The Lab Birds: Recent Episodes
Bridve Sivakumar & Jackie Brown
Welcome to The Lab Birds student podcast series! Hosted by PhD students Bridve Sivakumar and Jackie Brown, we chat about all things related to academic life and health sciences.
Note, the views expressed in this podcast are our own.
In this episode, Bridve and Jackie dive into the process of transferring directly from a Masters to a PhD program. Tune in to find out what this process involves, the pros and cons of transferring and some advice from Bridve, who has transferred into her PhD, on if this might be a good option for you!
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
On Episode 2 of Season 2, Jackie and Bridve discuss the science behind sleep. They chat about the importance of sleep, links between sleep and our mental health, memory, and academic performance, as well as share some of their tips to getting a good nights sleep!
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
Jackie and Bridve return to the podcast with Season 2! In this episode they go into detail on everything you need to know to prepare your scholarship applications. On top of that, they recap their summer breaks, what they are looking forward to in a new academic year and of course share their grad school wins and fails.
In the final episode of season 1 of the Lab Birds Podcast, Jackie and Bridve reflect on their school year and answer some questions from their listeners.
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
Episode 7 is all about the steps you will need to go through to have your work published in a peer-reviewed journal! Bridve and Jackie chat about how to find an appropriate journal to publish your work, formatting and submitting your work, and more.
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
The information presented in this episode is for informational purposes only.
In celebration of Nutrition Month, Bridve and Jackie discuss the issue of food insecurity in this episode. We explore what food insecurity is, its epidemiology, health impacts, as well as potential solutions to promote food security. Later in the episode, Bridve and Jackie are joined by Tara Hattangadi, a public health researcher and health policy advisor who's past research focuses on the link between food insecurity and mental health among University students. We discuss her research findings and her graduate journey.
Link to Tara's research studies:
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1571
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19320248.2019.1658679
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
The information presented in this episode is for informational purposes only.
In this episode Bridve and Jackie are joined by special guest Jalinee Kathirgamanathan, a Chartered Professional Account (CPA) to discuss managing your finances in grad school! We cover top sources of funding in grad school, budgeting, savings, credit cards, and investing. Some of the information in this episode, such as loans and types of bank accounts, is specific to Canadian finances.
For more information on finances from the Ontario Securities Commission, follow this link: https://www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/
The information presented in this episode is for informational purposes only. Always seek advice from a certified finance professional for any questions you may have regarding your individual finances.
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
In episode 4 of the Lab Birds podcast, Bridve and Jackie chat about all things related to habits, routines, and goals. They discuss the research behind habit formation, how it links to our health, the importance of creating habits (especially in grad school), as well as tips for creating and maintaining habits and setting goals.
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
In this episode, Bridve and Jackie cover all of the components you need to have for grad school applications and describe their own experiences applying to graduate school.
They also welcome special guest Hannah Froome, a first-year PhD student at Brunel University in London, England, to describe her experiences applying to graduate school internationally.
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
In this episode Bridve and Jackie discuss how nutrition can support your immune system, what they do as grad students when they get sick and as always discuss their grad school wins and fails.
For more info on the Canada's Food Guide follow this link: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/
The information presented in this episode is for informational purposes only. No material in this episode is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, registered dietitian or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding your diet and health.
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
On the first episode of The Lab Birds, your hosts Bridve and Jackie introduce themselves and the purpose of the podcast which will cover topics related to research and academic life. Bridve and Jackie discuss why they are pursuing their PhDs, their monthly grad school wins and fails and tips for students who are thinking of starting grad school.