ARG©2001

Winning That Academic Job

Winning That Academic Job

Andrew AlleyneRalph and Catherine Fisher Professor of

EngineeringUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

alleyne@uiuc.edu

Special Session IV:  Wednesday, June 30, 6:00pm-7:30pm Special Session IV:  Wednesday, June 30, 6:00pm-7:30pm

OutlineOutline

What is the life as an assistant professor?Some ‘big picture’ perspectives.

The interviewA few key points

Life as an Assistant ProfessorLife as an Assistant Professor

You’ll be asked to take on many different roles.Most of which you haven’t done before.

Prioritizing your time will be extremely important.Choosing and mentoring graduate students

was my highest priority.Coursework and teaching was secondThen committee work

• Internal and then external.

Life as an Assistant ProfessorLife as an Assistant Professor

What does my institution want from me?

Institutional “currency” is a qualitative thing called prestige.Separates Princeton from Pepperdine.

Prestige is primarily generated by external research visibility.Case in point: was Albert Einstein a good

teacher? A diligent committee member? A good mentor?

Life as an Assistant ProfessorLife as an Assistant Professor

Your institution wishes you to generate prestige that will reflect well on them.This usually leads to a common path.…but not always.

Proposals Funding Research Papers Conference and Journal dissemination Recognition Prestige.

$$ are a means to an end, not an end.

Life as an Assistant ProfessorLife as an Assistant Professor

You’re running a marathon, not a series of sprints.

Marion Jones Joe LeMay

Life as an Assistant ProfessorLife as an Assistant Professor

Pick a pace that you can sustain for a long time.Try to keep your life in balance while doing so.

Tenure becomes a “6 mile-marker” that you pass along the way.

You’re in this for the 25-30+ mile journey and beyond.

Want to avoid a post-tenure ‘crash.’

The InterviewThe Interview

One of the most thoughtful and pragmatic documents written on this can be found at: http://quattro.me.uiuc.edu/~jon/ACAJOB/index.htmlAuthored by Jon Dantzig at UIUC.

It can also be found with a web search “Landing an Academic Job.”

A must read for those interviewing!Note: last updated late 1990’s so a bit

outdated on some things but still very valuable.

The Schedule/ItineraryThe Schedule/Itinerary

Your schedule will be very full. 30 minute slots back to back to back.

Prepare by knowing the individuals’ technical backgrounds “Soooo, tell me what you do” is not very productive

use of time.

Identify those whose technical areas don’t overlap. Ask them programmatic or institutional questions Can also use them for bathroom breaks, etc.

Remember…you’re always being evaluated. Even after hours.

Interactions with FacultyInteractions with Faculty

Have prepared questions that you ask to several different people. Particularly those out of your technical area. Direction of unit; recent hires; historical challenges;

tenure rates; satisfaction level of faculty.

Look for consistency in responses. Particularly for administrators (dean & dept heads) Inconsistency should raise a flag

You’re selling yourself but you’re also shopping for an institution too!

Interactions with FacultyInteractions with Faculty

Technical peersDemonstrate technical depth and skills.

Faculty outside your technical area. Demonstrate ‘go getter’ personality and

collegiality.Vision or plan for what your research and

teaching will entail.

AdministrativeDemonstrate how your area fits in to the

national research picture.What impact will your area have

SeminarSeminar

Most important single thing you’ll do. Try to make sure everyone in attendance comes away

with something.

Key issues you must get across: What problem have I worked on? Why would anyone work on this problem? What is significant about what I have

done? How has my work made progress on the

problem?

SeminarSeminar

SUGGESTED STRUCTURE FOR THE INTERVIEW SEMINAR

       

Content Time (min)

Target Audience

Detail Level / Purpose

Background 15 Everyone present Your parents would understand it

Your approach

10 People in related fields

Show you know the field

Your results 10 People who work in your field

Show that you are the world expert on something

Summary 10 Everyone in the room

Relate your results to the big picture

Show good time management skills; more may actually be less here.