Ep. 215: Dr. Chantrell Frazier on Navigating the Highs and Lows of Doctoral Life and Finding Community Beyond the Lab
Ph.D. in Biochemistry Florida International UniversityDr. Chantrell Frazier
When you are in the midst of doing a doctoral program it’s easy to get swept up in the work and sideline other important aspects of your life, like building friendships and finding community. But when we do this we miss out on potentially life-changing connections and deprive ourselves of the opportunity to fully experience a truly unique time in our lives. In addition to her intuitive knack for all things STEM, our guest today, Dr. Chantrell Frazier, has a natural talent for socializing and making friends. This hasn’t stopped her from achieving, though! In 2022 Dr. Frazier became the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Florida International University and is currently a Mary Miles Bibbs Teaching Fellow at Framingham State University in Massachusetts. We talk with Dr. Frazier about her doctoral journey, the pivotal role her mentors played, and how finding a community of Black students expanded her horizons and even helped her discover key funding avenues for her Ph.D. She also shares some of the biggest challenges she faced as a Black female student, and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, before sharing her words of support and wisdom on persevering through imposter syndrome, especially when things are tough. Join us for a candid conversation on the many highs and lows of student life, and everything in between!
Key Points From This Episode:
• Get to know today’s wonderful guest, Dr. Chantrell Frazier, her history as a student-athlete, and how she first became interested in a STEM career.
• Some of the television shows that inspired Dr. Frazier while she was growing up and her thoughts on representation.
• The key role that Dr. Frazier’s first mentor, Dr. Karla-Sue Marriott, played in helping her pursue her Ph.D.
• Hear about Dr. Frazier’s postdoctoral fellowship and her current position as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Framingham State University.
• An overview of the Mary Miles Bibb Teaching Fellowship Program and how it aims to facilitate greater diversity.
• Why Dr. Frazier chose to do her Ph.D. directly after her Bachelor’s without getting a Master’s.
• Dr. Frazier’s passion for teaching and the dynamic she aspires to have with her
students.
• The steps Dr. Frazier took during college to prepare for applying to a Ph.D. program.
• How Dr. Frazier’s mentors helped her pursue challenges outside of her comfort zone.
• An overview of the Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (RISE)
program.
• Dr. Frazier’s advice on how to do intentional research before applying to an institution.
• How Dr. Frazier connected with other Black students while living in Miami and how they helped her access funding for her Ph.D.
• An important reminder of the power of finding community during your studies.
• The biggest challenges Dr. Frazier faced as a Black, female doctoral student in STEM who is also part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
• How Dr. Frazier advocated for herself and asked to have an unsupportive committee member removed.
• Some of the strategies Dr. Frazier used to adapt to the financial challenges of doing a Ph.D. in Miami.
• Dr. Frazier’s parting advice to Black women and non-binary doctoral students on battling imposter syndrome.
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The Cohort Sistas Podcast brings to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women and femmes with doctoral degrees and their lives beyond the degree. If you are a Black woman or non-binary scholar looking for resources, mentorship, and support along your doctoral journey, join the Cohort Sistas community. If you are looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our partnerships page. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to follow The Cohort Sistas Podcast, rate the show, and leave us a quick review.
