The Struggling Scientists

Did you know that in the Netherlands, by the time you defend your PhD… you’ve already passed?

Unlike in many other countries, the Dutch PhD defense is usually not the final exam that determines whether you get your degree. Your thesis has already been approved, failing is extremely rare, and the defense itself feels more like a formal and historic ceremony than an exam.

In this video, I take you behind the scenes of my own Dutch PhD defense, exactly one year after it happened. I explain:

Why the Dutch system is so different
What “Hora Est” means
Why you have to defend in Dutch
The historic role of paranymphs
What the 45 minutes of questioning are really like
And how it felt to finally become Doctor

If you’re working toward your own PhD defense, curious about academic traditions in different countries, or simply wondering what a Dutch PhD ceremony looks like, this video is for you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

🎓 About our channel
We are The Struggling Scientists. We make honest videos about PhD life, academia, and how to make your research journey a little bit easier.
If that sounds helpful, consider subscribing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

👉 We also created a full AI Tools for Academics Masterclass, where we walk through how to use AI ethically and effectively throughout the research process:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/MasterclassAI

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⏰ TIME STAMPS
00:00 You’ve Already Passed? (How the Dutch System Works)
01:08 Strict PhD Requirements in the Netherlands
04:08 What Defense Day Actually Looks Like
05:19 Historic Traditions, Dutch Language & Paranymphs
06:43 The 45 Minutes of Questioning
07:32 Hora Est & Becoming Doctor
08:40 One Year Later Reflection

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Academia can get weird fast. In this episode of Academic Tea, we react to real Reddit stories about awkward academic interviews, PhD supervisor dilemmas, and thesis mistakes that every researcher will recognize.

Would you like your story to be (anonymously) featured in a future episode?
Submit your story here:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/stories/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

👉 We also created a full AI Tools for Academics Masterclass, where we walk through how to use AI ethically and effectively throughout the research process:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/MasterclassAI

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⏰ TIME STAMPS
00:00 Welcome to Academic Tea
00:30 AI interview disaster
06:40 AI tools mention
07:25 PhD supervisor red flag?
20:50 Thesis mistakes after submission
25:10 Final thoughts

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Topics covered in this video:
PhD life, academic interviews, PhD supervision, academia struggles, Reddit stories, research life, thesis writing mistakes, graduate school experiences.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Got a PhD interview coming up?

This isn’t just another job interview, it’s the start of a 4+ year research partnership. In this video, we share 7 essential PhD interview tips that most applicants overlook. From your first email to the toughest interview questions.

If you want to stand out, impress your future supervisor, and feel confident walking into your graduate school interview, this is for you.

🎓 Your PhD acceptance starts before you step into the room.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

👉 We also created a full AI Tools for Academics Masterclass, where we walk through how to use AI ethically and effectively throughout the research process:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/MasterclassAI

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⏰ TIME STAMPS

0:00 - Introduction: Why PhD Interviews Are Different
1:06 - The First Impression Most Applicants Get Wrong
5:45 - What You Must Know Before You Walk In
6:27 - The Question You Will Be Asked
7:20 - Don’t Forget This Crucial Step
9:37 - The Trait Supervisors Secretly Look For
10:19 - The Mistake That Can Cost You the Position
11:23 - How to Answer Like a Future Scientist
12:21 - Final Advice & Good Luck

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this special Halloween episode, we dive into the scariest real-life PhD horror stories submitted by our listeners. From crashed software hours before a big deadline to lab disasters and terrifyingly toxic supervisors, these tales of PhD struggles will leave you on the edge of your seat. We’ll share our thoughts and advice on how to navigate these grad school nightmares—so you don’t have to face them alone. Tune in to hear the stories, the fears, and, most importantly, how to avoid these grad school disasters!

Will you survive the PhD horror? Find out now!

🤩Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss new episodes like this one:
https://www.youtube.com/@thestrugglingscientists

🤖Want to find our favorite AI tools for PhDs and researchers? Look no further 👇
https://mtr.bio/Tools

🔴Find your favorite science shirt, stickers, or coffee mugs here:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/webshop/

📰Get our FREE (AI) Tools guide 🤖 by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/newsletter

👍Follow us for more fun and interesting memes, videos, and threads guaranteed to improve your PhD experience here:
Twitter: https://x.com/TheStrugglingS4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestrugglingscientistspodcast/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thestrugglingscientistspodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-struggling-scientists-podcast/?viewAsMember=true

Interested in collaborating with us ? Get in touch 👇
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/sponsors/

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of the PhD's Toolkit series, we put Scite AI to the test! Join us as we review this AI-powered research assistant and evaluate its features for PhD students and researchers. From smart citations to personalized dashboards, we break down how Scite AI can streamline your literature search and improve your research workflow. Is it really as good as it sounds? Tune in to find out our honest verdict—spoiler: it's excellent!

Checkout Scite yourself via:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/Scite

⏰ TIME STAMPS
0:00 - Introduction to the PhD’s Toolkit Series
0:18 - What is Scite AI?
0:55 - Introduction to Scite AI's Features
1:52 - Scite Assistant: Your AI Research Helper
3:11 - What are Smart Citations?
5:20 - Dashboard Feature Overview
6:01 - How Scite AI Improves Literature Search
8:25 - Finding Hidden Research Papers with Scite
9:01 - Reference Check and Tracking Research Progress
9:57 - Scite Plugin for Zotero
12:04 - Scite AI Pricing and Subscription Options
13:33 - Final Verdict and Rating: Is Scite AI Worth It?

🤩Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss new episodes like this one:
 https://www.youtube.com/@thestrugglingscientists?sub_confirmation=1

🤖Want to find our favorite AI tools for PhDs and researchers? Look no further 👇
https://mtr.bio/Tools

🔴Find your favorite science shirt, stickers, or coffee mugs here:
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/webshop/

📰Get our FREE (AI) Tools guide 🤖 by subscribing to our FREE newsletter. 
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/newsletter

👍Follow us for more fun and interesting memes, videos, and threads guaranteed to improve your PhD experience here: 
X: https://x.com/TheStrugglingS4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestrugglingscientistspodcast/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thestrugglingscientistspodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-struggling-scientists-podcast/?viewAsMember=true

Interested in collaborating with us ? Get in touch 👇
https://thestrugglingscientists.com/sponsors/

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy