Applications now being accepted for NextGen Professors

NextGen alumni Frankie Zhu and Jermaine Toney joke around prior to a panel discussion on getting a faculty position

NextGen alumni Frankie Zhu and Jermaine Toney joke around prior to a panel discussion on getting a faculty position in May 2019.

~September 14, 2021~

Early in graduate school, Frances Zhu, Ph.D. ‘19 was uncertain about whether a career in academia was right for her. Participating in the NextGen Professors Program, Zhu and her cohort learned more about the ins and outs of navigating academia and becoming a faculty member.

“Through NextGen, I’ve learned so much about crafting a good [application] package, focusing my research vision, finding my institutional fit, navigating academia as a member of a minoritized community, and so much more,” said Zhu.

Zhu graduated in May 2019 with a doctorate in aerospace engineering and accepted a position as an assistant researcher in space systems at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.

NextGen Professors, a joint effort between the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE) and Future Faculty and Academic Careers (formerly CIRTL at Cornell), prepares doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars for academic careers across institutional types. It is also supported by the National Science Foundation Grant No. 1647094 (CIRTL AGEP), which is focused on improving the academic climate for STEM dissertators and postdocs and increasing their interest in faculty careers.

Read NextGen Prepares Future Professors by Katya Hrichak


To apply for the 2021-2022 cohort, submit your application materials by September 28, 2021.

Learn about applying for NextGen Professors