This week's PhDetails #100 is with Kassandra Ford who is currently a 4th year PhD candidate at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the Environmental and Evolutionary Biology program. She is originally from Wisconsin and did her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she majored in Genetics. She worked for a year at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as a data analyst, lab organiser, and genetics lab tech studying gobies. She currently studies the evolution of skull morphology and feeding biomechanics in electric fishes from South America and Africa. You can find Kassandra on Twitter @kassthefish!
Well let’s start off talking about completely unscientific stuff: What is your favourite band/musical artist pre 1980?
I would have to say Frank Sinatra for before 1980. If I’m writing, chances are either big band or classical are playing. I absolutely love the way they made music back in the day.
Favourite band/musical artist post 1980?
I definitely grew up on 80s and 90s music, so this one is tough. I’d say Styx in terms of a band I could play on repeat and never get tired of listening.
Favourite movie or movies?
For a classic, Shawshank Redemption. Favorite all-time would be Remember the Titans. I could watch that over and over (and have done so). I’m also a Disney nerd, so any of the Lion King movies are go-tos (animated, LK2, live-action, ALL of it).
Do you listen to podcasts?
YES I love podcasts! Favorites are My Favorite Murder, Crime Junkie, and Serial Killers for my true-crime obsession. I’m also big into fitness so I listen to Thick Thighs Save Lives and Froning and Friends. Ologies with Alie Ward is also a classic.
Where do you study and who is your supervisor?
I’m at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and work under Dr. James Albert.
What year of your PhD are you in?
I am currently finishing up my 4th year this summer!
Who’s giving you the money – and for how long?
The Louisiana Board of Regents and the Southern Regional Education Board (BOR-SREB) have funded me for these past four years. I will be a University Fellow for my fifth year, funded by my institution. If it takes me any longer (hopefully not!) I would be a teaching assistant.
Do you have any publications?
I am working on my first 1st-author publication, but am a co-author on this paper on ResearchGate: Why the long face? Static allometry in the sexually dimorphic phenotypes of Neotropical electric fishes
Did you do a masters – where was it and was it about?
I did not! I took a year off after undergrad and went straight into my PhD program.
Do you do fieldwork?
I do fieldwork, but rarely. The fish I study are from South America and Africa, so it takes a lot of coordination and money to take those trips. I have travelled to Peru once and hope to go to Africa some time during my postdoc for additional collections. My trip to Peru was incredible! I got to travel up and down the Amazon and some tributaries and cannot even begin to describe how gorgeous that environment is. It was also terrifying (there are SO MANY things that can kill you at the end of the day), so it was a really cool experience.
How many PhDs did you apply for – what were you looking for?
I applied to two programs, where I currently am and another at Texas A&M in Corpus Christi. At the end of the day I would have been happy at either institution, but I decided on the lab that would have potentially provided more support (lab mates), great financial support, and an advisor who I knew would help me get through this difficult process.
What is the most bodged piece of equipment you have had to use during field/labwork – did it work?
First, you’d be surprised how useful just normal Tupperware/plastic containers are in collecting fish. It’s a standard thing you can buy just about everywhere (including Iquitos, Peru). I also jerry-rigged a brine shrimp incubator out of weird leftover lab materials. Worked out pretty well!
What one piece of advice would you give to a masters student applying to PhDs now?
Definitely visit the campus you are applying to (if financially able). At the very least email students of the advisor you are interested in working with. Talk to them on the phone. Try to get an idea about departmental atmosphere, lab atmosphere, and degrees of competition among students. Your department will most likely provide you with your friends during your PhD, so you want to make sure you get along well with some people right away.
How often do you meet with your supervisor?
WELL we are currently in a pandemic. So right now we talk on the phone about once every 1-2 weeks to catch up. Normally, my advisor’s “office” is actually in our lab. So I talk to him daily and usually chat extensively about my specific research once a week.
What supervisor traits are important to you?
I prefer a perfect blend of hands-on and hands-off. I don’t really like to be micromanaged, but I also need clear expectations and workable deadlines. I’m also looking for respect and understanding of how life as a woman/minority PhD student is different than the life many others have.
What do you think are the worst supervisor traits?
I struggle with supervisors who micromanage or aren’t clear about their expectations. This period is all about PhD students becoming “peers” and learning how to handle themselves in academia. Disrespect and unrealistic expectations are deal-breakers for me.
In one sentence what is your PhD about?
I study electric fish from South America and Africa, specifically looking at how head and skull shape influence feeding and diet.
What has been your academic highlight of the last year?
I passed my comprehensive exams on Valentine’s Day 2020!
Have you had an academic lowpoint of the last year – if so what happened?
My lowpoint was probably when one of my mentors/professors/ friends passed away. Our department lost an amazing scientist who will be greatly missed, Dr. Scott Duke-Sylvester. He was on my committee and simply cannot be replaced. I also have to mention the many times I suffered from Imposter Syndrome- not feeling like I belong or should be in academia.
Which academic idol/scientist have you met?
For my field in particular (fish biomechanics), meeting Dr. Beth Brainerd and chatting with her about my research and ideas was incredible. We have since had multiple conversations, and she has become a great mentor from afar. I remember reading her papers when I started my PhD and couldn’t believe when I met her and was able to put a real face to the name.
Which academic idol/scientist would you most like to meet?
I actually majored in Genetics as an undergrad (I’m not currently using those skills in my PhD but hope to incorporate them into a postdoc project), so I’d love to meet Rosalind Franklin. Her work helped make the field of genetics possible and she rarely gets credit in the textbooks. I’d love to hear her story.
Who has been your academic role model/inspiration and why?
I’ve definitely had several role models. Dr. Brainerd is definitely one. I would also put some of the earlier career scientists I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Dr. Emily Kane and Dr. Loren Cassin-Sackett come to mind. Both are fantastic women who have taken me under their wing. They are the epitome of what I want to be as an academic- supportive mentors, great scientists, and they treat graduate students as peers. Both of these women have supported me in incredible ways, and I hope to inspire future students as they have inspired me.
Do you have a favourite paper?
Felsenstein 1985: Phylogenies and the Comparative Method. This paper (which I had to review for comps) is a great description of what I hope to do with my research. It’s really become a foundation of how I think about evolution and the study of my organisms. It combines genetics, evolutionary relationships, and morphology in a way that really changed the face of evolutionary theory.
What has been your favourite conference so far – why?
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology is my favorite conference. It encompasses so many different types of science, has a lot of fish biomechanists, and is incredible in terms of addressing diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
What hours do you typically work?
Normally, I try to be in my lab from about 9-4 Monday-Friday, with some work scattered over the weekend if necessary.
How do you avoid procrastinating?
I try to give myself deadlines that I work towards. It definitely helps if I have an actual thing (conference) coming up. Also helps to either put on a podcast or some mindless TV to watch while I work!
What motivates you in your day to day PhD life?
A few things! I absolutely LOVE science. I love the art of asking questions, figuring out how to potentially answer them, the troubleshooting, and figuring out what the data tells me. I’m also incredibly motivated to become the first Dr. Ford in my family!
What do you do when you’re not working – how do you balance it with your PhD?
I do Crossfit, read, and watch Netflix. Right now, with the pandemic, I’m also doing a little crafting and puzzling! I try to listen to my body and mind, and if I’m reallllly not in the mood to work then I will give myself a brain break. But I try to work out just about every day as my stress relief. Netflix is an easy way for me to unwind the evenings.
If a genie could grant you one wish to help with your PhD what would you wish for?
Oooooo a nice computer with 64GB of RAM and a fantastic graphics card!
What would be your dream job?
Right now, I would love to work at a university with a pretty equal split between teaching and research. This might end up being a primarily undergraduate institution. I’d love to inspire the next generation of researchers with small projects and with amazing classes.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully in the job I just talked about! I’d also love to live either in the Pacific Northwest or in the DC/North Carolina area.
One word to sum up your future in academia:
Cool!!!!
What do you want to achieve outside of academia in the coming year?
I’d love to get a PR power clean (>130#) and run a mile in under 9 minutes (right now my average is about 9:30).
What essential tool hardware/software could you not do your PhD without?
3D Slicer. Such a versatile software that allows me to do pretty much everything I need to do for my data analysis.
Where is somewhere you would like to work in the future?
For a collection trip I would LOVE to go to Africa, particularly Guinea or Gabon. My ancestors are from Guinea and Gabon is an amazing place to catch mormyrid electric fishes.
Do you have a favourite organism?
Lions are definitely my favorite animal. I’ve always loved cats (big, small, any and all cats), and lions are just…. Perfect to me. It’s different from what I study right now, but I’d definitely love to apply my research interests to big cats someday.
Are there any social interactions/meetings which have enhanced your PhD experience?
I love Twitter. It has honestly been crucial for me to network, develop connections, get ideas for projects, and establish working relationships with other fish scientists. Plus, it’s fun, a place to vent, and has some amazing fish pictures!
If you could change one thing about your group/department structure what would it be?
I really like my department, but sometimes it feels as though there is a divide between labs because we reside in two different buildings. It would be so cool to all be in the same building and have more of a community!
What major question in your subject area is yet to be addressed – why is it important and why isn’t anyone addressing it?
Oh, this is a great question. I think in biology in general, there needs to be some discussion on the term “convergent evolution.” This is kind of my soapbox (I actually talked about it during my last SICB talk), but we really need to differentiate between types of convergence and how it might be affecting organismal morphology, behavior, and evolution. I think this hasn’t been fully addressed because it’s a complicated topic and requires attention from multiple fields, but I think some things *might* be coming down the pipeline about it!
Well let’s start off talking about completely unscientific stuff: What is your favourite band/musical artist pre 1980?
I would have to say Frank Sinatra for before 1980. If I’m writing, chances are either big band or classical are playing. I absolutely love the way they made music back in the day.
Favourite band/musical artist post 1980?
I definitely grew up on 80s and 90s music, so this one is tough. I’d say Styx in terms of a band I could play on repeat and never get tired of listening.
Favourite movie or movies?
For a classic, Shawshank Redemption. Favorite all-time would be Remember the Titans. I could watch that over and over (and have done so). I’m also a Disney nerd, so any of the Lion King movies are go-tos (animated, LK2, live-action, ALL of it).
Do you listen to podcasts?
YES I love podcasts! Favorites are My Favorite Murder, Crime Junkie, and Serial Killers for my true-crime obsession. I’m also big into fitness so I listen to Thick Thighs Save Lives and Froning and Friends. Ologies with Alie Ward is also a classic.
Where do you study and who is your supervisor?
I’m at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and work under Dr. James Albert.
What year of your PhD are you in?
I am currently finishing up my 4th year this summer!
Who’s giving you the money – and for how long?
The Louisiana Board of Regents and the Southern Regional Education Board (BOR-SREB) have funded me for these past four years. I will be a University Fellow for my fifth year, funded by my institution. If it takes me any longer (hopefully not!) I would be a teaching assistant.
Do you have any publications?
I am working on my first 1st-author publication, but am a co-author on this paper on ResearchGate: Why the long face? Static allometry in the sexually dimorphic phenotypes of Neotropical electric fishes
Did you do a masters – where was it and was it about?
I did not! I took a year off after undergrad and went straight into my PhD program.
Do you do fieldwork?
I do fieldwork, but rarely. The fish I study are from South America and Africa, so it takes a lot of coordination and money to take those trips. I have travelled to Peru once and hope to go to Africa some time during my postdoc for additional collections. My trip to Peru was incredible! I got to travel up and down the Amazon and some tributaries and cannot even begin to describe how gorgeous that environment is. It was also terrifying (there are SO MANY things that can kill you at the end of the day), so it was a really cool experience.
How many PhDs did you apply for – what were you looking for?
I applied to two programs, where I currently am and another at Texas A&M in Corpus Christi. At the end of the day I would have been happy at either institution, but I decided on the lab that would have potentially provided more support (lab mates), great financial support, and an advisor who I knew would help me get through this difficult process.
What is the most bodged piece of equipment you have had to use during field/labwork – did it work?
First, you’d be surprised how useful just normal Tupperware/plastic containers are in collecting fish. It’s a standard thing you can buy just about everywhere (including Iquitos, Peru). I also jerry-rigged a brine shrimp incubator out of weird leftover lab materials. Worked out pretty well!
What one piece of advice would you give to a masters student applying to PhDs now?
Definitely visit the campus you are applying to (if financially able). At the very least email students of the advisor you are interested in working with. Talk to them on the phone. Try to get an idea about departmental atmosphere, lab atmosphere, and degrees of competition among students. Your department will most likely provide you with your friends during your PhD, so you want to make sure you get along well with some people right away.
How often do you meet with your supervisor?
WELL we are currently in a pandemic. So right now we talk on the phone about once every 1-2 weeks to catch up. Normally, my advisor’s “office” is actually in our lab. So I talk to him daily and usually chat extensively about my specific research once a week.
What supervisor traits are important to you?
I prefer a perfect blend of hands-on and hands-off. I don’t really like to be micromanaged, but I also need clear expectations and workable deadlines. I’m also looking for respect and understanding of how life as a woman/minority PhD student is different than the life many others have.
What do you think are the worst supervisor traits?
I struggle with supervisors who micromanage or aren’t clear about their expectations. This period is all about PhD students becoming “peers” and learning how to handle themselves in academia. Disrespect and unrealistic expectations are deal-breakers for me.
In one sentence what is your PhD about?
I study electric fish from South America and Africa, specifically looking at how head and skull shape influence feeding and diet.
What has been your academic highlight of the last year?
I passed my comprehensive exams on Valentine’s Day 2020!
Have you had an academic lowpoint of the last year – if so what happened?
My lowpoint was probably when one of my mentors/professors/ friends passed away. Our department lost an amazing scientist who will be greatly missed, Dr. Scott Duke-Sylvester. He was on my committee and simply cannot be replaced. I also have to mention the many times I suffered from Imposter Syndrome- not feeling like I belong or should be in academia.
Which academic idol/scientist have you met?
For my field in particular (fish biomechanics), meeting Dr. Beth Brainerd and chatting with her about my research and ideas was incredible. We have since had multiple conversations, and she has become a great mentor from afar. I remember reading her papers when I started my PhD and couldn’t believe when I met her and was able to put a real face to the name.
Which academic idol/scientist would you most like to meet?
I actually majored in Genetics as an undergrad (I’m not currently using those skills in my PhD but hope to incorporate them into a postdoc project), so I’d love to meet Rosalind Franklin. Her work helped make the field of genetics possible and she rarely gets credit in the textbooks. I’d love to hear her story.
Who has been your academic role model/inspiration and why?
I’ve definitely had several role models. Dr. Brainerd is definitely one. I would also put some of the earlier career scientists I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Dr. Emily Kane and Dr. Loren Cassin-Sackett come to mind. Both are fantastic women who have taken me under their wing. They are the epitome of what I want to be as an academic- supportive mentors, great scientists, and they treat graduate students as peers. Both of these women have supported me in incredible ways, and I hope to inspire future students as they have inspired me.
Do you have a favourite paper?
Felsenstein 1985: Phylogenies and the Comparative Method. This paper (which I had to review for comps) is a great description of what I hope to do with my research. It’s really become a foundation of how I think about evolution and the study of my organisms. It combines genetics, evolutionary relationships, and morphology in a way that really changed the face of evolutionary theory.
What has been your favourite conference so far – why?
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology is my favorite conference. It encompasses so many different types of science, has a lot of fish biomechanists, and is incredible in terms of addressing diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
What hours do you typically work?
Normally, I try to be in my lab from about 9-4 Monday-Friday, with some work scattered over the weekend if necessary.
How do you avoid procrastinating?
I try to give myself deadlines that I work towards. It definitely helps if I have an actual thing (conference) coming up. Also helps to either put on a podcast or some mindless TV to watch while I work!
What motivates you in your day to day PhD life?
A few things! I absolutely LOVE science. I love the art of asking questions, figuring out how to potentially answer them, the troubleshooting, and figuring out what the data tells me. I’m also incredibly motivated to become the first Dr. Ford in my family!
What do you do when you’re not working – how do you balance it with your PhD?
I do Crossfit, read, and watch Netflix. Right now, with the pandemic, I’m also doing a little crafting and puzzling! I try to listen to my body and mind, and if I’m reallllly not in the mood to work then I will give myself a brain break. But I try to work out just about every day as my stress relief. Netflix is an easy way for me to unwind the evenings.
If a genie could grant you one wish to help with your PhD what would you wish for?
Oooooo a nice computer with 64GB of RAM and a fantastic graphics card!
What would be your dream job?
Right now, I would love to work at a university with a pretty equal split between teaching and research. This might end up being a primarily undergraduate institution. I’d love to inspire the next generation of researchers with small projects and with amazing classes.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully in the job I just talked about! I’d also love to live either in the Pacific Northwest or in the DC/North Carolina area.
One word to sum up your future in academia:
Cool!!!!
What do you want to achieve outside of academia in the coming year?
I’d love to get a PR power clean (>130#) and run a mile in under 9 minutes (right now my average is about 9:30).
What essential tool hardware/software could you not do your PhD without?
3D Slicer. Such a versatile software that allows me to do pretty much everything I need to do for my data analysis.
Where is somewhere you would like to work in the future?
For a collection trip I would LOVE to go to Africa, particularly Guinea or Gabon. My ancestors are from Guinea and Gabon is an amazing place to catch mormyrid electric fishes.
Do you have a favourite organism?
Lions are definitely my favorite animal. I’ve always loved cats (big, small, any and all cats), and lions are just…. Perfect to me. It’s different from what I study right now, but I’d definitely love to apply my research interests to big cats someday.
Are there any social interactions/meetings which have enhanced your PhD experience?
I love Twitter. It has honestly been crucial for me to network, develop connections, get ideas for projects, and establish working relationships with other fish scientists. Plus, it’s fun, a place to vent, and has some amazing fish pictures!
If you could change one thing about your group/department structure what would it be?
I really like my department, but sometimes it feels as though there is a divide between labs because we reside in two different buildings. It would be so cool to all be in the same building and have more of a community!
What major question in your subject area is yet to be addressed – why is it important and why isn’t anyone addressing it?
Oh, this is a great question. I think in biology in general, there needs to be some discussion on the term “convergent evolution.” This is kind of my soapbox (I actually talked about it during my last SICB talk), but we really need to differentiate between types of convergence and how it might be affecting organismal morphology, behavior, and evolution. I think this hasn’t been fully addressed because it’s a complicated topic and requires attention from multiple fields, but I think some things *might* be coming down the pipeline about it!
Awesome interview with an awesome young woman!!!!
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