Afleveringen
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do whatever | episode 4: chapter 2: the final boss or just a phd defense?
Burcu, Mirna, and Ardiana kick off with quick updates - lab struggles, a first three-hour lecture, and highlights from a Paris trip including a staged Eiffel Tower couple and the Mona Lisa crowd chaos.
They then dive into what the episode is really about: the PhD defense, from first draft to final applause.The hosts walk through every stage - writing the thesis, assembling a jury, surviving the internal defense, and the public defense day. Key themes include the pressure of writing under a tight deadline, the surprise of actually enjoying the defense itself, and the myth that jury members are there to intimidate you. They share honest advice: start writing early, read throughout your PhD, and don't spend the final week studying DNA structure from scratch.
The episode ends with Ardiana’s memorable defense-day chaos: a dad whose shoes disintegrated on the venue floor, a mom falling asleep in the front row mid-presentation, and a confetti cleanup complaint from a botanical garden.
The hosts close by reflecting that the title of "Doctor" feels less like a finish line and more like a starting point - and that whoever you become during those years matters more than the day itself.
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do whatever | episode 3: chapter 1: anxious, avoidant, academic
What does your attachment style look like when your PI goes silent on your manuscript? In this episode, Ardiana, Burcu, and Mirna dive into attachment theory - anxious, avoidant, fearful avoidant, and secure - and explore how these patterns show up not in romantic relationships, but in the lab. They share their own quiz results, reflect on how their PhD experiences shaped (and shifted) their styles, and get honest about the moments they felt triggered, overlooked, or just desperate for a "great work" from their supervisor. From toxic PIs and visa traps to dancing at conference parties and asking for weekly check-ins, this conversation goes deep on what it really means to feel safe - or not - in academia.
Take the quiz on Instagram to find out your academic attachment style.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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do whatever | episode 2: introduction: who are we anyway?
Burcu, Mirna, and Ardiana kick off the episode with travel updates: Mirna returns from Croatia and a stop at the Venice Biennale, while Ardiana reflects on a yoga retreat in Normandy that pushed her to slow down, cut screen time, and reconnect with single-tasking.
The hosts celebrate a major milestone, after eight months of setbacks, Burcu's lab experiments finally worked, lifting the mood of her entire research group.
The main topic explores just how many roles academics juggle beyond their research titles: graphic designer, teacher, finance manager, statistician, technician, lab manager, and more. They discuss how unprepared most PhD students are for supervision, admin, grant writing, equipment troubleshooting, and workplace politics.
The conversation turns to communication across cultures, sharing candid stories about direct vs. polished styles, false apologies, and how non-native English speakers often translate politeness conventions literally from their own languages.
The hosts also reflect on the unexpected skills they've gained: Mirna learned to ask for help; Ardiana developed patience and cross-cultural communication; and all three found ways to bring creativity into their science, through storytelling, figure design, project writing, and experiment design.
They close with what they would be if not scientists, the blurry line between work and personal life in academia, and what they genuinely love about their work.
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do whatever | episode 1: abstract: do we have it figured out?
After nearly a year of silence, Burcu, Mirna, and Ardiana are finally back. In this long-overdue catch-up episode, the trio reunites online for the first time to talk about why it took so long, what perfectionism costs you, and why "not being ready" might actually be the most honest place to start.
They share what's changed since they last recorded: a move to London, a commute that's turning Mirna into a pissed-off woman, a hard-won MSCA fellowship, six months of failed experiments finally explained, and a yoga teaching certificate along the way.
They also dig into the gap between PhD and postdoc life, the pressure of publishing, how to choose a lab (what no one tells you), and the question looming over all three of them: have you figured it out?
Spoiler: no one has.
The episode wraps with a round of brutal "Would You Rather" dilemmas - career vs. city, ambition vs. family. Let them know where you land.
Do whatever. Roll with it.
