Tomorrow’s Professor December 1, 2004

Section I Setting the Stage

The Academic Enterprise Unlike any other institution Carnegie Classification– Changed in 2000! Doctoral/Research Universities– Extensive Doctoral/Research Universities– Intensive Masters I & II Baccalaureate Colleges-- Liberal Arts Baccalaureate Colleges– General Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges

The Academic Enterprise Institutional Governance Bottom-up governance structure The institution of tenure The “multiuniversity” Challenges Facing Academia Budget cuts Demands for increased productivity Implications of University-Industry collaboration

Key Points The academic institution is different than other business institutions There are many different types of academic institutions– the important thing is to know what kind of institution you are dealing with Academia is currently going through a period of transition

Sci. and Eng. in Higher Education Faculty are more loyal to their discipline than their department, and more loyal to their department than their university There are many differences between departments, even in one institution Interdisciplinary collaboration Scholarship across the disciplines

Key Points Many factors that academics are affected by vary across departments and schools within a university While most faculty are most loyal to their own discipline, interdisciplinary collaboration and scholarship continues to increase in importance

New Challenges to the Professoriate Forces for change in teaching and research Increasing use of communications tools Increasing use of computational tools Increasing focus on interdisciplinary programs Prospects of decreased government funding Increasing costs of doing research Changing role of industry in academic research

New Challenges to the Professoriate Implications for Faculty Scholarship Balance between cooperation and competition Balance between basic and applied research Balance between high-risk and low-risk behaviors

Key Points As mentioned before, academia is facing plenty of new challenges This means that, as new faculty, we must balance ourselves between extremes in several ways

Section II Preparing for an Academic Career

Chapter 4 Your Professional Preparation Strategy

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions… Follow your passion Understand what you are getting into Make a calculated decision. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Do not try to forecast supply and demand “Well, I’m going to get my PhD in so-and- so cause that field is really ‘hot’ right now…”

Supply and Demand “The Myth” Got PhD’s? 675,000 jobs!!! Where do I sign? Reality Bites Somebody call William Sherden. Graduate Student Birth Control.

Three-Pronged Preparation Strategy Breadth-on-Top-of-Depth Capital “T” approach. Drilling for oil. Next-Stage Look Ahead. Research, Proposal Writing, Publishing Multiple-Option Concurrently prepare for academic and industry careers.

Chapter 5 Research as a Graduate Student and Postdoc

Summary Choosing a Research Topic Choosing an Advisor Writing Research Proposals Publishing

Choosing a Research Topic 1. Can it be enthusiastically pursued? 2. Can interest be sustained by it? 3. Is the problem solvable? 4. Is it worth doing? 5. Will it lead to other research problems? 6. Is it manageable in size? 7. Can you make an original contribution to the literature? 8. Will the results be reviewed well by scholars in the field? 9. Are you, or will you become, competent to solve it? 10. Will you have demonstrated independent skills in the discipline? 11. Will the research prepare you in an area of future demand or promise?

Choosing an Advisor Considerations Accomplishments in teaching and research Enthusiasm for advising students Experience in advising students Management and organization of his/her research group Reputation for setting high standards in a congenial atmosphere Compatible Personality Types of Advisors (Smith’s classification) Collaborator Hands-Off Senior Scientist Types of Advisors (Martin’s classification) Authoritarian Coach Laissez Faire

Writing Research Proposals Next stage activity Begin by reviewing other’s proposals and by contributing drafts of sections of other’s proposals Show drafts to others Academics in your specialty area Academics outside your specialty area (but in your field) Academics at other institutions

Publishing For co-authored papers, be able to give a talk and answer questions at conferences on any paper for which you are listed as an author Author checklist (abbreviated) Is the article complete? Is the article authoritative? Is the article singular (does it make a contribution)?

Key Points Get involved in research early Choose research topics that are “narrowly focused and carefully defined, but are important parts of a broad-ranging, complex problem” Choose your advisor carefully Be involved in as many “next-stage” activities as possible Writing research proposals Attending conferences Supervising other researchers Managing research projects and programs

Chapter 6 Teaching Experiences Prior to Becoming a Professor

Why is it important to teach as a Graduate Student? Confirm teaching is what one wants to do. Help prepare for one’s first teaching assignment as a professor. Makes one more marketable.

What can I do? Look and volunteer for teaching experiences Remember that the time spent teaching will generally be 3x the amount you expect Create a teaching portfolio

What can I do NOW? (key points) Stay aware of teaching opportunities around you Start compiling your teaching portfolio now Make it a habit to file samples of your work

Section III Finding and Getting the Best Possible Academic Position

Chapter 7 Identifying the Possibilities

Deciding what you want Your type of institution Research, Doctoral, Master’s & Baccalaureate Different Institution characteristics Your type of appointment Full-time, Tenure-track Temporary, Part-time, Consulting, Adjunct etc. Your setting Physical and cultural environment Personal preferences and family considerations Relationship between the institutions you are considering and other local colleges and universities

Research what is out there Background reading Guidebooks Program description College catalog Internet Talking to others Using the contact database you constructed Do not make information querying into position applying Visiting other institutions

Preparing for the search Consolidate the information together and focus on a plan of the specific schools you want to apply Nonacademic positions?

Chapter 8 Applying for Positions

Setting the Stage How New Positions are Established Vice president for academic affairs Dean Department What Departments Look for in New Faculty Teach Specialty Funding Finding out What is available Advertisement Known to a few faculty Internet Drawing on your Network

Preparing your Application Materials The Cover letter The Curriculum Vitae Letters of Recommendation

The Application Process Conferences Talk about research / teaching Keep in touch with your faculty and students Follow-up The Campus Visit Know the institution Seek info from the people you known in that institute Know more about the schedule Interview Other considerations The Academic Job Talk What do they want to see Customization Practice

Positions Outside the Academia

Chapter 9 Getting the Results You Want

Principles for responding to an offer Make sure you have an offer Know what you want,And what you don’t want Clearly communicate what you want – but only to the right people Use your work quality/productivity to negotiate Make requests informally Negotiate hard on things that are ”out of bound” Learn about the Tenure process Start as High as you can in institutional prestige Be realistic about salary – but go as high as you can Keep options open – don’t say yes right away Combine logic and emotion when deciding Dual-career couples

Did not get the offer you want? The Decision to Try Again Try again? Find out what you did wrong Multiple-Option Staying Moving on to are temporary position Moving on to are permanent position

Section III 1. Deciding what you want 2. Researching what is out here 3. Setting the stage 4. Preparing your application materials 5. Applying for positions 6. Negations 7. If you do not get the job you want

Develop CV Obtain letters of reference Obtain Employment packet Talk to your advisor Attend conferences Apply for positions Continue to apply for positions Practice interviews Prepare job talk Continue to apply for positions Consider interests and needs Consider negotiations strategies Consider Multiple-Option approach August-October September-December November-February March-August !! Explore earlier !!

Section IV Looking Ahead to your First Years on the Job – Advice from the field

Chapter 10 Insights on Time Management

Manage your time efficiently. Do the things right and do the right things Doctoral Student If I can just find a good problem Assistant Professor If I can just find the time The Problem

The solution Set Long-Term Goal Establish Your Absence Keep things on the burner

Key advices Be a “ Quick Starter ”, achieve balance.  Set limits on lecture preparation  Find time to do scholarly writing very week  Social networking Involve in the campus community early on. Manage tasks to take time for the long term important things.

Chapter 11 Insights on Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning Styles Teaching Styles Concrete or Conceptual Visual or Verbal Inductive or Deductive Active or Passive Step by Step or Global Learning Styles Sensory or Intuitive Visual or Auditory Inductive or Deductive Active or Reflective Sequential or Global

Key Advice Motivate Learning Provide a balance of concrete information and abstract concepts Provide explicit illustrations of intuitive patterns and sensing patterns, and encourage all students to exercise both patterns. Use pictures, schematics in verbal presentation. Show films. Provide demonstrations, hands-on, if possible. Use computer technologies in teaching. Provide opportunities for students to do something active, like brain storming.

Develop a teaching portfolio The Teaching Portfolio: Capturing the Scholarship of Teaching, by Russell Edgerton. The process of preparing teaching portfolios may be more valuable because: (1) someone was very interested and concerned about their teaching, (2)the portfolio captured evidence that looked like their teaching, and (3) selecting evidence and writing captions and reflections had impelled their to clarify their intentions and beliefs about teaching and students.

Chapter 12 Insights on Research

New Priorities Doctoral Student Problem solving Conduct research Find projects w/funding Assistant Professor Problem finding Direct research Obtain funding

Sources of Funding Gift or grant in aid - $10-50k, no oversight Grant – substantial but you are accountable Coop agreement – with government agencies (e.g., USDA, EPA) that are hands on Contract – timelines and deliverables Fellowships and Scholarships – provide support for graduate students IRIS (Illinois Research Information System) provides info on sponsors, programs and deadlines

Preparing Research Proposal Do your homework before making contact. Build long term relationship with the funding agency. Or you can start your research with under the tutelage of an experienced faculty member who has funding. Try to find help on searching funding from colleagues or universities. Elements of Found in Most Successful Proposals. See Appendix F.

Key Advice Connect with experts in adjacent areas Seek out colleagues within institution Attend and present at conferences Publishing “ gains acceptance for your ideas while telling world the results of your hard work ” Peer reviewed journals are best

Chapter 13 Insights on Professional Responsibility

Areas of Professional Responsibility Service to department and profession Ethics in teaching and research Authorship and scholarly reviews Consulting and other industry relationships

Ethically Problematic Behaviors 1) Falsifying data 2) Fabricating experiments 3) Misrepresenting funding requests 4) Giving undue or no authorship credit 5) Misleading research competitors 6) Failure to secure informed consent 7) Failure to ensure fair play in lab 8) Plagiarism 9) Demeaning competitors work 10) Using findings in harmful way 11) Publishing in Least Publishable Units 12) Failure to “ blow the whistle ” 13) Failure to carefully review paper when referee 14) Biased reviews of funding requests 15) Gaining financial advantage by biasing others research

Key Advice Do not over commit, especially in your pre- tenure period. Focus on departmental committees. Review papers for journals Develop working relations with industry Be aware of impact of behavior on reputation of self, school, and field Ask older colleagues for advice in ethical gray areas

Conclusion Engage in activities having value in themselves, but that also contribute to your primary mission of teaching and other forms of scholarship.

Chapter 14 Insights on Tenure

Paths toward-and away from-tenure 1. The traditional path 2. The accelerated path 3. The delayed entry path 4. The late practitioner path 5. The late career child-bearing path 6. The from-one-school-to-another-school path 7. The fail to get tenure – try again path 8. The fail to get tenure – other career path 9. The walk-away-from-tenure path 10. The never-try-for-tenure path

Key Advice It is important to understand the tenure process and requirements for your university. Establish a strategy to meet the requirements. Consulting your tenured colleagues. ASK HELP! Contribute to departmental service but avoid university-wide commitments until after attaining tenure

Chapter 15 Insights on Academia: Needed Changes

Conclusion: Help Us! Help graduate students and postdocs prepare for academic careers Help graduate students and postdocs find academic positions Help beginning faculty succeed

Tomorrow's professor! It is your turn!