In this engaging episode of the Epistemic Alchemy Podcast, Dr. Mohammed Raei speaks with Dr. Amy Climer, creativity expert, speaker, and author of the bestselling book Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results. Drawing from her academic research and professional experience with organizations like the Mayo Clinic and Stanford University, Dr. Climer unpacks the myths and realities of creativity, especially within team settings.

She introduces her "Deliberate Creative Team Scale," a tool born from her mixed-methods dissertation that identifies three essential elements for team creativity: clear team purpose, effective team dynamics, and an intentional creative process. Climer emphasizes that creativity is not accidental—it is a deliberate, structured endeavor. She shares her journey transforming academic research into a practical, story-rich book, discusses her writing habits, and highlights tools like Scrivener and Climer Cards that aid the creative process.

The conversation also explores applications in academia, strategies to foster individual and team creativity, and Dr. Climer’s vision of what a deliberately creative university might look like. Packed with actionable insights and reflective moments, this episode offers valuable guidance for scholars, leaders, and practitioners looking to enhance creativity in their work and teams.

Resources:

Climer Consulting website: https://climerconsulting.com

Climer Cards website: https://climercards.com/

Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results book: https://climerconsulting.com/book

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/climerconsulting Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyclimer/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/amyclimer

The Deliberate Creative Podcast: https://climerconsulting.com/podcast/

Creativity by Csikszentmihalyi https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Csikszentmihalyi-Mihaly-1st-HarperPerennial/dp/B00C6P1KWE

Scrivener https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

Ulysses writing software https://ulysses.app/en/

In this thought-provoking episode of the Epistemic Alchemy Podcast, host Dr. Mohammed Raei welcomes Dr. Philip Adu, a leading expert in research methodology and founder of the Center for Research Methods Consulting, LLC. Together, they explore the ethical and practical dimensions of using AI in academic research, especially within qualitative methodologies.

Dr. Adu shares his early curiosity and evolving relationship with AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, illustrating how these tools can streamline tasks such as interview question design, data coding, and theme development. The conversation delves into ethical concerns around privacy, bias, and skill erosion, emphasizing the importance of researcher oversight, transparency, and institutional guidelines.

Listeners will gain practical tips on using AI responsibly, including how to prompt tools for better outcomes, conduct pilot interviews with AI, and incorporate AI ethically into mentorship and literature reviews. Dr. Adu and Dr. Raei also debate the future of AI in academia—will it replace key research functions or simply augment them?

Whether you're a researcher, doctoral student, or just curious about the impact of AI on scholarship, this episode offers nuanced insights and real-world examples to help you navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.

Resources:

Dr Adu's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drphilipadu

Books:

A Step-by-Step Guide to Qualitative Data Coding: https://www.routledge.com/A-Step-by-Step-Guide-to-Qualitative-Data-Coding/Adu/p/book/9781138486874?srsltid=AfmBOorAbKwPw9RQ4n0epOZlzITzoZUmELi7ZMMBt76xtgIFUOpVTFYu

The Theoretical Framework in Phenomenological Research: Development and Application is an introduction to phenomenology: https://www.routledge.com/The-Theoretical-Framework-in-Phenomenological-Research-Development-and-Application/Larsen-Adu/p/book/9780367540524

Dissertation Research Methods: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Up Your Research in the Social Sciences: https://www.routledge.com/Dissertation-Research-Methods-A-Step-by-Step-Guide-to-Writing-Up-Your-Research-in-the-Social-Sciences/Adu-Miles/p/book/9781032213859

Ailyze: https://www.ailyze.com/ Napkin ai: https://www.napkin.ai/ ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Gama App: https://gamma.app/

In this profound episode of Epistemic Alchemy, Dr. Mohammed Raei is joined by Dr. Lynn Horan—scholar, coach, and former Protestant clergy—to explore her pioneering research on the lived experiences of millennial women clergy who have left active ministry due to violations of interpersonal boundaries and psychological safety.

Drawing from her journey through politics, ministry, and academia, Dr. Horan shares how her career transitions shaped her inquiry into embodied leadership and feminist epistemology. The conversation traces the historical and theological disembodiment in Protestant traditions, examines the evolution of grounded theory methodology from Glaser and Strauss to Kathy Charmaz, and highlights how constructivist and feminist lenses can bring critical and emancipatory depth to qualitative research.

Dr. Horan reflects on the tensions of being both an insider and outsider in her fieldwork and explains how somatic awareness, trauma-informed research practices, and embodiment techniques deepen both understanding and healing.

Resources:

Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. L. (2000). Discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Routledge.

Horan, L. M. (2024). Feminized Servanthood, Gendered Scapegoating, and the Disappearance of Gen-X/Millennial Protestant Clergy Women (Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University).

Horan, L. (2025). Dismantled: Abusive church culture and the clergy women who leave. Tehom Center Publishing.

Morse, J. M., Bowers, B. J., Charmaz, K., Clarke, A. E., Corbin, J., Porr, C. J., & Stern, P. N. (2021). Developing grounded theory: The second generation revisited. Routledge.

Schwartz, R. (2023). No bad parts: Healing trauma & restoring wholeness with the internal family systems model. Random House.