Welcome!
Welcome to The Other Kind of Doctor, where we sprinkle a bit of fun on the brilliance of PhDs! Join our diverse group of PhD candidates as we navigate the maze of research, academia, and life, all with a healthy dose of humour.
In this podcast we won’t be wearing stethoscopes, scrubs, and saving lives – that’s the other kind of doctor! Here we celebrate the quirks and triumphs of the doctoral journey, sharing insightful conversations, compelling anecdotes, and lots of laughs. Whether you’re knee-deep in research or just curious about academia, our podcast offers a lighthearted take on the serious business of earning a PhD.
Expect thought-provoking discussions, candid interviews with experts, and a unique perspective on the ups and downs of the PhD experience. Subscribe to The Other Kind of Doctors, and let’s explore the fascinating, challenging, and downright absurd moments of the academic world together. Because even the smartest minds can have their not-so-genius moments!
Meet The Other Kind of Doctors
Gaia Giampietro (she/they, Podcast Co-host)
Hi! I am a third year PhD student in Psychology, investigating face perception and its role in improving eyewitness testimony within forensic lineups. I have developed this podcast with my co-host, friend, and loud office mate Gemma. I am excited to share honest discussions about the highs and lows of working towards a PhD, and learn from our guests along the way. When not working on my PhD, I can be found reading, crocheting, and looking at pictures of cats.
Gemma Rides (she/her, Podcast Co-host)
I am a third year Psychology PhD student. My research explores how young people use social media and how this relates to their mental health. Like most PhD projects, there have been ups and downs along the way, but I am enjoying the ride! Gaia and I developed this podcast to help debunk the perception of academia as unattainable. I am excited to have real and honest conversations with academics, PhD students, and other guests to highlight the challenges of pursuing a PhD, whilst understanding how to excel in academia. When I am not doing PhD work, I like reading, walking, and spending time with my dogs.
Courtney Hooton (she/her, Research & Guest Liaison Manager)
Hi! I’m a second year Psychology PhD student and my research focuses on the role of written words when teaching new foreign vocabulary and how this can be applied in primary school classrooms.
I’m super excited to be a part of the Other Kind of Doctor team as the Research and Guest Liaison Manager! This role will enable me to interact with academics, ranging from fellow PhD students through to Professors, and expand my network beyond the realms of my field.
My PhD journey hasn’t been the smoothest (as I’m sure is the case for every other student!) so I’m really looking forward to liaising with people that have survived the doctoral journey, as well as those that are still battling through!
Outside of my PhD, I can be found reading, walking or spending time with my very pampered cat.
Teale Failla (she/they, Podcast Editor)
Teale Failla is a PhD candidate in Media Arts, funded by Royal Holloway University of London. Her project focuses on sustainable solutions to the issues of wellbeing experienced by television workers in the UK including bullying, harassment, discrimination, work precarity and long hours for no and low pay. Her background is in television production and post-production primarily in New York City. Favourite genres to work in are comedy, music, travel and queer representation. When not researching or making media, Teale enjoys playing the bodhran in Irish sessions and colouring in their Brutalist architecture colouring book with a grey number 2 pencil. Follow her @tealescope.
Polly Hember (she/her, Social Media Manager)
Polly Hember is a researcher, writer, and visiting tutor working on modernism and queer networks. She holds a PhD in Media Arts and English Literature from Royal Holloway, University of London, where her doctoral thesis attended to the neglected literary works of “the POOL group”. Her research interests include twentieth-century literature, queer theory, affect studies, technology, and visual cultures. She has published in Modernist Cultures and Hotel Modernisms (Routledge, 2023), and currently co-hosts the Modernist Conversations podcast.
Ryan Jefferies (he/him, Sound Technician & Website Manager)
I cherish the memories of sharing a somewhat small office space with Gaia (Podcast Co-host), Gemma (Podcast Co-host), and Courtney (Research and Guest Liaison Manager) during my time as a Teaching Associate in the Psychology department at Royal Holloway, University of London. As I embarked on the journey of applying for PhD positions, I initially felt out of my depth. In so many ways, it was their friendly guidance and support that propelled me to where I am today—a First Year SeNSS-funded PhD student at RHUL, examining the role of a remote operator for automated vehicles, such as driverless taxis. And, I proudly serve as the Sound Technician & Website Manager of The Other Kind of Doctor podcast!
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