Skills to learn as an assistant professor
The step from PhD or postdoc to assistant professor is a big step, so without perhaps being fully aware of it, assistant professors gather a whole new set of skills.
I made an overview in this list:
- Teaching and pedagogy: Developing effective teaching methods, designing courses, and assessing student learning are crucial aspects of being a professor.
- Curriculum development: Creating and refining course materials, syllabi, and assessments to meet the learning objectives and needs of students.
- Classroom management: Managing diverse classrooms, handling disruptions, and fostering a positive learning environment.
- Mentoring and advising: Guiding graduate and undergraduate students in research, career development, and academic pursuits.
- Developing a research program: Creating a comprehensive research agenda and securing funding to support research projects.
- Time management and prioritization: Balancing teaching, research, administrative duties, and personal responsibilities effectively.
- Conflict resolution and communication skills: Dealing with conflicts among colleagues (fighting for lab space), students, or within the department, and effective communication in various contexts.
- Ethics and integrity: Understanding and upholding ethical standards in research, teaching, and professional conduct.
- Budgeting: Managing research budgets, understanding overhead and other quirks, allocating resources efficiently, and making financial decisions.
- Departmental politics and administration: Navigating the administrative structure, understanding departmental policies, and participating in decision-making processes.
- Continued professional development: Developing a strategy for ongoing learning and skill-building to stay current in your field.
- Providing service to the profession: Contributing to committees, task forces, and other professional activities that support the profession.
- Public engagement: Communicating research to the public, engaging with community stakeholders, and participating in outreach activities.
- Institutional service: Contributing to committees, task forces, and other institutional activities that support the mission of the university.
- Navigating the requirements of the tenure track: Understanding and meeting the specific criteria and expectations for tenure at your institution.
What do you say? Which are the new things you learned as an assistant professor?
Share with your peers!