The lead-up to tenure is a stressful, frantic period of writing, teaching, and research. But once you’ve been promoted, then what? Professors Irena Knezvic and Amanda Clarke share how they navigated that transition and what they are doing now.

Academia Made Easier, Substack blog by Loleen Berdahl

Mentoring graduate students is one of the most gratifying parts of a researcher’s job. In the ideal scenario, they become lifelong collaborators. Professors Minjoon Lee and Dale Spencer share their own experiences as graduate students and now mentors.

Whether you’re on campus or out in the community, there are exciting ways to use and share your research findings.

Professor Vicky MacArthur tells us how she adapts virtual-reality technology to the classroom, while Professor Susan Braedley brings her knowledge into healthcare settings.

Researchers often spend months on a funding proposal, only to have it rejected by the funder. Even the most successful researchers end up discouraged when their projects don’t get funded. Professors William Walters and Sarah Todd share their triumphs and embarrassments, as well as ways they motivate themselves to try again.

When Prof. Paloma Raggo got her first big research grant, her reaction ranged from celebration to panic. She describes how she is managing her first $3.4 million project like a boss.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Prof. Paul Goode's research plans fell apart. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, Prof. Christiane Wilke experienced the same thing. Major disruptions to research plans are especially a risk in cases where one's research topics address questions of politics, law, and policy in authoritarian countries.

Join us for this deep dive into the world of social science research. We ask the experts: How do you deal with rejection? What happens when real world events derail your project? How do you both mentor and manage graduate students?

Host Kyla Reid leads a lively chat with researchers from Carleton University’s Faculty of Public Affairs in Ottawa, Canada about the challenges and the wins of being an academic researcher in this 6-part series.

Look for episodes this fall.