Launch Assistant Professors to Success

Key for Tenure Track faculty who are just starting their independent research program

Looking to enroll? Our current enrollment deadline has passed, but inquiries about late enrollment can be sent to Leah Duff via email (leah.duff@pennmedicine.upenn.edu).

Program Goals 

• Provide tools and strategies that support the launch of an independent research program
• Develop personnel and resource-management skills
• Foster best practices for strategic grant writing for key funding agencies
• Develop mentoring skills, and how to maximize being mentored
• Promote networking and reputation building 
• Orient participants on how tenure can be achieved

Target Participants

• PSOM Faculty
• In years 1-2 of initial PSOM faculty appointment
• On Tenure Track

Modalities & Methods

• One Year Program, with start date options in September or January (depending on faculty start date)
• One meeting/month, Friday afternoons 1-2:30
• Emphasis on in-person, seminar-style meetings

Program Schedule

• Session 1:  September 26th
  Location: BRB 1101,  1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Starting up an independent research program
• Session 2: October 24th
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Supervising and mentoring personnel: technicians, graduate students, postdocs, undergraduates, conflict management, professionalism. How ensure rigor and reproducibility in your research program.
• Session 3: November 21st
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Funding Sources and Strategies: Foundations, Penn, federal (NIH, NSF, DOD), industry, international, and when to apply
• Session 4: December 19th
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: : NIH grant writing from significance to approach; the process including study sections and institutes; and other tips and strategies for a successful application.
• Session 5: January 23rd
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Promoting yourself for Tenure
• Session 6: February 27th
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Publishing for Tenure
• Session 7: March 27th
  Location: BRB 1101,1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: TBD
• Session 8: April 24th
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Extramural consultant letter writers for your tenure promotion package: what they are, who can write them, and their importance
• Session 9: May 15th
  Location: BRB 1101, 1:00-2:30 PM
  Topic: Demystifying COAP (Committee on Appointments and Promotions)

Questions

If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Administrative Assistant, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology Leah Duff (Leah.Duff@PennMedicine.upenn.edu) or Program Director, Mary Mullins, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology (mullins@pennmedicine.upenn.edu).