Why is everyone leaving academia? Stanford PhD student Ashley Moses shares stories from 100s of PhDs

Ashley Moses is a neuroscience graduate student at Stanford University, studying reward-guided behaviors and neurobiology that underlies it. Ashley discusses her journey in neuroscience and her decision to explore non-academic career paths. She shares insights about her research on histamine and its role in behavior, the importance of creating resources for PhD students considering non-academic careers, and the value of informational interviews. The discussion also touches on the cultural aspects of academia, the narrative surrounding leaving academia, and the supportive community at Stanford. Follow Ashley on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-moses-98a3m/ Check out PhD Paths here: https://www.phdpaths.co/ Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenan-krakovi%C4%87-b80b28170/ And oh yeah, this podcast is possible because of our friends at Litmaps. Litmaps is an easy-to-use, comprehensive literature review tool that helps researchers of all backgrounds find and manage papers better. I’ve been using their tool for over 6 months now, and I love being able to get a quick overview of a specialized field in a highly visual map that takes 10 seconds to create. 📌 To get 30% off of Litmaps Pro use this link https://www.litmaps.com/?via=kenan and code KENAN30. Chapters: 00:00 Exploring Non-Academic Career Paths 02:53 Ashley’s Journey in Neuroscience 06:01 The Role of Histamine in Behavior 09:09 Research Techniques and Methodologies 11:58 Deciding Against an Academic Career 14:58 Cultural Pressures in Academia 18:01 PhD Paths: A Resource for Transitioning Careers 20:51 Informational Interviews: Networking for Success 33:09 Leveraging Informational Interviews for Career Growth 33:58 Exploring Non-Academic Career Paths 35:46 The Evolution of PhD Career Resources 37:46 Rethinking 'Alternative' Careers 40:10 Cultural Factors Influencing Career Transitions 41:50 Defining Science Beyond Academia 45:03 Global Perspectives on PhD Career Paths 46:14 Surprising Career Transitions Post-PhD 48:38 Personal Reflections on Career Trajectories 52:01 The Stanford Experience and Community 55:43 Collaboration and Innovation in Silicon Valley 57:58 Advice for Navigating Career Changes