Ep. 108: Dr. Lamia Harper on Bridging the Gap Between Faith and Science & The Power of External Funding
Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, New York University Dr. Lamia Harper
Completing a Ph.D. in the science field wasn’t enough to get Dr. Lamia Harper where she wanted to be, so she recently started pursuing an education of a very different type; bible studies. Lamia’s goal is to combine her passions for science and faith through educating youth about the intersection between the two. In today’s episode, Lamia explains how she ended up with a microbiology-focused Ph.D., after realizing that her original undergraduate path didn’t suit her, and after changing labs during her doctoral program. Lamia is one of the few people we have had on the show who was part of a doctoral program that was as diverse and inclusive as we wish they could all be, so it was inspiring to get a feel for what is possible. Lamia shares valuable insights about applying for funding, surrounding yourself with people who will build you up, and the importance of knowing when to stick to something and when to change your track.
Connect with Dr. Lamia on LinkedIn or on Twitter.
Key Points From This Episode:
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The current path Lamia is exploring in Sydney, post her Ph.D., and how she is currently feeling about the experience.
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Lamai’s passion for the intersection between science and faith and how this has guided her journey.
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Changes that Lamia wants to make in society, and how she is planning to do that.
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An explanation of the focus of Lamia’s dissertation (if you’ve ever had a staph infection you’ll be especially interested in this.)
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Why Lamia decided to change lab’s, and the times when she would and wouldn’t recommend other PhD students do the same thing.
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The job Lamia held after completing her PhD, which she still does part-time.
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Career plans that Lamia had when she entered college, and what made her change her mind.
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Lamia’s first exposure to a lab and how this altered the course of her life.
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Diversity and inclusion were qualifiers for Lamia’s choice of university; and she found what she was looking for.
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A moment which led to a profound realization that Lamia had about the importance of diversity.
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The other passions that Lamia discovered while doing her doctorate.
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The power that comes with having your own external funding, the different funding streams Lamia received, and advice for anyone who is applying for funding.
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Value in seeking out a mentor, as well as a professional therapist.
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