Ep. 144: Dr. Anna Hood on Finding Money for School and Doctoral Education in the US vs. the UK
Ph.D. in Psychological and Brain Sciences Washington University in St. LouisDr. Anna Hood
There are many variables that impact the doctoral and postdoctoral experience. One of these is undoubtedly location. Today's guest, Dr. Anna Hood, has unique insight into higher education both here in the US, and in the UK, having completed her Ph.D. at Washington University, and now working as a lecturer in psychology at the University of Manchester. During this conversation, she shares the story of how she came to pursue her doctorate in Psychological and Brain Sciences and finding community in a cohort of Black and Brown first-time doctoral students. We hear from Dr. Hood about her current research into the biophysical model of sickle cell disease, why she chose to apply to grad schools right out of the MARC program, and how the conferences she attended enriched her educational experience. We touch on what it was like to be a postgraduate student on the ground for Michael Brown, and how she came to start the Diversity Committee at the University of Manchester. Dr. Hood gets candid about procuring funding, applying for fellowships, and creating presentations, and shares her experience of being a graduate school advisor herself. She unpacks some of the differences between the UK and US experience, and leaves listeners with some powerful advice: get paid, find money, don't pay for graduate school! We hope you join us to hear all this and more today.
Connect with Dr. Anna Hood on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Key Points From This Episode:
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An introduction to today’s guest, Dr. Anna Hood, and her studies in the US and UK.
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Dr. Hood’s dual citizenship as a British-American, and who she is outside of academia.
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Her love of traveling and how it took her on a longer path to her doctoral training.
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How she came to pursue her doctorate in Psychological and Brain Sciences.
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Where she found community: in a cohort of Black and Brown first-time doctoral students.
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The current research she is doing on the biophysical model of sickle cell disease.
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Why she chose to apply to grad schools right after having done the MARC program.
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How the ABRCMS and SACNAS conferences where underrepresented students in the academy to go and meet the faculty.
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The support she found in the Chancellor’s Fellowship in a cohort of underrepresented students.
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What it was like to be a postgraduate student on the ground for Michael Brown.
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The Diversity Committee she created and how there should be more programs like this.
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How Dr. Hood went about securing funding and applying for fellowships.
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Why she believes that securing smaller funding has been the key to getting other things.
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Focusing on what you love to do as a tool to create a powerful presentation for funding.
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Thinking strategically about journals and finding the best fit rather than the biggest one.
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Her experience being a graduate school advisor for mostly women.
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How her advisors understood that she and her colleagues were individuals.
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Some of the differences between the UK and US experience in academia.
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Why she believes it is slightly easier to procure funding in the UK in comparison to the US.
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Her advice to students: get paid, find money, never pay for grad school!
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