Building Future Faculty Program – NC State University

The NC State University Building Future Faculty (BFF) Program is a two-and-half day all-expenses paid workshop for doctoral students and post-doctoral scholars who are interested in pursuing academic careers and who are committed to promoting diversity in higher education. The program is targeted to graduate students who are in the dissertation phase or post-doctoral.

The mission of the Building Future Faculty program is to prepare diverse graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for faculty careers, with a special emphasis on students who are committed to increasing inclusiveness and representation of historically underrepresented groups. Note that different groups may be underrepresented in different disciplines.

During the workshop, which is held each spring at NC State University, the participants attend sessions covering life as a faculty member at a research-extensive university, expectations of new faculty and resources available to faculty for help with research and teaching. Participants attend presentations on research and teaching and faculty development and have discussion sessions with current faculty at all levels from assistant to full professor. Each participant is matched with an academic department whose interests closely match their own. The balance of time is spent visiting with this academic department. During these visits, participants have the opportunity to meet with faculty to discuss the faculty research programs and learn about the departmental culture. They tour the research facilities and laboratories, meet with current students and meet with the department head and dean of the college in which the department resides. During these in-depth departmental discussions concerning their academic work and career interests, participants receive one-on-one advice about preparing for an academic career and may obtain feedback on which parts of their preparation are strong and which parts might need strengthening. This is an invaluable opportunity for both the BFF participants and for the NC State departments to get to know each other. The BFF program encourages applications from graduate students and post-doctoral scholars from groups that are underrepresented in their disciplines. The program aims to increase representation of diverse U.S. graduate students and post-doctoral scholars joining the professoriate.

The Building Future Faculty program is not a job placement program. Rather, it is designed to provide invaluable information for graduate students and post-docs preparing for faculty careers.

Who Will Benefit?

  • graduate students and post-docs who are seriously considering faculty careers;
  • graduate students who are far enough along in their dissertation research to make a brief presentation about their research.

What are the Benefits?

  • behind-the-scenes view of faculty life and expectations of faculty;
  • profiles of experiences of underrepresented faculty, faculty with families, faculty from diverse backgrounds;
  • success strategies for increasing research productivity and navigating academic life;
  • skills development for teaching, networking and public speaking;
  • information and feedback on the application process and materials, such as a CV, cover letter and research planning;
  • opportunities to interact with faculty in your discipline and other BFF scholars.

Learn more and apply

Deadline to apply: Wednesday, November 7, 2018 

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