Workshop Information
Day 1: Developing long-term research program
Developing a sustainable long-term research program is an elusive challenge that confronts researchers, especially when they are relatively early into their career. More often than not, researchers struggle to identify a contemporary topic from which to craft a series of research projects that can survive the test of time. This workshop will walk the audience through my own journey of formulating a long-term research program. Particularly, I will distinguish the investigability of a phenomenon from its publishability to draw attention to the kinds of considerations I have when devising a long-term research program. The purpose of this workshop is not to prescribe a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, but rather, to share my experience in hope of starting a discourse on how a sustainable long-term research program can be developed.
Day 2: Career development for doctoral students
For doctoral students, the academic career does not begin with landing a faculty position. Rather, enrollment in the doctoral program marks the first step toward a longer-term academic career. For this reason, it is never too early for doctoral students to plan ahead and begin crafting their job market profiles from the moment they enroll. Ranging from the management of supervisory relationships to the cultivation of a support network to job hunting, this workshop will touch on the do’s and don’ts during the doctoral program. I will also reflect on the things I did right as well as the things I did wrong when I first entered the job market. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss career development issues close to their heart.
Day 3: Faculty life – a balancing act
Life as a faculty generally revolves around juggling among research, teaching, and service. Depending on how research, teaching, and service are balanced, one can either benefit from synergies among these activities or be overwhelmed by their time-consuming nature. But at the same time, striking an equilibrium among research, teaching, and service is more of an art rather than science, taking into account environmental constraints, institutional priorities, and personal strengths. In this workshop, I will share my experiences with faculty life thus far and the lessons I have acquired during this time. Hopefully, insights from this workshop can prepare attendees for faculty life in the not-too-distant future.