Libsyn Directory

259: [Should I Quit Academia Series] Higher Ed Is In Crisis - It’s Time To Make Your Move [Re-Release EP 56]

Release Date: 03/04/2025

300: Powering Down 2025 And Welcoming 2026

Academic Writing Amplified

Today we’re celebrating a milestone: Episode 300. Instead of doing a big party episode, I wanted to share a more grounded, honest reflection as we wrap up 2025, a year that has been one of the most professionally disruptive years for academics. This episode is all about wrapping up, embracing seasonality, and entering winter break with a mindset of restoration rather than burnout, guilt, or the urge to “catch up.” If you’ve been feeling behind, overwhelmed, stretched thin, or like your writing has been pushed into the margins of your life, this is for you. I walk you through the...

299: Scaling Research Without Grants

Academic Writing Amplified

2025 has been a year of funding uncertainty in academia, and I know many of you have been asking yourself how to keep your research moving forward when grant opportunities are unpredictable. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on a mini-lesson from my Round 2+ Navigate program: Scaling Research Through Writing. I make the case for why 2026 should be a writing year for you. I walk you through how writing and publishing help expand your research’s reach, deepen collaborations, and even enhance your mentorship. I also share practical strategies for working with grad students,...

298: Confronting Feelings Of Shame, Fear, And Guilt About Writing

Academic Writing Amplified

Guilt, shame, and fear around academic writing show up far more often than we admit. And for many academics, those emotions become so intertwined with our identity that even seeing the phrase “making time to write” can trigger a full-body “Nope!” I was reminded of this last week during the National Women’s Studies Association conference in Puerto Rico. The conference was beautifully integrated with local scholars, activists, and artists, creating a powerful space for community and reflection. What surprised me most, though, was the range of reactions people had when they...

297: Cathy’s Holiday Book Review

Academic Writing Amplified

The holiday season is here, and what better way to celebrate than with some great books? In this special 2025 holiday book review episode, I’m sharing some of my favorite reads from the past year, plus one highly anticipated pre-order for 2026. Reading has always been a way for me to pause, reflect, and explore worlds beyond my own, whether through nonfiction that deepens understanding of our shared humanity, literary fiction that transports you across time and place, or romance and fantasy that just makes your heart smile. I’ll give you a quick overview of each book, why it...

296: [Mid-Career Series] Using Navigate to Plan for Full: Client Case Study with Michelle Espino (Re-Release BONUS)

Academic Writing Amplified

When you reach mid-career in academia, it can feel like you should have everything figured out. But often, that’s when the real questions begin. In this episode, I sit down with Michelle, a mid-career scholar and second-round participant in our Navigate program, to talk about what happens after tenure and how she’s redefining success on her path to full professorship. Michelle shares how Navigate helped her regain her sense of freedom, recalibrate her time and energy, and reconnect to her purpose as a scholar and leader. If you have considered applying to Navigate or if you...

295: [Mid-Career Series] Leading for Legacy (Re-Release EP 105)

Academic Writing Amplified

After tenure, it can feel like everyone is depending on you, from students to your junior colleagues, your co-authors, and even your family. In this episode, I explore what it really means to lead for legacy at this stage in your academic career. Leadership isn’t about taking on more work or moving into administration. It’s about how you show up for others while also taking care of yourself. I’ll share how to lead in a way that sustains both you and the people who look to you for guidance. Then, I break down why it is okay to focus your energy on your academic mission and...

294: [Mid-Career Series] What Academic Leadership Really Means (Re-Release EP 94)

Academic Writing Amplified

Have you been told to “step into leadership” on your campus, only to realize what they really meant was taking on more admin work? In this episode, I’m breaking down one of academia’s biggest myths: that leadership and administration are the same thing. They’re not, and understanding the difference can transform how you approach your academic career. As part of our Mid-Career Series, this episode explores what real leadership looks like beyond the tenure track. I share what I’ve learned about leading without losing yourself to bureaucracy and why leadership is less about...

293: [Mid-Career Series] You Don’t Have To Do The Mid-career Burnout (Like Everyone Else In Academia) (Re-Release EP 182)

Academic Writing Amplified

Are you feeling stuck, unmotivated, or wondering what happened to the joy you once felt in your academic work? You’re not alone. Today, I’m tackling one of the most common and least discussed challenges in the scholarly journey: the mid-career slump. This episode is part of our Mid-Career Series, where I am exploring what it really takes to thrive after tenure. If you’ve hit that milestone and expected relief, only to feel even more frustrated and overwhelmed, this conversation is for you. I unpack how the academic system sets you up to sprint toward tenure, pushing yourself harder and...

292: [Mid-Career Series] What Got You Tenure Won’t Get You to Full (Re-Release EP 97)

Academic Writing Amplified

My Mid-Career Series is all about redefining success after tenure and building a career that feels as meaningful as it looks on paper. In this segment, I share one of the hardest truths about the academic journey — what got you here won’t get you there. I explore how the habits, priorities, and systems that helped you earn tenure may actually hold you back from becoming a full professor or advancing in new directions. If you’ve been feeling like you’re working just as hard but not making meaningful progress. Or, if you’re wondering why your post-tenure years feel less clear than the...

291: [Mid-Career Series] Why You’re Still Exhausted After Getting Tenure (And What To Do About It) (Re-Release EP 96)

Academic Writing Amplified

Many post-tenure professors find themselves more exhausted than ever, despite achieving what they thought would finally bring balance. In this segment of the Mid-Career Podcast Series, I unpack why you’re still so dang tired and what you can do to reclaim your energy, focus, and purpose in your academic career. I’ll dive into what exhaustion really looks like for scholars who’ve spent years pushing toward tenure, only to find that the same habits and overbooked schedules have followed them into the next chapter of their careers. From managing others’ fires to working without time for...

More Episodes

Higher education is in crisis! In today's episode, I explore how academia has been entangled in a fast-paced capitalist model, exploiting faculty and prioritizing output over meaningful academic work. I challenge professors to confront these unsustainable practices and take action to remake and reform their careers.

As a scholar, you can break free from the constraints and burnout cycle, redefine your academic mission, and focus on the creation of knowledge rather than institutional requirements. I encourage you to reflect on your values and focus on developing systems that align with the direction you want your academic career to take. If you feel like you are constantly being shouldered with more tasks and are tired of feeling overworked and overwhelmed, this episode is for you.

For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.

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Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Get on the waitlist here!
Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here!
If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.

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