My Story: How a Life-Threatening Experience Shaped My Career and Mission

Significant Impact: from K Award to Your First Big R01

In this episode, I share a deeply personal story that goes beyond the pragmatic reasons why I created K to R Essentials. While the program was born out of a practical need to help early-career researchers navigate the challenges of grant deadlines and writing their first R01, there’s a much deeper reason driving my passion for this work.

I tell the story of a life-threatening health scare that changed the trajectory of my life and career, teaching me invaluable lessons about purpose, fulfillment, and the importance of doing work that resonates with who you truly are. This episode is a reflection on how these experiences have shaped the way I approach my own career and why I believe so strongly in helping others find their own sense of purpose and fulfillment in their work.

Tune in to this episode of the Significant Impact Podcast to learn:

• How a critical health scare transformed my outlook on life and career.

• The challenges that early-career researchers face in managing grant deadlines and how K to R Essentials was designed to address them.

• Why aligning your work with what makes you feel alive is essential for long-term success.

• The significance (and subversiveness) of pursuing meaningful and fulfilling work in a demanding research career.

Join me as I share the deeper reason why I do what I do and explore how life’s unexpected challenges can lead to profound meaning and a renewed sense of purpose in your career.