How to PhD Podcast

If you got into multiple graduate schools and can’t decide which one to go to, congratulations, and also, I understand the stress. Here are 4 ways to help you decide which graduate school to choose out of the options you have.

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/06/4-ways-to-help-you-decide-which-graduate-school-to-choose.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

Lots of people who are NOT on the ANITA collaboration are talking about this topic of how “NASA scientists may have uncovered a parallel universe.” Well, as someone who is actually on the collaboration and also deeply interested in making science communication more accessible, I figured I will blog about the SCIENCE that is getting twisted around to make tabloids.

I will not be sharing links to any of the tabloids because those clickbait articles have already made enough money off of misinforming the public and creating sensation without actually educating anyone about science.

The only consolation prize is if this increases enthusiasm for particle astrophysics, I am all for the increased enthusiasm part. Yes, it is a very cool and awesome field to be in and has involved experiences of a lifetime even as a graduate student.

BY ALL MEANS, I HOPE CONGRESS FUNDS PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS MORE. WE ARE A SMALL BUT EXTREMELY HARD-WORKING COMMUNITY OF SCIENTISTS.

Some ANITA acronyms

ANITA = Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna

VPol = Vertically Polarized

HPol = Horizontally Polarized

UHE = Ultra High Energy

CR = Cosmic Ray

EAS = Extensive Air Shower

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/want-to-know-what-the-parallel-universe-nonsense-is-about.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

I am happy to share with you that this blog is now also geared towards helping content creators. I have started a podcast and also a YouTube channel to help both students and also content creators. If you are interested in creating a personal brand or helping people through your content, I hope that the content I share here on that helps you with both big picture stuff and the nitty-gritty.

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/how-to-phd-is-now-helping-content-creators.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

Here I talk about how to make a case for graduation with a Ph.D. including some techniques you can deploy towards that end.

Finishing a Ph.D. in a shorter as opposed to a longer period of time does NOT mean that you get to do less work. You have to accomplish MORE to graduate faster than to graduate slower.

Why you need to do more to make a case

If you don’t accomplish MORE than others, you will not have a good CASE for graduating. You have to demonstrate that you have done enough stuff. You will know you have done enough only when it is MORE than enough, so do more than enough.

Your thesis will be your mightiest weapon when demonstrating that you have done a lot. This is why it is important to have a living document that you can readily present when/if challenged about whether you should graduate or not.

I am not actually worried at all that you are good at your job of doing research. In fact, I am worried that you are too good.

Because being good at your job is tricky! You might become invaluable to your research group. In this case, your advisor is likely to not let you graduate, as you are so darned useful and highly trained!

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/how-to-make-a-case-for-graduation-with-a-phd.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

If you are starting off as a blogger or website owner, you might first want to know how much it will cost. So how much does blogging or having a website cost? I will give you the breakdown for this site. There are three aspects to consider: platform, hosting, and domain. All three potentially cost money.

Platform

I use WordPress now, but that is not how I started…

In my young days of blogging, I was on Blogger, hosted by Google! Google owns it and it is the simplest to set up. It was just a place for me to start, and so I did. In those days, my domain used to be with Google Domains for $12. Blogger, of course, was free.

However, as I grew a little older and wanted my site to not look like ass, excuse my French, I moved on to WordPress.

WordPress has a huge community.

I considered Squarespace but may have found that it was not free. Currently, I only pay for the hosting & domain, not the platform. I also did a transfer from Blogger to WP, and the WP community helped me to do that for free.

THAT WAS HUGE.

Whoever helps me with painful things, I go with them, yo.

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/how-much-does-blogging-or-having-a-website-cost.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

If you are new to audio like I am, you might be interested in the least expensive and challenging way to get started with recording audio. I share how to get started with a podcast by using just your phone and Macbook. Specifically, you will need a free app on your phone and a free app on your Macbook.

Uploaded the audio file following the methods discussed in this post to Anchor now, added a Transition to the beginning, that is all. 

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/how-to-start-a-podcast-using-just-your-phone-and-macbook.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Might Just Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You. Pandemic-proof your income to pursue your ultimate dream and be set for life. This post brings together several posts I have been writing to encourage people to follow their dream while also pandemic-proofing their life and income.

Let’s start living the life we have always wanted to because there is no excuse not to do that anymore. Change is not only coming, but it is also upon us, and Nature is forcing us to follow our pandemic-proof dreams.

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/how-to-pandemic-proof-your-life-and-income.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

------NOT SPONSORED BY CHEEKY SCIENTIST ASSOCIATION-----

The moment before joining Cheeky Scientist, I was sitting in the dark in my bathroom. It was late one night in November 2017.

I was worried about my future.

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2018/08/what-happened-when-i-joined-cheeky.html

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GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

Your relationship with time in graduate school will determine whether you achieve more rather than less, so have a respectful attitude towards time. Don’t let time get away from you and don’t take time for granted.

Five years is not long if you want to achieve more rather than less

Listen to the audio to hear this discussion.

Associated Blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2020/05/on-your-relationship-with-time-in-graduate-school.html

Leave a comment on the How to PhD blog:

GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.

A Ph.D. defense is one of those things that one can never feel prepared enough for because usually, it is the first time one is doing it! In this post, I paint a picture of how to successfully defend your Ph.D. thesis including how to make the slides for your defense talk.

Associated blog post:

https://howtophd.org/2018/07/on-my-phd-defense-48-hours-later.html

Leave a comment on the How to PhD blog:

GOT A QUESTION? GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS OF ANY POST INCLUDING THIS ONE AND I WILL WRITE A POST TO ANSWER IT.