This Academic Life

In this episode, we discuss some frequently asked questions regarding grants management once the funding has arrived at the awarded institution, including: course buyout, summer salary, overspending, and indirect cost recovery (or overhead returns).  Reference list:  OMB Uniform Guidance for Grants and Contract Agreements OMB Uniform Guidance (2014) | GRANTS.GOV Sponsor: De Gruyter : This episode...

In this episode, we discuss the culture of overwork and how we can strategize to overcome it. Good reads are listed in the Reference list in this show notes. Reference list: https://voicesofacademia.com/2020/09/04/confronting-the-culture-of-overwork-less-is-more-by-brittany-uhlorn/ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2019/12/11/what-interests-do-busyness-and-overwork-academe-serve-opinion https:...

In this episode, we discuss the war in Ukraine and its impact on the scientific community and academia as a whole. Reference list:  Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail.com ) Artwork is created using Canva ( canva.com )  Sponsor: De Gruyter : This episode is sponsored by De Gruyter and its portfolio in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. For “Students and Research...

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) has become an ubiquitous part of academics. In this episode, we talk with an DEI expert, Mr. Matt Pinchinat, who is the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Guilderland Central School District in the capital region of NY. He’s also an adjunct faculty at Clarkson University. He answers some emergent questions on why DEI is necessary in academics and...

Recommendation letters are an important part of students’ applications for different fellowships, scholarships, as well as grad school. In this episode, we will talk about who to ask for these letters and what is the typical format of these letters. Reference list:  Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail.com ) Artwork is created using Canva ( canva.com )  Sponsor: De Gruyter : Th...

In our anniversary episode, we discuss faculty on “Side Track”: moving before tenure with Dr. Andre Clayborne who is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and BioChemistry at George Mason University.  Dr. Clayborne has successfully navigated the transition between universities while on the tenure track. He candidly shares with us his experiences, concerns, and challenges on his “tr...

Recommendation letters are an important component of a postdoc/faculty application as well as a faculty promotion packet. These letters have unique requirements and are not the same as typical letters of recommendation. In this episode, we talk about who you should ask for these letters and how to write these letters. Reference list:  Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail.com )...

Teaching evaluations can have many purposes including assessment of an instructor’s teaching effectiveness. It can also impact one’s academic career such as reappointment or promotion and tenure. In this episode, we talk about the history of teaching evaluations, how and when they are effective, and how we can possibly improve students’ participation and its effectiveness in the future.  Reference...

Sabbatical for academic professors is a sacred opportunity to rejuvenate research ideas and initiate research collaborations. In this episode, we talk about the history and various forms of sabbatical. We also share how we planned and made our own sabbaticals as meaningful enrichment experiences.  Reference list:  Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail.com ) Artwork is created us...

The grant culture in research institutes (i.e. academia, industry, and national labs) has been evolved over the past decades and led to an environment where chasing fundings has had a significant impact on shaping the new culture. In this episode, Dr. Anastasia Ilgen, a Principal Member of Technical Staff at the Geochemistry Department, Sandia National Laboratories, shares her experience and insig...

Our conversation on the quest for a faculty position continues. Listen to our perspectives from both sides of the table. The fall season is time to look for faculty positions and universities are also getting ready to find the most suitable candidate(s) for their openings. This episode talks about some aspects of this search. Reference list: Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail...

The fall season is time to look for faculty positions and universities are also getting ready to find the most suitable candidate(s) for their openings. This episode talks about some aspects of this search. Reference list:  Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail.com ) Artwork is created using Canva ( canva.com )  An interesting read: https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2016/06/...

Do professors get their summers off? You’ll learn about how the three of us spent our summer. Research continues, administrative tasks pile up, and the summer is simply too short! Reference list: Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal ( schallert.wygal@gmail.com ) Artwork is created using Canva ( canva.com ) An interesting read: https://www.higheredjobs.com/Articles/articleDisplay.cfm? ID=1711 Contact l...

Academic and entrepreneurship are strongly linked in many ways as they work together in contributing to technology and economic developments in our society. Today, we’ll learn from an academic entrepreneur, Dr. Adam Ryason, The CEO and founder of “Intelligent Medicine Inc.” and learn how he started his exciting adventures. Intelligent Medicine Inc. is a software and simulation startup company base...

Graduate school can be exciting and yet stressful for a graduate student. In this episode, we talk with a couple of Ph. D. students who are a married couple, Keawepono (Pono) and  Priscilla Delgado Wong. Both Pono and Priscilla are currently biomedical engineering students at Georgia Tech. They share their journeys as graduate students.  Reference list:  Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal (schallert...

Have you ever wondered about doing undergraduate research? In this show, we learn about the benefit of doing undergraduate research from Prof. Cynthia Furse, a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Utah. She has mentored more than 175 students throughout her career and in this show, she shares her thoughts about all aspects of undergraduate research. ...

Have you heard of quantum education? In this show, we learn about it from Dr. Tina Brower-Thomas, a research professor in the graduate school at Howard University. She also holds a visiting faculty appointment at Harvard University. At the forefront of national quantum education, she shares with us how she got into this field and some initiatives she is currently leading.  Reference list:  Music b...

Mid-career development can be daunting and challenging in an academic career. With much emphasis on junior faculty, and also senior faculty who take leadership roles, mid-career development is often overlooked. A mid-career burnout resulting in a career slump can occur to many of us. As hard as we try to avoid admitting or even talking about struggles and challenges we face as mid-career, the real...

Episode Notes We all have heard the phrase “Publish or Perish”, but what does it really mean in our today’s academic life? In this show, we interview Prof. Stephane Bordas, Professor of Computational Mechanics at University of Luxemburg, to talk about Quality vs Quantity related to scientific publishing. He has published more than 200 journal articles and has served as the editor of a few journals...

In this episode, we talk to Prof. Linda Schadler, the Dean of College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Vermont, on the myths and realities of academic administration. She shares with us her path of becoming an administrator and then a dean of an engineering college. She spells out some myths about academic administration and the realities and surprises she faces at thi...

In this episode, we interview two school kids, Kingston (a 7th grader) and Phenix (a 4th grader), from Durham, NC. They ask us some great questions about how college works and what a professors’ life looks like, and the process to pursue a STEM career. Reference list: Music by RuthAnn Schallert-Wygal (schallert.wygal@gmail.com) Contact list: If you have any comments about our show or have suggesti...

In this episode, we discuss Jennifer Granholm’s visit to Howard University and the panel she had with Kim on it. Discussing topics ranging from promises to increase funding to Kim being quoted in a Washington Post article. Reference list: https://www.vuu.edu/Content/Uploads/vuu.edu/images/Pledge%20of%20Allegiance%20FINAL.pdf The Panel(Kim’s Section is around 17 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/wat...

In this episode, we discuss the taboo topic of a professor’s salary and the importance of academic salary transparency. We also discuss how administrators can work with junior faculty and help them ease the salary negotiation process. Reference list: https://www.ccdaily.com/2021/04/a-look-at-faculty-presidents-salaries/ https://www.lifeofaprofessor.com/post/are-professors-rich The Annual Report on...

In this episode, we discuss some major differences between European and American educational systems with Dr. Christos Athanasiou, a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Engineering at Brown university. As someone who has personally experienced studying in both European and American institutes, he will share some insights into these two different educational systems. Reference list: Mu...

In this episode, we discuss the importance of getting awards in academia and ways to get them with Dr. Debbie Kaminski, a professor emeritus in Mechanical Engineering. She will share with us the different types of awards faculty members can go after and why it is critical for the community as a whole to work together to promote each other’s work through nomination. References: Music by RuthAnn Sch...