Future Faculty Program Overview

1
Future Faculty Program Overview

• November 2006

2
Goals

• Increase number of Ph.D. graduates who obtain
  academic positions
• Especially at top-50 engineering schools
• Improve preparation of students for academic
  careers so that they can better succeed once they
  obtain such positions

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Program Overview

• 20 fellows per year admitted into program
• Applicant must have passed PhD qual. Exam and
  have at least 3 semesters remaining
• 3 one-credit training seminars
• Teaching practicum (one-credit)
• Research mentor practicum
• Program can be completed in between 3 and 5
  semesters

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Program Sequence-0

• Seminar 0 Noncredit seminar with speakers from
  UMD and outside
• Open to all graduate students
• Topics
• Reasons for selecting academic career
• Experience in securing a faculty position
• Path taken to build academic career

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Program Sequence-1

• Seminar I (one credit)
• Primary topics
• Giving effective oral presentations
• Writing technical papers and reports
• Additional topics
• Developing a research program and record to
  maximize the chance of obtaining a faculty
  position
• Developing a network of collaborators and
  potential references from other institutions,
  government laboratories and industry
• Ethical concerns for faculty and graduate
  students

6
Program Sequence-2

• Seminar II (one credit)
• Effective teaching techniques
• Creating course content
• Managing a class
• Interacting effectively with students
• Student learning styles

7
Program Sequence-3

• Seminar III (one credit)
• Topics include
• Identifying new research areas
• Writing grant proposals
• Developing effective interviewing skills

8
Program Sequence-4

• Teaching Practicum (one credit)
• After, or simultaneous with, Seminar III
• Co-teach a course together with faculty member
• Participate in all aspects of course
• Development of syllabus
• Teach roughly half the lectures
• Write and grade exams
• Evaluate the students
• Close supervision by faculty member

9
Program Sequence-5

• Research Mentor Practicum
• Cosupervise research project of undergraduate or
  junior graduate student
• Help to formulate research problem
• Meet regularly with student to provide advice and
  monitor progress

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Fellowship

• 10,000 total supplemental stipend
• In addition to regular GRA or GTA stipend
• 1st year 2,000
• 2nd year 4,000
• 3rd year 4,000
• One half of each supplement reserved for travel
  to attend professional conferences

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How to apply

• Deadline December 15, 2006
• Required materials
• CV
• Personal statement (one page)
• Letter of recommendation from advisor
• Letter of recommendation from another faculty
  member
• Apply online
• www.eng.umd.edu/academics/ffa_apply.html