academic career paths: research, teaching and administration mary lou soffa, university of virginia...
TRANSCRIPT
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Academic Career Paths: Academic Career Paths: Research, Teaching and Research, Teaching and AdministrationAdministration
Mary Lou Soffa, University of VirginiaTiffani Williams, TAMU
Erin Solovey, MIT
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Research, Teaching and ServiceResearch, Teaching and Service
• Research – engage in scientific discovery, involve graduate
and undergraduate students, fund research• Teaching – active teaching, mentoring, advising
• Administration/Service– Manage, committees, etc.
• Departmental• School • University• Professional
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Types of Colleges/UniversitiesTypes of Colleges/UniversitiesType Degree
ProgramEmphasize Important
Research Universities
Ph.D. Research Teaching &Service
Colleges /universities
M.S. Teaching Research &Service
Selective Liberal Arts Colleges
B.S. Teaching & Scholarship
Service & Research
Undergrad oriented
B.S. Teaching & Service
Research
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Example of Different ExpectationsExample of Different ExpectationsFacultyFaculty
• Research Institution:– 60% - 80% Research– 10% - 35% Teaching– 5% - 10% Service
• M.S./ B.S. College:– 50 - 80% Teaching– 10 - 30% Professional Development– 10 - 20% Service
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Different Academic Positions within an Different Academic Positions within an Institution and ExpectationsInstitution and Expectations
Professorial Ranks– Assistant – Associate– Full– Chaired Professor – endowed
Instructor – teaching & serviceLecturer - teachingPostdoctoral positions - research
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Rest of talkRest of talk
• Research Universities – Mary Lou
• Colleges/M.S., B.S. - Tiffani
• Post Doc - Erin
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Research Expectations: Research UniversityResearch Expectations: Research University
– Publications – journal, conferences, workshops– Funding to support research group and summer salary– Graduate student training– Reputation • Higher in rank: more visibility and international
reputation – talks, invited talks, involved in conferences, letters
Maybe:– Undergraduate research mentoring– Patents, software artifacts,…
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Teaching: Research UniversityTeaching: Research University
– Teaching load: typically 1:1 to 1:2– Mix of undergrad and grad courses– Course material: intro undergrad up through
core grad course, seminar in research area.– Teaching assistants for grading, office hours,
and overall help
Good research but bad teacher – harder to be promoted.
Good teacher but bad researcher – impossible.
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Service Expectations: Research Service Expectations: Research UniversityUniversity
– Department committees– University committees– External Professional Service
• Program committees• Funding panels• Professional society involvement• Journal editorship; program chair, conf organization
• Higher in rank, more external service• Good to favor research-oriented service
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Life as a professor at a research universityLife as a professor at a research university
Plusses:• Freedom for research (within bounds)• Work on the frontier of computer science• Get to follow your dreams/passions• Get to teach/inspire/lead/mentor the younger generation.
Minuses:• Can be very stressful.• Infinite amount of work• Work/life balance nontrivial
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Some advice: what you can do right Some advice: what you can do right now to start preparingnow to start preparing
Research• Start thinking about the bigger picture and your
research plan. Develop a vision.• Start maintaining a list of potential research
projects.• Find good mentors.• Get your thesis work published now.• Network (seminars, conferences, etc.)• Learn to write!
Teaching• TAing can be great preparation for teaching.
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Some advice: pre-tenure yearsSome advice: pre-tenure years– Find mentors.– Get feedback.– Collaborate if possible.– Learn to say no. – Prioritize!! Especially in research.– Write well.– Choose your teaching and service assignments
well.– Have fun!!
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ExpectationsExpectations • Teach 2-4 classes per semester• Have busy office hours)• Teach out of your specific area (e.g.
intro programming sequence, non-majors)
• Involve undergrads in research projects• Attend meetings (dept., campus)• Serve on campus committees
(technology, etc.)
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ResearchResearch
• Fewer institutional resources• No graduate RAs• Get undergraduates involved– Distributed Research Experience for
Undergraduates– Collaborative Research Experience for
Undergraduates– REU through NSF– Local programs at undergraduate
institution
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Getting Hired/Cover Letter Getting Hired/Cover Letter EssentialsEssentials
• Your focus is on teaching.• You can document relevant experience related to
teaching.– Teaching Assistant– Center for Teaching programs– Instructor of Record for a course
• You can teach intro CS courses and courses for non-majors.
• Your teaching focus (e.g., systems) matches what is advertised.
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ChallengesChallenges
• Lower salary• Perception that less prestigious than
research university• Intense focus on students• Staying engaged in research• Infrastructure (e.g., computer
services, grant administration)• Small dept. (~5 profs)
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RewardsRewards
• Close relationship with undergrads• Be a member of the university
culture• Chance for leadership and influence• Matches beliefs/lifestyle– Teaching is your gift and you want to
share it with others– Less travel, might be better for families
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What is a post-doc?What is a post-doc?
• Training opportunity whereby a person can deepen his or her expertise and/or research skills for a few years, en route to a permanent position
• Typically funded either by a fellowship awarded directly to the Post-Doc or by the institution at which they will spend a limited time
http://cra.org/postdocs/workingpaper.php
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Some Post-doc MotivationsSome Post-doc Motivations
• Timing: Graduate “off season”, Two-body issues, Difficult job year
• Improve job opportunities: Strengthen research, Work in a highly regarded institution
• Learn new area, field• Work with a specific expert: additional
mentoring
• Experience different type of university
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What is a GOOD postdoc?What is a GOOD postdoc?
• Used to expand experience– entering a new research discipline– gaining a distinctly different perspective
on the scholar’s current research base
• Specific & relevant intellectual growth– working with a particular mentor or on
a particular project
• Two years in durationhttp://cra.org/postdocs/
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GOOD postdoc position offers:GOOD postdoc position offers:• Mentoring & guidance that directly supports
professional development– not simply serve as a contract researcher
• Significant opportunities to explore independent research topics– in addition to supporting existing research efforts of the
mentor’s group – manage operational aspects of a project under the
supervision of the mentor
• Enhance the breadth of their research– exploring new fields or new perspectives – not simply refine material from PhD
http://cra.org/postdocs/
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ExpectationsExpectations
• Variable, some combination of:– Teaching, Research, Supervising,
Mentoring, Organizing
• The ratio will depend on your own long-term goals, and the position
• Should get a clear understanding BEFORE accepting job
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ChallengesChallenges
• Low pay (compared to faculty, industry)• Role in the university– Not a student, but not faculty– Depending on school, can feel isolated
• May not have independence– working on PI’s grant
• If you have family, can be difficult to move for a temp position
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How to get a post-docHow to get a post-doc
• Can be posted in same venues as other academic jobs
• Not always advertised– Use Your Network!– Give talks as you get closer to
graduating
• Remain in PhD lab– Usually for timing reasons only
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Research ScientistResearch Scientist• No tenure– “Soft money” – grant writing!
• Less requirements (service, teaching)– Can focus on research
• Dependent on PI– Hired to get things done for grant– Not independent– Need a good advocate, well-funded lab
• Possibly easier work/life balance
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Moving between schools and Moving between schools and positionspositions
• University to university– Not particularly difficult– If have tenure, usually get tenure
• But not in all cases: schools have different rules and moving to higher ranked school
• University to teaching-oriented college– Must show evidence of being good teacher
• Teaching-oriented College to university– Must show can do research - publications
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ResourcesResources
• http://cra.org/postdocs/• http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2013/2/1
60156-the-explosive-growth-of-postdocs-in-computer-science/fulltext
• http://cra.org/postdocs/Issues-PostDoc-1-28-2011.pdf
• http://cra.org/postdocs/workingpaper.php
• http://cra.org/postdocs/reading-list.php
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Academic Career Paths: Academic Career Paths: Time for Open Discussion!! Time for Open Discussion!!