Castellanos, Gonzales Selected for Future Faculty Program

Patricia Castellanos (left) and Patricia Gonzales (right).

Please join us in extending our congratulations to graduate students Patricia Castellanos (advised by Associate Professor Sheryl Ehrman) and Patricia Gonzales (advised by Professor Nam Sun Wang), who were among only 20 students chosen to participate in the Clark School’s new Future Faculty Program.

The Future Faculty Program (FFP), launched this year, was created to prepare students for academic careers in top-50 engineering schools. The program includes seminars, a teaching practicum, and a research mentoring practicum.

The initial noncredit component of the program was open to all graduate students interested in a career in academia. It introduced them to faculty "role models" who discussed why they chose a career in academia, how they secured tenure-track positions, and how they have achieved success.

Students who wished to stay with the program were required to apply. After a competitive selection process 20 students, including at least one representative from each of the Clark School's departments, were chosen to be Future Faculty Fellows. Fellows are awarded a supplemental fellowship, in addition to any teaching or research assistantships they may already have. Half of the funds are reserved for travel to professional conferences.

During the second, third, and fourth semesters of the program, Future Faculty Fellows attend seminars on topics such as technical writing, oral presentations, creating syllabi and curriculum, teaching and learning styles, identifying research areas, writing grants, and interviewing for faculty positions. Each Fellow is also paired with a senior faculty with whom they will teach a course and supervise an undergraduate research project, and from whom they will receive mentoring and career counseling.

Published January 26, 2007