st October 2021 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

This month Jodi returns and The Academinist unites as two tired PhDs talk work/life balance and setting boundaries to look after yourself AND your experiments (who knew?!) Plus we’re joined by Tomi Akingbade, research technician and founder of Black Women in Science Network. We have an honest chat about the times when things aren’t so balanced, tips and advice, plus the additional challenges when it comes to setting boundaries as a Black woman in research.  Follow Tomi and check out her work: https://linktr.ee/tomiakingbade Check out Black Women in Science Network and follow: www.bwisnetwork.co.uk  Tomi also mentions some other fantastic organisations you can go and check out, follow and support however you can. Black British in STEM: @BB_STEM (Twitter) Black In X Movement (there’s a network/week for every field!): blackinx.org  BYP Network: @BYPNetworkApp (Twitter) Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com. Recorded: 11th August 2021 and 24th August 2021(recorded remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality).  Released: 27th August 2021 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library)

July brings you - for one night only - the Rebecca Monologues, plus we are joined by Christine Madla (@sexinscience), PhD researcher and founder of Sex In Science. We chat about the data gap in research when it comes to both sex and gender, how this affects our day to day lives, plus how YOU can fight the data gap with your own research!  Follow Christine and the campaign: @sexinscience (Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn) Want to get involved in Sex In Science? DM to get involved as a guest researcher!  If our chat about the sex and gender data gaps has tickled your brain cells, you can learn more by checking out any of the resources we mentioned:  ‘Invisible Women’ by Caroline Criado Perez (an absolute must-read!)  ‘Unwell Women’ by Elinor Cleghorn ‘Pain & Prejudice: A Call to Arms for Women and their Bodies’ by Gabrielle Jackson Check out Christine’s paper: ‘Let’s talk about sex: Differences in drug therapy in males and females’ - https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1dKfL,3sXTb1Ss  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com . Recorded: 14th July  2021 and 28th July 2021(recorded remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality).  Released: 30th July 2021 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

June brings summer lab meltdowns of the temperature kind and the emotional kind as we talk crying in toilets and putting imposter syndrome in the bin, with NHS Medical Laboratory Assistant, Laura Taylor. We chat about dealing with your inner saboteur and lifting up others, as Laura shares her perspective being LGBTQ+ in STEM.  Follow Laura on Instagram (@techingonscience) and Twitter (@techingonsci) Check out her blog Teching On Science: https://laurajtaylor96.wixsite.com/mysite  UK residents! You can check out the Ban Conversion Therapy campaign and send an email to your MP here: https://www.banconversiontherapy.com/ . It’s so quick & easy to do and such an important cause to lend our support to for all our LGBTQ+ friends - please go and support!   Stonewall UK is also an excellent charity supporting LGBTQ+ people. It’s a great place to start in learning more about how you can do so too, and also a community to reach out to if you identify as LGBTQ+ and need help, support or advice. Check out their website: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/  Alzheimer’s Society - https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ Alzheimer’s Research UK - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/  Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Become a Dementia Friend’ - https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/WEBArticle?page=join-options  Want to be a guest on The Academinist?:  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com . Recorded: 2nd June 2021 and 21st June 2021(recorded remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality).  Released: 25th June 2021 Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow.  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton.  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library).

The Academinist is 1 year old! To celebrate, Rebecca and Jodi reflect on a year of laughs, learning and lemons - and bring you some bloopers from the archives which never made the final cut (for obvious reasons!) Thanks to every guest who has taken part and shared their time, energy and experiences with The Academinist - and to all of you who have listened along and stuck with us for a whole year!  Want to be a guest on The Academinist? -  https://linktr.ee/theacademinist Follow us: @theacademinist (Twitter & Instagram), or write to us at theacademinist@gmail.com . Recorded: 22nd May 2021 (recorded remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19, please excuse some fluctuations in audio quality) .  Released: 28th May 2021 . Hosts: Rebecca Casterton, Jodi Parslow .  Producer & Editor: Rebecca Casterton .  Music: Right Place, Right Time | Silent Partner (YouTube Audio Library) .