MIT and Duke University, Biomedical Engineering, Publishing Romance.

In this episode, we feature Dr. Rachel Katz, a senior scientist at Pfizer, published romance author, actor, and dancer.

Rachel is a great friend I made at MIT. Despite a demanding academic path in biomedical engineering, she excelled in numerous extracurricular activities, including research, dancing, acting, and sorority involvement. Her success in diverse areas is a recurring theme, exemplified by earning a PhD from Duke University while becoming a published romance author. We explore her journey through public school, her Johns Hopkins summer program, and the encouragement to apply to top universities. Rachel shares her decision-making process in choosing MIT over Harvard and Yale and offers advice on getting into MIT. She reflects on balancing multiple activities at MIT, her graduate school experiences, and the challenges minorities face in academia and STEM. Rachel discusses considering a move to industry for better work-life balance and her journey to becoming a published romance author. Throughout, her identity as a Black Jewish woman provides a unique perspective on her experiences.

Princeton physics, Observational Cosmology, Teaching.

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A conversation with Professor Lyman Page, currently the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Physics at Princeton University.

We talk about his fascination with physics as an undergrad and his unique path to academia, which included a period sailing and self-study after his undergraduate studies. This adventure led him to MIT, where he began working for free before officially joining their graduate program to research experimental cosmology. Page's story continues with his move to Princeton, where he not only advanced his research but also served as department head. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on his teaching approach, the challenge of fostering diversity in physics, and potential strategies to address it. This episode offers a glimpse into the life of a physicist who combines passion for discovery with a commitment to education and inclusivity.

Getting into MIT, mechanical engineering, micro fluidics, research.

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A conversation with Diego Huyke, currently a consultant at Bain and Company.

We talk about Diego's path from Puerto Rico to MIT, what it took to get there as well as his experience at MIT. We also discuss his time at Stanford, as a PhD candidate researching micro fluidics. Finally, we get into his decision making process of what to do after graduate school.