Stephanie Seidel Holmsten
“The PTF podcast has really been a balm for me in my COVID isolation. I really appreciate Stephanie’s style as an interviewer; she’s thoughtful, empathetic, and engaging.”
Prof. Stephanie Seidel Holmsten is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the International Relations and Global Studies program. She is serving as chair-elect of the Provost’s Teaching Fellows program and works as a host on PTF’s The Other Side of Campus podcast.
Q: Tell me the origin story of the podcast.
Stephanie: I have to start the story with Mary Neuburger; this was an idea that she brought to the Provost’s Teaching Fellows. The PTF program gathers people from across the university to support them as they try new things in their classroom, department, college, or broadly within the university. Given this amazing cohort of faculty, we knew we had a collection of folks doing really remarkable things that we could showcase in the podcast.
When COVID hit, we headed into our homes. Personally, I found in this new working environment I missed talking with my colleagues. I missed the opportunity to get to know new people. Turns out, I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. When the PTFs gathered to talk about the podcast, many of us shared how podcasts had become a nurturing space to hear people’s stories and get access to people’s experiences in a way that we couldn’t in the isolated environments that we are living in. We realized that we had a common desire to hear about people’s experiences and think creatively together about teaching and learning. The podcast was born!
Q: I think what hit for me the most when I read the description was that it was about “cross campus connection” and that it was about the role of personal narrative in what we do.
Stephanie: When we began this work, there was a temptation to head towards a “best practices” or “how-to” show about teaching. But we made a very intentional choice to focus on connecting with people instead. This was not going to be a training podcast; it was going to be a virtual faculty learning community. In order to achieve that learning community feeling, we decided that personal stories would come first. The podcast always starts with “tell us how you got here.”
The second key feature we wanted to focus on was failure. Ugh, right? But it’s in failure where we often find that true instinct for learning. In the podcast, we wanted to deconstruct our notions about expertise, too. We wanted to reveal that our personal journeys are often convoluted. We made our way in our careers because of the things that didn’t work just as much as from things that did. Through our failures we experience growth.
Q: In listening to these episodes, I’m realizing that it’s not just teaching is it? It’s really about whatever your interviewee is passionate about.
Stephanie: I think the podcast has done a good job of exploring the partnership between research and teaching. A lot of our conversations focus on the ways in which research informs teaching and teaching informs research. These are not divergent ideas or paths; really good instructors are able to combine those two pieces of their lives.
Q: What is the “other side” from the title?
Stephanie: In the first podcast Jen and Katie hosted Peniel Joseph. At the end of that episode, Jen said “Wow, it feels like we’ve really seen the other side of campus.” That phrase captured our feelings about the podcast. It is an invitation to recognize that in this physical space, the 40 Acres, there are corners of the university where you may have never been before, buildings you’ve never walked into, departments you’ve never seen. In the same way, there are great faculty across the university who have never shared their stories together. The “others side of campus” is the chance we have to connect with each other as individuals doing this common work.
Q: What are you learning about yourself now that you are nine episodes published and more in production?
Stephanie: I hate the sound of my voice! Also, it is challenging to listen and come up with the next question at the same time, but I’m grateful to be working on something that is outside my comfort zone.
Even more importantly, I’m learning how amazing this institution is. There are brilliant minds all across this campus. In such a large organization, we can get isolated in our own section of the university. This podcast reaches out to share about the many people doing really creative stuff in all sorts of corners of our campus community. For example, we did a recent interview with Dr. Moriba Jah, an aerospace engineer. I’ve honestly never thought critically about stars and planets before, but I was brought to tears twice as he talked about his journey to his work. Across the 40 acres folks face questions about imposter syndrome or challenges about reaching students, motivating students, and facing rejection in research. We’re all on this journey and we share more in common than we realize.
Q: Where are you reaching for hope and an uplift lately?
Stephanie: It’s interesting to think about this in terms of the podcast, actually. The conversations we have had on the podcast have been some of the real highlights for me this past semester. I’ve gotten to work with Dixie Stanforth, Katie Dawson, and Jen Moon. Just creating something new with people is an intimate endeavor. Connecting with those stars as we meet faculty from across campus has given me a lot of hope. The podcast has become a space where I can see somebody in new ways and build connection. Hope the podcast nurtures others that way too!
For You
The Thinkery in Austin continues its development of free videos, resources, and ideas for families stuck at home. The activity guides and accompanying video tutorials are particularly easy-to-use for caregivers and are full of great ideas for children as young as 2. Find out more.
Join Us
The CNS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee has compiled a list of actions that it challenges all community members to commit to in making UT a better place to work and study. The theme for February is inclusivity. If you’ve ever wondered how you can help your community, this is a great way to get inspired.
Take Care
Self-compassion is a critical resource and gift that we can give ourselves during this time of juggling our many responsibilities. UT’s Dr. Kristin Neff and organizations such as Greater Good in Action publish easy-to-use exercises that can increase your powers of self-compassion and increase your ability to deal with the stress and anxiety of the current moment. To start, we recommend a five-minute exercise called the Self-Compassion Break. Learn more.
