Recent Posts
Book Review: The Battle of the Classics by Eric Adler
Why bother with a humanities education? Arguably, the humanities are not instrumental to earning a living or getting ahead. In this book, Adler argues the case of the classics: why, regardless of utility, the humanities are as important to education as they ever have been.
How to Evaluate the Fit of a Graduate Program
You're applying to graduate school. But how do you know which graduate program to pick? What factors should you consider? How do you weigh your options?
Deploy or Die: Moving Research Into the World
So much academic research stays abstract or theory, or fails to impact the real world. What happens when an institution rewards applied work?
Can You Have a Baby in Graduate School?
Starting a family during graduate school can be challenging, but with the right support, it's not only doable, but incredibly rewarding!
So you want to write and publish a book?
Most authors don't make bank. They write to share a message, promote their expertise, or build their brand. Here's advice from a panel of six academics and authors.
How Can We Fix the Academic System For Women?
Full-time academia doesn't work for a lot of women. How can we increase flexibility, change workaholic culture, and reward quality?
Book Review: Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life by Zena Hitz
A good life means you don't work for the sake of work—you work for the sake of leisure. But what is leisure? What are the benefits of reading, studying, or thinking for its own sake?
Is Going to Graduate School Worth It?
Considering applying to graduate school? Many factors go into deciding whether or not to apply: personal, practical, financial.
PUBLICATION DAY: Grad School Life: Surviving and Thriving Beyond Coursework and Research
Publishing a book can be a long road—but here we are at the destination! Read about my book: How to thrive in graduate school while keeping a healthy personal life!
Book Update #5: Grad School Life: Publication Day is March 19, 2024 + Cover Reveal
Exciting news: I have a book cover and pub date! Plus, details on the rest of the book production process, receiving page proofs, and figuring out book promotion.
Book Update #4: Chugging Through Copyediting
How is a book edited and produced? Here what's happening with my book on the slow road to publication.
Self-Direction in Graduate Education and Improving the Academic System
Some parts of the academic system are based on conventional schooling practices, not on how people actually learn—when they're curious and motivated, when material is meaningful. How can we better support learners in grad school?
How I Built A Career From Strengths and Interests—And How Your Kids Can, Too
What will your kids do when they grow up? Who will they be? And how can you help them? The key: People build lives and careers out of what they love, not what they hate.
Book Update #3: Revisions Complete, Entering Production!
I'm inching my book from idea to final product! Here's what the review and revision process was like, and my next steps as the book moves into production.
Book Review: A Field Guide to Grad School: Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum by Jessica McCrory Calarco
To succeed as a grad student, you need to know lots of stuff that isn't explicitly taught. This stuff is 'the hidden curriculum'—and it's all explained in this book.
How Do You Decide What Projects to Work On as a Scholar?
How do you know you're working on the right projects and not wasting your time? Here are ways to know whether you've taken on the right work, and ways to improve daily task management, too.
What Does it Mean to be a Scholar?
Drawing on the insights of a Ronin Institute Women IG+ discussion, I explore what ties us researchers and writers together. What makes a scholar a scholar? Is it a title, or a state of mind?
Book Review: Is Graduate School Really for You? The Whos, Whats, Hows, and Whys of Pursuing a Master's or Ph.D. by Amanda I. Seligman
A practical, informative question-and-answer book about the culture, expectations, and experiences of graduate school.
Book Review: A PhD Is Not Enough! A Guide to Survival in Science by Peter J. Feibelman
While this book is a fast, easy read with straightforward advice, it also suffers a lack of depth and a datedness that diminish its helpfulness.
Why I Went to Graduate School
Ten years ago, I started grad school at the MIT Media Lab. Why'd I attend? Because it was going to be fun. Here's how I made that decision, and why you should consider the fun factor in your own decision-making.
Book Update #2 (A Complete Manuscript!)
I've finished the first draft of my book on thriving in grad school while staying healthy and happy! Read about my writing process and the next steps: Feedback, reviews, and revisions.
Book Review: Leaving Academia: A Practical Guide by Christoper Caterine
As billed, practical advice for both grad students and faculty on transitioning from academia to the wide world beyond—though it does leave a few things to be desired.
Book Review: "So what Are You Going to Do with That?" Finding Careers Outside Academia by Susan Basalla and Maggie Debelius
A helpful book for anyone in the academy—grad student or faculty—who wants out!
Book Update #1: Drafts, Notes, and Editing the Manuscript
I'm writing a book about thriving in graduate school while keeping a healthy personal life. Curious about my progress? Here's where I'm at this month.