Post on 20-Dec-2015
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The University• University mission: produce,
disseminate knowledge through– Research– Teaching– Service
• Research is paramount– It’s learning, Exploring, Problem
solving• Examples
– Models to predict trip making – Durable bridge materials– Optimal intersection control– Strategies for rapid incident
clearance• In universities…
– All teachers are researchers– Most researchers are teachers
Why does it happen? What to Do? Why do it?
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Career Options• Student (best job)
– Self investing– BS, MS, PhD– But it’s temporary!
• Professor (next best)– Independence– Multi-tasking
• Teaching, research, management
• Full-time researcher (close 3rd)– Some institutions have these
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What Do Students Do?
• Classes
• Hands-on learning: research – Graduate school is different
– MS: professional work
– PhD: research, teaching
– Arms and legs for research
– High expectations
• Fun stuff, too…
Students: build knowledge & skills for next career phase
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Professors’ Work• Teaching
– Classroom, mentoring, coaching
• Research– Discover new ideas– Solve important problems
• Grantsmanship– Find money to do the job
• Disseminate the results– Write, publish– Travel, speak
• Manage research teams• Manage universities • Time flexibility
– “It’s vacation time… now I can work!”
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Research/Academic Career Requires...
1. Interest in the field – commitmenta) Technology-society interface
b) Solving real problems
2. Problem solving skillsa) Quantitative and qualitative
analytics
3. Communications skills
4. Interest in human developmenta) Helping other people grow
1, 2 & 3 important for the field; 4 is essential for academic career
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Path to Becoming a Professor
• Ph.D.– B.S. + 4-6 years– Independent research
• Practice, skill building
• What does it take?– Commitment (interest!)
• Work hard, dig deeply
– Domain knowledge– Analytic skills (tools)– Communication skills
• Writing, speaking
– Independence of thought
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Payoff• New ideas• Solutions
– Useful ideas– Tools– Technologies– Materials
• Trained professionals• The legacy