Dr Yvonne Couch - Academia and the Sense of Self

Dr Yvonne Couch narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

In this blog, Yvonne reflects on why academia can become so tightly bound to identity, especially in careers where work has no clear end point and success is shaped by papers, grants, recognition, luck and timing. Prompted by a friend’s emotional decision to leave academia, the piece explores how academic life can blur boundaries between job and self, making rejection feel personal rather than professional. Drawing on ideas around enmeshment and identity construction, Yvonne argues that researchers need more than one way to understand their value. A broader sense of self, built through teaching, hobbies, writing, coaching, friendships and experiences beyond research, can help academics see themselves as more than their latest paper, grant, or career outcome.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academia-and-the-sense-of-self/

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Dr Yvonne Couch is a Research Fellow and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne writes about her work, academic life, and careers as she takes a new road into independent research.

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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

This podcast is brought to you by University College London in association with the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

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