when you give a columbia phd student a camera

Summary

In this video, Bianca, a second-year Ph.D. student in neurobiology and a first-generation immigrant, shares her journey and insights into navigating academia. She discusses the challenges of transitioning from undergrad to grad school, the competitiveness of graduate programs, and the lack of guidance for entering and thriving in academic research. Bianca offers advice on acing Ph.D. interviews, writing emails to professors, and distinguishing between industry and academia. She also addresses the prevalence of toxic labs and the importance of self-care in the lab.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The journey to higher education in STEM can be confusing and feels isolating.
• 🎓 Tips on acing PhD interviews are valuable for those applying to graduate programs.
• 🧑‍🎓 Doubts about one's readiness for graduate school are common among undergraduates.
• 🏫 The competitive nature of grad school can be daunting for prospective students.
• 📝 Support for writing a Statement of Purpose (SOP) is crucial for grad school applications.
• ✉️ Guidance on how to effectively communicate with professors via email is important.
• 📊 Understanding how to create and interpret figures is key for presenting research.
• 🔍 The distinction between industry and academia is significant for career planning.
• 🧪 Advice on avoiding toxic labs is essential for a healthy academic career.
• 👩‍🔬 The lack of guidance on entering and thriving in academia leads to many challenges.
• 📚 The speaker, Bianca, shares her experiences as a second-year PhD student and first-generation immigrant.
• 🌟 A personal touch is added with humor and relatable anecdotes to engage the audience.
• 💧 A reminder to take care of oneself, including hydration, is a common theme in lab settings.

Q & A

What is the main concern expressed by the speaker about pursuing a career in science?

The main concern expressed by the speaker is the confusion and lack of clarity regarding the path to pursuing a master's, a PhD, or any career in science, feeling like everyone else knows exactly what to do, while they are trying to figure it out through trial and error.

How does the speaker suggest one can ace their PhD interviews?

The speaker does not explicitly mention how to ace PhD interviews in the transcript, but implies that sharing her experiences and insights could help demystify the process.

What is the speaker's background that might contribute to her feeling unprepared for academia?

The speaker is a second-year PhD student at Columbia's neurobiology and behavior program and a first-generation immigrant, which means she lacks guidance from her family in navigating academia.

What is the speaker's perspective on the transition from undergraduate to graduate school?

The speaker implies that there is a lack of support and guidance for the transition from undergraduate to graduate school, which can make the process seem daunting.

Why does the speaker believe grad school is competitive?

The speaker does not explicitly state why grad school is competitive in the transcript, but it can be inferred that the competitive nature might be due to the high standards and the number of applicants.

What kind of support does the speaker wish she had when applying for PhD programs?

The speaker wishes for SOP (Statement of Purpose) support, implying that guidance on crafting an effective statement of purpose could have been beneficial.

How does the speaker plan to help others avoid toxic labs in academia?

The speaker does not provide a direct answer in the transcript, but her intention to share her experiences and insights suggests that she might offer advice on identifying and avoiding toxic lab environments.

What is the speaker's approach to discussing her experiences in academia?

The speaker plans to share her experiences and insights as a 'random Romanian girl' rambling over the internet, aiming to demystify the challenges of academia.

What is the speaker's advice on maintaining personal well-being in a lab setting?

The speaker advises to be kind to oneself and to remember to eat well and drink water, acknowledging that lab work can lead to dehydration.

What is the significance of the speaker's mention of her ratchet animations and sense of humor?

The speaker uses humor and animations to make the content more relatable and engaging, potentially to offset the seriousness of the challenges discussed.

What is the overall message the speaker wants to convey to her audience?

The overall message is to demystify the complex and often confusing path to a career in science, offering support and insights to those navigating academia.

Outlines

00:00

🧑‍🎓 Navigating the Path to a PhD

The speaker, Bianca, a second-year PhD student in neurobiology and behavior at Columbia, begins by expressing a common sentiment among STEM students: the confusion and uncertainty about pursuing higher education or a career in science. She empathizes with the feeling of being lost and compares it to everyone else seeming to have a clear path. Bianca then outlines several topics she wishes she had known about when applying for PhD programs, such as acing interviews, understanding the transition from undergraduate to graduate school, and dealing with the competitiveness of graduate studies. She also touches on the lack of guidance in writing emails to professors, creating figures for presentations, and the differences between industry and academia. Bianca mentions the challenges of avoiding toxic lab environments and the general lack of preparation for entering and thriving in academia, which she suggests contributes to many horror stories. As a first-generation immigrant, Bianca shares her unique perspective of navigating academia without familial guidance. She invites the audience to join her as she shares her experiences and insights, attempting to demystify the complex ladder of academic advancement.

Keywords

💡STEM

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is a broad educational and professional field that encompasses a wide range of disciplines. In the script, the speaker is addressing individuals within STEM, indicating that the video's content is specifically tailored to those who are pursuing or considering careers in these areas.

💡PhD

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. It is the highest academic degree awarded by universities in many countries. The script discusses the pursuit of a PhD, suggesting that the video is geared towards individuals who are considering or are in the process of obtaining this degree, particularly in the field of science.

💡Grad School

Grad school refers to graduate school, which is an institution that offers postgraduate education. The script mentions the transition from undergraduate to graduate school, emphasizing the challenges and considerations that individuals in STEM fields may face when deciding to pursue higher education.

💡Competitive

In the context of the script, 'competitive' refers to the high level of competition one might face when applying to graduate programs or pursuing a career in academia. The speaker implies that the process of getting into grad school or succeeding in academia is not easy and requires a lot of effort and skill.

💡SOP

SOP stands for Statement of Purpose. It is a crucial document often required as part of graduate school applications. The script mentions SOP support, indicating that the video may provide guidance on how to write an effective SOP, which is key to standing out in a competitive application process.

💡Emails to Professors

The script touches on the importance of knowing how to write emails to professors, which is a common task for students and researchers. This could involve seeking advice, requesting information, or establishing a professional relationship, which is crucial for academic networking.

💡Figure

In an academic context, a 'figure' typically refers to a visual representation of data or concepts, often included in research papers or presentations. The script suggests that the video may provide guidance on creating figures, which is an essential skill for presenting research findings.

💡Industry vs Academia

The script contrasts 'industry' with 'academia,' referring to two different sectors where STEM professionals might work. Industry usually refers to the private sector, while academia refers to educational and research institutions. The speaker may be discussing the differences between these two paths to help viewers decide which career direction is right for them.

💡Toxic Labs

A 'toxic lab' refers to a research environment characterized by negative behaviors such as excessive pressure, poor communication, or unhealthy competition. The script mentions avoiding such labs, suggesting that the video may offer advice on how to identify and navigate challenging work environments in academia.

💡First Generation Immigrant

The speaker identifies as a first-generation immigrant, which means they are the first in their family to live in a new country. This context is relevant as it may provide unique challenges and perspectives on navigating academia, particularly when cultural or language barriers are involved.

💡Neurobiology and Behavior

Neurobiology and behavior is a scientific field that studies how the nervous system and its cells, specifically neurons, contribute to behavior. The speaker mentions being a second-year PhD student in this field at Columbia, indicating that the video's content may be particularly relevant to those interested in this area of study.

Highlights

The road to pursuing a masters, a PhD, or any career in science can be confusing.

Feeling of uncertainty and lack of guidance in STEM fields.

Importance of acing PhD interviews.

Transitioning from undergraduate to grad school.

Self-doubt and the question of being 'good enough' for graduate school.

The competitiveness of grad school.

Support for writing a Statement of Purpose (SOP).

How to write effective emails to professors.

Understanding the difference between creating a figure and its significance.

Distinction between industry and academia.

How to avoid joining toxic labs.

Lack of guidance on entering and thriving in academia.

Prevalence of horror stories due to lack of mentorship.

Introduction of Bianca, a second-year PhD student at Columbia.

Bianca's background as a first-generation immigrant.

Bianca's experience in academic research and the biotech industry.

Bianca's intention to demystify the challenges of academia.

Humor and relatability in Bianca's approach to discussing academia.

Advice on self-care in the context of lab work.

Transcripts

If you’re in STEM, have  you ever had this thought?: 

Why is the road to pursuing a masters, a  phd, or any career in science so confusing? 

It feels like everyone else  knows exactly what to do. 

But i’m just trudging along and trying  to figure it out through trial and error. 

Here are the things i wish i knew  when applying for phd programs! 

So how do you really ace your phd interviews? The undergraduate to grad school pipeline 

Are you sure you’re good  enough for graduate school? 

Why is grad school so competitive? SOP SUPPORT 

How do you even write emails to professors? What’s a figure and how do you make one? 

What’s the different between  

industry and academia? How to avoid crazy toxic labs? 

No one teaches us how to enter academia. No one teaches us how to thrive in academia. 

Is it a surprise that there  are so many horror stories? 

Hi, my name’s bianca, and I’m a second  year phd student at Columbia’s phd  

program in neurobiology and behavior. I’m also a first generation immigrant,  

which means that I have no idea what i’m doing,  and my parents can’t really me help either. 

But after 4 years in academic research  and 4 years working in boston biotech,  

i’ve learned a few things here and there. If you wanna hear this random Romanian girl  

ramble over the internet about  all the thing’s I’ve learned 

while trying to demystify the  seemingly insurmountable ladder  

that is academia, stick around! Hopefully my ratchet animations  

detract from my poor sense of humor. Until next time, be kind to yourself, and  

remember to eat well and drink some water because  all of us are perpetually dehydrated in the lab.