Mission
The mission of the Future Faculty and Academic Careers office is to prepare graduate students and postdocs for the future professoriate, with a focus on three areas: evidence-based practice of teaching in higher education, inclusive teaching, research and higher education environments, and effective mentorship for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs.
We provide in-person seminars and workshops and support learning communities at Cornell for graduate students, postdocs, staff and faculty, in collaboration with other Graduate School offices and the Center for Teaching Innovation. As part of the CIRTL Network, we also offer unique opportunities for networking and collaboration with faculty and students from other CIRTL Network institutions through workshops and seminars. Future Faculty and Academic Careers, sponsored through the Graduate School, supports the university’s strategic initiative to create a culture in support of teaching across campus.
Audiences
Future Faculty and Academic Careers programs serve graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and interested faculty and staff in all disciplines. The focus of most programming is on graduate students and postdocs interested in faculty and academic career preparation.
Core Ideas
Future Faculty and Academic Careers programs are based on the three core ideas of the CIRTL Network: Teaching as Research, Learning Communities, and Learning through Diversity. Additional emphases include effective research mentorship, professional and career development, and broadening participation in academia.
The CIRTL Network
The CIRTL Network’s mission is to enhance excellence in undergraduate education through the development of a national faculty committed to implementing and advancing effective teaching practices for diverse learners as part of successful and varied professional careers. As a CIRTL Network member institution, Cornell University participates in a group of 40 North American research universities collaboratively offering programs that prepare graduate students and postdocs to excel in academic careers. Since 2003, the National Science Foundation has funded numerous CIRTL Network initiatives aimed at advancing the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and social, behavioral, and economic disciplines in higher education. Other foundations have also supported the development of the CIRTL Network and specific initiatives.