128. Listen To This If Your Paper or Grant Just Got Rejected

Episode 4 of the Let's Talk SciComm podcast, hosted by Unimelb SciComm, titled "128. Listen To This If Your Paper or Grant Just Got Rejected" was published on February 12, 2026 and runs 6 minutes.

February 12, 2026 ·6m · Let's Talk SciComm

Summary

Rejection hurts -  whether it’s a journal decision, a grant outcome, or yet another “unsuccessful” email landing in your inbox. In this short Listen to This If episode, Jen and Michael talk honestly about the emotional rollercoaster of academic rejection, why it’s not a reflection of your worth (or your work), and how to keep going when the disappointment hits hard.They share practical strategies for making the most of the effort you’ve already put in, learning from feedback (when you’re ready for it!), and normalising rejection as a part of the research cycle, not a personal failure.If you’re feeling frustrated, deflated, or questioning yourself after a knockback, this one’s for you.In this episode, we cover:Why rejection is a normal (but still awful) part of academiaHow low funding rates and high competition skew outcomesThe importance of venting and feeling miserable - briefly!Turning reviewer feedback into your next stronger submissionWhy trying again (and again) really does get easierYou can find more great advice here:https://patthomson.net/2020/08/31/dealing-with-rejection/https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/how-to-do-academia/202207/coping-with-rejection-in-the-academic-worldhttps://researcher-hub.sydney.edu.au/funding/plan-for-funding/reframing-rejection.htmlhttps://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/six-steps-overcoming-setbacks-and-rejectionTranscript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/osj2

Episode Description