A 4-year College Professorship: A 4-year College Professorship: Striking a Balance between Striking a Balance between

Teaching and ResearchTeaching and Research

Amy Cheng VollmerAmy Cheng Vollmer

Professor of BiologyProfessor of Biology

Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College

avollme1@swarthmore.eduavollme1@swarthmore.edu

OverviewOverview

It’s not easier, it’s differentIt’s not easier, it’s differentDiversity of institutionsDiversity of institutionsYou’re the only oneYou’re the only oneTeaching: What, how, to whom?Teaching: What, how, to whom?Research: How, what, when, when, why?Research: How, what, when, when, why?Promotion and tenurePromotion and tenureLife lines: Mentoring and NetworkingLife lines: Mentoring and NetworkingResources and supportResources and supportJobs and Job HuntingJobs and Job HuntingBalanceBalance

Faculty Position at a 4-year Faculty Position at a 4-year CollegeCollege

Compared with a university Compared with a university professorship……professorship……

it’s not easier or harder, it’s it’s not easier or harder, it’s differentdifferent

You still have to be excellent:You still have to be excellent:to be hiredto be hiredto be promotedto be promoted

A 4-Year College Career:A 4-Year College Career:It’s not easier, it’s differentIt’s not easier, it’s different

““Advantage”Advantage” “Disadvantage”“Disadvantage” family friendlyfamily friendly it’s harder to keep upit’s harder to keep upstudents move onstudents move on students move onstudents move onprojects can be high riskprojects can be high risk progress is slowprogress is slowno huge grant neededno huge grant needed grants still neededgrants still neededsalary not from grantsalary not from grant no summer $ if no grantno summer $ if no grant

University faculty want your students, but don’t University faculty want your students, but don’t always respect your work in grant panelsalways respect your work in grant panels

Diversity of institutions:Diversity of institutions: Learn about the history, Learn about the history,

traditions, role in the community traditions, role in the community and in higher educationand in higher education

Public vs privatePublic vs privateReligious denomination vs non-sectarianReligious denomination vs non-sectarianLiberal arts vs technical/vocationalLiberal arts vs technical/vocationalSuburban vs rural vs urbanSuburban vs rural vs urbanResidential vs commuterResidential vs commuterCo-ed vs single sexCo-ed vs single sex

Teaching load: 4-6 courses per yearTeaching load: 4-6 courses per yearInvolvement with the community/townInvolvement with the community/townOutreachOutreach

You’re the only oneYou’re the only one

Biology department at Swarthmore

microbiologist

cell biologist

geneticist

animal developmental biologist

neurobiologist

animal behaviorist

vertebrate physiologist

invertebrate biomechanist

plant ecologist

plant evolutionary biologist

plant developmental biologist

General microbiologyMedical microbiologyMicrobial ecologyBiotechnologyIndustrial microbiologyImmune responseVirologySymbiosisIntroductory microbiology

BioethicsAstrobiology“Why We Get Sick”

Teaching: What, how, to Teaching: What, how, to whom?whom?

What - CURRICULAR NEEDS (ASM curriculum guidelines)microbiology, molecular biology, microbial genetics,

metabolism, microbial ecology, evolution

How - RESPOND TO DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLESnot just lecture: interactive, cooperative learning, open-ended, problem-based, investigative

To whom - KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE!!!!!large/small classesmajors/non-majorsintroductory/advancedbasic/applied

• Syllabus, textbooks• Assignments, expectations• Lab manual, experiments• Lab preparation: media, reagents, strains• Assessment/Rubrics

– Exams– Papers– Lab reports– Oral presentations

Decisions, decisions…….

How to gain teaching How to gain teaching experienceexperience

• guest lecturing • mentoring a research student• teaching a course or lab• planning a meeting/symposium• designing a lab exercise• filling in: a one-year position*• sit in on good lectures - note what is good• practice, practice, practice!!

Research: Research: How, what, when, where, why?How, what, when, where, why?How - short projects, build in continuity

you must be in the labWhat - choice of system is key

what’s the burning question?When - during the semester (part of a lab class)

during the summerWhere - on or off campusWhy - to keep your teaching relevant

to answer the burning question to train students to have fun

Recruiting students introduce your system/questions in classposters showing student work

Training studentsHow and whyControlsRecord keepingLab dynamics

Getting resultsfocus the projectRealistic expectations

Communicating resultsweekly group meetingspublic meetings

FundingNIH AREA grants, NSF-RUIs, ASM-URFs,

Merck-AAAS

Other Aspects of Research to ConsiderOther Aspects of Research to Consider

ElsewhereDuPont: Construction of stress responsive strainsVA Tech: Environmental levels of ammonia, phosphate

At SwarthmoreChemistry: Protein structure of genes of interestEngineering: Does ultrasound induce bacterial stress?Physics: Do laser tweezers stress bacteria?Ecology: Do soil microbes account for success

of invasive maple species?Animal behavior: Are bacterial responsible for

differential scent production on birds during mating season?

Animal physiology: does fatty acid in diet affect profile of gut microbiota?

My own collaborations in research:

Projects in my lab:

Basic microbiology

• role of E. coli usp genes/proteins in stress response genetics, physiology, biochemistry

• role of uspA biofilm formation

• alanine replacements of ser/thr in uspA (18 of them)

Applied Microbiology• Use of stress responsive strains as biosensors for:

anti-oxidants (green tea)environmental pollutants (ammonia,

phosphate)• Can luminous bacteria be used to report the

sterilization effects of ultrasound on bacteria in: water, cider, biofilms• Do laser tweezers generate oxidative or heat stress?

Promotion and tenurePromotion and tenure

Spelled out in faculty handbook: rules of conduct, review criteria

Teaching - how is it measured?how do you improve?

Research - does it count? What counts?do expectations match support, facilities?is there a ‘culture of research’ in the dept?is it a requirement for students?

Service - committeesadvisingspecifics: radiation safety, animal careprofessional activities

professional societyeditorial servicepeer review panels

Is it necessary to do a post-Is it necessary to do a post-doc?doc?Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

momentum for research start upmomentum for research start up

networkingnetworking

more experience as investigatormore experience as investigator

more techniquesmore techniques

more time to write - grants, papersmore time to write - grants, papers

* For an institution like Swarthmore* For an institution like Swarthmore

Professional Life lines:Professional Life lines:Mentoring

It’s like parentingIt’s like herdingIt’s like housekeeping

You need to be a mentorYou need to seek mentors

Networkingsince you’re the only one, you need to stay in the looplocal colleaguesseminars at other campusesguest lecturesconferences and meetingsLISTSERVES

Resources and SupportResources and Support

ASM Resources for teachers:ASM Resources for teachers:

MicrobeLibraryMicrobeLibrary

MicroWorldMicroWorld

Curriculum recommendations Curriculum recommendations

Journal of Microbiology & Biology EducationJournal of Microbiology & Biology EducationConference for Undergraduate Educators!!!!!Conference for Undergraduate Educators!!!!!

Just as you do in research:Just as you do in research:

consult literature for consult literature for methodsmethods

attend meetings and attend meetings and conferencesconferences

Learn about pedagogy Learn about pedagogy

Different styles of learningDifferent styles of learning

Different ways to assess Different ways to assess learninglearning

How to mentor studentsHow to mentor students

Literature

For the beginning For the beginning faculty member:faculty member:

Start upStart upSetting up labSetting up labHiring/firingHiring/firingGrant writingGrant writingA ‘methods’ manualA ‘methods’ manualMany faculty have this Many faculty have this

on their shelveson their shelves

At the Helm, by Kathy Barker (in its At the Helm, by Kathy Barker (in its 2nd edition)2nd edition) Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor

Laboratory PressLaboratory Press

http://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/labmgmt/boohttp://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/labmgmt/book.pdfk.pdf

Mking the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdoc and New Faculty

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (2005) Press (2005)

Lab Dynamics: Management Skills for Scientists

by Carl M Cohen and Suzanne L, Cohen

…about the challenges of doing science and dealing with the individuals involved, including oneself. The authors, a scientist and a psychotherapist, draw on principles of group and behavioral psychology but speak to scientists in their own language about their experiences. They offer in depth, practical advice, real-life examples and exercises tailored to scientific and technical workplaces on topics as diverse as conflict resolution, negotiation, dealing with supervision, working with competing peers……

http://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/labmgmt/entering_menhttp://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/labmgmt/entering_mentoring.pdftoring.pdf

Entering Mentoring: A Seminar to Train a New Entering Mentoring: A Seminar to Train a New Generation of ScientistsGeneration of Scientists

bybyJo HandelsmanJo HandelsmanChristine PfundChristine Pfund

Sarah Miller LoufferSarah Miller LoufferChristine Haide PribbenowChristine Haide Pribbenow

The Scholarship of Teaching The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)and Learning (SoTL)

Journal of Microbiology & Biology EducationCell Biology EducationBiochemistry and Molecular Biology EducationJournal of Chemical EducationOther journals published by:

National Association of Biology TeachersNational Association of Science TeachingAssociation of Biology Laboratory Educators

ASM.org - click on “education”

ASMCUE (conference for undergraduate educators) precedes the annual general

meeting of the ASM

ASM Kadner summer instituteFor senior grad students and postdocs

Late July or early August Deadline: June 15

http://www.asmgap.org/MANY OTHER CAREER TRAJECTORIES

Examples of other trajectories:Examples of other trajectories:Alternative Careers in ScienceAlternative Careers in Science, ,

edited by Cynthia Robbins-Roth (Academic edited by Cynthia Robbins-Roth (Academic Press)Press)

Tech writerTech writer

PublishingPublishing

JournalismJournalism

Venture capitalVenture capital

Business analystBusiness analyst

EntrepreneurEntrepreneur

Patent agent; lawPatent agent; law

Public policyPublic policy

Regulatory affairsRegulatory affairs

Job HuntingJob Hunting

A career should match your temperament, skills

Educate yourself about careersEducate yourself about a particular workplaceWhat is the daily life for that professional?

Job HuntingJob Hunting

Read the ad carefully and show that you are a great match

Cover letter should answer any questions Teaching and research statements CV should show teaching and research Copies of papers if requested No ‘extras’ - less is more! Request appropriate reference letters Proofread Observe deadlines

Negotiating the offerNegotiating the offer

Don’t be a jerk/prima donaDon’t be a jerk/prima dona Negotiate in good faithNegotiate in good faith Find out what is ‘typical’ for new Find out what is ‘typical’ for new

facultyfaculty Be willing to share, waitBe willing to share, wait Don’t spend all of the start-up Don’t spend all of the start-up

immediatelyimmediately Get everything in writingGet everything in writing Be grateful and a good departmental Be grateful and a good departmental

citizencitizen

BalanceBalance You can’t do it all: limit and focus Prioritize See advice Don’t procrastinate Just say no - don’t over-extend Network Check in with your mentors Reduce stress

Follow your passion!Follow your passion!• Choose a subject you love• Pursue knowledge, skill

aggressively• Encourage and inspire others• Be broad and inclusive• Share your knowledge and

ideas:mentor and be mentored