[SPECIAL SERIES] This episode is part of a special 3-part Career Coaching Series, where each coach at Success in Science shares their unique career journey in STEM. Guided by a set of thoughtful questions, the series explores pivotal moments like choosing a major, navigating graduate school, landing that first science job, and making bold career pivots. Along the way, you’ll hear candid reflections on identity, work-life balance, and the role coaching can play in opening new doors. If you connect with their story, they just might be the right career coach for you—scroll down for a link to our website where you can schedule a free 30-minute chat with them.

About Our Guest/Coach:

Dr. Aaron Grade is a Senior Project Analyst at an environmental consulting firm and one of our career coaches here at Success in Science. With a passion for conservation and climate policy, Aaron's career has spanned academia, government, and industry and taken him from Connecticut to Montana to Florida and back to the Northeast. His journey has led him to a remote field camp in the hills of Arizona, staring face-to-face with a barracuda in the Caribbean, and even in the White House Navy Mess for lunch with the President’s Science Advisor!

• Video Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Episode Highlights:

• When it makes sense to generalize instead of specialize

• How to choose a major and build the most valuable technical skills for environmental policy

• The edge working with a career coach can give you on the job market

Timestamps:

Overview

0:37 Who are you professionally and personally?

3:53 What are the major milestones in your career journey?

Undergraduate

14:33 Why did you choose your major?

17:42 Most valuable course?

19:49 What did you do outside of classes?

Graduate School

23:30 Why grad school?

27:53 What was your application strategy?

Career Journey

32:52 What was your first real science job?

39:39 What was the day-to-day like?

42:54 Why did you leave that job?

47:14 Which skills have been most valuable?

Coaching

52:16 What brought you to coaching?

56:43 What challenges do you most enjoy helping with?

59:06 Who do you most enjoy working with?

1:03:26 How would you describe your coaching style?

1:07:35 What difference has coaching made in your life?

Closing

1:10:49 If you could change one thing in your career, what would it be?

1:12:41 What do you wish you’d known sooner?

1:14:46 Most important piece of advice for listeners?

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

[SPECIAL SERIES] This episode is Part I of a special 3-part Career Coaching Series, where each coach at Success in Science shares their unique career journey in STEM. Guided by a set of thoughtful questions, the series explores pivotal moments like choosing a major, navigating graduate school, landing that first science job, and making bold career pivots. Along the way, you’ll hear candid reflections on identity, work-life balance, and the role coaching can play in opening new doors. If you connect with their story, they just might be the right career coach for you—scroll down for a link to our website where you can schedule a free 30-minute chat with them.

About Our Guest/Coach:

Dr. Cassie Briggs is a certified professional career coach, founder of Success in Science, and former biology professor and conservation geneticist. With experience spanning academia, government, industry, and nonprofits, she has guided thousands of students and early-career professionals across fields from medicine to astrophysics. Cassie has coached over 100 clients 1:1 on career exploration, graduate and medical school applications, resumes, interviews, and work-life balance, and has presented her scientific research and coaching frameworks internationally to organizations of all sizes. She is passionate about helping scientists and professionals build fulfilling, values-aligned careers and find joy in the journey.

• Video Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Episode Highlights:

• When to pursue a Master’s before or instead of a PhD

• How to navigate career uncertainty

• Behind the scenes of a cold application that worked

Timestamps:

Overview

0:27 Who are you professionally and personally?

1:14 What are the major milestones in your career journey?

Undergraduate

3:20 Why did you choose your major?

4:29 Most valuable course?

6:52 What did you do outside of classes?

Graduate School

11:19 Why grad school?

21:07 Biggest takeaway from grad school?

Career Journey

23:03 What was your first real science job?

26:50 What was the day-to-day like?

29:20 Most appealing aspect?

31:37 Least appealing aspect?

33:37 Why did you leave that job?

Coaching

38:21 What difference has coaching made in your life?

42:46 Who do you most enjoy working with?

49:26 How would you describe your coaching style?

53:03 What client success story inspires you?

Closing

57:39 If you could change one thing in your career, what would it be?

59:10 What do you wish you’d known sooner?

1:02:14 Most important piece of advice for listeners?

Looking for career support?

Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

Episode Highlights:

• Core responsibilities of a software engineer vs. a manager

• When to prioritize in-person roles vs. remote roles

• How to build a fulfilling career without having it all figured out at the start

Timestamps:

0:27 - What is a Software Engineer?

1:47 - What does a typical day look like?

6:40 - What do you enjoy?

14:53 - What do you dislike?

19:48 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

24:16 - What were your career milestones?

27:01 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

David Wu (he/him) is a Senior Software Engineering Manager at a mid-sized U.S.-based cloud storage and backup company serving over half a million users worldwide. Widely regarded as one of the best managers his colleagues have worked with, David is known for cultivating highly collaborative teams through a culture of trust, transparency, and honest communication. His leadership style is deeply informed by his work as a career and creativity coach—a role he shares with his wife at the company they co-founded. David holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, has completed graduate coursework in AI, and brings over 15 years of experience in software engineering, including more than a decade in management.

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

Episode Highlights:

• Innovative devices that reduced the need for lifelong medication

• Working with and managing stakeholder expectations

• Why saying “yes” early in your career can accelerate career clarity

Timestamps:

0:36 - What is a Clinical Research Director?

5:39 - What does a typical day look like?

15:35 - What do you enjoy?

27:52 - What do you dislike?

42:06 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

45:02 - What were your career milestones?

50:06 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Stephanie Monza (she/her) is a Clinical Research Director with over 15 years of experience leading global clinical trials from early feasibility through pivotal and post-market phases. With a background in sleep diagnostics and pediatric respiratory care, she began her career at the intersection of clinical need and research innovation. Her career has included a decade in industry and key milestones such as presenting pediatric-focused IDE protocols to the FDA. Stephanie is known for her collaborative leadership style, cross-functional team development, and commitment to designing trials that advance medical science and improve patient outcomes.

• Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemonza/

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching

Episode Highlights:

• Navigating school as a non-traditional student

• The best and worst parts of working the night shift

• The critical role MLS professionals play in a hospital ER

Timestamps:

0:19 - What is a Medical Laboratory Scientist?

5:26 - What does a typical day look like?

9:42 - What do you enjoy?

12:42 - What do you dislike?

15:05 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

23:04 - What were your career milestones?

27:39 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Haley Gooch is a board-certified Medical Laboratory Scientist working night shifts in blood banking at a level one trauma center in Kansas City. After earning a degree in criminal justice, she returned to school as a non-traditional student and discovered her passion for clinical lab work through microbiology. Haley now advocates for greater public awareness of the vital, behind-the-scenes role of MLS professionals and is committed to bridging communication gaps within hospital systems.

• Connect with Haley on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/goochhb

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

Episode Highlights:

• How to turn your love for writing and drawing into a science career

• Why you should read those random university emails

• Why scientists shouldn’t stop at publishing in journals

Timestamps:

0:55 - What is a Science Communicator?

7:42 - What does a typical day look like?

13:16 - What do you enjoy?

25:33 - What do you dislike?

37:08 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

43:35 - What were your career milestones?

45:08 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Aarati Asundi is the founder of Sykom, a science communication startup that bridges the gap between scientists and the public through accessible, engaging media. She’s also the co-host of the Smart Tea podcast, where she explores the lives and legacies of scientific innovators throughout history. With a passion for transforming complex ideas into clear, creative stories, Aarati brings science to life through illustration, writing, and visual storytelling. Whether she’s building explainer videos for biotech companies or coaching researchers on how to communicate their work, her mission is simple: make science make sense—for everyone.

• Connect with Aarati on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarati-asundi/

• Aarati’s Website - https://www.sykommer.com/

• Aarati’s Podcast - https://www.smartteapodcast.com/

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

• Follow us on Instagram @sciencecareercoach

Episode Highlights:

• The surprising power of knocking on a professor’s door (even if you’re an introvert)

• How to return to your career after 10+ years away—and still thrive

• This one mindset shift that will change how you see career paths and options in science

Timestamps:

0:22 - What is an Astrophysicist?

5:11 - What does a typical day look like?

9:59 - What do you enjoy?

11:29 - What do you dislike?

13:28 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

15:56 - What were your career milestones?

21:18 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Nicole Lloyd-Ronning is an astrophysicist at Los Alamos National Lab and a physics and astronomy instructor at the University of New Mexico–Los Alamos. Her research focuses on the explosive deaths of massive stars, black holes, and their role in the evolution of the universe. A passionate science communicator, she leads outreach programs across Northern New Mexico, collaborates on global STEAM initiatives, and actively advocates for equity in STEM. After earning degrees from Cornell and Stanford and completing prestigious fellowships in Canada and at LANL, she returned to science following a decade-long career break, supported by the APS Blewett Fellowship. Nicole has received multiple awards for mentoring, teaching, and community impact, and enjoys running, cooking, dancing, and spending time with her family.

• Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-lloyd-ronning-488160a

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

Episode Highlights:

• Leveraging the interdisciplinary nature of the tech industry

• A surprisingly important softskill you will need as a data engineer

• Top AI ‘assistants’ for coders and programmers

Timestamps:

0:27 - What is a Data Engineer (Specialist Solutions Architect)?

4:49 - What does a typical day look like?

9:18 - What do you enjoy?

10:45 - What do you dislike?

11:38 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

13:30 - What were your career milestones?

16:23 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Ram Goli is a Specialist Solutions Architect at Databricks, where he helps organizations make Data and AI simple. Prior to joining Databricks, Ram worked as a Data Engineer at other large companies, including Spotify and Vanguard. And in his early career, he was a Business Intelligence Developer in various contract roles. By training, Ram is a Molecular Biologist with a Bachelor’s from Grove City College and a Masters from the University of Maryland - Baltimore.

• Connect with Ram on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramgoli/

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠