Stupid Genius PhD Podcast

PhDoireann joins Stupid Genius to dive into the ever-important topic of finding balance during a PhD. Doireann, a PhD student and advocate for work-life balance, shares her insights on self-care, overcoming guilt, and making time for life outside academia. Tune in for lots of laughs as they discuss why balance matters and how to achieve it!

This week on Stupid Genius, Emily talks all about accountability—specifically, how it helps writers, like you, stay on track. Whether you're writing a PhD thesis, a novel, or just trying to get that blog post done, accountability can make a huge difference. Emily talks about how to set up systems that keep you motivated, how to bounce back when you’ve fallen behind, and why accountability isn’t about pressure—it’s about progress.

On this week of Stupid Genius, Emily and Mollie tackle a popular academic competition that sounds simple but can be deceptively challenging: the Three Minute Thesis, or 3MT. Mollie shares her experience as she won her faculty heats /(twice!) and went on to compete at the university level. They also break it down into what the 3MT is and where it comes from, how to write a great 3MT, and how to perform it.

The incredible Kenkie Brenna @kenziebrenna joins Emily and Mollie to chat about her less-than-perfect experience with an education system not designed for her, her inspiring untraditional route into academia and how she now, in her thirties, finds herself a student all over again and loving every aspect of that crazy, beautiful learning journey.

This week on Stupid Genius, Emily and Mollie are diving into a juicy, cathartic topic that I think every grad student and academic will appreciate: Am I the Asshole? PhD Edition. They're reacting to posts from Reddit where people spill their academic grievances and try to figure out who’s really at fault. Are you ready for some drama?

This week on Stupid Genius, Emily and Mollie welcome the very first PhD advice session. This is a series on Stupid Genius where you send in your current dilemmas or anything that you want advice on (via Instagram), and Emily and Mollie give you their unprofessional advice.

This week of Stupid Genius, Emily and Mollie are tackling one of the most soul-crushing aspects of academic life: publishing fails. If you’ve ever faced a desk rejection, felt gutted by peer-review comments, or wondered if anyone else struggles with endless cycles of rejection—you’re not alone. You have Mollie. Today Emily interviews Mollie about her experiences navigating the turbulent world of academic publishing.

In this episode of Stupid Genius, Emily interviews the brilliant Dr. Jessica Steinberg. Jessica shares her journey from academic research to entrepreneurial success, turning her PhD expertise into a consultancy business in legal cannabis markets. She discusses starting her business, balancing consultancy with research, and how academics can monetize their skills, providing practical insights for those seeking to blend academia and entrepreneurship. Tune in to learn how to turn research into revenue while staying true to your passion for impact.

Emily and Mollie discuss whether or not new resolutions are a good thing. They talk about what theirs were for 2024, whether they achieved them, and they share an exciting announcement for 2025.