I spent years following the program. Study hard, build the research experience, get the degrees, plan to pursue a post doc and get funding. That was what a scientist was supposed to do — and for a long time I didn’t question it.

But somewhere along the way I started noticing some of the most interesting scientists I met weren’t in universities. They were running companies, shaping legislation, breaking news stories, arguing cases in court, building products that millions of people use. They had taken the same training I had and done something completely unexpected with it.

Nobody told us those doors existed. Nobody showed us how we could get there.

That’s why I created Unprogrammed Scientist.

Every week I sit down with a scientist who unplugged from the system — who took their training somewhere the syllabus never mentioned — and ask them exactly how they got there. Not the polished LinkedIn version. The pivots, the doubts, the moment they realized the ‘program’ (academia) wasn’t the only option.

If you’re a scientist who has ever Googled “what can I do with a science degree besides research,” this show is for you. Your training isn’t a cage. It’s a toolkit. And we’re just getting started on everything you can build with it.

— Dr. Chloe Kirk, Biochemistry PhD, Podcast Host

@chloe.the.scientist