Episode 3
Dr. Melina Luethje
(Paleolimnologist)
What’s a “Paleolimnologist”?! In this episode, I speak with Dr. Melina Luethje, a recent PhD grad from Nebraska, about paleolimnology, the interesting life of diatoms, and what it’s like to go through grad school.
Interview with Dr. Melina Luethje (Paleolimnologist)
Episode Timestamps:
- What is ‘paleolimnology’? (0:43)
- Why Dr. Melina decided to pursue a PhD (2:02)
- Why the focus on paleolimnology? (4:08)
- Talking about the struggles of grad school (5:48)
- How advisors work (9:40)
- Funding in grad school (10:52)
- How publishing works (12:16)
- The pressure to publish (12:59)
- Popular journals in science (14:01)
- The pay-to-play format for academic journals (15:05)
- The perceived normalcy of the journal industry (16:48)
- Adjusting to life after schooling (18:42)
- Thinking about the future during the pandemic (19:48)
- Dr. Melina’s dream job (20:53)
- The R1, R2, R3 system (22:55)
- What Dr. Melina tells people she does for a living (25:17)
- What is a diatom? (27:24)
- Interesting features of diatoms (29:28)
- The scientific process (32:33)
- Algae produce the air that we breathe (33:56)
- Are diatoms older than dinosaurs? (35:26)
- Freshwater and marine diatoms (36:16)
- Are there diatoms in space? (36:53)
- The habitats that diatoms live in (37:36)
- Six years of work on one topic (39:18)
- Why studying past lakes is important (41:21)
- Climate change (43:25)
- CO2 levels today (45:29)
- A scientist’s perspective on science denial (46:40)
- Public understanding of science (49:50)
- Dr. Melina’s passion for cooking (52:05)
- The dream to live off-grid (55:04)
- Closing remarks (59:39)
Follow Dr. Melina on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhD_Goddess
Visit Planet B612 on the web: https://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/julielaurin
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