The Method to Our Madness – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, our hosts, Stacey Merola, Ph.D. and William Pate introduce themselves to the audience and discuss their vision for the podcast. Music by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino. 

In this episode of The Method to Our Madness Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Pitkow, a business development consultant with over 20 years of experience, to break down what actually works in proposal writing and procurement strategy. 

We dive into how to identify the right opportunities early, avoid aspirational bidding, and use “gates” as decision points to save time, money, and energy. Rebecca explains how proactive forecasting, realistic capability assessments, and early disqualifications can dramatically improve win rates—especially in today’s tight fiscal environment. 

The conversation also covers proposal color reviews (Pink Team through White Glove), building strong win themes and distinguishers, and conducting gap analyses to determine whether you should be a prime or a partner on a bid. Rebecca shares actionable advice on scaling proposal processes, developing reusable templates, and using post-mortem reviews to continuously improve.

We wrap up with practical guidance on cold calling, relationship-building, and managing micro-procurements efficiently—plus how small businesses can bring discipline and structure to their proposal efforts. Rebecca closes by sharing how her consulting services help organizations build smarter, more effective proposal processes. If you want help with your business development methodology, can reach out to Rebecca directly at: rebecca.f.pitkow@gmail.com.

Podcast music by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino. 

Ever gone to a conference for the free swag and accidentally left with a career‑changing conversation? From data‑themed outfits to awkwardly empty presentation rooms, Stacey and Bill swap stories about how to get the most out of your conference experience. Drawing on years of attending, presenting at, and navigating professional and academic conferences across evaluation, psychology, sociology, and research spaces, Stacey and Bill share honest reflections about what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they’d known sooner.

In this episode, they cover:

• Why people go to conferences in the first place
• How networking leads to jobs and collaborations
• Big conferences vs. small ones, and which might be better for you
• Simple ways to be more approachable (and memorable)
• The highs and lows of presenting, from packed rooms to empty ones
• How location, planning, and conference structure shape the experience

Episode takeaways:

• Conferences are most valuable when you’re intentional about why you’re attending.
• Smaller or regional conferences often lead to more meaningful conversations.
• Being prepared—and approachable—can open unexpected doors.
• Not every presentation will be a hit, and that’s okay.
• Serendipity plays a bigger role than most people expect.

Links to organizations and conferences mentioned in this episode:

• American Evaluation Association (AEA): https://www.eval.org/
• American Psychological Association (APA): https://convention.apa.org/
• Eastern Evaluation Research Society (EERS): https://www.eers.org/
• Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP): https://www.siop.org/events/the-annual-conference/
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE): https://www.sree.org/2026-conference
• Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA): https://mmira.wildapricot.org/australia2026

Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork was created by Zoe Targino. 

Episode 05:  Mixed methods with special guest John Hitchcock

Have you ever wanted to know about using mixed methods in your research? Check out our latest podcast on mixed methods and the paradigm wars in program evaluation for a discussion about what mixed methods is and is not with special guest John Hitchcock, Marilyn Sime Professor for Educational Excellence at the University of Minnesota. 

John Hitchcock, a colleague of both Stacey and Bill, has published extensively on the topic mixed methods research. He explains what mixed methods is and is not in the world of evaluation research, shares examples from his work and collaborations with other leaders in the field and answers our questions about the topic. 

Below are resources referenced by John and additional information on colleagues and concepts discussed in this episode. 

1. Burke Johnson

• Google Scholar page
• Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come (2004)
  • Article co-written with Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Anthony (Tony) J. Onwuegbuzie

• University of Cambridge faculty bio

Paradigm shift

• Popularized by Thomas Kuhn in 
• The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962; Wikipedia article)

John W. Creswell and Vicki L. Plano Clarn

• Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (Sage College Publishing)

Michael Fetters

• Bio (Michigan Mixed Methods Program)
• The Mixed Methods Research Workbook (Sage Publications)

Bonnie MacDougall

• Sri Lankan village life (Cornell Chronicle, July 17, 2018)

Visit us on

• show website: https://themethodtoourmadness.podbean.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/methodtoourmadnesspodcast/

Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino.

In this podcast episode we discuss the principles that guide the protection of human subjects in medical and behavioral research by reviewing one of the seminal pieces on the subject, The Belmont Report. We also explore human subjects' protections in the context of current technological innovations. Notes related to the episode can be found here. Music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork was created by Zoe Targino. 

In this episode, we go to Guatemala to chat with UX expert Anna Sandoval, Ph.D. about UX and qualitative research. UX research is the process of understanding user perceptions, needs, and behaviors, in order to design products that are accessible and usable. Gaining this understanding involves collecting data through qualitative methods like interviews and observations. After listening to the episode, if you are interested in learning more, you can contact Anna on LinkedIn at Anna Sandoval Giron, PhD | LinkedIn or at Anna.b.sandoval@gmail.com. Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pLF4kYfyg25Ew3nQ4yD6tP6-AVnRPY3G/view?usp=drive_link.

Music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Artwork by Zoe Targino.