Dr. Jen Heemstra, the Department Chair of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, sits down with us to chat about the personal and interpersonal challenges common to science. She shares how to identify red flags in a lab setting if you’re interviewing or rotating and gives ideas for questions we should be asking ourselves and posing in interviews if we are searching for a thesis advisor. She outlines some of the most common causes of burnout and provides encouraging advice on how to combat it. We learn from her how to differentiate between burnout, simply being in a “rut”, or altogether hating your job. She unpacks what disrespect and undervaluation can look like in the workplace and how to address it. We even delve into how to gracefully leave a lab when you feel it isn’t a good fit for you. Despite the weight of these topics, Dr. Heemstra’s optimism and passion for mentorship and science shine through, leaving us with fresh motivation to move forward and tackle challenges. 

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