Laura Valadez-Martinez's TEDx talk explores the unspoken challenges of a PhD program and provides advice on staying motivated and making progress. Valadez-Martinez stresses the importance of taking time to focus on what is important and finding ways to make progress outside of the program. She recommends keeping a research diary to remember important decisions, engaging with original documents, and connecting with the world outside academia. Valadez-Martinez also emphasizes the value of summarizing the thesis work in just a sentence or two and encourages individuals to find their own approach and interests to shape their own journey.
- 00:00:00 In this section, the speaker explains the standard process of obtaining a PhD, including writing a thesis of around 100,000 words, with guidance from a supervisor and eventual examination by a panel. However, while there are numerous resources available on how to write a PhD thesis successfully, there are several challenges that are not often discussed, including feeling stuck or unsure about what comes next and the idea that there is always more to do and learn. The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking time to think and focus on what is important, which may require leaving some work behind to make progress.
- 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker talks about the challenges of staying motivated during a PhD program and the importance of making progress, no matter how small, in order to maintain a sense of accomplishment and keep going. The speaker recommends finding ways to make progress outside of the PhD program as well, such as baking a cake or taking a painting class. Additionally, the speaker stresses the importance of keeping a research diary to remember why certain decisions were made, as it can be easy to forget when working long hours or under stress.
- 00:10:00 In this section, Valadez-Martinez emphasizes the importance of keeping a research diary, and not saving changes on the original data set while working with datasets. She also shares her personal experience of feeling afraid of not knowing what to do or questioning if her work is relevant or adding anything to the knowledge or the world. To tackle this feeling, she advises engaging with original documents, reading journals, going to conferences, and reaching out to colleagues and supervisors for guidance. Furthermore, she suggests finding ways to connect with the world outside academia, like spending time with family and friends, which can be a rewarding experience and help in building self-assurance.
- 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being able to summarize one's thesis work in just a sentence or two, as it demonstrates a deep understanding of the subject matter. She also notes that there is no one correct approach to working on a PhD, and that each individual should find their own way and what interests them. There are no secret recipes for success and it is up to each person to shape their own journey.