Early Faculty Careers at UDC

Presentation made by Dean Rachel Petty, Prof. Deepak Kumar, and Prof. Sylvia Hill

Objectives: To provide information that will allow early career faculty members to Understand career management process [at UDC] Improve performance Assess resources and tools for career advancement Advance their careers Create individualized development plan [BECOME THE INDISPENSIBLE UNIVERSITY CITIZEN]

1. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER: 5 points to consider A clear understanding of your own strengths, motivators and competencies. You have to be visible. Link your development and contribution to the University Mission [business strategy]/Find yourself mentor (s). Ensure your Chairperson’s/Dean’s participation. Most importantly – hold yourself accountable for your own development.

Self Assessment Strengths and Motivation Interests and Passions Skills and Development Areas Mission and Vision		Opportunities Research/Scholarly Activities Education Service [Classrooms; Labs; Program Building; Community outreach; Capital Ventures; Entrepreneurship etc.]

Execution Phase Skill Building/learn Gain Experience NETWORKING VISIBILITY DOCUMENTATION		Identify and set goals Commitment Action Plan Timeline
Modified from Tiedmann & O’hara and Lisa Heiser, JHU

THE 3-PRONGED APPROACH FOR A SUCCESSFUL UDC FACULTY MEMBER

FIND YOURSELF A MENTOR Some Benefits of Mentorship: Strategic Planning Greater Productivity Goal Achievement Understanding UDC Administrative Support Identify resources Managerial Skills Stimulation Reflection & Review

What to look for in a mentor Experience – Not necessarily in your own field but a well rounded experience; cross disciplinary activities. Enthusiastic – Positive outlook toward her/his chosen profession Supportive and trustworthy – of your career; scholarly activities Available/Accessibility – willing to give his/her time

TEACHING An integral part of your career

Why are we teaching?

To contribute to the development of our discipline as a research development project and as a field of employability
To contribute to outcome assessments that are indicators that a University is worth the city government investing in such as : graduation rates and graduation rates within a time frame, graduates who attend graduate school, graduates who are employable, graduates who contribute to research, graduates who contribute to the larger political, cultural , and civic life of this society and internationally.

Other reasons for teaching

To be socially responsible to future generations so that they have an opportunity to transform their economic status
To counter the race, ethnic group, class, and gender patterns of discrimination of educational systems
To empower students to find their personal missions in life

USING A COMMITMENT TO TEACHING AS A PATHWAY FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Examples of research using a teaching focus for research purposes
Second Life research and other online research efforts
Research on the impact of instructional methodologies on learning
The use of math software as a teaching methodology and its impact on student success rate in remedial math

RESEARCH ???

What are you interested in? [your interest and interest to research community]
How many people are working on that?
Initially, choose a topic with some publications?
What are your strengths? [in general and in that area]
What is the significance? [to the agency and general]
How will it enhance your portfolio in terms of Publications and Grants?
How will it help you keep visible and competitive?
Flexible?
Broader implications?
Think across disciplines
Sellable? [who will fund it]
Make a plan/ timeline with concrete goals
Attend workshops on grant writing organized by UDC-OSRP and other agencies
such as www.cur.org, etc…
INVOLVE STUDENTS IN RESEARCH

HELP IS AVAILABLE

UDC OSRP conducts regular workshops on funding opportunities and grant writing
Provides assistance in identification of funding opportunity, proposal writing and
management.

UDC Office of Sponsored Programs
https://www.udc.edu/osp/

Jovita Wells, Director, OSRP

Melissa Seldin, Research Officer
mseldin@udc.edu
202.274.7079

Funding opportunities

Local

UDC Seed Grant Program
-Provides $4000 with 25% release time
Contact: Dr. Beverly Hartline

UDC Agricultural Experiment Station
-Amount varies
Contact: Dr. Gloria Wyche-Moore

UDC Water Resources Research Institute
-Provides $15,000 for one year
Contact: Mr. William Hare

Others as advertised

EXAMPLES OF NIH FUNDED PROJECTS

Besides obvious basic projects, NIH funds variety of other areas.

WELL-BEING OF SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDREN: HOUSEHOLD, COMMUNITY AND
POLICY INFLUENCES
IMPLEMENTING MOTIVATIONAL COUNSELING FOR PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2
DIABETES
END OF LIFE DECISION MAKING, COMMUNICATION AND MEANING
THE ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WEB-BASED WELLNESS POLICY TOOLKIT FOR OBESITY PREVENTION IN MIDDLE
SCHOOLS
DEVELOPMENT OF BILINGUAL STORYBOOKS FOR FOOD FRIENDS, A PRESCHOOL
NUTRITION EDUCATION
MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING TRAINING FOR DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT
COUNSELORS

Other Ideas are always welcome at NIH ???

National Science Foundation
Remember: NSF funds Social Sciences

Other agencies

DoD
Home land security grants

Department of Education
Best place to go
http://www.grants.gov
More details are covered in OSRP grants workshop to be held every year

Private Foundations

Nongovernment, nonprofit organizations
Operate from a principle fund or endowment
governed by their own trustees and board of directors.
http://www.foundationcenter.org
- Offers training workshops
- Searchable database onsite

Examples

Sloan Foundation
Spencer Foundation
Annenberg Foundation
Rockefeller Brothers
Carnegie
Gates Foundation

Company Sponsored Foundations

Best Buy Foundation
Sprint Foundation
Verizon Foundation
Walmart Foundation
Bank of America
Fannie Mae
CVS

Undergraduate Research
Involve students in research and scholarly activities

Mutual benefits to students and faculty
Part of student Undergraduate Research
Collaborations between departments
Visibility of faculty member
Various programs exist at UDC that fund students

UDC SEP program
UDC LSAMP
UDC AES and WRRI
UDC Seed grant supports student
UDC STEM CENTER
UDC Cancer Research and Education Academy
Others…

Make yourself Visible
[through your research and your students]

UDC
Undergraduate Research Day
Research Seminars and Program Meetings
Other Network events at UDC

External
Conferences
Workshops
Seminars
Meeting with Program people at funding agencies
Collaborations with other agencies/Universities

COLLABORATE

Within UDC and outside
Look for faculty summer sabbaticals: a good way to start a collaboration
Minority institution/faculty supplements to existing grants
Academic-Private partnerships for faculty and student learning: Tax write-off for Industry
Federal funds are available for academic-private partnerships.
Think outside the box
Visit other labs and see what they are doing
Network with people in your area: Linkedin; Follow labs/people/writers on twitter;
facebook; Technocrati: informal way to approach them and introduce for a possible
collaboration.

Developing a Sustainable Research Program

Fit your research to the local situation
Schedule time for research
Keep student research within your expertise
Find a good mentor
Understand your students
Limit the # of your research students
Ask for what you need
Collaborate
Pace yourself

Benjamin Pierce, CUR Q. 29: 23-28

S E R V I C E

Use of professional skills and or professional contacts or affiliations to strengthen academic programs , and institutional effectiveness and to outreach to the community.

TYPES OF SERVICE

Service to the academic institution
1. Service on committees at the department, college, and university levels
2. Student advising and mentoring
3. Guiding students research at the graduate and undergraduate levels
4. Coordinating Service Learning activities
5. Serving as institutional representatives
6. Participation in accreditation activities
Service to the Profession
1. Assuming positions in professional organizations
2. Serving on review panels
3. Serving on editorial boards
4. Judging competitive student papers or presentations
5. Chairing sessions at professional conferences
Community Service and Outreach
(More integrated into teaching, research/scholarship at land-grant institutions)Using specific professional skills and competencies to assist the community in which the institution resides to resolve problems or improve quality of life.

Examples –
– Theater faculty assist with development of a youth drama group.
– Science faculty serve as advisors or judges for high school science fair.
– Ethics professor provides in-service for nursing volunteer in free clinic.