Fail-Safe Science

Episode 11: Dr. Mercy Salami

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mercy Salami, a senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria. Her dissertation research focused on the contribution of wild tree species to food security in northwestern Nigeria. Since then, her research has focused on the issues of development economics. Mercy specifically works on food security, poverty, and gender, specifically among rural areas and marginalized populations. Here, she talks about how she felt when she disappointed her supervisor while defending her PhD thesis, and how she was able to process and move forward from this experience after isolating herself by talking to her sibling. Let’s listen!
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Mercy Salami
University Profile: https://aefm.agriculture.unilorin.edu.ng/staffmember/dr-mrs-salami-mercy-funke/ 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing 
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0 

Episode 10: Dr. Logan Gin

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Logan Gin, the Assistant Director for STEM in the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning at Brown University. His dissertation research focused on the experiences of STEM students with disabilities, and since graduating he’s been in this position working with graduate students and postdocs on professional development mostly around teaching and learning. Here, Logan discusses disappointing his advisor, and how he navigated challenges with one of his first research projects in graduate school. Let’s listen!
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Logan Gin
Profile: https://sheridan.brown.edu/people/logan-gin-phd 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

Episode 9: Dr. Max Liboiron

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Max Liboiron, a Professor in Geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, where they run the CLEAR lab, the Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research. Max’s dissertation research focused on the emerging state of plastic pollution as a field, and their work now focuses on creating tools and infrastructures for community-based plastic pollution research now that it is an established field. They are also the author of the book Pollution is Colonialism. Here, Max revisits the time they almost left graduate school during the first week, and what it took for them to ultimately learn how to navigate the culture and system at their institution so they could receive their PhD and do the work they wanted to do in the world. Let’s listen!
 
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Max Liboiron
Website: https://www.maxliboiron.com/ 
CLEAR lab: https://civiclaboratory.nl/ 
Read Pollution is Colonialism: https://www.dukeupress.edu/pollution-is-colonialism 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

Episode 8: Dr. Patricia Rankin

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Patricia Rankin, a Chair and a Professor in the Department of Physics at Arizona State University. Her PhD research focused on particle physics, specifically charm photo production, and her work now primarily focuses on science policy, especially paving the way for women in STEM. Here, Patricia shares what it was like to work on lab experiments during graduate school, and the lessons she was able to learn throughout her PhD work despite not finding the particles she may have hoped or expected. Let’s listen!
 
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Patricia Rankin
Website: https://search.asu.edu/profile/3773475 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

Episode 7: Dr. Sarah Habibi

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Sarah Habibi, the founder of Mito &Co, a children’s STEM education company based out of Toronto, Canada. Her dissertation research focused on characterizing novel drug targets in parasitic worms, and specifically looked at the parasite Haemonchus contortus, which infects livestock across North America. Now, her work focuses on science communication and STEM education, where she provides kid-friendly science experiments and activities for parents to do at home with their children. Here, Sarah talks about struggling with lab work in graduate school, and what it was like to navigate through the challenges that came with that. Let’s listen!
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Sarah Habibi
Website: https://www.sarahhabibi.com/ 
Mito& Co.: https://mitoandco.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahahabibi/?hl=en 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

Episode 6: Dr. Nigel Rothfels

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Nigel Rothfels, who is now retired (huge congrats!), but at the time of this interview was a Professor of History and Acting Vice Provost for Research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His dissertation research focused on how animals have been thought about in different historical times, but now his scholarly work is squarely in the humanistic study of animals and culture – often called Animal Studies. Here, Nigel discusses his experiences struggling with finishing his dissertation and going on the job market at the end of graduate school. Let’s listen!
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Nigel Rothfels
Website: https://sites.uwm.edu/rothfels/ 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing 
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0 

Episode 5: Dr. Michele Clark

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Michele Clark, who is an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the Department of Energy in Washington D.C. Her PhD research focused on the drivers of invasive plant species and plant distribution within community forests in subtropical Nepal, where she lived and did research as a Fulbright scholar. Specifically, she focused on how these factors related to the lives and livelihoods of rural people around community forests. Michele is also a Critical Response Process, or CRP, facilitator, which helps people learn how to give and receive feedback in a way that is both mindful and helpful for all parties involved. Here, she talks about her experience navigating written feedback throughout graduate school while writing her dissertation, and how she overcame these challenges through writing classes, going to therapy, and becoming a facilitator.
 
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Michele Clark
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

Episode 4: Dr. Sara Brownell

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Sara Brownell, a Professor and biology education researcher at Arizona State University, where she studies how students and instructors navigate concealable stigmatized identities in academic science. Sara transitioned to studying undergraduate biology education during her postdoc. She received her Master’s from The Scripps Research Institute and her PhD from Stanford University, both focused in neuroscience. Here, she discusses the challenges she had with her comprehensive exams, both during her Master’s and PhD. Let’s listen!
 
Podcast Resources
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Sara Brownell
University Profile: https://search.asu.edu/profile/2221508 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

Episode 3: Dr. Fernando Salinas-Quiroz

Dr. Fernando Salinas-Quiroz is currently an Assistant Professor in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University. Their dissertation research focused on assessing the quality of Mexican daycare. In their current position, they study with and for trans youth (you can check out more of their work on their website here: https://www.transfermative.com/ ). In this video, Fer discusses their experience navigating academic bureaucracy and how it affected their dissertation project.
 
Podcast Resources:
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Fernando Salinas-Quiroz
Website: https://www.transfermative.com/ 
University Profile: https://as.tufts.edu/epcshd/people/faculty/fernando-salinas-quiroz 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
Nominate a scientist for the repository: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevRFJqi8zYb1HTa_ppo2s6H962Ks_NgYSe1sQwbvE8KRU9ng/viewform?pli=1 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing 
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0 
 

Episode 2: Dr. Leah Jones- Crank

Dr. Leah Jones-Crank is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environment, Resources, and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Her PhD research focused on collaborative governance of the food-energy-water nexus in Phoenix, Arizona, and Cape Town, South Africa. Currently, she is expanding that research to focus on the environmental and ecological impacts of the food-energy-water nexus in Southern Ontario. In this video, Leah discusses her experience with a change of plans in fieldwork for her dissertation during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Podcast Resources:
Transcript: Here
Scientist Info: Leah Jones-Crank
University Profile: https://uwaterloo.ca/environment-resources-and-sustainability/profiles/leah-jones-crank 
Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe 
Nominate a scientist for the repository: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevRFJqi8zYb1HTa_ppo2s6H962Ks_NgYSe1sQwbvE8KRU9ng/viewform?pli=1 
International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/ 
Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0