Mrs Mummy PhD®
This podcast is a reflective space for high-achieving mothers navigating scholarly work, home, and identity.
Hosted by Dr Michelle Gibbs — a wife, boy Mama of 3 and doctor/scholar (of the PhD kind) — the Mrs Mummy PhD® podcast is shaped by lived experience of holding ambition alongside family life, responsibility, and seasons of change. It speaks to the reality that meaningful work does not exist in isolation from the rest of our lives.
Scholarly motherhood is complex and deeply human. It is marked by transitions, pressure, and continual becoming — and without intention, it can quietly pull us away from ourselves.
Through thoughtful conversations and reflections, this podcast invites you to slow down, lead yourself first, and reconsider what sustainable impact looks like in this season of life. Rather than offering quick fixes or productivity promises, it offers insight, perspective, and permission to build a life that includes your work, your family, and yourself.
If you are a mother navigating intellectually demanding work — in academia or beyond — and are seeking steadiness, clarity, and a way forward that does not require self-sacrifice, this space is for you.
So Mama, are you in?
Fabulous!
Let's begin...
These are our journeys of becoming — and you’re welcome here.
Mrs Mummy PhD®
121. "I Met Myself": How PhD Motherhood Became a Path to Self-Discovery with Dr Nonhlanhla Dube a.k.a. Dr Noni
This week on the podcast, I’m joined by an incredible guest: a Zimbabwean-born academic, content creator, and mother - Dr Nonhlanhla Dube (a.k.a. Dr Noni) - whose path to a PhD took her across continents, through two undergrad degrees, a prestigious scholarship, and finally, a research post in the Netherlands.
We talk about:
- How rejection redirected her toward purpose
- What it was really like finishing a PhD as a new Mama
- Why she’s now showing up on TikTok to help others find joy in academic writing
- And what she wishes more people actually said out loud about being a Mama in academia
Whether you're deep in your PhD or just figuring out how to hold it all together as a parent in academia—this one is for you.
Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode about the real, raw, and beautiful mess of PhD Motherhood. And if you love what you hear, leave a kind review—it helps more Scholarly Mamas® find us!
Follow Dr Noni on Tik Tok or YouTube for more :-). Find her co-founded SWAN community here.
Want more?
- Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD website.
- Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, Pinterest or TikTok.
- Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter
- Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series
These are our journeys of becoming.
Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.
