More Than Just Success Stories: The "Real Talk" from The PhD Playbook

 

On 17 April, "The PhD Playbook: From Thesis to Diverse Career Possibilities" came to life, offering a strategic advantage to students navigating the crucial "What's next?" question. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for this insightful session.

Our speakers, Dr. Kristen Li and Dr. Jason Ho, shared candidly about their journeys from academia to diverse leadership roles. A special congratulations goes to our outstanding Student Ambassadors, Ms. Yuqi Kelly DENG, who masterfully set the stage and managed our dynamic Q&A, and Ms. Ruby SHI, who led the deep-dive discussion with probing and thoughtful questions.

Guided by our moderators, the conversation went well beyond surface-level advice to explore the real challenges and decisions that shape a career. Instead of just success stories, we heard "real talk", including the setbacks that caused the guest speakers to question their direction, the interview questions that caught them off guard, and how their PhD training was both a gift and a challenge to overcome. It was an honest and unfiltered look at building a career in the real world.

A huge thank you to our speakers for their vulnerability and wisdom, and to Kelly and Ruby for making the conversation so meaningful. We hope the event inspired everyone who joined to see their own journey not as a single, fixed path, but as a "dynamic playbook filled with endless possibilities."