Changing Academic Life
Episodes
LP Replay - Reflect, Celebrate, Dream (CAL135, S7E8)
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For this last episode of the year I revisit the Long Play (LP) template, inspired by vinyl records, as a way to intentionally reflect on and celebrate...
Infertility, Career Choices, and Compassion (CAL 134, S7E7)
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this very personal solo episode, I share my journey through infertility and the impact it had on my academic and personal life. Inspired by Susan D...
Susan Dray (Part 2) on listening, mentoring, and adversity (CAL133, S7E6)
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of our conversation, Susan Dray continues to share deep insights about the importance of self-awareness and authenticity, empathy and listen...
Susan Dray (Part 1) on navigating interstices: academia, industry and global consulting (CAL132, S7E5)
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The wonderful Dr Susan Dray shares her journey from obtaining a PhD in experimental and physiological psychology at UCLA to becoming a pivotal figure ...
On the art, heart and science of 1-1 meetings (CAL131, S7E4)
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Building on the last episode’s topic of meetings, the focus here is on our one-on-one meetings. In his book, 'Glad We Met: The Art and Science of On...
Steven Rogelberg on Transforming Academic Meetings (CAL130, S7E3)
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Steven Rogelberg, an organisational psychologist from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, draws on his extensive research on workplace me...
Deborah Boehm-Davis on career paths, leadership, and change (CAL129, S7E2)
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Emeritus Deborah Boehm Davis, George Mason University in the US, is one of the pioneers of the CHI conference. Deborah discusses her varied ...
Season 7 Kickoff: Fresh Starts and Being Intentional (CAL128 S7E1)
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of season seven, the 10th year the Changing Academic Life podcast, I invite us to reflect on the theme of being intentional about...
Season Reflections: Cultivating a Good Academic Life (CAL127, S6, E21)
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this final episode of the 2024-2025 season, I reflect on key themes emerging from the past 20 episodes of 'Changing Academic Life.' These are aroun...
Creating Peer Support Groups (CAL126, S6, E20)
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you are curious about how to set up your own peer support group, inspired by what Johanna Stadlbauer shared about what Uni Graz are doing, then thi...
Johanna Stadlbauer on boundaries, agency, and community building (CAL125, S6 E19)
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Johanna Stadlbauer is an anthropologist working in researcher development at the University of Graz, recently made Head of Research Careers Campus Gra...
Tina Persson on career pivots, recruitment and coaching for career security (CAL124, S6 E18)
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tina Persson shares her journey from chemistry and nearly 20 years in academia, to recruiting and then career coaching. Tina discusses the challenges ...
Strengths as Superpowers - Replay (CAL123, S6 E17)
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a replay of an episode about our strengths as our superpowers and it is a useful precursor to the next podcast discussion where my guest will ...
Graham McAllister (Part 3) on the art and craft of writing (CAL122, S6E16)
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
”Writing is thinking, I love thinking, I love working on problems, I love thinking through the problems…. So the whole writing thing is a think...
Graham McAllister (Part 2) on aligning team vision (CAL121, S6E15)
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this second part of my conversation with Graham McAllister, we explore Graham's next pivot to studying organizational psychology at the London...
Graham McAllister (Part 1) on career pivots: academia to industry to startup (CAL120, S6E14)
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Graham McAllister reflects on his various career pivots, starting with a PhD in computer graphics in Belfast, transitioning through roles in acad...
Oana and Matt (Part 2) on mental health, teaching path and reflective practice (CAL119 S6E13)
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 2 of my discussion with Matthew Barr and Oana Andrei who work together in the Education and Practice Section in the School of Comput...
Oana and Matt (Part 1) on leadership, belonging, and micro-actions making a difference (CAL118 S6E12)
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 1 of my discussion with Matthew Barr and Oana Andrei who work together in the Education and Practice Section in the School of comput...
Sharing my story with Nutan Limaye (CAL117, S6E11)
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode the tables are turned and I'm being interviewed by Nutan Limaye who hosts the ‘Life of a Researcher’ podcast.  ...
Vikki Wright on career transitions, ADHD, and learning to manage yourself (CAL116, S6E10)
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Vikki Wright is the director of PhD Life Coach and offers professional coaching and training for PhD students and academics. She also hosts the PhD Li...
Your LP Reflections - Looking back, Looking forward (CAL115 S6E9)
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As we leave 2024 and embark on the new year, I want to share the reflective template I used for myself, playing with the LP (long play) record concept...
Evan Peck on considered choices and career moves: from liberals arts to a research uni (CAL114, S6E8)
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Evan Peck returns to discuss his career evolution since our last conversation in 2017. The focus is on his initial choice to join a liberal arts colle...
Özge Subașı on values, choices and care (CAL113, S6E7)
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Özge Subaşı is the Director of Futurewell: CoCreation and Wellbeing Group in the Media and Visual Arts Department at Koç University in Turkey. In ...
Creating Positive Cultures: Stories from the archive
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing our culture theme, I revisit past podcast conversations that explore how to foster positive research environments and cultures. We hea...
Fostering psychological safety in research environments [solo]
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing the theme of great research environments, I explore how to contribute to creating great research cultures with a focus on the concept of ps...
Creating better research cultures together
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the ingredients for creating a supportive, inclusive research culture? Nina Molin Høyland-Kroghsbo from the Department of Plant and Environm...
On reframing networking: connections and impact
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo episode (S6 E3) I invite us to rethink the concept of networking within academia, inspired by what the late Liam Bannon shared with us in...
Liam Bannon (Part 2) on values & what matters
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Update 22 Sept 2024: It is with deep sadness that I share Liam passed away this morning. May we honour his memory and his generosity in sharing his re...
S6E1 Welcome to the new season
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing the new season of Changing Academic Life.Reflecting on my recent transitions. And thanks to the HCI group for support.
CAL106 On STOP - the purposeful pause (solo)
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this short solo episode a share a simple yet powerful technique, S.T.O.P., for taking a purposeful pause throughout your every day. Stop, Take a br...
Remembering Volkmar Pipek - on being curious, being you
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Volkmar Pipek was a highly influential researcher from Uni of Siegen who sadly passed away in Jan 2024 after a long illness. This short episode draws ...
Liam Bannon (Part 1) on a career outside the box
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Liam Bannon is a Professor Emeritus and founder and director of the Interaction Design Centre at the University of Limerick in Ireland.Liam has been a...
Jean Paul (Part 2) on leading virtual transdisciplinary teams and stakeholder engagement
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jean Paul is a senior scientist at the Medical University of Innsbruck. In part 2 of our conversation, Jean discusses her experience leading an impact...
Jean Paul (Part 1) on Sandpit funding & impact-focussed research
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jean Paul is a Senior Scientist at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria. Jean discusses her involvement in a unique research fundi...
Funding & Research Culture (podcast extract)
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is an edited extract from a ‘Beyond Phrenology’ podcast episode where Dr Madhur Mangalam chatted with me about the impacts of researc...
Celebrating 100!
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taking this time to celebrate CAL100 – the 100th episode for the Changing Academic Life podcast series (actually 109th episode if we count the ...
On research identity, meaningful work and funding (solo)
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Triggered by a comment from Katta Spiel in an earlier podcast, in this solo episode I explore the tensions between the autonomy and freedom we have to...
Katta Spiel (Part 2) on neurodivergence & different ways of being and knowing
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Katta Spiel is an Assistant Professor at TU Wien, a recent ERC Starting Grant recipient, and a good colleague of mine. In part two o...
Reflecting on 2023
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this short episode I reflect on the podcast season so far and on my own year of transitions. And I offer some prompt questions to help us reflect o...
Katta Spiel (Part 1) on career uncertainties, gender identity and health issues
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Katta Spiel is an Assistant Professor at TU Wien, a recent ERC Starting Grant recipient, and a good colleague of mine. In the first part of th...
Revisiting Irina part 2
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There were some technical hiccups in Part 2 of my conversation with Irina Shklovski, making the original audio I released very choppy (a lesson in not...
On Self Compassion
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this short episode I pick on the notion of self-compassion from the discussion with Mark Reed last week, and go back to Kristin Neff’s work&...
Mark Reed on mental health, love and impact
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Mark Reed is an academic, author, podcaster, consultant, trainer, policy advisor among his many roles. His research area is o...
On choosing the park
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this very short 7mins episode, I talk about choosing to go to the park instead of doing a longer episode as I had planned - making good enough choi...
Irina Shklovski (Part 2) on coming back from burnout, being enough, doing enough
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Irina Shklovski, University of Copenhagen, continues her powerful story about her academic burn-out experiences, returning to work and learn...
Irina Shklovski (Part 1) on Burning Out
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Irina Shklovski, University of Copenhagen, has a powerful story to tell about her burn-out experiences. In Part 1 she talks about...
Mobility, pensions and you, yes you! (solo)
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this short solo episode, I reflect back on recent conversations around academic mobility, discuss some benefits, and also point to an EU initiative...
Susanne Bødker on career, culture and choices
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Susanne Bødker is a professor of Human Computer Interaction at Aarhus University in Denmark. She reflects on 40 years at Aarhus Univer...
Reforming research assessment top-down bottom-up middle-out (solo)
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Following the conversation with Dr Karen Stroobants on the EU CoARA agreement, I discuss some other top-down initiatives at international and national...
Being a Work in Progress (solo)
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this short episode I reflect on my recurring life lesson about putting unrealistic pressures on myself, in this case to put out a full podcast this...
Karen Stroobants on changing research culture and reforming research assessment
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We need to reform research evaluation because "It's not just which people are we excluding, which profiles are we excluding, which ideas are we exclud...
New Season Welcome (solo)
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is a short episode to kick off the new Season of the Changing Academic Life podcast series.Looking forward to bringing some great conversations c...
End of Season Reflections and Transitions
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is the end of the current season of episodes. I take the opportunity to shortly reflect on the themes we’ve heard - around listening, leadershi...
Sarah Davies (Part 2) on luck, disrupting excellence, and cultures of care
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah Davies is a Professor of Technosciences, Materiality, & Digital Cultures at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at University o...
Sarah Davies (Part 1) on mobility, precarity and notions of excellence
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah Davies is a Professor of Technosciences, Materiality, & Digital Cultures at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at University o...
Elizabeth Churchill on creating culture, leading teams, loving challenges
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Elizabeth Churchill is a Senior Director at Google. We recorded this interview while we were both at a conference, where she was awarded a SIGCHI L...
Marta Cecchinato (part 2) on promoting wellbeing through leadership, EDI & self-care
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of my conversation with Dr Marta Cecchinato (Part 1 is here). Marta is an Assistant Professor (Senior Lecturer) in the Computer and Inf...
Marta Cecchinato (part 1) on digital wellbeing and microboundary strategies
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Marta Cecchinato is an Assistant Professor (Senior Lecturer) in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at Northumbria University. Her res...
James Wilsdon - Replay on metrics & responsible research evaluation
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is a replay of a 2018 conversation with Professor James Wilsdon when he was a Professor of Research Policy in the Department of Politics at the U...
Heike Winschiers-Theophilus on global south research, reviewer bias, abstract vs lived diversity, & pluriversality
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This conversation continues the reflections on our peer reviewing practices, this time bringing in the experiences of someone from the Global South. H...
Edward Lee on the toxic culture of peer review
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the last episode from my own reviewing hall of shame, I mentioned the coincidence of attending a webinar where Edward Lee talked about the ‘toxic...
A confession from my review hall of shame
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This short reflection follows on from the last episode, a replay of my 2017 conversation with Gloria Mark in honour of her just having published her b...
Gloria Mark - Replay
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gloria Mark is a Chancellor’s Professor in the Department of Informatics at the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at Universit...
Leadership development with Austen Rainer
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Austen Rainer and I love co-facilitating academic leadership development courses for Informatics Europe and sharing experiences with so many people w...
End of 2022 Reflections
30 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this short podcast [19:16 mins], I reflect on some of the themes from across the podcast discussions since Sept 2022 - themes around listening, lea...
Aisling O’Kane on radical participatory decision making (Part 2)
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Aisling O’Kane is an Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction in Health at the University of Bristol in the UK. In Part 1 of our conver...
Aisling O’Kane on mobility, interdisciplinary threads & family (Part 1)
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Aisling O’Kane is an Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction in Health at the University of Bristol in the UK. In Part 1 of our conver...
Stuart Reeves on effecting change – from the picket line to the Senate (Part 2)
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Stuart Reeves is an Associate Professor in the Mixed Reality Lab and Horizon Research Institute at Nottingham University in the UK. This conversat...
Stuart Reeves on 'what are universities for' and management complexities (Part 1)
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Stuart Reeves is an Associate Professor in the Mixed Reality Lab in the School of Computer Science and Horizon Research Institute both at Nottingh...
Darragh McCashin on imposter phenomenon and multi-level strategies (Part 2)
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Part 2 of my discussion with Dr Darragh McCashin. In Part 1 Darragh discussed his PhD in Digital mental health and his path to being an Ass...
Darragh McCashin on interdisciplinarity, a new lecturership during COVID, and his imposter (Part 1)
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Darragh McCashin started as an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at Dublin City University during COVID. In Part 1 of this conversati...
Julie Kientz on leadership, impact, & being comfortable with being uncomfortable (Part 2)
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Julie Kientz is a professor and Chair of the department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington in the US. In p...
Julie Kientz on making her way from small town geeky outcast to uni professor (Part 1)
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Julie Kientz is a professor and Chair of the department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington in the US. In p...
Oscar Trimboli (Part 2) on how to listen deeply (CAL62)
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Oscar Trimboli is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. Along with the Deep Listening ...
Oscar Trimboli (Part 1) on being better listeners (CAL61)
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Oscar Trimboli is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. Along with the Deep Listening ...
Reconnecting in 2022
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A short preamble to kick start a new season for 2022 of Changing Academic Life podcasts. [6:56 mins]Links:Austen Rainer, Queens Uni BelfastOnline Acad...
RW9 Progress and praise
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This short related-work podcast replays part of a previous podcast conversation with Katherine Isbister about working 8-5, reflecting on productivity ...
RW8 Asking good questions, empowering good people
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This short related-work podcast follows up on the last conversation with Michael Bungay-Stanier, to present the seven coach-like questions from his bo...
Michael Bungay Stanier on the power of curiosity and taming your advice monster
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS for short) is an internationally renowned author, company founder and thought leader in coaching. Michael is the founder o...
Tanita Casci and Elizabeth Adams on supporting, rewarding and celebrating a positive collegial research culture
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Tanita Casci is Head of Research Policy, and Dr. Elizabeth Adams is Workstream Lead – Research Culture, at the University of Glasgow. The trigge...
Jeremy Birnholtz on sustainability of reviewing, queer research and being curious
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Birnholtz is an associate professor with a joint appointment in the Communication Studies and the Electrical Engineering an...
Neha Kumar on choices, authenticity and the power of the collective
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Neha Kumar is an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech, with a joint appointment between the School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing...
RW7 Job Crafting - small tweaks can make a big difference
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Having talked about superpowers and strengths, in the last related work podcast, it’s a natural follow on to talk about job crafting and exploring w...
RW6 Exploring your own superpowers
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two recent interactions made me think more about the importance of knowing our own unique superpowers (as Aaron Quigley discussed), ie our strengths, ...
John Tang on review stress in a pandemic, community-level solutions and distributed work
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
John Tang is a Senior Researcher with Microsoft Research, joining in 2008 and having previously worked in other industrial research labs at Xerox PARC...
Aaron Quigley on silent warriors, secret powers, and making the world better
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Aaron Quigley is a Professor and Head of School in Computer Science and Engineering at University of New South Wales. He discusses his various career ...
RW5 Finding the management sweet spot
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I hadn’t thought before about the fact that under managing could be just as harmful if not more than micromanaging. Finding the sweet spot is my cha...
Austen Rainer on changing cultures, leading people and values
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Austen Rainer is a Professor at Queen’s University Belfast in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. His main focus...
RW4 Rejection, tenure and so-called excellence
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this short related-work podcast, I share the stories of two people we’ll call Alex and Blake who are facing the challenge of meeting tenure crite...
RW3 Notice, appreciate, thank - a good contagion!
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this short Related Work podcast, I talk about the importance of noticing people, showing appreciation and saying thanks. Small actions can have a b...
RW2 From adapting to growing
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this bite-sized Related Work podcast, I reflect on how these stressful times can be a catalyst for growth and change, moving on from bouncing back ...
RW1 My year of being bold
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this bitesize ‘Related Work’, the first of the new year of 2021, I suggest using a theme for the new year and also connecting with your superor...
Reflections on 2020
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here are some brief reflections from me on this VUCA year of 2020! I also announce a new series starting 2021 of bite-size podcasts that I’m calling...
Eunice Sari on being a trouble maker, pioneering new ways, and building society
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Eunice Sari is the CEO and Co-Founder of UX Indonesia, the first UX Research, Training and Consulting Company based in Indonesia, among many other ...
Anirudha Joshi on being a designer, learning by doing, and developing community
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Anirudha Joshi is a lecturer, teaching interaction design in the Industrial Design Centre at IIT Bombay in India. Anirudha discusses his career path f...
COVID musings from Australia
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An “in-between” podcast - where I reflect on my own experiences being COVID-stranded in Australia. You can download a full transcript here. There ...
Pejman Mirza Babaei (part 2) on post-tenure, balance and learning to become a good leader
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the Part 2 of a discussion with Pejman Mirza-Babaei. Pejman is an Associate Dean, Industry Partnerships and an Associate Professor of User Exp...
Pejman Mirza-Babaei (part 1) on being strategic, the fast track to tenure, and finding his path
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pejman Mirza-Babaei is an Associate Dean Industry Partnerships, and an Associate Professor of User Experience Research, in the Faculty of Busines...
Reflections on 2019 & 2018
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to 2020! This is a short podcast reflecting on the past two years.You can download a full transcript here.Related links:This page collates lot...
Rosa Arriaga on transferrable discipline toolkits, making a difference, & caring for the grad student journey
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rosa Arriaga is a developmental psychologist who transitioned into computer science as a senior research scientist in the School of Interactive Comput...