The PhD Life Raft Podcast
Episodes
A little Christmas gift for all the PhD researchers who feel like they didn't do enough this year…with Emma Brodzinski
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode isn't the usual interview but a little gift of a few minutes to pause and reflect on your PhD journey. In this episode, I invite you to: ...
When is the right time to do a PhD? with Tash Joyce
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Natasha Joyce is a historian, researcher, and PhD candidate at La Trobe University in Bendigo. Her research focuses on accidental childhood fatalities...
Develop Research Leadership within Your PhD with Cilla Harries
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we explore the value of being brave and passionate in research. Cilla shares her own journey into research leadership and identif...
Making PhD Dreams a Reality with Cynthia Fasola
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cynthia Fasola is doctoral candidate at the University of Greenwich with a background as a research manager. Her Phd explores feedback practices and...
Managing big changes in your PhD with confidence with Kay Danes
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kay Danes is an award-winning author, human rights advocate and humanitarian. In this episode Kay shares the transformative experience of reshapi...
"None of this is your fault": Managing the PhD with a Chronic Health Condition with Louise LePage
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Louise LePage was in her 30s when she did her MA in Drama and Performance (University College Dublin) and fell in love with academia and performance. ...
If you are thinking of quitting your PhD, listen to this first! with Gordon Morrison
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Gordon shares his reflections on his PhD experience - particularly the times when he wanted to give up! Gordon discusses the challe...
What you need to know about the PhD annual review with Charlotte Haines Lyon
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Charlotte Haines Lyon has a background in Youth and Community work. She worked in a variety of youth and community settings and moved on to Adult Ed...
Navigating Reasonable Adjustments as a Neurodivergent Scholar with Alex Chapman
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alex Chapman is an AuDHD Music Psychologist based between the Royal Northern College of Music and Drake Music Scotland, funded through a Collaborative...
What No-one Tells You About Academic Writing with Anne Wilson
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anne Wilson is an award-winning scriptwriter, journalist and careers counsellor. After doing an MSc and a PhD in social psychology at the LSE, and pub...
On Being a First Generation PhD Scholar with Nicole Patrie
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nicole Patrie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Safety and Justice Studies at MacEwan University, and a PhD student in the Faculty...
Navigating US PhD Programmes as an International Scholar with Vicky Laina
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vicky Laina is a learning scientist with a focus on educational technologies in mathematics teaching and learning. She designs and studies learning ex...
Managing Your Supervisor with Gina Holmes
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gina Holmes has worked both in industry and academia - with over two decades of experience in Higher Education. As well as her own research experien...
PhDs and Substack with Wafaa Aldhfairi
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Wafaa Aldhfairi is a PhD candidate at UNMC, specializing in pharmaceutical sciences with a master's degree in the field. She's also the creator of the...
For PhDs Who Are Thinking of Leaving Academia with Naomi Tyrell
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Naomi finished her PhD in 2006, worked part-time and then full-time in commercial research and then re-entered academia as a Research Fellow at Uni...
Optimizing Dissemination: Paving the Way for PhD Success with Amal Abuzeinab
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Amal Abuzeinab, PhD is an architect, advisor, and academic at De Montfort University (DMU), School of Art, Design, and Architecture (ADA). Prior to jo...
'Enoughness' and Managing Your Inner Critic with Mandy Lehto
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you are feeling paralysed by anxiety as to what your supervisor might think of your latest chapter or just doubting whether you are even capable of...
Autism, Ableism and the PhD with Piangfan Naksukpaiboon
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Piangfan Naksukpaiboon is currently an Early Stage Researcher and doctoral candidate in Medicine focusing on cancer genomics at the School of Medicine...
Cracking the Conference Code: Networking Tips for PhDs with Krysten Blackstone
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Krysten Blackstone is a Lecturer in International and Military History at the University of Salford, where she has been since 2022. She is a social an...
Comparing Yourself to Others in the PhD with Arun Ulahannan
04 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Arun Ulahannan is an Assistant Professor at Coventry University, where he leads a range of user research and UX projects on transport accessibility, f...
How to Handle Procrastination: Managing the PhD One Deadline at a Time with Elizabeth Yardley
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Elizabeth Yardley graduated from Aston Business School in 2007 with a PhD exploring young parent's experiences of stigma. She has worked in UK univ...
Revitalize your research journey: harnessing the solstice for PhD self-care with Victoria Wright
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria has more than 10 years experience as a consultant medical herbalist and functional medicine practitioner and is also a trained wellness coach...
The Hero[ine]'s Journey and the PhD with Allan Johnson
10 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Allan Johnson is Associate Professor in English Literature & Associate Dean (Doctoral College), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Alongside this ...
Doctoral Writing Groups with Kathleen Vacek
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Kathleen Vacek is an academic writing coach who researches lived experiences of doctoral writing and scholarly publishing. During the course of her...
Unforeseen Challenges: Finding Support in the PhD Journey
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Amy Bonsall has completed her PhD at Leeds University. Her thesis was recognised as demonstrating exemplary research in the field of practice-led rese...
Balancing PhD Study with Full-time Work with Denise Venturi
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Denise Venturi is Ph.D. Candidate in International Law at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Her research focuses on the concept of vulnera...
The Changing Culture of the University with Nicholas B. Dirks
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nicholas Dirks is President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences, one of the oldest scientific organizations in the United States. Previously, ...
Doctorate Done, What Next? Crafting Your Post-PhD Roadmap with Jen Polk
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jen Polk did her PhD in History from the University of Toronto and went on to launch from Ph.D. to Life, a career coaching and speaking business. Sh...
Navigating a Fertility Journey Alongside the PhD with Kate Massey-Chase
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Kate Massey-Chase is an academic, facilitator, activist, performer and writer. She's a Lecturer at Plymouth Marjon University, where she's leading...
Lessons from a PhD Internship with Samir Morsli
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Samir Morsli is a postdoctoral research associate in the Munoz-Espin lab at The University of Cambridge. His research focuses on the early stages of...
The PhD and Pets with Laura Revilla and Chobi
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Revilla is a PhD candidate in Heritage Studies at Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) in Cottbus, Germany. Her research focuses on unders...
Special Needs Parenting and the PhD with Kaisa Pankokoski
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Kaisa Pankakoski is a writer, researcher, translator, and multilingualism consultant. For her PhD at Cardiff University she looked at multilingual ...
Coping with Challenges on the PhD Journey with Rachel Campbell
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rachel Campbell completed her PhD in visual culture, celebrity studies, and musicology. Her thesis, 'The image of musical celebrity in the Nineteenth ...
Navigating Intellectual Disagreements on the PhD Journey with Laurajane Smith
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Laurajane Smith completed her PhD part-time between 1990 and 1996 while working as a full time teaching and research academic at both Charle...
Taking an Interruption from the PhD with Chrissi McCarthy
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Chrissi McCarthy is the founder and Managing Director of Constructing Equality. Over the past decade and a half, she has formulated and implemented...
What I would do differently if I did my PhD again with Rose Aslan
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Rose Aslan was a tenured Professor of Religious Studies who found herself burnt out and, on a sabbatical in Istanbul, decided to step away from aca...
Mastering Academic Writing with Eve Grubin
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Eve Grubin is the author of Morning Prayer (Sheep Meadow Press), The House of Our First Loving (Rack Press) and Grief Dialogue (Rack Press). She is...
Being a Single Parent on a PhD Journey with Ines Amami
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Inès Amami holds a PhD from Sorbonne Nouvelle University in French literature and civilization. Her research is about the representation of the ...
100th Episode with Fleur Farish-Edwards
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 100th episode of The PhD Life Raft Podcast! Fleur Farish-Edwards - a gorgeous member of the PhD Life Raft community - is leading the celebra...
Undertaking Your Second PhD with Yulia Karpova
28 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Yulia Karpova is undertaking her second PhD! Yes, for her, once though the journey just wasn't enough! In this week's episode we talk about how th...
Managing the Summer as a PhD Researcher with Kate Henry
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Henry is a productivity coach, independent scholar, and author who lives outside Boston, Massachusetts in the U.S. Kate received her MFA degr...
Why The World Needs PhDs with David Mendes
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
David Mendes is the host of Papa PhD, a podcast that shares stories of post-PhD career journeys. He is also the co-founder of a media agency dedicat...
The Embodied Experience of the PhD with Stella Duffy
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Stella Duffy is completing a doctorate training in Existential Psychotherapy and her research is in the embodied experience of postmenopause. Alongs...
The PhD and the Process of Becoming an Expert with Steven Segal
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Season Eight of The PhD Life Raft Podcast!! We are kicking off with a fabulous interview that gives a wonderful overview of the PhD journe...
Proofreading and the PhD with Lucy Nevitt
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the final episode of Season Eight of The PhD Life Raft Podcast! In this interview I am talking with Lucy Nevitt, a freelance professional ...
Organising Yourself for the PhD with Lisa Woodruff
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lisa Woodruff is the founder & CEO of Organize 365®. She shares strategies for reducing the overwhelm, clearing the mental clutter, and living a pr...
Training courses for PhD Researchers with Anna Clemens
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anna Clemens is an academic writing coach with a background in Chemistry and a experience as a science journalist. In this episode we talk about un...
What to do if you feel like you don't belong in academia with Jen Harrison
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jen Harrison earned her PhD from the University of Wales, and has since worked in academia as a lecturer and researcher at a number of institutions wo...
The PhD and the Menopause with Rebecca Suart
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rebecca Suart has been a Social Researcher in the Civil Service since graduating from her PhD in Education at the University of Nottingham in 2022. Sh...
How to Publish Your PhD with Catherine Pope
19 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Catherine Pope was awarded her PhD in the field of Victorian Literature by the University of Sussex in 2014. She then went on to publish that materi...
Positive Approaches to Stress and the PhD with Elizabeth Pritchard
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Pritchard is the Co-founder and Director of WALT Institute typically working with institutes, health services and universities. Elizabeth is...
Turning your PhD into a Business with Natasha Richards-Crisp
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Natasha is a researcher, facilitator, and theatre-maker. Her PhD research, specializing in applied theatre approaches to Relationships and Sex Educa...
PhD and Parenting (Part 2!) with Graham Green
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Graham Green is currently working towards his Ph.D. at the University of Southern Queensland. He has a background in the education, management and a...
Preparing for Your Viva with Nathan Ryder
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nathan Ryder runs skills training for PhD students with a signature course entitled 'Viva Survivor' and daily blog of viva prep help. In this e...
Juggling Life and the PhD with Kate Mukungu
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Kate Mukungu is Chief Executive of Riverside Community Health Project in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. In September 2022 Kate completed her part ti...
Managing the Festive Season as a PhD Researcher with Milly Mulcahey
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Milly Mulcahey is a second-year PhD student in the Center for Indigenous and Settler Colonial Studies at the University of Kent. Milly has worked acti...
Keeping Your PhD on Track with Iain Jackson
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Iain Jackson is an architect and historian at the Liverpool School of Architecture. His research is mainly focused on 20thC architecture in 'the tropi...
Undertaking a Distance Doctoral Programme with Katrina McChesney
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Katrina McChesney is a senior lecturer in education at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Her research focuses on adult education, including doct...
The PhD and Parenting with Leanne Sobel
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Leanne Sobel is a Strategic Design Consultant and Researcher. She has a background in communication design and strategy and is passionate about the op...
Empowering Yourself on the PhD Journey with LaNysha Adams
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr LaNysha Adams draws on her background in research to support others to empower themselves. In this episode she shares reflections on her educati...
Relationships and the PhD with Jo Nadin
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jo Nadin is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Bristol University. She is also an award winning author with a background as a political speech...
Negotiating Challenges on The PhD Journey with Nicole Holt
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Nicole Holt is a Lecturer in Public Health and Wellbeing for the School of Allied and Public Health Professions within the Faculty of Medicine, Hea...
Learnings from the PhD and Beyond with Brian Lobel
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Brian Lobel is a performer, teacher and curator. He has shown work internationally in a range of contexts, from Harvard Medical School to ...
Perfectionism and the PhD with Jenny Mak
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jenny Mak is a writer and educator. Her work has been published in Entropy magazine, Read Me Anthology, and shortlisted in the 2012 InkTears Short...
Changing the Narrative on the PhD Journey with Tonya Vetter
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After her experience in graduate school Tonya Vetter set up The Dissertation Doctors to help others through. In this episode Tonya outlines what sh...
What I learnt from martial arts as a PhD researcher with Jenn McClearen
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jenn McClearen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radio, Television and Film at the University of Texas at Austin. In this episode she t...
Working Full-time While Studying for your Doctorate with Brittney Johnson
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brittney Johnson is an Educational Leadership, Administration & Policy Doctoral Student. She also works full-time as a teacher. In this episode we t...
The Magic of New Beginnings with Allan Kilner-Johnson
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Season Seven!!! We will be back into the usual swing next week but we are starting out with a bit of a special edition on the theme of '...
Exploring Messiness in the PhD with Jamie Pei
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's the last episode of the season! And it's about to get messy!! Jamie Pei obtained her PhD in Women's Studies from the University of York in 2021...
Embracing being a PhD Student with Katy Peplin
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Katy Peplin turned her difficulties in graduate school into a coaching business built around the idea that you can be a scholar and a human at the...
Academic Emotions with Katie Barclay
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Katie Barclay is Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in the History of Emotions, and Head of Historical and Classical Studies, University ...
Writing for Publication with Anna Clemens
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Anna Clemens is an academic writing coach with a background in Chemistry and a experience as a science journalist. In this episode we talk about de...
Dealing with Perfectionism as PhD Student with Isabeau Iqbal
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Isabeau Iqbal focuses on working with "ambitious perfectionists" and in this week's episode she helps us unpick perfectionism and understand the eleme...
Dyslexia and the PhD with Selina Busby
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Selina Busby is a Principal Lecturer in Applied Theatre at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her research and practice focus on theatre that...
Mindful Writing for PhD Researchers with Ana Pineda
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ana Pineda is a scientist and a certified yoga instructor. Those two passions are combined in her mindful approach to academic life; developed with ...
Work Smarter as a PhD Researcher with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Alex Soojung-Kim Pang was one of my first guests on the podcast. His book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less is one that I regularly rec...
Surviving Your PhD with Usman Sikander
13 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Usman Sikander is originally from Pakistan and moved to the UK to do a PhD in Advanced Composites (aerospace engineering) at the University of Bristol...
Bullying in Academia with Petra Boynton
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Petra Boynton is an Agony Aunt and Social Psychologist. She specialises in International Health Research from a Critical Perspective. Her books...
Burnout and the PhD with Nicole Janz
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A 2021 survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that almost 70% of US faculty members were experiencing a level of burnout. Stress and burn...
Yoga for the PhD with Annie French
16 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a life changing event with breast cancer, Annie French enrolled onto an Art foundation course and has never looked back. She discovered a pass...
My PhD Story with Emma Brodzinski
08 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode is a little bit different… As I look forward to welcoming you to The PhD Life Raft Summit (25th-29th April) I wanted to share...
The Wounded Researcher with Robert Romanyshyn
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's the final episode of the season!! This episode focuses on Robert Romanyshyn's book The Wounded Researcher: Research with Soul in Mind. This...
PTSD and Research with Jessamy Gleeson
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jessamy Gleeson currently works as a Senior Lecturer within the National Indigenous Knowledges Education Research Innovation (NIKERI) Institute at Dea...
Being "smart enough" for the PhD with Kaylie Zapanta
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I know that many people can relate to thinking "I'm not smart enough to finish this PhD". This inner critical voice can, in itself, be paralysing an...
Taking Charge of Your PhD with Ires Ghielen
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ires Ghelien is a health care psychologist from Holland who draws on her own experience as a PhD researcher to help others navigate the PhD journey. ...
You Tube and the PhD with Kaelyn Grace Apple
20 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kaelyn Grace Apple is a second year combined PhD student in the Department of History and African American Studies at Yale. One of her passions is d...
Dealing with the Inner Critic on the PhD Journey with Amy Boyd
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We all have that inner critical voice and this week's guest is going to help us deal with it! Amy Boyd was a K-12 educational leader who wrote her ...
Managing Anxiety on the PhD Journey with Sajni Haria
07 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sajni Haria is a research fellow scientist and entrepreneurial lead in a Chemistry research group at the University of Birmingham. She recently comple...
Preparing for the PhD with Rachel Marsh
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Rachel Marsh has a PhD in satire and teaches in the Humanities with the Open University. She is also the lead academic for the Online Pre-PhD Progr...
Loneliness, Solitude and the PhD with David Vincent
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest is David Vincent, Emeritus Professor of Social History at the Open University where he was Pro Vice Chancellor from 2003 to 2010. He...
Managing Self Care on the PhD Journey with Catherine Pope
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode is both inspirational and a cautionary tale. Catherine Pope was awarded her PhD by the University of Sussex in 2014. She talks a...
Changing Your PhD Topic with Shanika Ranasinghe
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Season Five!! What better way to start than with ABBA?! This week's guest Shanika Ranasinghe is a fourth-year part-time ethnomusico...
How to Handle the Holidays - take 2 - with Chloe Bradwell and Rachel Hopkin
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the great tradition of British TV we are re-running our Christmas special! This episode has not one, but two guests! Chloé Bradwell is a Drama ...
The importance of reflection in the PhD process with Allan Kilner-Johnson
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are welcoming back the marvellous Allan Kilner-Johnson! Allan is mindfulness meditation teacher alongside his work as a Senior Lecturer...
Finding Your Voice with Rebecca McCutcheon
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode focuses on 'finding your voice' - both in terms of having confidence to speak about your work but also the process of discovering ...
Productive PhD Research Processes with Alison Miller
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest is Alison Miller AKA The Dissertation Coach. Alison created 'The Academic Writers' Space' to provide structure and support doctora...
Avoiding fear and shame when writing your PhD with Lisa Munro
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are talking to Lisa Munro who specialises in helping academic writers through writing retreats, workshops, coaching, and editing. Li...
Procrastination and the PhD with Tara Brabazon
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest is the fabulous Tara Brabazon. Tara is the dean of graduate research and professor of cultural studies at Flinders University, Aus...
Surviving the PhD with Sarita Robinson
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Sarita Robinson (aka Dr Survival®) has spent the last 20 years researching how people respond to life-threatening situations. Using a psychobiolog...
Working in a Research Group with Juliane Borchert
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest is Dr Juliane Borchert, an experimental physicist, occasional poet, and gardening enthusiast! She studied in Berlin, Halle (Saale), ...