Hearth2Heart – Episode October 27, 2025

Program: Hearth2Heart

Length: 26 minutes

Belonging in Academia: Is PhD right for you? | Gayathri Shukla

In this solo episode, Gayathri sharers her raw, unfiltered thoughts on one of her major career: whether to pursue a PhD.

Re-entering academia after two decades in industry and entrepreneurship, Gayathri pulls back the curtains on the hard questions, doubts, and insights that shaped her choice to enter University of Calgary's inaugural Transdisciplinary Research program.

From a literal hammock moment of inspiration to mentors' future-oriented perspectives, she explores what it means to belong in academia.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should or should not do a PhD - or if you’re simply curious about the behind-the-scenes journey - this episode is for you.

Resources mentioned in episode:
https://campfirekinship.com/learn/courses/kindle-your-spark-career-story-crafting/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/welcome-to-hearth-2-heart/id1579260488?i=1000532740109
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/belonging-at-the-intersections-hidden-struggles-in/id1579260488?i=1000705847058
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/embracing-discomfort-my-experience-with-vipassana/id1579260488?i=1000664039413
https://mailchi.mp/66750e6763d8/life-story
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayathri-shukla
https://www.instagram.com/campfire_kinship/