Duke Dialogues: Real Stories, Real Resources for Graduate Student and Postdoc Life

If you are reading this, we’re likely preaching to the choir when we tell you that graduate student and postdoc schedules are notoriously full. From lab meetings to writing, from family obligations to taking care of physical and mental wellbeing, there is rarely enough time in a day to get it all done. While Duke does have a plethora of resources to help us with these responsibilities, sorting through all that is available and then finding ways to test out new tools takes even more time out of an already-jam-packed day.

This is why we developed three thematic episodes of resources we tested and reviewed for you. All you need to do now is search for “Duke Dialogues” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and hit play on your commute to the office. We hope by listening you will get some ideas to implement to help make your days just a little bit better.

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Duke Dialogues was born out of our participation in the Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI), where we were challenged to identify and address a real need within the Duke graduate and postdoc community. The foundation of our project was a series of stakeholder interviews conducted before the program began: each of us spoke with at least five individuals—including fellow graduate students, postdocs, administrative leaders, and campus resource providers—about how to improve the experience of graduate students and postdocs at Duke. Through these conversations, we discovered that while Duke offers a wealth of support, many resources remain underutilized or unknown. This insight inspired us, as an interdisciplinary team, to create a podcast that not only highlights these hidden gems but also shares practical advice and personal stories to bridge information gaps and foster a more inclusive community.

The mission of Duke Dialogues is to highlight underutilized resources at Duke, share practical advice for academic life, and bridge information gaps, all while fostering an inclusive community. After hours of brainstorming and playing to our individual strengths within the team, we curated three thematic episodes: Building Inclusive Communities, Navigating Professional Growth, and Thriving in Balance. Listen now or read on for more details!

Building Inclusive Communities

In this episode, we discuss how diversity, equity, inclusion, and international resources come together to create a supportive environment for everyone at Duke. Uthpala, a postdoc in materials science, shares his journey as an international postdoc navigating immigration pathways and support networks, while Jacey, a postdoc in history, highlights resources and practical tips for building inclusive communities. Sheilla, a master’s student in global health, speaks on the barriers she experienced in accessing these resources. We cover support for postdocs and graduate students and share actionable advice for both international scholars and allies.

Navigating Professional Growth

In this episode, we explore how leveraging alumni networks, utilizing AI tools, and navigating academic career paths can significantly impact your professional growth. Shamitha, who just graduated with her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, shares her personal journey and insights using the “Ask a Blue Devil” program, while Uthpala discusses the role of AI in job applications and the nuances of academic job searches.

Thriving in Balance

In this episode, Jacey and Uthpala share personal stories and practical strategies for managing mental health and achieving work-life balance as postdocs and graduate students. They discuss the challenges of major life transitions, highlight wellness resources at Duke, and offer honest feedback on what worked (and what didn’t) for them. Shamitha shares helpful advice and resources for using creative outlets and physical activity for destressing. The episode covers wellness events, the Duke Postdoctoral Association (DUPA), and tips for finding your community.

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Hot Takes

The podcast premieres as we write this post, so we can’t yet analyze its effect on the Duke postdoc and graduate student communities. What we can do is reflect on our process of creating the podcast.

Sheilla: From day one, leadership in this space looked and felt different and I’m grateful for it. Lessons learned: First, effective leadership begins with trust. Our teams were pre-assigned, leaving little time for slow introductions or assumptions. I had to lean into the unfamiliar, trust the process, and most importantly, trust my team. That leap paid off, as I found myself surrounded by brilliant, kind, and collaborative individuals who embraced the work and each other wholeheartedly. Second, this experience reshaped my definition of leadership. It wasn’t about directing or taking charge. It was about sharing space, encouraging creativity, and ensuring every voice was heard. Launching Duke Dialogues showed me how empowering a team can drive a project forward within a short time period more effectively than individual effort. Third, I learned to lead with adaptability. We had tight timelines and evolving ideas. From brainstorming sessions to quick meetings on script edits and our final podcast at the Bryan Center Studio, I saw how clear communication and mutual support are pillars of adaptable leadership. This journey with ELI taught me that good leaders don’t always need to be the loudest in the room. Good leaders need to be present, perceptive, and adaptable. Thanks to the ELI team leads and thanks to my team.

Jacey: In the past, when I heard the word “group project,” my pulse would raise ten beats per minute, sweat would bead across my forehead and my eyes would dart around the room, locating the nearest exit. But in the dreary winter of the year 2025 CE something amazing happened: I loved my group and looked forward to working with them each week. When it came to producing a podcast, none of us were experts, but we all plugged in where we could and would help each other out when someone had a job interview, dissertation defense, or extra busy week at school/work. While I know I’ll never have another dream team quite like this one, I won’t be sprinting to the door the next time I’m assigned to a group project.  Instead, I’ll tap into the skills and strengths I developed from ELI, such as encouraging authenticity in groups, promoting inclusivity, and highlighting the strengths each group member brings to the table.

Uthpala: I almost didn’t make it to the 2025 ELI program because my participation was contingent upon the extension of my postdoc, but fortunately, my PI was able to make that extension happen. I realized how lucky I was once I started the program and got to know the resourceful facilitators, friendly cohort, and most importantly, my super-supportive, amazing team. It was quite astonishing to see how four strangers with completely different personalities teamed up to produce an actual podcast series in a span of eight-ish weeks. I guess that itself speaks to how powerfully effective the ELI program is. In addition to such team-focused activities, I learned a lot about my strengths and opportunities to improve through this program, as well as how to utilize them effectively in a leadership role. Although I always knew I was a “people person,” it was quite enlightening to get a deeper perspective on what that really constituted in terms of strengths like fostering connections and cultivating potential in others. I look forward to leveraging these strengths wherever life takes me next.

Shamitha: As someone whose days are usually spent bridging the worlds of biomedical engineering, translational research, and entrepreneurship, I thought I knew what effective teamwork looked like. But nothing quite prepared me for the creative energy and unwavering support I found in this ELI team. From our first brainstorming session to our final recording at Bryan Center Studios, I was constantly inspired by my teammates’ willingness to step up, share ideas, and encourage one another—especially during the inevitable busy weeks and technical hiccups. Launching Duke Dialogues challenged me to translate complex topics into accessible stories, sharpen my communication skills, and manage a project from ideation to execution on a tight timeline. I learned that leadership isn’t just about driving a project forward; it’s about listening, adapting, and making space for everyone’s strengths. Navigating ambiguity and collaborating across disciplines taught me the power of collective creativity and resilience. Most of all, I’m walking away from this experience with more than new skills in podcasting and communication; I’m leaving with a lifelong squad of friends and collaborators. The ELI program showed me that when you combine diverse perspectives with genuine support, you can create something truly meaningful. I’m grateful for this team and excited to carry these lessons, and the ability to lead and deliver in any environment, into my future career.

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AUTHORS

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Jacey Anderson, Ph.D.

Bill and Lorna Chafe Postdoctoral Fellow in Oral History and Social Justice

Jacey Anderson, Ph.D. is the inaugural Bill and Lorna Chafe Postdoctoral Fellow in Oral History and Social Justice, a position in the History Department and Center for Documentary Studies. She earned her Ph.D. in environmental history at Montana State University in 2024, where she studied grassroots resistance to mining projects in southeastern Montana and northeastern El Salvador. Her methodologies draw from the fields of public history and popular education, prioritizing community-based participatory research. She has published book chapters and journal articles in both English and Spanish.

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Sheilla Faith Bosire, M.D.

Master’s student, Global Health

Sheilla Faith Bosire, M.D. is a second-year master’s student in Global Health, with a background in clinical medicine and experience working in both private and public hospital settings as well as in clinical research. She is currently a project manager for equitable access to medicines in the LMICs project at the Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy and a research assistant at the Center for Policy Impact in Global Health, working on reforming the research and development ecosystem in Africa. Her interests lie in understanding the formulation of evidence-based policy practices and how these can inform healthcare strengthening through financing. She is passionate about building a framework tool for resource mobilization and capacity building through a grassroots-based, bottom-up sustainable healthcare financing model.

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Uthpala Herath, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral associate, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

Uthpala Herath, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral associate in the Ab-Initio Materials Simulations (AIMS) Group in the Duke Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Department where he leverages high-performance computing to design, characterize and advance novel materials crucial for semiconductors and energy applications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and a Ph.D. in computational condensed matter physics from West Virginia University. Uthpala serves in the Duke University Postdoctoral Association (DUPA) council where he helps address the needs of postdocs and organizes events to bring postdocs from different backgrounds together. Beyond the lab, he enjoys exploring the great outdoors.

 

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Shamitha Shetty, Ph.D.

Recent Ph.D. graduate, Biomedical Engineering

Shamitha Shetty, Ph.D. successfully defended her dissertation while completing the ELI program. Her Ph.D. is in biomedical engineering with a focus on nanomaterial-based immunotherapy for treating chronic inflammation. She brings over four years of biotechnology industry experience, including contributions to vaccine development at NIH and leadership in venture capital and entrepreneurship at Duke University. Shamitha has held roles such as senior associate at Duke Capital Partners and director of case competition at the Duke Advanced Degree Consulting Club, where she honed her strategic planning and team management skills. Passionate about bridging science and impact, she aims to lead innovative initiatives that drive meaningful advancements in healthcare.