S5E2: Staying Flexible

S5E5: Should I take statistics classes?

Sometimes grad students or people who are advising them will ask us if they should take extra statistics classes. Most programs require a few, and so they wonder what the benefit might be for spending the time, energy, and effort to learn even more statistical methods. In this episode Jess and Sara will describe what we think the benefits are of those classes, and what classes we think people should consider taking as they make their way through their programs. We also talk about some special considerations for early career folks. Spoiler alert: Yes. You should take extra classes. Have a listen and find out why.  Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com [withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com]. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com [http://www.withinandbetweenpod.com/]. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer.

S5E4: What’s in a Job Talk?

Job Talks, they’re different from conference talks! Here, Jess and Sara talk about what we think is the most successful structure for a job talk; what to include and how long to spend in each area. We describe the purpose of this talk, and what you should think about when writing one. We provide some of our favorite tips for getting the talk ready to present. Hint: practice, practice, practice! Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com [withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com]. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com [http://www.withinandbetweenpod.com/]. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer. Recorded November 23, 2026

S5E3: What is a postdoc and should I do one?

One question Jess and Sara get a lot is whether doing a postdoc is a good idea. Here, we talk about what a postdoc is, how long it lasts, and what kinds of jobs a postdoc can take on. We also describe what we see as the advantages and disadvantages of the position. We talk a bit about our past times as post docs, and what kinds of things you can do when you are there, and what kinds of grants are available just for you if you decide to go for it.  In this episode, we mention this nice resource for postdocs: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/postdoc-guide [https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/postdoc-guide]  Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com [withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com]. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com [http://www.withinandbetweenpod.com/]. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer.

S5E2: Staying Flexible

Well 2025 was a year with lots of uncertainty. Jess and Sara talk about how the funding landscape has changed for us, how it has changed our work, and how we are handling it (hint: it’s not great!). We go through ideas of how to pivot your work when there may not be new funding, and describe kinds of projects you can do with minimal outside funding. We expect that academia is going to be a bit different for a while, so we talk about how we can be thoughtful about that in applying for jobs, mentoring, and reviewing our colleagues. We may all need to stare out some windows for a while.  A recent data sharing paper with repository resources! https://doi.org/10.25894/rise.2604. Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com [withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com]. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com [http://www.withinandbetweenpod.com/]. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer. Episode recorded 09/06/2025

S5E1: Moving is Disruptive Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

No, you’re not having deja vu. It’s a different kind of two part episode, one that is two and a half years in the making. Sara has moved to a new institution! And just to one up Jess, she has also moved to a new country! Listen to hear her talk about what it’s like to move institutions as a (ahem) senior professor. What kinds of things do you have to think about across research, teaching, and service as you’re deciding whether to and eventually planning for a move. And what do you do about email? Well, some of us made smarter choices than others. Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com [withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com]. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com [http://www.withinandbetweenpod.com/]. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer. Recorded 11/30/2024