22. How To Survive Your Ph.D: Addiction Research, Science Communication, Boundaries, & Being Your Unique Self with Dr. Elizabeth Berry

On episode 22 of A Chat with Uma, I speak with Dr. Elizabeth Berry! Elizabeth Berry, Ph.D is a neuroscientist, addiction researcher, science communicator, artist, and digital creator. Dr. Berry just received her Ph.D in Cell Biology with a specialization in neuroscience from New York Medical College this past May. For her dissertation project, she focused on opioid addiction and the impact it has on specific neurons in the brain called orexin neurons. She is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Leonard’s lab, the lab she did her dissertation in, furthering the research she pursued during her PhD. In the future she hopes to work in an industry position as a scientist on neurodegenerative diseases. She is also the creator behind @nature.neuroscience.phd, her widely-regarded science communication and digital art platform.

In this episode, we discuss the following topics (+ timestamps):

(00:00:00) Introduction of episode & Dr. Elizabeth Berry

(00:04:07) Dr. Berry's journey to becoming a neuroscientist

• Lifelong love for nature
• Starting in plant science & microbiology
• The personal experience that led her to pivot into neuroscience
• Masters degree to join Ph.D program

(00:19:59) All about Dr. Berry's Ph.D experience

• How she chose her lab & addiction neuroscience research
• Her learning differences/challenges & how she overcame them
• How she taught herself neuroscience after not having a neuro background
• How her outdoors upbringing influenced the way she learns today

(00:31:49) Dr. Berry's addiction neuroscience research

• Orexin/hypocretin neurons
• Opioid addiction
• Findings from her thesis work
• All about whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology

(00:44:19) Dr. Berry's reflections on work/life balance as a researcher

• Struggling to find balance
• Relationships and family
• Taking care of yourself mentally & physically
• Boundaries vs. acceptance in different situations
• How to navigate the toxicity of comparison & competition in grad school
• How to manage overwhelm
• Finding presence amongst chaos

(00:59:08) All about Dr. Berry's massively successful science communication platform

• How she began her scicomm account
• How art helped her learn neuroscience
• Bringing together her artistry with her science
• Sharing her personal journey
• Normalizing the human experience
• How her scicomm is received by different populations

(01:08:38) All about Dr. Berry's career plans

• Why she chose to do a postdoctoral fellowship
• How she plans to pivot into industry
• Why she is choosing to leave academia and join industry
• The harsh reality of survivorship and living conditions within academia
• Balancing passion for research with respecting your health + boundaries

(01:20:52) How Dr. Berry has utilized movement as a vital self-care tool through her intensive schedule

(01:25:01) DEEP rapid-fire final questions with Dr. Berry, and closing out the episode!

• Her guidance on finding + being your full, unique self

Connect with Dr. Elizabeth Berry:

• Instagram: @nature.neuroscience.phd
• Website
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