The three secrets of PhD Success

Create a Phd that fits your lifestyle and helps you build your dream career with our personalized programs!

Doing a PhD isn't rocket science. To finish it with ease and success you just need these three things :

A goal - so you know where you're going.
A plan - to accelerate your progress without exhausting yourself.
A support system - people who stick with you when things get tough and who cheer for you when you succeed.

No matter what it is that you need most - we've got you covered with our programs!

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Have a question? Send us a message!

What's the story behind the name WiSible?

It's no secret that despite all the efforts towards equality and all the small and big wins, we - women in general and women in science in particular - are still facing obstacles and hurdles that make it way harder for us to succeed than it is for (white, cis-) men. And the system that maintains all these inequalities isn't gonna change anytime soon.So, if we want to thrive, we have to find our own way through it.One that focuses on collaboration rather than competition.
Mindfulness rather than hustle culture.
Balance rather than burnout.With WiSible I want to empower women to find their way to success, in academia and beyond.Because we have a right to be here, we have a right to succeed, we have a right to be seen, and we have a right to thrive as scientists and humans.

What exactly happens in the courses?

I'll give you a typical scientist's answer: It depends.The cohort courses address the needs of PhD candidates at different points in their journey."Become the CEO of your PhD" is for graduate students who are still at the beginning of their PhD and who want to make sure they set up the project so it brings them closer to their future career goals. To make sure that happens, we cover topics such as project management, goal setting, negotiation tactics (so you can convince your supervisor to let you do the things you want to do), habits for success, mindfulness and sustainability, and strategic networking."Ph*ing Do it!" is all about finishing the PhD. It’s a 90-day challenge that you do together with other PhD candidates with the aim to submit the thesis by the end of the program. Here, we have an intensive kick-off week with calls and exercises where everyone works out their personal finisher’s roadmap. After that, we get on weekly calls where we celebrate successes and solve issues that came up along the way. It’s a mix of hands-on course, group coaching, and peer support. Individual coaching is also available for issues that can’t be solved in the group setting
The courses are a mix of theoretical input and interactive exercises during and between live calls. Every now and then there will be live hot seat coaching for some of you and there will always be room to exchange with your fellow participants.
For every course you will be assigned a buddy or a support group. The women you are connected with are your accountability partners, rooting for you and making sure you stay on track.
Most people will thrive with the resources and support provided in the group programs. But sometimes, you may run into issues that cannot be solved in the group. For those cases I reserve a limited number of slots for individual coaching.

I’m interested in joining one of your programs but I can’t afford them. What can I do?

I get it.
Getting personal PhD support is not a small investment and it can feel crazy or impossible to spend so much money on coaching or a targeted course.But, I want you to consider this: Every month that you submit the PhD sooner, is a month where you will potentially earn more than you do now. Do the maths: How long would it take you to work in your dream job post graduation before the investment pays off? Probably it’s not that long.If you still feel, you cannot afford to work with me, please do have a close look at all the options I offer. If 1:1 coaching is not affordable for you right now, I’m convinced you’d still benefit a lot from one of the courses, and those are much more affordable. Plus, you get the added value of working in a peer group and connecting to likeminded PhDs.If you still feel, the investment is too big, get in touch with me. We can arrange monthly installments, we can discuss discounts if you convince a friend to join the course, too, and maybe there’s even the option that your university sponsors your participation. Let’s talk about it!

April 1, 2025

Issue #12: Should I say yes? A simple framework for better decisions

Don't do what's good for your ego. Do what's good for you.

Last week we talked about how having a career vision can help you work less and achieve more (you can read it here in case you missed it). Today, I want to dive into this topic a bit deeper and talk about how to make sure you work on your priorities.Last week, I found an email with the subject line "Invitation to book project" in my inbox. Warily, I opened, expecting something along the lines of "Distinguished author...". But what I thought was Spam trying to lure me into some expensive, non-existent conference, was an actual invitation to contribute to a book about rewilding (my PhD topic)."Wow", I thought, "finally, somebody recognizes my accomplishments in the field." I was flattered, because quite frankly, things like this happen a lot less than what I expected when I published my Science paper on the topic. My poor ego finally got stroked and yelled "Yes! Do it!"I was intrigued.But then I declined.Here's why:1. The gig would probably give me some visibility and credibility among rewilding researchers. But it's a field I'm no longer active in. So, what would have been useful if I was aspiring an academic career would simply be feeding my vanity instead.2. It'd be nice to dive into the topic once more and write academically for the first time in years. But, it would also be a lot of work. Unpaid. This may be acceptable (although I'm not sure it is but that's a discussion for another time) if you have a paid position and writing research is part of your job. But in my case, saying yes to this would mean committing to work that binds a lot of time that I should and want to spend on MY priority: building and growing my business so I can do what I love most - helping grad students create a PhD experience on their terms.
So, I told my ego to shut up and declined the offer.This one was not too hard, and hopefully, if you did last week’s exercise, decisions like this would be a no-brainer for you, too. But it’s not always this straight forward. Which is why in this week’s spotlight, I want to introduce you to a framework to set priorities when things are a little more complex.

This Week’s Spotlight: A strategic framework to identify your priorities when the decision feels difficult

Most PhD researchers struggle with decision-making.“Should I say yes to that extra project?”“Should I take on another teaching assignment?”“Should I submit an abstract to this cool conference (also, it's in Hawaii and all my friends are going)?”During your PhD you are bombarded with opportunities. Many of them will sound super exciting, some of them will definitely be worth taking and sometimes it is easy to see in which category they fall.The problem starts when the decision is not so obvious, even if you have your career vision clear. In these cases it can help to look at the opportunity in a bit more detail. The PhD success matrix is a powerful tool to help you get an overview over which opportunities would be beneficial for different areas of your life and which of them you can happily let go of. It helps you put all the things you could possibly do into the following “boxes”.Your non-negotiables: Things you absolutely have to do to graduate (I call those "the peanut butter sandwich" because PBJ for breakfast is an absolute non-negotiable for me).
Strategic choices: Those are things that are essential for reaching your longer-term goals - not necessarily connected to your non-negotiables.
Personal growth: Activities that help you become the person you want to be.
Matters of the heart: Things that are a priority in your life that have nothing to do with your PhD or career.

For example, imagine you are invited to participate in a workshop. This is how your matrix could look like:

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

1. Take 10 minutes and analyze one opportunity you are currently thinking about saying “yes” to.
2. Write down all the things you would get from the experience and categorize them using the PhD Success Matrix.
3. Hit “reply” and let me know how it went and what decision you ended up taking :).Talk soon!Andrea

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March 25, 2025

Issue #11: Clear Vision, Smoother PhD Journey

Welcome back to The Interface! This week, we’re diving into a key insight that will make your PhD journey significantly easier: having a clear career vision.One of the biggest challenges PhD students face is overwhelm - too many tasks, too many expectations, too many options. Especially if you are given a lot of freedom when it comes to deciding on a direction for your PhD project (supposedly a good thing), it is so easy to get lost in the chaos.It certainly happened to me: I vividly remember my first meeting with my supervisor where he told me "I don't really care what you do. You should use the camera traps we have in the lab and you should aim for at least one publication in Nature or Science." - Alright...
(I did get the Science publication but that's a story for another time.)I'm a free spirit so I liked the idea of having a lot of decision power but my excitement soon turned into - well, overwhelm - because just like most new researchers, I was trying to do EVERYTHING. Luckily, I had an amazing co-supervisor who cared enough to burst my bubble when I was excitedly telling her about how I was going to research the effects of everything on anything (does this sound familiar to anyone?).Looking back at my young and very eager self from 10 years ago I know what her problem was:I didn't have the experience to know how big a PhD project should sensibly be (spoiler for you if you're still designing yours: all of them start out WAY too big!).
And that's fine! It's the learning experience you signed up for and in the best case you have somebody like my co-supervisor who gives you guidance and helps you scale down your project to a scope you can actually manage.I didn't have direction. In the beginning of my PhD I was only led by curiosity.
Again, fine! Curiosity is an important prerequisite for doing research. But add to it a bit (lot) of shiny-object syndrome and you are all over the place. I knew I was interested in conservation and politics and I knew that I didn't want to stay in academia but I didn't put a lot of thought into how I wanted my career after my PhD to look like. So, I tried to research everything and I said yes to anything. Meaning, I was doing a lot and progressing little.
But about a year into my PhD my career vision became clearer and magically everything became more straightforward:Decisions became easier: If an opportunity didn't align with my long-term career goals, I confidently said no.
Priorities became clearer: Suddenly it was easier to discern the non-negotiable from the nice-to-haves. For example, since I knew I wasn't going to apply for PostDocs I didn't put a lot of effort into publishing a lot. Instead I focused on collaborating (i.e. networking) with conservation practitioners and starting to build some standing as an expert in my field.
I took ownership of my PhD: Instead of waiting for guidance, I proactively took decisions to shape my project to serve my future aspirations (instead of being a task rabbit for my PI).
Motivation stayed strong: I knew where I wanted to go and what it would take to get there. This helped me a lot to push through challenges, especially on the final stretch.

This Week’s Spotlight: Your Career Vision as a Decision-Making Tool

Maybe you also feel trapped in a cycle of overcommitment, feel like you have too many projects, responsibilities, and side tasks.But what if you had a guiding principle—a filter for every decision?When you define your career vision, you gain exactly that. You can ask yourself:Does this help me develop skills I’ll need in my future career?
Does this contribute to my visibility in my field?
Will this help me build the right connections?
If the answer is no, it’s a sign that you might be better off letting it go. If you have this clear vision of where you want to go it will also be easier to let go and to defend your decisions against your PI.By aligning decisions with your career vision, you cut out unnecessary work, reduce stress, and make faster progress toward both your PhD and your future.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

Gaining clarity about your career vision is a long-term process and something that can and will evolve as you grow but you can't get started early enough.An easy framework to get you started is what I call the MIRA framework.
Grab a piece of paper and answer these questions:M - Motivation: What motivates you to do a PhD?
I - Impact: What kind of impact do you want to have in your career?
R - Role: What professional role can you see yourself in the future?
A - Aspects of life: What aspects of life are most important to you?Once you have jotted down some ideas you can dive deeper with these questions:What are the key skills and experiences I need to get there?
What activities in my PhD help me move in that direction?
Now, look at your current to-do list. Identify one task or commitment that does not align with your future goals—and consider dropping it or delegating it.The more intentional you are with your choices, the smoother your PhD will become.Let me know what you discover! I’d love to hear your insights.Talk soon!
Andrea

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March 18th, 2025

✨ Issue 10: How a Simplified Figure Became a Game-Changer for Science Communication

Reduce Complexity, Increase Impact

Last week I had a flashback to my past when I was still working as a Science-Policy expert.As I was helping my partner prepare for a professorship interview, I came across a figure that made a huge splash in the biodiversity-policy world when it came out back in 2020. If you are working in conservation, sustainability or global change biology, I'm sure you've seen it.The visual was part of a press release about the Nature paper ["Bending the curve of terrestrial biodiversity needs an integrated strategy"]( by David Leclère and others and shows a simplified version of the paper's key figure where the authors show how different approaches to conservation and the use of natural resources might lead to different trends in biodiversity.This figure is among the ones most often shown amongst biodiversity researchers and decision makers.Together with the term "bending the curve" (which was coined by Georgina Mace and colleagues in a previous Nature paper) it became a key element framing discussions about the global biodiversity goals and targets of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD), which was adopted by 196 countries in December 2022.I don't have numbers to prove it, but I'm convinced that the paper wouldn't have had this level of impact if the findings had been communicated the same way they were published in the paper. It is a great example of how adapting your way of communication depending on what you're trying to achieve (your purpose) and who you need to reach (your target audience) with your message makes all the difference.Spoiler: A research paper's purpose and target audience are different from those of a press release.So, in this week's spotlight I want to dive deeper into this example and discuss how simplifying your message - or rather, adapting it so it serves your purpose and has the highest chances of reaching your target audience - can increase your visibility and the impact you can have with your research.

This Week’s Spotlight: Bait the hook to suit the fish - principles of great science communication

Alright, let's have a closer look. This is the original figure from the paper:

From Leclère, et al. "Bending the curve of terrestrial biodiversity needs an integrated strategy." Nature 585.7826 (2020): 551-556.

As you can see, there's a lot going on here: It shows different scenarios of how biodiversity on land might change until the end of this century depending on different actions we might or might not take to preserve and restore it, and according to different models. It is detailed, nuanced, and rich in information - perfect for the academic audience it was intended for.But, it is also pretty complex and loaded with jargon and abbreviations. Not something you grasp within the first second, especially if you're not an expert in the field.Now, let's have a look at the visual that came with the press release:

Compared to the original figure, this image is extremely simple. You probably need less than 30 seconds to understand the key message of the paper, even if you don't have a PhD in conservation science (or any university degree for that matter).Let's break down what it is that makes this visual so easily palatable (and hence powerful):1. It distills the message to its core. The simplified figure stripped away details that, while important for specialists, made it harder to understand for a broader audience.
2. It is visually intuitive. Instead of requiring careful study, the new version lets people grasp the main takeaway at a glance.
3. It is easy to share. The simplicity made it a perfect fit for presentations, reports, and discussions, allowing it to spread far beyond academic circles.
4. It resonated with the intended target audience. Policymakers and stakeholders don’t have time to decipher complex models - they need clear, actionable insights. And in this case, as the paper came out at a time where the negotiations of the Global Biodiversity Framework were in full swing, it is safe to say that some policy makers were delighted to have something that captured what was at stake and motivated ambitious action. The new figure delivered exactly that.Cautionary note: Especially point 4 highlights that there are risks and caveats to (over-) simplifying complex messages this much. Especially if our research informs an issue that is important to us, it can be tempting to remove information to a level that the message we send seems more unambiguous than it actually is and omits uncertainty and nuance that would be necessary for informed decision making.
The roles we can take as researchers in policy and advocacy is a huge and important topic and goes beyond the scope of today's issue but I'm happy to cover it in another issue if you are interested.For now, I just want to make you aware that next to defining your purpose and target audience it is important to also reflect in which role you are communicating your research and to become aware of where your own biases are.tl;drI hope you can see from this example that it can make all the difference for your impact if you carefully think about
a) what you want to achieve when you share messages from your research (e.g., inform policy change),
b) who you need to reach with your message, and
c) what language (visual or using actual words) you need to speak in to reach those peopleAnd in case this isn't obvious, you don't need to publish in Nature to start making an impact.Whether you're preparing a conference talk, writing a paper, or applying for funding, make sure your key message is clear and memorable.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

Let’s put this into practice. This week, take a piece of your research communication - a figure, a paragraph, or even a slide from a presentation - and simplify it. Here’s how:Identify the core message. What is the one thing you want your audience to remember?
Cut the clutter. Think carefully about which information you can leave out to make your message easier to grasp (without distorting your actual results).
Make it visually or structurally clear. If it’s a figure, can you make it more intuitive? If it’s text, can you replace jargon with simpler wording?
Test it. Show the before-and-after versions to a colleague or a friend who is no expert in your field - does the new version get your point across faster?
You might be surprised at how much stronger your message becomes when you embrace simplicity!Looking forward to hearing how this works for you - hit reply and let me know what you simplified.Talk soon!
Andrea

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March 11th, 2025

✨ Issue 9: Academia Wasn’t Built for Women—Let’s Change That

The playing field is rigged - let's set it straight

Welcome back to The Interface. On the occasion of International Women’s Day last Saturday I want to dedicate this issue to a topic that I care about a lot: the glass ceiling in academia.It’s no secret that building an academic career is hard. But for women (and other minorities!), it’s even harder.Yesterday, a friend told me that she didn’t make it to the next round competing for a permanent research position. She was surprised, she said, because she had received very positive feedback during the first round. Surprise soon turned into anger when she found out that although the initial applicant pool was almost balanced, the gender ratio after the first round was 2:1 - only half as many women made it to the next stage, compared to their male competitors. Even worse: she noticed that certain criteria - like time since graduation - were evaluated negatively for women but not for men.So, as I'm sitting here, writing this newsletter it's not really accurate to say "I care a lot".Truth is, I'm angry!Because this story of my friend isn’t an isolated case. Study after study shows that women in academia face more scrutiny, higher expectations, and often subtle (or not-so-subtle) bias in hiring, funding, and promotions. And we haven't even started talking about unfair distribution of unpaid and unrecognized labor, at home and in the work place (e.g., mentoring, diversity committees, teaching-heavy positions).
The stats reflect the effects of these biases. As an example, I dug up a figure showing the gender balance in calls for ERC grants (one of the most important and prestigious research funding schemes in Europe, awarded by the European Commission).As you can see, it's the same pattern!Between 2007 and 2021 only a third of the applications for starting and consolidator grants came from women (although 48.5 % of PhD students in the EU are female) and an even smaller share of female scientists gets the grant. And you can see yourself what's the situation higher up the academic ladder - for the Advanced Grant, there are hardly any women left to even apply.

Representation of women among the applicants, panelists (stage 1), and grantees of three major ERC grants.
Source: https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-11/GenderstatisticsJune_2022.pdf

This Week’s Spotlight: Fixing the leaky pipeline and diffusing through the glass ceiling

So yes, I'm angry.But if you know me a little, you know that my preferred way of dealing with unpleasant emotions is to try and find constructive and action-oriented approaches to deal with the issue. That's why in this week's spotlight I want to look outside the box and share ideas for steps you can take to help fix the pipeline (which is a long-term challenge) and to "diffuse" through the glass ceiling (i.e., increase your chances for success within this broken system).1. Fixing the pipeline
Of course, gender biases are just as much of a problem in other industries as they are in academia. But there are a few examples we can look at for inspiration when pushing for change:Better transparency: Some forward-thinking tech companies e.g., Buffer and Cisco have restructured their hiring and promotion processes to counter bias. Blind recruitment, structured promotions, and clear transparency in salary negotiation help level the playing field.
Policies to promote equal distribution of care responsibilities: Progressive companies offer flexible work arrangements and parental leave policies. Universities could explore ways to make academic careers more compatible with family responsibilities, such as tenure clock extensions or part-time options. In countries like Sweden and Iceland, government policies to promote equal parental leave has shifted cultural expectations and reduced the “motherhood penalty.” Some countries discuss implementing similar solutions for people who care for family members other than kids, for example their elderly parents.
Mentorship and sponsorship programs for women and other minorities: Many corporations for example Cronus and Speex have successful mentorship programs pairing junior women with senior leaders. Universities could expand such initiatives, connecting female PhD students and early-career researchers with established professors or industry professionals across institutions.2. "Diffusing" through the glass ceilingAll of the above examples require changing the system. And let me be honest, I don't think this change is happening fast enough for us to experience a "level playing field" during our careers. So in the meantime, if we do want to climb some kind of "career ladder" (or pursue our ambition and passions) we need to find ways to do so under the circumstances we find ourselves in now.Here are a few ideas of what you can do now to make things a bit easier:Practice Self-Advocacy: Research suggests women in academia are less likely to promote their work or cite themselves compared to men. Taking a cue from corporate leadership programs, universities could offer workshops on self-promotion and negotiation skills specifically tailored for women in academia. But even if they don't we can practice becoming more visible with our skills, ask for more (and ask more often), and apply for jobs even if we think we're not ready for them.
Find a mentor or sponsor: Find someone who has accomplished what you are hoping to achieve (or is a few steps ahead of you) and ask them for guidance and support. If you can't find anyone in your current network it may be worthwhile to look into "matchmaking" services for mentors and mentees e.g., MentorMe or ask your institutions early career officer for support.
Develop leadership skills: Get clear on what you want to achieve and develop strategic steps to get there, including honing your leadership skills, taking on ownership over your project, and most importantly developing routines and habits to maintain your physical and emotional wellbeing (remember, it's a marathon).
Invest in your personal network: Remember, everyone is struggling. Team up with peers and support each other along your journey.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

Let’s flip the perspective. This week, try this:1. Think of a key decision in your work. It could be choosing a conference to attend, a journal to submit to, or how you allocate your time.
2. Now imagine you were a man. Would you approach it differently? Would you feel more confident? Would you expect different reactions?3. Reflect. What does this tell you about the invisible biases at play? What one thing can you do differently this week to counter them - whether it’s asking for more, setting boundaries, or supporting another woman in academia?And for my male readers: Please become an ally! (Although, if you have read until here you probably are one already).We need you in this effort!When you notice that it's always the women in your group buying birthday presents or organizing the lab meeting, when you notice a male colleague always interrupting your female peers, suggest a rota for the "housekeeping" tasks, give the word back to the woman in the room ("I'd like to hear what XYZ had to say on this topic"), encourage your friend if she's reluctant to apply for the dream job that seems out of reach!The system won't change anytime soon - but there are small, intentional actions we can take to make it happen.Talk soon!
Andrea

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March 4th, 2025

Issue 8: ✨ The Interface: From Small Wins to Big Opportunities

Preparation + Visibility = Opportunity

Before we dive into this week’s topic, I want to share a book that I think many of you might enjoy: Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff.
As a "natural interfacer" who loves seeing and learning from connections between research and application, I've been a loyal reader of Anne-Laure's newsletter Ness Labs for years.Anne-Laure is a neuroscientist and entrepreneur and she's all about approaching life as a series of small experiments. Her first book Tiny Experiments launches today but I got early access (feeling very VIP 🤭), and I am loving it so far. Anne-Laure invites readers to rethink traditional goal-setting and unlock the power of small, deliberate experiments to navigate uncertainty, explore new paths, and grow authentically.If you enjoy this newsletter, I think you'll love the book! You can order your copy here.Now, on to today’s newsletter...I know I said we'd talk about productivity hacks this week but inspired by Anne-Laure's book and by the circumstances of how I got to partner with her in promoting it I decided to change plans and instead talk about how we can harness unexpected opportunities for our progress and our growth.

This Week’s Spotlight: The power of showing up prepared (and making yourself seen)

I want to give you some context on why I am so excited to be able to promote "Tiny experiments" in this newsletter.As I mentioned above, I am a big fan of Anne-Laure's work and don't only read her newsletter but also follow her on social media. Last week, she posted that she was looking for partners to cross-promote her book (meaning that, in turn for me mentioning it to you, she will mention my newsletter to her subscribers).Now, Anne-Laure is WAY ahead of me. She has seventy-six thousand followers on X and LinkedIn combined and 110.000 people read her newsletter every week.Being mentioned by her is a huge opportunity for me to reach more people with my writing - as you know, I launched The Interface just eight weeks ago and we are still a very exclusive group here (btw, if you want to help me grow, you recommending The Interface, or forwarding it to anyone you think might enjoy it would mean the world to me).So, when I read her post my internal dialogue was something like this:
Thought 1: "This is a great opportunity!"
Thought 2: "She will never say yes. My reach is way too small to make a partnership useful for her."I could have dropped the idea here. But instead, I shut up my inner critic and changed my narrative away from limitations and toward opportunities:"I have a newsletter. I love Anne-Laure's work, I'm inspired by it on a regular basis, my audience is very likely interested in this book, and I'm perfectly happy to endorse it. Worst thing that can happen is she's not interested. And even in that case, my reply to her post will get seen by a few of her fans (who might be interested in my topics, too.)"So I took the chance, wrote the reply, and here we are.If you've read up to here you might ask: "Why is she telling me all this and what does it have to do with my PhD?I think there are several lessons that are applicable also to your PhD journey:• As soon as you have built (or even just started building) something, you have something to offer.
• As soon as you have something to offer you can enter partnerships that are mutually beneficial. So, the sooner you start building something that contributes to your longer-term goal(s), the better.
• You don't have to have it all figured out from the get-go.
• Regardless of how early you may be on your journey and how small your outcomes may still be - every little outcome may be a door-opener to the next thought, the next experiment, the next opportunity.
• You don't have to know the outcome of your building experiment. It is enough to define a few guardrails for experimentation.Take this newsletter for example: I don't know where it will lead. All I want it to do (for now) is (1) provide value to my readers, (2) test what resonates with you and what doesn't, and (3) allow me to explore topics that I am excited about.You never know to whom your work (or thoughts) might be useful if you don't show what you've got.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

This week, I want you to think bigger.1️⃣ Have a careful look at your assets. Make a list of at least 50 assets you have. Include anything that might be useful for others. Could be results you have produced, skills you have, your expertise, your network - the broader the better.
2️⃣ Think of at least one person you look up to (and whose success might be slightly intimidating).
3️⃣ Identify at least one thing from your list that might be useful to that person.
4️⃣ Reach out to this person and offer your asset to them.Here's a template you can use to reach out:Subject: A Small Contribution to Your WorkHi [Name],I’ve been following your work on [specific topic or project], and I really admire [something specific about what they do]. It’s been incredibly valuable to me as I [mention a relevant connection—e.g., “work on a similar challenge,” “apply your insights in my research,” etc.].I wanted to reach out because I believe I have something that could be useful to you. [Briefly mention your asset—e.g., “I recently conducted a study on X,” “I’ve built a tool that does Y,” “I have access to a dataset that might be relevant for your work,” etc.].If this is something that could be helpful, I’d love to share more details. No expectations—just happy to contribute in any way that might be useful. Let me know what you think!Best,
[Your Name]Talk soon!
AndreaP.S. I always love to hear your thoughts! Was this issue useful? What were your main take aways? What topics would you like me to write about in the future? Let me know! I'd greatly appreciate your feedback!

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February 25, 2025

Issue 7: ✨ The interface: The good enough PhD. Insights from parenting and psychology

Don't be perfect. Be happy instead

Today will be a very personal post and maybe seem a bit off because today’s insights don’t come from the business world as most weeks but from what I do when I don’t coach, train or create social media content - parenting.
So, please bear with me here. I believe there will still be something to take away for you and your PhD-baby.For most of my life I haven’t been a perfectionist. I’m simply too lazy, and often also too impatient to strive for perfect results. But since I became a mom, perfectionism - or worse, the bad feeling of not being perfect - has started to haunt me.How can you want to want less than being perfect for this little person that means the world to you (and is obviously perfect herself)? How can you not regret not trying your best at all times? All the info on how to be perfect is available to you! And others manage, too! Right?!Now, a PhD is in many regards a bit like a baby.You’re responsible for it. You have this one shot at getting it right. And there is A LOT of advice out there on what to do, how not to make mistakes and to do just as perfect as everyone else seems to be doing. So we try to avoid mistakes at all costs.
That is EXHAUSTING!Luckily, among all the advice for how to achieve perfection there are some more humane voices too. One of them is “good enough parenting”.Good enough parenting
The original concept of the “good enough mother” was developed by British paediatrician and psychoanalysist Donald Winnicott in the 1950s. Winnicott stated that a mother that is “good enough” i.e. making the mistakes and limits inherent to being a human is actually more beneficial for the development of a child than striving for perfection because this way the child learns to endure frustration and cope with challenges independently.Now, this is not a parenting newsletter and a PhD is not an actual baby that can become “independent” but there still are a few lessons we can learn from good enough parenting for our relaxed (and good enough) PhD journey. Let’s dive in.

This Week’s Spotlight: The downsides of perfectionism

We all know we shouldn’t be perfectionist. At the same time, the quality expectations we are confronted with in all areas of life make it hard to believe that anything less than perfect is acceptable.
But what are the downsides of perfectionism? Here are just a few examples:• We might miss the bigger picture if we obsess over details.
• The expectation that what we produce has to be perfect can prevent us from even trying (Hello Procrastination, my old friend).
• Trying to be perfect takes A LOT of time and effort. You’ve probably heard of Pareto’s law that states that 80 % of outcomes are produced with just 20% of effort, and that it would require 80% of effort to achieve the remaining 20% and reach perfection. So we exhaust ourselves trying to get to “the top”. Which can result in the opposite of what we hope to achieve because…
• …exhausted, we do worse at what we are trying to do.
And the worst thing is, we sometimes lose the joy of doing it.But how do I know if what I do is “good enough”?
Well, that is the big question, right? There is no exact formula to calculate Pareto’s 80% of effort.One approach to help us move away from perfection towards good enough is "satisficing".”Satisficing” is a fusion of the words “satisfactory” and “sufficient” and describes a decision-making approach that aims at quickly finding an option that fulfills key criteria. As soon as such a satisfactory option has been found the decision-making process ends.Example:
Imagine you need a new backpack. You want something that’s comfortable to carry, has enough space for your laptop and a water bottle, and is durable enough for daily use. Bonus points if it’s water-resistant, made from sustainable materials, and has a hidden pocket for valuables.Now, you could take a maximizing approach. You research countless backpacks online, read reviews, compare materials, check prices, and debate whether a roll-top design is actually practical or just trendy. You might spend hours - or even days - deliberating, only to finally order one and then wonder if another model would have been better.Alternatively, you could go with a satisficing strategy. You define your must-have criteria: (1) fits a 15-inch laptop, (2) has padded shoulder straps, and (3) is within your budget. Then, you simply buy the first backpack that meets those requirements and move on with your life.The result will probably be not as good as if you had taken the maximizing approach. But recent research shows it will likely make you happier. In a decision study by Schwartz et al. maximisers were shown to be more prone to comparing themselves with others and more likely to regret their choices. Ouch.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

Perfectionism thrives in uncertainty - so let’s put some structure around what “good enough” looks like for you.1. Pick a task that you’ve been overthinking or delaying because you want to do it “just right.” It could be writing a section of your dissertation, preparing slides, or even drafting an email.
2. Define your key criteria. What are the must-haves for this to be functional and effective? Try to keep it to 3-5 essentials.
3. Set a time limit. Give yourself a fixed amount of time to complete the task—enough to meet your criteria, but not so much that perfectionism creeps in.
4. Do it and stop. Once you hit your criteria and your time limit, resist the urge to tweak endlessly. Declare it good enough and move on.
Bonus task for the brave ones among you: Give what you produced to someone for friendly review. Could be a trusted colleague, your supervisor, or me (if you want).Try this with one task this week and reflect: Did it feel uncomfortable? Did it save you time? Did the outcome still serve its purpose? You might be surprised how much “good enough” is actually enough.tl;drThere is no way of anticipating whether what you did is good enough. And there is no way of knowing if what you did is “perfect” either. All you can do is try, risk to make mistakes, and learn from the outcomes.(By the way this newsletter issue is a “perfect” example of the "good enough" approach. Is it good enough? I don’t know. I’ll leave it up to you to decide.)Talk soon!Andrea

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February 18, 2025

Issue 6: ✨ The interface: Don't let meetings happen to you. Make them happen for you

Don't let meetings happen to you. Make them happen for you

Recently, I had a conversation with a PhD student whose biggest bottleneck to progress was... her PI.
It wasn't that he didn't want her to succeed. But he was busy.
He had just started a new professorship at a new university and he was so swamped with work that he didn't get round to providing her pieces of information she needed to continue with her research. So even though, in principle, she knew what she had to do, she couldn't because she couldn't get her PI on board.She did have one thing in all this mess, though: Regular meetings. But the thing was, often those meetings weren't really helping much.
Sometimes the PI seemed distracted. Sometimes the meeting went off topic and they didn't get round to discussing the questions and issues she needed to have solved. And sometimes he seemed to have forgotten what they had agreed to in previous meeting. Either way, she often left with more questions than answers and no idea what to do next. Maybe you've had meetings like this and you know how frustrating they are.
Now, I have some bad news for you: You probably can’t change your PI’s personality or schedule. But you can make it easier for them to help you.
One way to do this is by taking charge of the way you prepare for and lead your meetings. This week, we’re talking about how to do just that.

This Week’s Spotlight: How to Run a Meeting That Actually Helps You

PIs are busy, and most don’t realize how much you need from them unless you make it clear. If you leave meetings up to chance, they’ll likely go in circles - or worse, get hijacked by your PI’s own train of thought.
The key is to shift from “let’s see what happens” to “I know exactly what I need and I will prepare and lead this meeting so I get what I need.”Here are the exact steps you need to take:
1️⃣ Set the agenda:
If you're not already doing this, start sending an agenda to your PI ahead of the meeting (ideally with a heads-up that you are going to start doing this to help making the meetings more efficient). In this email you put exactly what you want to discuss.Don't put too many items on the list, just something like
• a quick progress report
• the most important bottlenecks to solve in order to continue the work effectively
• questions you have for them
• decision of next steps/to dos until the next meeting
2️⃣ Start strong:
If your PI likes to ramble or jump straight into their own ideas, steer the conversation by saying something like: “I have a few things I’d love to get your advice on today. Can we start with those?”
3️⃣ Take notes & follow up:
After the meeting send a short email with notes of what you discussed.
4️⃣ Make it easy for them to say yes – If you need a decision, draft an email or document they can quickly review. If you need feedback, ask for it on one specific thing instead of handing them a full manuscript. The easier you make it for them to engage, the more likely they will.
What this does is the following:
-> You avoid that the meeting agenda is hijacked by your supervisor
-> You clarify what you want to talk about making it easier for them to (mentally) prepare for the meeting and help you
-> You'll come across as professional and proactive (PIs like that)
-> You'll have proof of what has been discussed in past meetings and can produce it when they want you to justify your approach.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

For your next meeting, try this:
Draft a one-page agenda following the structure above. Keep it short and clear.Send it to your PI a day before the meeting (or bring a printed copy if you’re meeting in person).After the meeting, write a short summary of what was discussed and the next steps you're going to take. Send it in a follow-up email.
Try this for your next 2-3 meetings and see what happens. You'll be surprised at how much more productive they become!Talk soon!Andrea

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February 11, 2025

Issue 5: ✨ The interface: Hate networking? Build connections instead

Forget about "networking". Start building connections

I'll be honest: I often feel incredibly uncomfortable in classic networking situations.I'm an extrovert, I love talking, I love meeting new people - you'd think icebreakers and conference dinners are a walk in the park for me. But nope - especially when I'm on my own without a wingman or -woman, I often feel out of place and super-awkward because I don't know how to chat someone up in an light, yet professional way. And the only thing that's worse than going alone IMO is shadowing someone senior because you hope they'll introduce you to all the important people they know but then they don't and you stand there next to them looking like a lost puppy.So, if you dread networking, believe me, I get it. That's why for today's issue I gathered some facts, some myths and some tricks about networking so you and me feel (and do) better next time we find ourselves among very important persons.The Science Behind NetworkingI guess it is safe to say that we didn't need research to convince us of the importance of our loved ones - our friends, and families who make us feel loved and like we belong in this crazy world. But research shows that the emotional support and sense of belonging those closest to us offer not "only" make us happy - a strong personal network has been linked to better academic outcomes, too (Tinto, 2012, Pérez II & Taylor, 2016).But although we cannot overestimate the importance of our inner circle, to thrive in our careers we need a second type of network. One that is characterized by weaker, more formal ties and can provide access to diverse perspectives and valuable information that may not be available in our inner circle (Gašević et al., 2013; Thomas, 2000). These broader connections can be a gateway to new ideas, potential job openings, diverse opportunities and even unexpected career.So, to thrive in your PhD and beyond, you'll need both: a supportive inner circle and a professional network that includes colleagues, collaborators, and other professional contacts. Now, let's talk about how we can build those connections without cringing.The Four Biggest Networking Myths (And How to Get Over Them)"Networking is manipulation." Networking isn’t about schmoozing or transactional relationships. It’s about building real, meaningful connections with people who share your interests, challenge your thinking, and - yes - help you grow.
Here's a change in perspective that made networking much easier and more natural for me: Stop thinking about what you want from your new connections and instead think about what you have to offer to them.
"But I don't have anything to offer." I know it is easy to feel this way. Especially if you're trying to connect to people who seem lightyears ahead of you. But it's not true! You absolutely do have things to offer! Your research, your skills, your fresh perspective - all of these are valuable. Networking is about sharing and exchanging ideas. Your curiosity alone makes you a great conversation partner!
"I’m an introvert, so networking isn’t for me." Great news: introverts are often the best networkers. Why? Because they listen more than they talk. Networking isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room; it’s about forming meaningful one-on-one connections. Start small - send a thoughtful LinkedIn message, attend a virtual seminar, or follow up with someone whose work inspired you.
In real-life settings find ways to make the first step easier for you. For example, instead of trying to chat up the famous professor go to a poster session, find a presenter who is currently alone and ask them a question. It's great practice and they'll be forever grateful someone came and saved them from awkwardly standing next to their poster. (in case you're still wondering if you have anything to offer).
"Networking is only for people who are more advanced in their careers." Sure, networking becomes more important the closer you get to your next job search. But even if you're still early in your PhD journey, and even if your network are mostly the people in your lab and other PhD researchers who you met in a pre-conference workshop, there are two things to consider:
First, your connections are a long-term investment. A few years down the line those are the people who can recommend you for jobs, collaborate on research with you, and help you navigate tricky career decisions.
Second, as we learned earlier, networking isn't just stiff, formal business interactions. It is a way to make new friends for life, too. And it is never too early for that!

This Week’s Spotlight: How to Start Networking (Without Feeling Like a Fraud)

Here’s how you can start building your network right now - without feeling forced or fake:1. Be Curious: Instead of thinking about what you need from others, focus on learning from them. Who is doing research that excites you? Who has a career path you admire? Follow their work, engage with their content, and reach out with genuine questions or comments.
**2. Give Before You Take: **The best way to build connections is to be helpful. Share an interesting paper, introduce two people who might benefit from knowing each other, or offer to collaborate on a project. Giving first makes networking feel more natural and less transactional.
3. Leverage Your Existing Circle: You don’t have to start from scratch! Your supervisors, lab mates, conference buddies, and even PhD Twitter or LinkedIn connections are part of your network. Strengthen those relationships and see where they lead.
4. Focus on the "work" in network: My favorite way of getting to know people in a professional setting is to actually work with them. It saves you the awkwardness smalltalk, you get to interact with people in a natural way, and rather than talking about your skills, your interests and your expertise, you can show them.
So, my best piece of advice this week would be: If you see an opportunity to get on a team with someone you'd like to connect to - a workshop, a task force, a volunteering or community service activity at your institute - take it!

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

Think of someone in your field you admire—maybe a researcher, an industry expert, or someone whose work you’ve cited. Now, write a short, friendly message to them. Keep it simple and short:Mention something specific about their work that resonated with you.
Ask a thoughtful (but easy-to-answer) question - or, even better, share something that might be useful for them.
Thank them for their time.
Example:“Hi [Name], I recently read your paper on [topic], and I really appreciated your insights on [specific point]. I’m currently researching [your topic], and I was curious about how you approached [a particular challenge]. Thanks for sharing your work— it’s been really inspiring to me!”Send it via email, LinkedIn, or Twitter. No pressure, no expectations—just genuine interest. And who knows? This could be the start of a great connection.If you try this, let me know how it goes! Hit reply or tag me on LinkedIn—I’d love to hear about your experience.Talk soon!Andrea

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February 4, 2025

Issue 4: Fail fast, Learn faster

Failure is the fastest way to success

Welcome to this week’s issue of The Interface! Today, I want to talk about something that makes a lot of people (myself included) very uncomfortable: failure.We all dread it (yet, it happens to every single one of us): Experiments gone wrong. Methods not working out. In my case, camera traps getting stolen or just recording tens of thousands of images of moving leaves (a real bummer, I'm telling you!). We hate it because it throws us back, it costs time we don't really have and sometimes it even makes us question our ability as a researcher.But today I want to invite you to a little shift in perspective:Failure is not the opposite of success. It is data telling us what works and what doesn't. And the sooner and more often we gather this kind of data the faster we improve and eventually have success.

This Week’s Spotlight: The Science of Smart Failure

Innovation - whether in research, startups, or career-building - benefits from rapid feedback loops. The faster you collect feedback, the sooner you can improve. This principle is the foundation of:🚀 The Lean Startup Approach – Entrepreneurs don’t wait until they have a “perfect” product; they launch, gather feedback, and refine based on real-world data.If you're paying attention to this you'll see it all around you:💡The first versions of cell phones that you could only use for phone calls, SMS or for playing "Snake" (and I realize this makes me sound ancient). Very few people would buy such a product today where we have smart phones. It was an early version of a product that was not perfect. But still, it was brought to market and iteratively improved, based on data.💡Microwaves that always make parts of your food boiling hot while others stay cold - far from perfect but they're still out there and people find them useful (although I honestly wonder how much data is used to improve their performance - I don't see much progress there...).💡GoogleMaps! Ever used it and found yourself in a dead end? - I certainly have. Am I still using it, just like millions of other people? All the time!The list is endless. But what all those products have in common is this:• They are not perfect.
• Still, they are useful.
• Each version is part of an experiment and with each iteration (or launch) the developers generate data they can use to improve the next version.(If you want to learn more about the lean startup approach Eric Ries' seminal book is a great read.)📈 Agile Research – Scientists who design small, iterative experiments rather than all-or-nothing projects are more likely to reach breakthroughs faster and waste less time trying to do big experiments that are bound to fail.😱 Failing in public – Want to get feedback fast and at the same time improve your communication skills? Use any opportunity to show your work in progress. You don't have to show polished results in a conference talk, poster or when you're meeting your PhD advisory committee. Instead, you can use the opportunity to talk about challenges you're facing in your research and ask for feedback.If you're really bold (and not working on some highly-classified project) you might even go so far as to post project updates on social media and this way not only get help but also become visible with your work, and maybe even grow your professional network.So, the tl;dr this week is this:No one gets it right the first time. The trick is to fail fast, adjust, and try again.

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

1️⃣ Identify one area that you• have been postponing because you don’t feel “ready.” (Submitting your paper? Reaching out to a potential collaborator? Sharing your work online?)
or
• that you could break down into smaller "experimental units" that allow you to gather data.2️⃣ Take one small, imperfect action to move forward.-> Send the email.
-> Post the idea.
-> Test the new method.3️⃣ Collect "data" about what happened, adjust, and try again.🚀 Reply to this email and tell me: When did you last fail and what can you learn from it?I'll see you next week!
Andrea

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January 28, 2025

Issue 3: Your Research in 60 Seconds: The Power of the Elevator Pitch

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity

Welcome to this week’s issue of The Interface! Today, we’re tackling a skill that can open doors in every setting, from conference icebreakers to job interviews: the elevator pitch.But what is an elevator pitch and why should you have one prepared?Imagine the following scenario:You're in an elevator and you're thinking about the paper you're about to submit. The elevator stops and for some unknown reason (please bear with me for a second) the editor-in-chief of your target journal steps in and asks you: "So, what's your research about?"
You know that if you nail your answer it could significantly improve your chances of getting published. You also know that you have no more than 30 seconds before the door opens and the two of you part ways.Now, there are two ways this story could continue:1. The question catches you completely off-guard. You nervously stutter something like "it's hard to explain" and before you know it the moment is over and you haven't even started to properly think of what you could have sensibly said.
(You guessed it: This is the more common scenario).2. You're prepared. Not because you figured that it's likely to bump into your target journal's editor-in-chief. You're prepared because you knew that you never know when you'll have an encounter that could potentially help your career (or whatever cause you care about). And because you know that luck favors those who are prepared.
So, for the next 30 seconds, you deliver your pitch. And by the time you step out of that elevator you know the editor will remember you by the time they receive your submission.Of course it is highly unlikely this story will happen. But what does happen all the time is thisyou are asked about your work
the person you're talking to could help you or your cause if they just remembered you for more than 20 seconds, but unfortunately
they have the attention span of a starfish - especially if you meet them in a setting with lots of distractions (an elevator would actually be a great place to tell someone about your research compared to, say, a poster session).
So, you want to be prepared. And now we're gonna figure out how:

This Week’s Spotlight: Crafting a Memorable Elevator Pitch

Your elevator pitch is your magic tool for turning complex research into a story that resonates (and sticks!). It’s about answering one key question:Why should people care about what I do?Unfortunately, this is where things typically start to go wrong. Because if I want people to care about what I do, naturally the pitch should be about me. Right?!Nooo!! The most important thing you'll have to keep in mind is this: People care about things that are important to them. Maintaining a brain and keeping stuff in it is expensive so, if you want someone to remember you and your work you better make it crystal clear what's in it for them!That means you need to know a thing or two about your target group. And that requires you answering a couple of "meta-level" questions first:1. What is your goal? What do you want to achieve by talking about your work? (I know that can be a difficult one but I won't stop going on about it because, trust me - once you've figured that out for yourself everything else will fall into place!)2. Who are the people who could help you achieve that goal, i.e. your target group?3. What is important for them? How is your work relevant for them?Great! Now that you've clarified this for yourself you've already made a big step towards a clearer and more successful pitch.
The rest is just following a framework. Here's the technical "anatomy" you can use to build your elevator pitch:Start with a "Hook"
Begin with the big picture - what’s the problem you’re addressing?
Example: Pollinator decline is a growing global challenge, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and food security.The differentiator:
Let them know that you're different—that your research isn't just another iteration of what came before. Make it clear what your work adds to the existing body of literature. Explain what makes your research important and novel. Avoid jargon and focus on what makes your approach interesting or unique.
Example: While many studies highlight the problem, actionable solutions remain scarce. My research bridges that gap by identifying practical strategies that reduce pollinator loss while balancing agricultural productivity.Provide evidence
Your most important result or conclusion. If you think of your research already as a paper, it would probably be the result you're showing in Figure 1.
Example: In a recent study, I developed a model that helped farmers decrease pesticide use by 20% without compromising crop yields, showcasing scalable, real-world applications.End with a call to action:
Make sure you're inviting your audience to take action. An example for a really low-key call to action would be to ask them for their thoughts.
Example: I believe this work offers timely, evidence-based insights that align with your journal’s focus on applied ecological research. Would you be open to consider my manuscript for one of your upcoming issues?

A Quick Exercise to Try This Week

Write your elevator pitch following the above structurePractice it out loud until it feels natural. Then, try it out on someone in your target audience (or someone who knows your target audience) and ask them to repeat it back to you. If they can, you’re on the right track!Reply to this email and let me know how it went ;)Talk soon!
Andrea

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