Academic Defectors

Allen Roda, PhD in Ethnomusicology: The Journey is the Destination

In Episode 9, Dr. Allen Roda shares his winding career path in and out of academia, and reflects with wisdom on how he weaved various professional (and personal) experiences together into a cohesive life of his own design, currently working as CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the company Dissertation Editor. You can find him on social media @allenroda and @disesrtation_editor, and be sure to check out his book -- PhDone: A Professional Dissertation Editor's Guide to Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis and Earning Your PhD -- anywhere books are sold, and at the following link: https://www.dissertation-editor.com/phdone-book [https://www.dissertation-editor.com/phdone-book]

Joe Stubenrauch, PhD in History: Heeding Your Intuition

In Episode 8, Dr. Joe Stubenrauch discusses the series of revelations that led him to choose a life reflective of long-hushed inner goals. Because he left a tenured faculty position in the history department of Baylor University to do so, Dr. Stubenrauch's candid story of leaving academia is rendered especially poignant-- and reminds us that life is once, so we might as well head in the direction toward whatever makes us happy.

Jackie Coley, PhD in Biomedical Sciences / Pathology: Inner and Outer Fulfillment

In Episode Seven, Dr. Jackie Coley discusses how graduate school fed into unhelpful perfectionistic habits that, upon confronting, eventually inspired her current career as a confidence coach. In addition to providing insight into how we can turn adversity into opportunity through retraining our mindset, Dr. Coley also shares insight into her tenure as a scientist first as an undergrad in North Carolina, and eventually as a doctoral student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.

Oscar Pocasangre, PhD in Political Science: Keeping Your Options Open

In our sixth episode, Dr. Oscar Pocasangre shares his journey from his undergraduate student days "at a small school in Connecticut" through both a Master's and PhD at Columbia University, studying an array of subjects that culminated in his research on crime and politics in Latin America. While academia ultimately could not offer him what he realized he wanted out of life (seriously: it's nice being able to choose where to live!), he recalls his time as a PhD student fondly, reminding us that life is full of twists and turns, but it never fails to lead us exactly where we need to be.

Brian Leahy, PhD in Physics: Zen and the Art of Scientific Play

In Episode 5, Doctor of Philosophy Brian Leahy explains how he fell in love with physics, the surprisingly playful aspects of scientific and mathematical work,  how his research influenced his perception of the physical world-- and how, despite missing certain aspects of academia, his transition into industry has ultimately allowed him to learn for fun again.