This module addresses the issues faced by new faculty while building up a new non-experimental research laboratory and is authored by Shelly Harvey (MATH), Beatrice Riviere (CAAM), and Gus Scuseria (CHEM).
How to build an independent research enterprise
How to be successful in Academia (= tenure)
The triangle of worries
Money
- Importance of start up package
- Ask for what you need, not what you wish
- Equipment (PCs, computing computer, software, etc.)
- Teaching break
- Summer salary
- Postdoc and/or graduate student(s) stipend(s)
- Money for travel, conferences, visitors
- Ask Department for a “funding mentor” who can help identify opportunities, read proposals, write recommendation letters, prepare packages, etc.
- Consider calling, meeting, visiting program directors at NSF, DOE, DOD agencies, NIH, etc.
- Apply or get nominated for awards, grants and fellowships for young faculty (like Sloan, Packard, NSF CAREER, etc.)
- Contact your Office of Sponsored Research. Become aware of deadlines!!
People
- Recruiting students:
- Ask to be in the Graduate Admissions Committee
- Recruit at conference poster sessions
- Call students, follow-up, be proactive (good students won’t parachute into your lab!
- Co-advise student with colleague
- Teach classes geared for first-year graduate students
- Mentoring: keeping and graduating students
- Verbalize expectations in writing (# of papers, hours to work, how often to see each other, etc.)
- Do not assume that people have similar expectations!
- Motivation, retention, firing
- Is a bad student better than no student, or vice versa?
Results
- Scientific independence from mentors is a MUST!
- Establish a network of supporters
- Invite people who may write tenure letters for seminars
- Trade seminars with tenure-track peers
- Attend conferences for visibility
- Contributed talks if possible (email organizers)
- Consider publication in specific journals based on “quality”, impact factor, what your department thinks is important
