CURRENT U.S. PhD students who are ~12-18 months from completion:  PROMISE asks you to apply. This is an initiative that is going out to all AGEPs across the nation.

The Academy for Future Science Faculty
Group II – Advanced Stage PhD Students
Get a BIG head-start on the next critical step toward an academic career!

With a grant from NIH, in 2011 we launched a brand new approach to assisting the development of young scientists called the Academy for Future Science Faculty. The Academy uses sophisticated coaching techniques to supplement what PhD students get from their research mentors and graduate programs. Students participate in annual summer conferences and stay connected with student colleagues and their Academic Career Coaches throughout the year. The Academy has been designed for students who have the long-term goal of becoming a faculty member. Phase I started in 2011 with 100 students just beginning the PhD. This current announcement for Phase 2 is for students LIKELY TO COMPLETE THEIR PHD WITHIN THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS. All expenses will be paid so there will be no cost to you.

The Academy is being conducted as a true experiment – 60 students will be RANDOMLY selected to participate from those who apply. Selection will not be based on grades, GRE scores, publications or letters of recommendation. We encourage applications that will help us create a diverse group of participants in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

Be a part of the first group of advanced PhD students to join the Academy! Extended deadline: April 30! APPLY HERE –> https://nufsm.wufoo.com/forms/academy-for-future-science-faculty-group-ii/

——————-

Details from the flyer: Academy2_Future_Faculty_Student_Recruitment_Flyer

——————-

Sponsor: Science Careers Research Development Group 

——————-

Related articles

• Yes, professors *DO* make more than $100,000/year! Here are some recent salaries … (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

CURRENT U.S. PhD students who are ~12-18 months from completion:  PROMISE asks you to apply. This is an initiative that is going out to all AGEPs across the nation.

The Academy for Future Science Faculty
Group II – Advanced Stage PhD Students
Get a BIG head-start on the next critical step toward an academic career!

With a grant from NIH, in 2011 we launched a brand new approach to assisting the development of young scientists called the Academy for Future Science Faculty. The Academy uses sophisticated coaching techniques to supplement what PhD students get from their research mentors and graduate programs. Students participate in annual summer conferences and stay connected with student colleagues and their Academic Career Coaches throughout the year. The Academy has been designed for students who have the long-term goal of becoming a faculty member. Phase I started in 2011 with 100 students just beginning the PhD. This current announcement for Phase 2 is for students LIKELY TO COMPLETE THEIR PHD WITHIN THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS. All expenses will be paid so there will be no cost to you.

The Academy is being conducted as a true experiment – 60 students will be RANDOMLY selected to participate from those who apply. Selection will not be based on grades, GRE scores, publications or letters of recommendation. We encourage applications that will help us create a diverse group of participants in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

Be a part of the first group of advanced PhD students to join the Academy! Extended deadline: April 30! APPLY HERE –> https://nufsm.wufoo.com/forms/academy-for-future-science-faculty-group-ii/

——————-

Details from the flyer: Academy2_Future_Faculty_Student_Recruitment_Flyer

——————-

Sponsor: Science Careers Research Development Group 

——————-

Related articles

• Yes, professors *DO* make more than $100,000/year! Here are some recent salaries … (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Come out and join us at the annual PROMISE Maryland’s AGEP May “Friends and Family” Cookout and Celebration of Graduates. Graduate students and postdocs from UMBC, UM College Park, UMB, and other campuses within the University System of Maryland are invited. PROMISE students may bring guests … any family members or friends who have supported your journey in graduate school. PROMISE alumni, faculty, SSI Mentors-in-Residence, and “Friends of PROMISE” are invited to attend.

• The event is free. It will span from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
• The “Celebration of Grads Ceremony” will be held in the park at 3:00 PM.
• Attire: casual.
• Location:  Cedar Lane Park (Cedar Lane Park Pavilion East) 10725 Route 108, Columbia, Maryland
  Directions: http://gis.howardcountymd.gov/mainsite/MapGallery/drivingdirections/07_CedarLaneParkEast.pdf
  NOTE: Our event is in *CEDAR LANE PARK EAST* (not Centennial Park which is nearby, and not Cedar Lane Park West, where we held the event last year.)
  Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10745+Route+108,+Columbia,+MD&hl=en&sll=39.171514,-76.794315&sspn=0.011595,0.019205&oq=10745+Route+108+c&hnear=10745+Maryland+108,+Columbia,+Howard,+Maryland+21042&t=m&z=16
  This is a smaller park, with basketball courts, a children’s playground, and a softball/baseball field. It has one pavilion, which is reserved for our event.
• All PROMISE grads (Master’s and Doctoral) will be celebrated! If you are graduating, please send email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the subject “Graduate!” so that you can be recognized.

The event is free, but please RSVP.

• RSVP:  http://www.facebook.com/events/122247844566000/
• Please RSVP so that we can have an accurate order for food.
• You may use the Facebook site above which is open to the public, or RSVP as a comment to this post.

You may bring blankets, games, and other items to make your afternoon enjoyable. Food and beverages will be provided. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Come out and join us at the annual PROMISE Maryland’s AGEP May “Friends and Family” Cookout and Celebration of Graduates. Graduate students and postdocs from UMBC, UM College Park, UMB, and other campuses within the University System of Maryland are invited. PROMISE students may bring guests … any family members or friends who have supported your journey in graduate school. PROMISE alumni, faculty, SSI Mentors-in-Residence, and “Friends of PROMISE” are invited to attend.

• The event is free. It will span from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
• The “Celebration of Grads Ceremony” will be held in the park at 3:00 PM.
• Attire: casual.
• Location:  Cedar Lane Park (Cedar Lane Park Pavilion East) 10725 Route 108, Columbia, Maryland
  Directions: http://gis.howardcountymd.gov/mainsite/MapGallery/drivingdirections/07_CedarLaneParkEast.pdf
  NOTE: Our event is in *CEDAR LANE PARK EAST* (not Centennial Park which is nearby, and not Cedar Lane Park West, where we held the event last year.)
  Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10745+Route+108,+Columbia,+MD&hl=en&sll=39.171514,-76.794315&sspn=0.011595,0.019205&oq=10745+Route+108+c&hnear=10745+Maryland+108,+Columbia,+Howard,+Maryland+21042&t=m&z=16
  This is a smaller park, with basketball courts, a children’s playground, and a softball/baseball field. It has one pavilion, which is reserved for our event.
• All PROMISE grads (Master’s and Doctoral) will be celebrated! If you are graduating, please send email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the subject “Graduate!” so that you can be recognized.

The event is free, but please RSVP.

• RSVP:  http://www.facebook.com/events/122247844566000/
• Please RSVP so that we can have an accurate order for food.
• You may use the Facebook site above which is open to the public, or RSVP as a comment to this post.

You may bring blankets, games, and other items to make your afternoon enjoyable. Food and beverages will be provided. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Throughout the last several years, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate students who participate in PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP have given various reasons for and against planning to choose careers in the academy.  Among reasons against becoming a faculty member, students have told us that “professors don’t make any money” or that “professors are poor.”  Students may be surprised to learn that they are often making assumptions without any data.  We’ve found it interesting that students who really wanted to teach and have a research program were considering going to industry because they thought that they wouldn’t make a decent living as a professor.  To combat this notion, over the years, PROMISE has been giving students opportunities to hear from, and talk with, STEM faculty  from around the country during our PROMISE Summer Success Institutes (SSI).  The students learned that not only were many of the professors making a very comfortable salary, but that many were, by their own admission, “living large!”  Students were not aware that many faculty salaries are based on a 9 month scale, which means that faculty can do something else for 3 months in the summer, including taking advantage of other opportunities to make even more money.  Some faculty choose to supplement incomes through grant funding, teaching a summer class, or working on a project in another university/industry/government lab.  Some faculty choose to take the summer off to travel, spend time with family, or as PROMISE  faculty “Mentor-in-Residence”  put it, “go fishing.”

The following table presents a sample of faculty salaries from a few STEM fields at different ranks:  Assistant Professor (entry-level, immediately following completion of a PhD or postdoctoral appointment), Associate Professor (after tenure, which generally requires 7 years of experience and a strong record of research and publications, teaching, and service), and Full Professor (promotion after having the qualifications of Associate Professor, achieving national/international reputation for scholarship, continued service to the university.) For more information on faculty rankings, see the 2011 “Promotion and Tenure” policies for UMBC as an example:   http://www.umbc.edu/provost/Faculty_Handbook/section6.pdf.  The numbers in the table showcase a range of salaries based on faculty rank for a few STEM fields. Some of the ranges represent high end or top levels of salaries, and others are medians. The time frame also varies as some numbers represent salary paid out over 9 months, while others represent an annual 12 month salary.

NOTES.  Information has been compiled from the following sources:

• Salaries 2009: Analysis of the American Chemical Society‘s 2009 Comprehensive Salary and Employment Status Survey, published by the American Chemical Society. Range in table represents median salaries. http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/careers/salaries/surveys/CNBP_026817
• Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) Faculty Salary Scale, FY 2010.   Range in table represents Grade 13, “High or Top” level. http://www.ccbcmd.edu/media/hr/faculty_salary_ranges.pdf
• “The Bent” Magazine of Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society, Spring 2012, reporting American Society for Engineering Education salary data from 2010-2011. Range in table represents median salaries.   http://www.asee.org/papers-and-publications/blogs-and-newsletters/connections/2012March-special-issue.html#Faculty
• Salaries of PhD Physicists and Related Scientists During Spring 2006: Summary Report, published by the American Institute of Physics.   Range in table represents “Top” level. http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/highlite/salary/salsum06.pdf

Related articles

• 15 Things to Consider as You Prepare for Your Faculty Interview (promiseagep.wordpress.com)
• Postdoc and Faculty Jobs “Down Under.” Consider Australia! (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

Throughout the last several years, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate students who participate in PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP have given various reasons for and against planning to choose careers in the academy.  Among reasons against becoming a faculty member, students have told us that “professors don’t make any money” or that “professors are poor.”  Students may be surprised to learn that they are often making assumptions without any data.  We’ve found it interesting that students who really wanted to teach and have a research program were considering going to industry because they thought that they wouldn’t make a decent living as a professor.  To combat this notion, over the years, PROMISE has been giving students opportunities to hear from, and talk with, STEM faculty  from around the country during our PROMISE Summer Success Institutes (SSI).  The students learned that not only were many of the professors making a very comfortable salary, but that many were, by their own admission, “living large!”  Students were not aware that many faculty salaries are based on a 9 month scale, which means that faculty can do something else for 3 months in the summer, including taking advantage of other opportunities to make even more money.  Some faculty choose to supplement incomes through grant funding, teaching a summer class, or working on a project in another university/industry/government lab.  Some faculty choose to take the summer off to travel, spend time with family, or as PROMISE  faculty “Mentor-in-Residence”  put it, “go fishing.”

The following table presents a sample of faculty salaries from a few STEM fields at different ranks:  Assistant Professor (entry-level, immediately following completion of a PhD or postdoctoral appointment), Associate Professor (after tenure, which generally requires 7 years of experience and a strong record of research and publications, teaching, and service), and Full Professor (promotion after having the qualifications of Associate Professor, achieving national/international reputation for scholarship, continued service to the university.) For more information on faculty rankings, see the 2011 “Promotion and Tenure” policies for UMBC as an example:   http://www.umbc.edu/provost/Faculty_Handbook/section6.pdf.  The numbers in the table showcase a range of salaries based on faculty rank for a few STEM fields. Some of the ranges represent high end or top levels of salaries, and others are medians. The time frame also varies as some numbers represent salary paid out over 9 months, while others represent an annual 12 month salary.

NOTES.  Information has been compiled from the following sources:

• Salaries 2009: Analysis of the American Chemical Society‘s 2009 Comprehensive Salary and Employment Status Survey, published by the American Chemical Society. Range in table represents median salaries. http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/careers/salaries/surveys/CNBP_026817
• Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) Faculty Salary Scale, FY 2010.   Range in table represents Grade 13, “High or Top” level. http://www.ccbcmd.edu/media/hr/faculty_salary_ranges.pdf
• “The Bent” Magazine of Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society, Spring 2012, reporting American Society for Engineering Education salary data from 2010-2011. Range in table represents median salaries.   http://www.asee.org/papers-and-publications/blogs-and-newsletters/connections/2012March-special-issue.html#Faculty
• Salaries of PhD Physicists and Related Scientists During Spring 2006: Summary Report, published by the American Institute of Physics.   Range in table represents “Top” level. http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/highlite/salary/salsum06.pdf

Related articles

• 15 Things to Consider as You Prepare for Your Faculty Interview (promiseagep.wordpress.com)
• Postdoc and Faculty Jobs “Down Under.” Consider Australia! (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

During the August 2010 PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI), Dr. Philip Rous, then Dean of UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (current Interim Provost and PI for the PROMISE AGEP), shared “secrets” behind applying for faculty positions.  Dr. Rous  provided information regarding how to prepare for the interview, what to expect during the interview, and expectations of the faculty interviewers.  Several of our PROMISE students are preparing for faculty interviews this semester.  To address some of the questions and concerns, we are posting some tips for you to consider.  This is not a comprehensive list, but rather a set of guidelines that you can use so that you have a level of preparation for your one or two days of  interviews.

1. RESEARCH THE SCHOOL
   1. Location
   2. Mission
   3. The kind of school (Carnegie classification, liberal arts, teaching, etc.)
   4. Sources of pride
2. RESEARCH THE DEPARTMENT
   1. Go through each faculty member’s webpage
   2. Know the department’s sources of pride, e.g., highlights such as new discoveries, grant funding, patents, national and international contributions to the field.
3. RESEARCH THE CLASSES THAT ARE TAUGHT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT
   1. Consider 2-3 courses that already exist that you’d like to teach.  Look at both graduate and undergraduate offerings.
   2. How can you contribute to the curriculum? Think of something new that you’d like to introduce, e.g., a special topics course, a department-wide workgroup that will meet regularly to discuss multidisciplinary facets of your research area.
4. RESEARCH THE LABS
   1. Consider faculty members with whom you might collaborate.
   2. Look for potential opportunities to share equipment, lab space, and facilities.
   3. Look at centers and their facilities to see if there is a place for you to fit.
5. RESEARCH CAMPUS RESOURCES
   1. Sponsored programs and grants management
   2. University press as an outlet for your book
   3. Find connections on that campus that match the support systems that you have on your own campus, and let them know that you are going to be there for an interview (e.g. McNair advisor, SHPE advisor, AGEP director, LSAMP director, your advisor’s colleagues, WISE chapter, SWE chapter.)
6. EXAMINE YOUR RESEARCH AND TEACHING NEEDS
   1. How much space would you want for a lab?
   2. How many graduate assistants would you need to be successful? (Note:  Some schools don’t have a budget for assistantships, but the question may be raised.)
   3. How many TAs would you request?
   4. How much money would you need for start-up costs such as your office, your computer, or your lab? (NOTE:  This question usually comes up in a second interview or after an offer is made. However, you should have a general feel for the kinds of research that the department funds, and the research funding that the department’s faculty raise. You should also know what kinds of facilities your research requires.)
   5. Examine salary.  At public institutions, you may be able to find salary information online or in a “Budget” book in the library.  Know what is reasonable for your rank e.g., assistant professor in your discipline.  (NOTE:  Salary questions usually aren’t raised until a second interview or an offer.)
   6. Think about teaching load and summer salary, example: two courses, two years of summer salary.
7. ARRIVING:  The interview begins as soon as the department representative meets you at the train station, airport, hotel, or starting point.  Travel attire: Business casual.
8. MEALS:  You’ll likely have all of your meals with a faculty member, a group of faculty members, or a combination of faculty and administrators.
   1. Typical meals include dinner the night before your main interview day, breakfast the next morning (this may be on your own in your hotel), lunch with a group, and there may be an additional dinner with another group on the evening of your first full day.
   2. Know your body and how it reacts to certain foods. Be careful of messy foods like pasta with sauce, and foods that produce strong odors.  Don’t choose a very heavy meal.  Play it safe.  Consider refraining from ordering alcohol.  When others are drinking, choosing sparkling mineral waters like Perrier or San Pellegrino are usually safe choices.
9. SLEEP:  Get plenty of rest the night before your interview.  You will have a long day ahead and you will need to maintain your energy throughout the next day.
10. MEETINGS:  You will have several meetings throughout the day (attire: business.)  Be prepared to meet with the following, one-on-one or in groups:
    1. Professors (all ranks)
    2. Graduate students
    3. Administrators
    4. Affinity groups or other campus interests (e.g. ADVANCE, Director of an Engineering Research Center, PI of a collaborative multi-disciplinary project.)
11. THE TALK (and perhaps THE CLASS)
    1. Your talk will probably be an seminar that is open to the public.  The talk should highlight your research and your contributions to the field.  Faculty, students, and the campus community may be invited. Practice your talk in advance with people who will give you constructive criticism.
    2. You may be asked to teach a class.  Be familiar with your topic. Practice the lecture in advance.  Be sure to engage your students.
    3. It’s important to practice out loud and with others in an audience in advance of the big day.  You need to become used to the confident sound of your own voice as you discuss your research and teach your topic.
12. CONSIDER ESSENTIALS
    1. Remember to ask for restroom breaks when needed. Sometimes the schedule is so packed, that there aren’t any breaks.
    2. Have a water bottle available so that you can be refreshed throughout the day.
    3. Bring a few extra copies of your CV
    4. Bring a few copies of your recent papers. (NOTE: A file with your CV, recommendations, your teaching philosophy, and other materials are usually available to the search committee, but because of busy schedules, some of your interviewers may only have a chance to skim your file.  You can provide them with updates when you meet with them. )
13. AFTER THE INTERVIEW
    1. Write to your hosts to thank them for their time and hospitality.
    2. Remember the people who spent time with you and recall the highlights of your conversation.
    3. Follow up with your contacts on campus to give them feedback and let them know about your visit (e.g., AGEP, ADVANCE, LSAMP.)
14. BE PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS QUICKLY
    1. Examples:  Where else are you applying? How interested are you in our school compared to the other place to which you’re applying?
    2. You may be asked to send a proposal for your start-up costs (e.g., lab, computer, office, supplies.)
15. ENJOY YOUR VISIT
    1. Be friendly and engaging
    2. Conduct yourself as colleague.  Be confident, but respectful of boundaries.  Address the faculty as Dr. _____ or Professor __________ unless you’re told to do otherwise.  Refer to the faculty as Dr. _______ to the students.
    3. Have fun and be yourself.

These are some tips to consider.  Consult your advisor, faculty members, and friends who are on the faculty at other schools for any additions or modifications.  If you have friends who work at the institution, work in the area, or work at a similar institution, don’t forget to consult them. They are a valuable resource.  Good luck with your interviews!

——————-

Resources for starting a lab and negotiating an offer: 

• Starting a lab  (Source: College of Life Sciences Postdoc Association)
• Resources for the Development of Early-Career Scientists, e.g., starting a lab, managing a group. (Source: HHMI)
• Start-up costs in American Research Universities (Source: Cornell University)
• Starting an academic lab (Source: AAAS – Science Careers)
• Negotiating the first offer (Source: Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Negotiating academic jobs in the social sciences (Source: Yale University)
• Academic job offers and negotiation (Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
• More links for negotiating salary and position (Source: PhDs. org)

_____________________________________________

This post may be copied, but please reference PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP.”

_____________________________________________

The text content of this post was compiled and written by the staff of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP and may not be copied without referencing the PROMISE organization, as “PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP”.

PROMISE AGEP Online Information by PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

During the August 2010 PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI), Dr. Philip Rous, then Dean of UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (current Interim Provost and PI for the PROMISE AGEP), shared “secrets” behind applying for faculty positions.  Dr. Rous  provided information regarding how to prepare for the interview, what to expect during the interview, and expectations of the faculty interviewers.  Several of our PROMISE students are preparing for faculty interviews this semester.  To address some of the questions and concerns, we are posting some tips for you to consider.  This is not a comprehensive list, but rather a set of guidelines that you can use so that you have a level of preparation for your one or two days of  interviews.

1. RESEARCH THE SCHOOL
   1. Location
   2. Mission
   3. The kind of school (Carnegie classification, liberal arts, teaching, etc.)
   4. Sources of pride
2. RESEARCH THE DEPARTMENT
   1. Go through each faculty member’s webpage
   2. Know the department’s sources of pride, e.g., highlights such as new discoveries, grant funding, patents, national and international contributions to the field.
3. RESEARCH THE CLASSES THAT ARE TAUGHT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT
   1. Consider 2-3 courses that already exist that you’d like to teach.  Look at both graduate and undergraduate offerings.
   2. How can you contribute to the curriculum? Think of something new that you’d like to introduce, e.g., a special topics course, a department-wide workgroup that will meet regularly to discuss multidisciplinary facets of your research area.
4. RESEARCH THE LABS
   1. Consider faculty members with whom you might collaborate.
   2. Look for potential opportunities to share equipment, lab space, and facilities.
   3. Look at centers and their facilities to see if there is a place for you to fit.
5. RESEARCH CAMPUS RESOURCES
   1. Sponsored programs and grants management
   2. University press as an outlet for your book
   3. Find connections on that campus that match the support systems that you have on your own campus, and let them know that you are going to be there for an interview (e.g. McNair advisor, SHPE advisor, AGEP director, LSAMP director, your advisor’s colleagues, WISE chapter, SWE chapter.)
6. EXAMINE YOUR RESEARCH AND TEACHING NEEDS
   1. How much space would you want for a lab?
   2. How many graduate assistants would you need to be successful? (Note:  Some schools don’t have a budget for assistantships, but the question may be raised.)
   3. How many TAs would you request?
   4. How much money would you need for start-up costs such as your office, your computer, or your lab? (NOTE:  This question usually comes up in a second interview or after an offer is made. However, you should have a general feel for the kinds of research that the department funds, and the research funding that the department’s faculty raise. You should also know what kinds of facilities your research requires.)
   5. Examine salary.  At public institutions, you may be able to find salary information online or in a “Budget” book in the library.  Know what is reasonable for your rank e.g., assistant professor in your discipline.  (NOTE:  Salary questions usually aren’t raised until a second interview or an offer.)
   6. Think about teaching load and summer salary, example: two courses, two years of summer salary.
7. ARRIVING:  The interview begins as soon as the department representative meets you at the train station, airport, hotel, or starting point.  Travel attire: Business casual.
8. MEALS:  You’ll likely have all of your meals with a faculty member, a group of faculty members, or a combination of faculty and administrators.
   1. Typical meals include dinner the night before your main interview day, breakfast the next morning (this may be on your own in your hotel), lunch with a group, and there may be an additional dinner with another group on the evening of your first full day.
   2. Know your body and how it reacts to certain foods. Be careful of messy foods like pasta with sauce, and foods that produce strong odors.  Don’t choose a very heavy meal.  Play it safe.  Consider refraining from ordering alcohol.  When others are drinking, choosing sparkling mineral waters like Perrier or San Pellegrino are usually safe choices.
9. SLEEP:  Get plenty of rest the night before your interview.  You will have a long day ahead and you will need to maintain your energy throughout the next day.
10. MEETINGS:  You will have several meetings throughout the day (attire: business.)  Be prepared to meet with the following, one-on-one or in groups:
    1. Professors (all ranks)
    2. Graduate students
    3. Administrators
    4. Affinity groups or other campus interests (e.g. ADVANCE, Director of an Engineering Research Center, PI of a collaborative multi-disciplinary project.)
11. THE TALK (and perhaps THE CLASS)
    1. Your talk will probably be an seminar that is open to the public.  The talk should highlight your research and your contributions to the field.  Faculty, students, and the campus community may be invited. Practice your talk in advance with people who will give you constructive criticism.
    2. You may be asked to teach a class.  Be familiar with your topic. Practice the lecture in advance.  Be sure to engage your students.
    3. It’s important to practice out loud and with others in an audience in advance of the big day.  You need to become used to the confident sound of your own voice as you discuss your research and teach your topic.
12. CONSIDER ESSENTIALS
    1. Remember to ask for restroom breaks when needed. Sometimes the schedule is so packed, that there aren’t any breaks.
    2. Have a water bottle available so that you can be refreshed throughout the day.
    3. Bring a few extra copies of your CV
    4. Bring a few copies of your recent papers. (NOTE: A file with your CV, recommendations, your teaching philosophy, and other materials are usually available to the search committee, but because of busy schedules, some of your interviewers may only have a chance to skim your file.  You can provide them with updates when you meet with them. )
13. AFTER THE INTERVIEW
    1. Write to your hosts to thank them for their time and hospitality.
    2. Remember the people who spent time with you and recall the highlights of your conversation.
    3. Follow up with your contacts on campus to give them feedback and let them know about your visit (e.g., AGEP, ADVANCE, LSAMP.)
14. BE PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS QUICKLY
    1. Examples:  Where else are you applying? How interested are you in our school compared to the other place to which you’re applying?
    2. You may be asked to send a proposal for your start-up costs (e.g., lab, computer, office, supplies.)
15. ENJOY YOUR VISIT
    1. Be friendly and engaging
    2. Conduct yourself as colleague.  Be confident, but respectful of boundaries.  Address the faculty as Dr. _____ or Professor __________ unless you’re told to do otherwise.  Refer to the faculty as Dr. _______ to the students.
    3. Have fun and be yourself.

These are some tips to consider.  Consult your advisor, faculty members, and friends who are on the faculty at other schools for any additions or modifications.  If you have friends who work at the institution, work in the area, or work at a similar institution, don’t forget to consult them. They are a valuable resource.  Good luck with your interviews!

——————-

Resources for starting a lab and negotiating an offer: 

• Starting a lab  (Source: College of Life Sciences Postdoc Association)
• Resources for the Development of Early-Career Scientists, e.g., starting a lab, managing a group. (Source: HHMI)
• Start-up costs in American Research Universities (Source: Cornell University)
• Starting an academic lab (Source: AAAS – Science Careers)
• Negotiating the first offer (Source: Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Negotiating academic jobs in the social sciences (Source: Yale University)
• Academic job offers and negotiation (Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
• More links for negotiating salary and position (Source: PhDs. org)

_____________________________________________

This post may be copied, but please reference PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP.”

_____________________________________________

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